The Online Hooked Workshop

Nir Eyal's new online Hooked Workshop

October 17, 2018

My friend Nir Eyal isn't just a fellow author--his book

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products

is a bestseller--but also a consultant and teacher whose work focuses on the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. His

is a great resource for anyone interested in behavioral psychology (including how to change behaviors), behavioral design, and dealing with digital distraction--to name just a few topics he gets into regularly. He's also an entrepreneur with two successful tech companies under his belt.

Nir has just launched a really interesting new online workshop I wanted to let you know about.

builds on the ground-breaking work on building habit-forming products that went into his book, making it an important tool for any innovator or entrepreneur.

But the dimension of the workshop I find most compelling is the material on the ethics of building habit-forming products. Technology makes it possible to build almost anything, which is why it's just that much more important to use it to truly improve people’s lives. Nir is thoughtful about how to go about this, proposing, among other solutions, a new ethical standard for product designers to ensure we build responsibly.

Here's more about The Hooked Workshop from Nir:

We’ve all heard of companies such as Facebook, Google, Netflix, Amazon, Instagram, that seemingly came out of nowhere but are now integrated into the very fabric of society. For millions of people, using the products created by these companies has become a habit. We use them without thinking twice. Have a question? Google it. Can’t find it in a store? Amazon delivers. Bored? Pass the time by scrolling your Facebook feed.

Habits are behaviors performed with little or no conscious thought. As innovators, our goal is to create products that profoundly change people’s behaviors to such a degree that these actions become habitual. Understanding the patterns that have been able to successfully scratch the subconscious itch of millions, is key to building new habit-forming products. That's why The Hooked Workshop examines the science behind habit formation and the 4 steps of the Hook Model. I’ll demonstrate how we all respond physiologically to psychological stimulus.

Finally, and critically, the workshop identifies the similarities and differences between an addiction and a healthy habit in order to heighten our awareness of how habit-formation can be used for good. I propose and explain a new ethical standard: “Don’t do unto others what they would not want done to them.” Applying what I call “the Regret Test” ensures that your products are improving peoples’ lives by instilling healthy habits, rather than coercing your consumers into regressive behaviors.”

***** 

includes videos, prompts and exercises, interviews with leaders at companies like Google, Spotify, and Netflix who have used Nir's method, and also a cool opportunity to talk with Nir about the work you're doing.

Registration for the course is open for a limited time, and if you sign up soon you'll get a special deal.

to learn more about the course and register.