The Hook Model of Behavioral Design is only used for products that must be used out of habit. It consists of four steps outlined below:

1. Trigger: This first step, a Trigger, consists of two types, external and internal. A habit is started with an external trigger such as an email, a link on a website, or the app icon on a phone. When users consistently cycle through the external triggers, internal triggers start to form due to associations with behaviors and emotions. Eventually, users are triggered every time they feel a certain way and the internal trigger becomes part of their routine behavior and becomes a habit.
2. Action: The next step after trigger is the intended action. In this step the company makes the intended action as easy as possible for the user, while also boosting the user’s motivation. This phase draws on the science of usability design and ensures that the user will act as the designer intends.
3. Variable Reward: The Variable Reward is similar to a feedback loop but creates more desire because of its unpredictability. One of the most powerful tools companies use to hook users is a variable reward. Classic examples of a habit-forming variable reward are slot machines and lotteries, but are also prevalent in habit-forming technologies where any additional click of the mouse can produce interesting information, photos, news or even recipes.
4. Investment: This is the phase where the user is asked to give back, which can be in a multitude of ways including time, data, effort, social capital or money. Unlike a traditional sale, where money is exchanged and the parties move on, this type of investment promises a better experience for the use next time. By asking the user to “invest” by inviting friends, stating preferences, building virtual assets and learning to use new features, the experience is improved and will create an easier trigger next time. Thus, the Hook process starts all over again.

Strategy teams are required to compile data from various sources to fit into the Hook Model of Behavioral Design. Various types of market surveys and focus groups can be used to provide insights, data and additional support when using the Hook Model of Behavioral Design method. The new online Hook Model template from Praxie helps product manufacturers design products that create habit-forming behavior in users via a looping cycle that consists of the following four steps: Trigger, Action, Variable Reward and Continued Investment. 

Get started with our Hook Model of Behavioral Design template. 

How to use it: 

1. Review the Hook Model. 
2. Enter answers to each question to design your habit-forming product or customer experience. 
3. Create an action plan for completing the Hook Model template.  

Unlike most traditional strategy techniques, Praxie’s online Behavioral Design tools allow any team or organization to instantly begin working with our web templates and input forms. Our digital platform goes far beyond other software tools by including progress dashboards, data integration from existing documents or other SaaS software, elegant intuitive designs, and full access on any desktop or mobile device.