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Behavioral Strategy Discipline Charter

Jason Hreha· Updated July 10, 2026

This charter defines the discipline: Fit-first, field-validated, and measured in behaviors, not proxies or press-release science.

Tenets #

  • Fit Order: Problem → Behavior → Solution → Product. Never skip gates.
  • Immediate Objective: Achieve Behavior Market Fit (BMF) for a clearly defined behavior in a defined segment.
  • Field Before Theory: Prioritize observed behavior in real contexts over lab generalities.
  • Measurement: Report Δ-B, TTFB, and behavior retention (with denominators and windows). Avoid proxy KPIs.
  • Evidence Discipline: Link claims to sources or label numbers as examples. Maintain an Evidence Ledger.
  • Ethical Transparency: Defaults are configuration. Preserve autonomy, explain recommendations, and keep change paths reversible.
  • Practical Creativity: Favor situation-specific designs informed by behavioral science. Avoid nudge-first templates and “one-size-fits-all” interventions.
  • Replication Awareness: Treat contested effects with caution (e.g., broad loss-aversion claims). Test in your context.

Practitioner Code #

  • Publish stage-gate thresholds (pre-registered where feasible).
  • Tie outcomes to behaviors; avoid attitudinal metrics as endpoints.
  • Report denominators, windows, assignment, and cohorting for every claim.
  • Distinguish example values from measured results.
  • Document limiting BSM components and how the solution addresses them.
  • Avoid nudge theater and proxy wins (clicks, toggles) masquerading as behavior.

Fit-First Workflow (Four-Fit) #

1) Problem Market Fit → evidence users seek solutions to a meaningful problem. 2) Behavior Market Fit → users can and will perform the selected behavior in context (Dispositional Fit, Capability Fit, Context Fit; use 6 out of 10 as a starting heuristic, then calibrate and validate with observed behavior). 3) Solution Market Fit → the solution measurably enables that behavior with low friction (TTFB/completion thresholds). 4) Product Market Fit → behavior sustains in the market with viable economics.

See: Behavioral Research, Behavior Ranking & Selection, Designing Products.

What We Reject #

  • “Nudges” as a strategy. In most real-world settings, effect sizes are too small and too brittle to justify nudge-first work. Fix fit and enablement instead. BS-0003 BS-0027

  • Attitudinal claims without behavioral evidence.
  • Priming/”magic words” theater and unreplicated lab effects as prescriptions.
  • Overstated “defaults did it” narratives (e.g., organ donation) that ignore system design.

Reporting Example (Behavioral Outcome) # 

Project: Auto-pay onboarding
Target behavior: Schedule the first bill payment within the first week
Segment: New checking customers
Window: 30 days
Denominator: All exposed
Baseline completion: 22 pp
Post completion: 34 pp
Δ-B: +12 pp
TTFB: 06:10
Retention: D30 18 pp; D180 9 pp
Notes: limitations, confounders, turnback rules
Evidence: Ledger IDs and links

See also #