From Insight to Action: Tap Behavioural Science for Real Impact
09 Mar 2026
In a world of constant change, organisations are increasingly realising that lasting impact depends not just on strategy, but on understanding human behaviour — a gap Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) is addressing through its Centre for Behaviour and Nudge Design (BaND).
Get the Gist
- NP set up the Centre for Behaviour and Nudge Design (BaND) to help organisations tap behavioural science to design practical and ethical interventions that drive engagement and sustain meaningful change.
- BaND’s 11-week Certificate in Behaviour and Nudge Design Programme, co-developed with EY, gives professionals a practical IHRP-recognised pathway to apply behaviour design to real workplace challenges.
- Participants can work on a real-life Behaviour Design Project to gain hands-on experience with well-rounded support from trainers and Abbi, an AI-enabled behavioural insights coach co-developed with UK-headquartered global consultancy Behavioural Insights Team (BIT).
By the time we arrive at our desks, most of us have already been nudged several times: a well-timed reminder to finish something you started, a cue to a healthier option, or an interface that places the most helpful choice up front. Done well and ethically, nudges respect our autonomy while quietly supporting us to make better decisions.
In work situations, well-designed prompts can be just as powerful. Instead of relying on top-down directives and repeated training that doesn’t always stick, behaviour and nudge design help teams shape everyday choices – from showing up for learning and adopting new tools, to following through on change. While nudging as part of behavioural science has been around for over two decades, it feels especially timely now.
“Organisations are experiencing huge and rapid shifts in technology and in their operating environments, in addition to geopolitical uncertainties,” explained Mr Jia Yong Goh, Partner, People Consulting at EY. “To navigate these disruptions successfully, you have to be aware of behavioural science and understand what makes people tick.”
“After all, organisations exist to serve customers who are human beings – and they are served by employees who are also human,” he added.
Turning Behavioural Insights Into Workplace Practice
Established by NP, the Centre for Behaviour and Nudge Design (BaND) brings together applied research, industry partnerships and professional learning to grow capability in behaviour design. The Centre works with organisations and professionals to apply behavioural insights ethically and effectively to translate insight into practice in the work context with sustained outcomes. Examples include encouraging the adoption of new technology tools, driving employee engagement, and promoting mindful consumption, etc.
To equip people with the skills to turn behavioural insights into everyday practice, BaND has partnered EY to launch the 11-week Certificate in Behaviour and Nudge Design Programme.
BaND’s Behaviour and Nudge Design Masterclass for Organisational Transformation trainers: (from left) Jia Yong Goh, Partner, People Consulting at EY; Jeremiah Tan, lecturer of NP’s School of Business & Accountancy; and Henry Koh, Senior Lecturer of NP’s School of Business & Accountancy
Singapore’s only applied course in this space is designed to give HR professionals, people managers, marketers and innovators a structured way to move from concept to practice, using behavioural science principles, design thinking and AI-enabled tools to drive real workplace change.
Designed to let participants “plug and play” their newfound skills, the programme offers the opportunity to scope, design and implement a real-life Behaviour Design Project that is relevant to their organisation’s needs. Over the weeks, participants dive into hands-on practice: diagnosing barriers, designing and testing interventions, and refining them with stakeholders.
Between sessions, participants receive guidance from BaND coaches as well as Abbi – the Centre’s first AI-enabled behavioural insights coach – as they unpack problems, sharpen prompts and interpret project data.
“Multiple levels of support are provided throughout the Behaviour Design Project,” explained Jeremiah Tan, BaND Lecturer. “Abbi provides broad, data-driven recommendations in real time, while our coaches bring practical experience from similar projects. They complement each other.”
Participants and trainers at the BaND x EY Unlock Behavioural Insights masterclass
Gain Professional Credentials: IHRP Behavioural Transformation Architect Role Badge
Participants leave with credentials and capabilities they can carry into their current and future roles. As they progress through the 11 weeks, they earn two IHRP skill badges: Behavioural Design for Business Impact and Behavioural Change & Influence – before completing the programme with the IHRP Behavioural Transformation Architect role badge.
Eligible participants for this course can receive up to 90% SkillsFuture funding. For more details on this course, please visit here.
| Looking to apply behavioural science to drive meaningful change in your organisation? Contact the BaND team at BaND@np.edu.sg or explore its programmes online. |
Nudging Success at UOB – 400% Increase in Training Completion
BaND’s collaboration with UOB in August 2025 supported the bank’s roll-out of Copilot, a GenAI productivity tool.
Working together, NP and UOB designed a dedicated SharePoint learning hub and utilised behavioural nudges to build confidence, prompt practice and integrate Copilot into everyday workflows.
The pilot involved 3,000 employees and achieved early success, including a fourfold increase in online training completion rates. Building on this, the initiative expanded to 10,000 employees in Singapore, with plans to reach more than 30,000 regionally.
UOB will also be the first organisation to run data-driven experiments with BaND to identify the most effective nudging strategies for sustained engagement and technology adoption.
“As AI continues to redefine the way we work and serve our customers, it is essential that our people are equipped with the right skills and strategies to harness its potential,” said Dr Bryan Lim, Head of Group Talent and Development, Group Human Resources at UOB. “Our partnership with NP has been instrumental in the deployment of behavioural science to drive rapid GenAI adoption across the Bank.”