Central Office of Information presents five-step process for behaviour change

In a new guidance document, the COI recommends that at the start of any new behaviour change campaign a practical behaviour model should be defined. it should then be refined throughout the life of the campaign.

The five-step process goes from ‘identifying behaviours’ through ‘understanding the influences by audience’, ‘developing a practical model of influences on behaviour’, ‘building a marketing framework’, finally ending up at ‘developing a communications model’.

Permanent secretary for government communication Matt Tee said: ‘It’s important that government communicators have a deeper understanding of the principles of behaviour change theory and how these can be applied to the whole communications cycle.’

Campaigns such as the Department of Health’s Change4Life anti-obesity campaign – handled by Freud Communications – are already applying behavioural theory. This guide has been developed to provide a consistent framework across all PR activities.