Behavioural science: turning insights to action
Behavioural science: turning insights to action
Putting the core strength into your strategies, action plans and interventions
The resources on this page are designed to give you the tools to apply behavioural science to improve health outcomes. They have been developed by the Surrey County Council Applied Behavioural and Social Sciences group.
You will learn to apply a simple, 9-step process to help design, implement and evaluate evidence-based behaviour change interventions, providing you with clear methods to turn insights into action.
The process is based on established behaviour change frameworks developed by the UCL Centre for Behaviour Change and recommended by the Local Government Association.
What is behavioural science?
Behavioural and social sciences investigate the cognitive, social, and environmental drivers and barriers that influence human behaviour.
Behavioural evidence on what influences behaviours at the individual, community, and population level can improve the design of policies and programmes, communications, products and services aimed at achieving better health for all.
Evidence from behavioural and social sciences can contribute to and complement other public health efforts that focus on the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes.
(WHO, Behavioural Science for Better Health, 2022)
Who is this resource for?
If people are part of your service, policy, design or wider work – you will find the information on this page helpful.
We would love to work with you
The resources you see here are designed to get you started. For more information or help applying behavioural science in your work, contact the ABBS group by emailing [email protected] using “ABSS Query” in the subject heading.
How to use this resource
Bitesize videos
The training is delivered as a series of bitesize videos that talk you through the 9-step process. These steps are structured around 3 key questions:
What behaviour are you trying to change?
What will it take to bring about the desired change?
How will you know if it’s achieved the desired change?
You can either view these videos as standalone sessions on you can view them as part of the full series.
Not everyone will have to go through all steps every time (in fact, most projects are only concerned with a few steps) but it’s important to be aware of the bigger picture as this may help to design, implement, or evaluate more effective interventions.
Behavioural Science Project Workbook
You can also download the Behavioural Science Project Workbook here: ABSS 9 step process workbook Jan 2026.docx
The workbook is based around the 9-step process covered in 7 bitesize videos. It will help you apply the apply the key principles covered in the video series to plan your own behavioural science project.
Bitesize ABBS Video Series
What behaviour are you trying to change?
Step 1: Identifying target behaviours and actors
Introducing key principles of applied behavioural science
Step 2: Reviewing the evidence
Ensuring your behavioural science project is grounded in evidence
Step 3: Engaging with communities
Ensuring your behavioural science project is grounded in evidence and lived experience.
What will it take to bring about the desired change?
Step 4: Reviewing barriers and enablers for behaviour change
Introducing the COM-B model
Step 5: Reviewing intervention functions
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Step 6: Identifying appropriate interventions
Introducing the Behaviour Change Wheel and Theoretical Domains Framework
Step 7. Designing the intervention with implementation in mind
Introducing the Behaviour Change Techniques Taxonomy and Normalisation Process Theory
How will you know if it’s achieved the desired change?
Step 8: Checking for feasibility
Introducing and applying the APEASE criteria
Step 9: Evaluating the intervention
Introducing the Medical Research Council framework and types of evaluation