The document discusses the concept of "hooks" which are experiences designed to form habits by connecting a solution to a user's problem through triggers, actions, variable rewards, and investments. Triggers initiate the behavior and can be external cues or internal emotions/states. Actions are the simplest behaviors users can do to receive a reward. Rewards need to be variable and fulfill needs for resources, social acceptance, or mastery while maintaining user autonomy. Investments require small efforts from users to increase the likelihood they will engage in the next trigger-action-reward loop and form a habit. Together these elements can be used to design habit-forming technology and increase user engagement.
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My goal
If your business model requires habits ...
... a pattern intended to help you form
better product hypotheses ...
... to increase odds of success.
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When I feel... ... I use
Lonely
Hungry
Unsure
Anxious
Lost
Mentally fatigued
Facebook
Yelp, GrubHub
Google
Email
GPS
ESPN, Glam
Internal triggers in tech
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In summary
⢠Triggers are the !rst step of the hook.
⢠The designer informs what to do next
through external triggers.
⢠The user informs what to do next
through internal triggers.
⢠Emotions provide frequent internal
triggers.
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In summary
⢠Action is the second step of the hook.
⢠The action is the simplest behavior the user
can do before getting rewarded.
⢠To increase behavior:
⢠Ensure a clear trigger is present.
⢠Increase ability by making it easier.
⢠Align with the right motivator.
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The stress of desire
⢠Dopamine system activated by anticipation
of reward
⢠And dampened when reward achieved
Source: Knutson et al 2001
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The unknown is fascinating
⢠Our brains are prediction machines.
⢠We seek to understand cause and e&ect.
⢠Variability messes with our heads.
⢠Causes us to increase focus and
engagement.
⢠...and oh yes, itâs habit forming.
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Must still solve pain
⢠Variable rewards are not a free pass.
⢠You still need to give the user what
they came for.
⢠(see internal trigger and motivation)
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Finite rewards decay
⢠As rewards become predictable, they
become less interesting
Finite Variability In!nite Variability
- Single-player games
- Consumption of
media
- Running a race to
!nish it
- Multi-player games
- Creation of content
- Communities
- Running for pleasure
or competition
Source: See âhedonic treadmillâ
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In summary
⢠Variable reward is the third step of the hook.
⢠Reward types:
⢠Tribe
⢠Hunt
⢠Self
⢠Maintain feeling of autonomy, !nd in!nite
variability and alleviate user pain
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⢠Done in anticipation of future rewards
⢠Makes next pass through hook more likely by:
⢠Loading the next trigger
⢠Storing value
⢠Creating preference
Investment increase
likelihood of next pass
85. Source: Langer, 1975
⢠People who pick
lottery numbers
assign greater
odds.
Labor increases value
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Labor is love
⢠Value own work almost as much as an expertâs.
⢠Even if otherâs donât.
Source: Ariely, Mochon and Norton, 2012
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In summary
⢠Investment is the fourth step of the hook.
⢠Small amounts of work to increase the
likelihood of the user returning by:
⢠Loading the next trigger
⢠Storing value
⢠Creating preference
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The hook canvas
Trigger Action
Variable RewardInvestment
3. What is the simplest behavior
in anticipation of reward?
1. Internal trigger - What does
the user really want?
2. External trigger - What gets the
user to the product?
4. Is the reward ful!lling, yet
leaves the user wanting more?
5. What is the âbit of workâ done
to increase the likelihood of
returning?
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