Key message,
Over the past ten years, there has been increasing interest in the idea of behavioral insights. However, at some point, this interest may start to end and attention may go elsewhere. Other ideas may come along, with their own compelling claims. People may stop deciding to “bring in” behavioral experts, as Rory was for autonomous vehicles. If this is true, then the immediate priority should be to integrate behavioral insights into the standard way that policy is made or organizations are run. That would mean that the practices are resilient to people no longer asking for “behavioral” solutions.
In fact, you could argue that this is the ultimate goal of the behavioral insights approach. The idea of a “behavioral” solution or approach should become meaningless, since the principles will have become absorbed into standard ways of working. Since, as we said in chapter 1, most policies or services concern behavior, then this is just about improving the way that central function is performed—it is not some kind of optional extra. Rather than talking about “behavioral public policy,” we would just refer to public policy (or corporate strategy) done better. In a sense, stopping talking about behavioral insights may actually be a sign that its true promise has been fulfilled. Until then, there is more to do.
The idea of a “behavioral” solution or approach should become meaningless, since the principles will have become absorbed into standard ways of working.
