Behavioral Failure Modes

1. Wrong target behavior: you picked a behavior users will not perform.
   • Remedy: re-rank candidate behaviors with observed data, not opinions. Run a 1-week field probe to measure baseline feasibility.
2. Context misfit: the behavior does not fit the real environment.
   • Remedy: change the environment or the touchpoint. Move the behavior to where it naturally occurs.
3. Ability overestimation: too hard for the median user.
   • Remedy: reduce steps, provide scaffolds, and train to fluency before expecting frequency.
4. Negative social externalities: social cost blocks action.
   • Remedy: provide private paths, reduce visibility, or add credible social proof.
5. Time to First Behavior too long.
   • Remedy: compress to minutes. Target TTFB < 5 minutes B2C, < 1 day B2B pilot.
6. Incentive misalignment: rewards push the opposite behavior.
   • Remedy: align incentives with the specific target behavior, not with proxies.
7. Brittle reinforcement: behavior collapses when prompts stop.
   • Remedy: design intrinsic value and natural triggers that live in the user’s environment.
8. Hidden costs: cognitive, time, or money costs are not surfaced.
   • Remedy: make costs explicit and reduce or offset them.

See the Four-Fit Validator to detect these early.