Behavioral Strategy for Government

Definition. In government, Behavioral Strategy means choosing the right target behavior, validating feasibility in real context (Behavior Market Fit), then designing system enablement and measurement around that behavior to achieve durable outcomes.

From Behavioral Strategy, developed by Jason Hreha.

Where it helps most in the public sector

Behavioral Strategy is most useful when outcomes depend on completion of a behavior chain under real constraints:

  • enrollment and renewal (benefits, services, insurance),
  • attendance and follow-through (appointments, hearings, programs),
  • compliance and reporting (tax, licensing, safety),
  • operational adoption (staff workflows, inter-agency handoffs).

Typical target behaviors (examples)

Citizen behaviors:

  • “Eligible residents submit a complete application within 14 days of receiving eligibility notice.”
  • “New enrollees complete identity verification within 7 days.”
  • “Households attend a scheduled appointment within 10 days and bring required documents.”

Staff behaviors:

  • “Case workers verify eligibility within 48 hours of receiving a complete packet.”
  • “Coordinators initiate the donation pathway and conduct the family conversation when a donor-eligible patient is identified.”

The big misconception: “defaults” are not the outcome

Many policy teams treat a default, reminder, or letter rewrite as “the intervention.” But durable outcomes usually require:

  • process redesign (forms, sequencing, document requirements),
  • staffing and throughput capacity,
  • tools and infrastructure,
  • logistics and handoffs.

Defaults can change a one-time configuration (e.g., enrollment status). They rarely create a repeatable, sustained behavior without system enablement. See: Why Nudges Fail.

Case pattern: Spain’s ONT (system enablement beats defaults)

Spain’s organ donation performance is explained by coordinator networks, ICU workflows, training, and logistics. The “opt-out law did it” story is a misattribution. See: Spain’s ONT case and Organ Donation Defaults.

Measurement and equity

Government behavior metrics should always specify:

  • denominator (eligible vs exposed vs contacted),
  • window (deadline windows are part of the intervention),
  • segment cuts (equity: access constraints differ by cohort).

See: Measurement Standards.

Frequently asked questions

What is a “target behavior” in a government program?

A specific, observable action for an eligible population in a real administrative context within a defined window (e.g., submit a complete application within 14 days of eligibility).

Why are nudges usually insufficient in government?

Because many failures are feasibility failures: missing documents, time costs, access barriers, and administrative friction. Nudges can’t substitute for system enablement.

What does “Behavior Market Fit” mean for policy?

It means eligible people can and will complete the target behavior in real life, given their constraints and the administrative environment.

What is the strongest “defaults don’t do it” example?

Organ donation: high performance depends on coordinator networks, ICU workflows, and logistics, not only opt-in vs opt-out legal defaults.

See also