Start at the End: Summary Review
This is a summary review of Start at the End containing key details about the book.
What is Start at the End About?
"Start at the End" by Matt Wallaert is a book about using behavioral science to design products and services that drive behavior change. The book emphasizes the importance of starting with the desired behavior, using behavioral science to design interventions, understanding the context, prototyping and testing, focusing on outcomes, and embracing uncertainty.
Start at the End offers a new framework for design, grounded in behavioral science. Technology executive and behavioral scientist Matt Wallaert argues that the purpose of everything is behavior change. By starting with outcomes instead of processes, the most effective companies understand what people want to do and why they aren't already doing it, then build products and services to bridge the gap.
Summary Points & Takeaways from Start at the End
Some key summary points and takeaways from the book include:
* Start with the desired behavior: Wallaert argues that when designing products and services, it's important to start with the desired behavior and work backwards from there. By understanding the behavior you want to drive, you can design interventions that are more effective.
* Use behavioral science to design interventions: Wallaert recommends using insights from behavioral science to design interventions that are more effective at driving behavior change. He suggests using principles such as social proof, default bias, and loss aversion to design interventions that are more likely to be successful.
* Understand the context: Wallaert stresses the importance of understanding the context in which behavior occurs. He suggests that designers should consider factors such as social norms, environmental cues, and social identity when designing interventions.
* Prototype and test: Wallaert encourages designers to prototype and test interventions early and often. By testing interventions in the real world, designers can quickly identify what works and what doesn't and make adjustments accordingly.
* Focus on outcomes, not features: Wallaert argues that designers should focus on outcomes, such as behavior change, rather than features. By focusing on outcomes, designers can create products and services that are more likely to be successful.
* Embrace uncertainty: Wallaert suggests that designers should embrace uncertainty and be willing to experiment and iterate. He argues that the best interventions are often discovered through trial and error.
Who is the author of Start at the End?
Matt Wallaert applies behavioral science to practical problems, from startup exits to the Fortune 500 to an array of prosocial side projects. As one of the first behavioral scientists to leave academia and work in industry, he’s given hundreds of talks on the science of behavior change at the UN, SXSW, and beyond.
Book details
- Print length: 256 Pages
- Genre: Business, Design, Nonfiction
What are the chapters in Start at the End?
Chapter 1: The Intervention Design Process
Chapter 2: Potential Insights and Insight Validation
Chapter 3: Behavioral Statement
Chapter 4: Pressure Mapping and Pressure Validation
Chapter 5: Intervention Design and Intervention Selection
Chapter 6: Ethical Check
Chapter 7: Pilot and Pilot Validation, Test and Test Validation, Scale Decision and Continuous Measurement
Chapter 8: The End of the Beginning
Chapter 9: Priming, Moderation, and Mediation
Chapter 10: Optimum Cognition
Chapter 11: Uniqueness and Belonging
Chapter 12: Special Factors of Inhibiting Pressures
Chapter 13: Competing Behaviors
Chapter 14: Eliminating and Replacing Behavior
Chapter 15: Mini Case Studiesuild Things
What do critics say?
Here's what one of the prominent reviewers had to say about the book: “Clear and concise, this is a book for anyone who believes there is a better way to do business. Wallaert is right: we can all be behavioral scientists. And we all should be.” — Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and cofounder of Ellevest
* The editor of this summary review made every effort to maintain information accuracy, including any published quotes, chapters, or takeaways. If you're interested in enhancing your personal growth, I suggest checking out my list of favorite self-development books. These books have been instrumental in my own personal development and I'm confident they can help you too.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
