Engaged: Behavioral Science for Digital Product Design

Engaged: Behavioral Science for Digital Product Design

Instructor: Packt - Course Instructors

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12 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

12 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Apply psychological principles to improve user motivation and engagement
Design decision points that reduce friction and build user confidence
Measure and iterate on product impact using meaningful metrics

Details to know

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Assessments

12 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 12 modules in this course

Designing digital products that truly engage users requires more than great visuals or smooth functionality—it demands a deep understanding of human behavior. This course provides a science-backed framework for leveraging psychology in product design to drive lasting behavior change and meaningful user engagement.

Throughout the course, you’ll learn how to apply evidence-based methods to increase motivation, reduce friction, and build user trust. Each module blends actionable tools with real-world examples, enabling you to translate theory into practical design strategies that improve user experiences and outcomes. What sets this course apart is its unique combination of behavioral science and product design expertise. You’ll not only explore psychological models but also see how they can be implemented in product workflows, decision points, and user journeys. This course is designed for product designers, managers, UX researchers, and anyone involved in creating digital experiences. No prior psychology training is required, but familiarity with design or product development concepts will help maximize your learning. Copyright @ 2020 Amy Bucher. All rights reserved. Originally published by Rosenfeld Media, LLC. This course edition is published by Packt Publishing under license from Rosenfeld Media LLC. No part of this material may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means @2014 electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise @ 2014 without prior written permission from the author or the publisher.

In this section, we link psychology and design to evaluate motivation, fulfill autonomy, competence and relatedness, and plan culturally sensitive, teachable-moment prompts for durable behavior change.

What's included

2 videos5 readings1 assignment

2 videosTotal 3 minutes

Course Overview1 minute
A Kind of Magic: Psychology and Design Belong Together - Overview Video1 minute

5 readingsTotal 50 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
What Types of Products Benefit from Behavior Change10 minutes
Some Core Tenets10 minutes
All About Motivation10 minutes
Note Teachable Moments10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Psychology and Design in Action10 minutes

In this section, we learn to set metrics, map behavior shifts, collect baselines, and plan evaluations using Randomized Controlled Trials or field comparisons to demonstrate impact and guide iteration.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

1 videoTotal 1 minute

Pictures of Success: Measurement and Monitoring - Overview Video1 minute

7 readingsTotal 70 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
Define the Long-Term Success Metrics10 minutes
Determine How To Measure Exposure10 minutes
The Gold Standard Randomized Control Trials10 minutes
Case Studies10 minutes
Mind Your Research P's and Q's10 minutes
The Upshot Metrics Tell Your Story10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 180 minutes

Evaluating Success Through Data and Research180 minutes

In this section, we explore ethical choice architecture that safeguards user autonomy, apply motivational interviewing to uncover motivations, and design transparent interfaces that disclose costs, trade-offs, and value-aligned options.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

In this section, we uncover cognitive biases, quantify opportunity costs, and deploy option-pruning techniques to reduce analysis paralysis, constrain choices, and guide teams to faster, higher-quality decisions.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

In this section, we detect ability blockers using the Behaviour Change Wheel, layer common-sense, informal and formal research, then organize findings in data grids to design accessible, barrier-free solutions.

What's included

1 video6 readings1 assignment

1 videoTotal 1 minute

Something in the Way Diagnosing Ability Blockers - Overview Video1 minute

6 readingsTotal 60 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
Use Common Sense10 minutes
A World Of Possibility10 minutes
Where There's a Will10 minutes
Organizing Your Research To Detect Ability Blockers10 minutes
The Upshot Be a Detective10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Diagnosing and Addressing Behavioral Challenges10 minutes

In this section, we pinpoint capability, opportunity and motivation blockers, score their impact, and craft ethical personalized interventions that boost user ability and adoption using a systems lens.

What's included

1 video9 readings1 assignment

1 videoTotal 1 minute

Fix You Solving Ability Blockers - Overview Video1 minute

9 readingsTotal 90 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
Overcoming Ability Blockers10 minutes
Solving Psychological Capability Blockers10 minutes
Overcoming Social Opportunity Blockers10 minutes
Overcoming Reflective Motivation Blockers10 minutes
Overcoming Automatic Motivation Blockers10 minutes
Tried And True Ability Enhancers10 minutes
Personalizing for Ability10 minutes
The Upshot Pick the Right Solution10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Navigating Challenges in Behavior and Learning Design10 minutes

In this section, we map user growth with milestones and layered feedback, leverage social comparison metrics, then audit incentives to keep progress fair and prevent manipulation, ensuring long term engagement.

What's included

1 video10 readings1 assignment

1 videoTotal 1 minute

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger Designing For Growth - Overview Video1 minute

10 readingsTotal 100 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
It's All About The Milestones10 minutes
Flow and Grow10 minutes
The Feedback Playbook10 minutes
Measure Something10 minutes
Offer Feedback at Multiple Levels10 minutes
Add Information About What Other People Do10 minutes
Find a Frequency10 minutes
Tee Up the Next Action10 minutes
The Upshot Feedback For All10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Cultivating Growth and Engagement Through Feedback10 minutes

In this section, we dissect social support roles across user journeys, design purposeful, honest interaction features, and evaluate online and real-world platforms for inclusive, resilient community connection.

What's included

1 video9 readings1 assignment

1 videoTotal 1 minute

Come Together Design For Connection - Overview Video1 minute

9 readingsTotal 90 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
Show The Way10 minutes
Who You Are Matters10 minutes
And Just Be Authentic10 minutes
Ask the Right People10 minutes
For the Right Things10 minutes
Real-World Social Networking10 minutes
Lurkers Welcome10 minutes
The Upshot Everybody Needs Somebody10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Designing for Connection in Behavior Change10 minutes

In this section, we explore anthropomorphized interfaces, hyper personalized preference models, and natural language processing based tone adaptive dialogs that together build user trust and deepen long term engagement.

What's included

1 video6 readings1 assignment

1 videoTotal 1 minute

Mr. Roboto Connecting With Technology - Overview Video1 minute

6 readingsTotal 60 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
Personalized Preferences10 minutes
Don't Be Afraid to Learn10 minutes
Speak My Language10 minutes
Watch Your Tone10 minutes
Two-Way Transmission10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Connecting with Technology: Human and Machine Interaction10 minutes

In this section, we design credibility cues, craft transparent consent processes, prioritize data privacy, and iterate via feedback loops to foster user trust, engagement, and long-term product success.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

1 videoTotal 1 minute

A Matter of Trust Design Users Can Believe In - Overview Video1 minute

7 readingsTotal 70 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
Show Off Satisfied Customers10 minutes
Prioritize Data Privacy And Security10 minutes
De-Mystify Your Legalese10 minutes
Provide Clear And Immediate Value10 minutes
Not Too Human10 minutes
How to Say Goodbye10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Building Trust Through User-Centered Design10 minutes

In this section, we create goal frameworks tied to the future self and use contextual cues, incremental commitments, and small-win feedback to convert short-term actions into lasting behavior change.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

In this section, we apply evidence-based engagement tactics, build a personal competence engine for continuous learning, and analyze insights to embed research at the center of behavior-change product decisions.