Good design brings together what is desirable from a human perspective with what is technologically feasible and economically viable. It understands people’s underlying needs to create products, services and places that make life better. Behavioural science is broadly the study of how and why people behave the way they do, drawing on insights and methods from psychology, economics and neuroscience. While design is a traditionally a bottom up process, behavioural science is more top down, but both have people at their heart. Only by combining these methods can we create truly positive experiences for people.

Speaker: Ed Gardiner (Behavioural Design Lead, Warwick Business School)

Ed Gardiner is Behavioural Design Lead at Warwick Business School (WBS), applying insights and methods from behavioural science to support the design of products and services with a social purpose. He joined WBS to setup and run the Behavioural Design Lab, a partnership with Design Council. He now focuses on ways to support collective action, helping people work more effectively together to achieve their own and common goals. He teaches across a range of programmes at WBS and is Course Director for the Behavioural Science in Practice executive education programme. Ed is also a Founding Member of Common, a problem-solving collective that brings a diverse suite of skills to today’s increasingly complex social issues. Previously, Ed worked for the advertising agency, Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe / Y&R, managing creative campaigns for private and public sector clients. He holds an MA in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Cognitive and Decision Sciences from UCL.