Welcome to the module on Behavior Change in Urban Sanitation. The focus of this MOOC is on how to deliver and sustain quality sanitation services city-wide, and to achieve that it’s important to remember that a vital link in the value chain is the customers. They create the pull that makes the value chain work; if they don’t create this pull, then the system doesn’t work efficiently. So how do we make sure that demand is created for the sanitation services that we implement or strengthen; that the sanitation products we develop are purchased and used; and that the sanitation hygiene and behaviors we are promoting are adopted and maintained? In this module, we will explore some principles and steps to make our demand creation and behavior change programs more effective. Before starting any behavior change program, we need to be clear on the behaviors at the household or citizen level that will affect the outcomes of our program and ultimately its success. Here are some examples of urban sanitation behaviors which we might want to achieve: Households connect to a sewer; utility customers pay their bills on time; households empty their septic tank on a regular basis using an accredited supplier; citizens use public toilets and stop using flying toilets, or users upgrade existing on-site sanitation facilities. Once you’ve identified the desired behavior, the next step is to understand the barriers to and drivers of the behaviors from a customer perspective. We often assume that the target population is not aware of the service or its benefits. But more often than not, there are other factors at play. Here is a framework that's commonly used to organize questions related to the barriers and drivers: Does our target population have the opportunity, the ability and the motivation to practice the desired behavior? Some typical questions asked under this framework might be: How easy or difficult is it to access the service? How affordable is the service to the household? Are there drivers, such as increased social status, that can create the pull we want? In its 2015 World Development Report, the World Bank proposes a simple way of understanding behaviors: Humans think socially, in other words, what other people do, or what we think they are doing, will influence our own behavior. We think with mental models; our beliefs about the services, their providers, and those who use them, shape our behaviors. We think automatically; many of our behaviors don’t involve conscious thinking or planning at all. The more we know about the particular behavior or biases involved, the more effective our behavior change programs will be. So, how you diagnose the situation? At the minimum, a desk review of previous studies or a literature review will help you better understand the context. If you have time and resources available, you can commission a diagnostic study. Depending on the objectives, this can be a market or consumer research study including surveys, focus group discussions and other techniques. For example, a research technique called “mystery clients” can be used. Mystery clients are trained individuals who visit service providers in the assumed role of clients, and then report back on their experience. Some organizations use an approach called a “deep dive” where researchers and stakeholders immerse themselves in the community. Once you have identified the factors preventing or facilitating the desired behavior, then the next step is to develop a program or intervention that will address them. There are many courses on marketing and behavior change communication so this is really just an introduction. Here are some principles to remember: Use the lens of your target population to analyze the situation. This means for example, not thinking in terms of the technology ladder, but thinking in terms of the incremental benefits to the customer. Be holistic and use multiple approaches. When it comes to behavior change, there is no silver bullet; there's not always a single trigger to achieve the desired behavior change. Get the expertise you need. You wouldn't get an advertising agency to build a wastewater treatment plant. Conversely you do not want an engineering firm to design your behavior change campaign. The Behavioral Insights Team in the U.K. uses a framework called EAST which stands for make it Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely. Easy: reduce the "hassle factor" of taking up a service; prioritize and simplify messages; harness the power of default options whenever possible. Attractive: Use human-centered design or other techniques to ensure the service and product features meet customer needs, desires and aspirations. Social: If most people are already paying their bills on time, make that information known; leverage the power of social networks and peer-pressure; encourage people to make public commitments. Timely: Promote products or services when the cash constraints are lower and mental bandwidth greater; foster new habits during major life changes like marriage or a new baby; let households know when it’s time to empty their septic tanks. To illustrate the EAST framework further, let’s take the example of wanting households to use improved pit emptying services. You could make it: Easy by enabling households to order by mobile phone; attractive by stressing that there will be no digging up of the backyard to bury the sludge; social by not discharging sludge into open drains, by appealing to neighborly and civic pride, and timely by promoting the services prior to the rainy season, when pits can otherwise overflow. Another framework is the “4ps” used in commercial and social marketing. The 4ps are Product, Price, Place and Promotion. The more you get the 4ps right, the greater the likelihood of getting the behavior change you are interested in. If you want households with a septic tank to connect to a sewer, for example, you can think through the 4ps as follows: Product: Based on the research insights, what additional benefits or advantages are they getting from connecting? What do they value most: Modernity? Peace of mind? Freedom from overflows? Remember that most households don’t care what happens to their effluent and may be satisfied with their current system. Consider bundling services or solutions that can reduce the hassle or can add value while construction is going on. Place: Make sure the customer contact points are easy to access, efficient and service-oriented, from order-taking, installation, post-installation service, and paying a monthly tariff. Price: Offer installment payments to ease cash constraints or enable payment through mobile money. Promotion: Tell potential customers why, where and how to get the service, but go beyond Information, Education and Communication or IEC as is it called. Frame your messages based on the diagnostic study. Consider developing a strong brand through which you can also connect emotionally. If you’re targeting the poorest customers, face-to-face communication, product demonstrations and community-based events are likely to be more effective than mass media. To summarize what we have covered in this module about behavior change in urban sanitation: Define what behavior and whose behavior are important to the success of your program. Understand what factors are influencing these behaviors. Design a comprehensive intervention that will aim to remove barriers and activate drivers. Remember two frameworks that can be used: EAST and the 4 Ps. And finally, get the type of expertise you need for your program to be most effective.
