Cognitive Design

Small reminders at just the right time can have a powerful impact on making health-related behavior changes. They support our efforts at self regulation and control and help us jump the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it.  This approach has been popularized through small-step programs and the idea of Nudges.

Habitwise is putting this principle into action in an interesting and visual way using bracelets and tokens. Check out this application for kids:

As they explain on the website:

“Self-care begins each morning by placing your wristband collection on one wrist. Throughout the day, simply shift the appropriate color and quantity of wristbands to your other wrist with each meal, snack and activity. One wrist shows goals for the day; the other tracks accomplishments.”

For people that don’t want to wear bracelets they offer:

The use principle is the same only you are shifting tokens from one pocket to another during the day.

The fact that these are portable, tactile, use color to convey information, offer a friendly reminder and can potentially be points of pride or self-competition means they are well-designed to support behavior change.