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Peer Review

Make It Toolkit - Behavioral Design made simpler.

Reviewed:

Jun 16, 2025 by Teacher Education
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.8 stars
Content Quality: 5.0 stars
Effectiveness: 4.8 stars
Ease of Use: 5.0 stars
Overview:

These behavioral design educators and practitioners with experience in health, sustainability, finance, ecommerce, learning, and change management. are on a mission to make Behavioral Science and Behavioral Design more accessible and actionable to enrich your life and help you design better experiences, communications, and interventions using their 5-step process to solve a problem and shape an experience with behavioral science:

The Make it Design Process

Step 1 Prepare & StrategizePlan the sprint experience and formulate a challenge statement 


Step 2 Map & UnderstandUnderstand the audience and their decision-making context

Step 3 Brainstorm & VisualizeUse the 15 strategies and related tactics to generate science-backed ideas

Step 4 Design & BuildTurn your ideas into testable solutions and experiences

Step 5 Test & ValidateDesign the experiment and validate with the target audience

Purpose

  • Makes behavioral science and gamification more accessible and actionable
  • Helps craft better user experiences
  • Serves as a resource for designing behavior change interventions

Key Features

  • 15 practical strategies for behavioral design
  • Straightforward approach without industry jargon
  • Covers essentials from attention to social influences
  • Designed specifically for the digital age
  • Includes systematic brainstorming strategies
  • Premium collection of research-backed tactics
  • Available as a poster format for projects

This material is not free but resources without a fee are available and the first lesson is free.

Type of Material:

Collection

Recommended Uses:

Best Uses in the Classroom

1. In-Class Activity (Interactive Workshop)

  • Purpose: Hands-on application of behavior design and gamification.

  • Example: Students work in small groups to solve a design challenge (e.g., increase recycling behavior on campus) using the Toolkit’s 15 strategies and 45 tactics.

  • Outcome: Fosters collaborative problem-solving and design thinking.

2. Homework Assignment (Individual or Group)

  • Purpose: Reinforce concepts and real-world application.

  • Example: Assign students to select a real behavior problem and use the Toolkit to draft a behavior change intervention. They can reflect on which strategies they used and why.

3. Team-Based Design Project

  • Purpose: Long-term application of concepts in a project-based learning format.

  • Example: Over several weeks, teams use the Toolkit to develop a prototype for a social change campaign or a gamified app experience.

  • Ideal For: Courses in UX design, behavioral science, marketing, or education.

4. Lecture Supplement (Case Study Integration)

  • Purpose: Enhance lectures with examples and tools.

  • Example: Instructor introduces a concept like "choice architecture" and demonstrates how the Toolkit provides actionable tactics to apply it. Students can then critique or adapt an existing intervention using the Toolkit.

5. Self-Paced Learning / Flipped Classroom

  • Purpose: Encourage independent exploration and prepare for in-class discussions.

  • Example: Assign students a module or strategy from the Toolkit to explore on their own before class. In class, they share insights or complete a design sprint using what they learned.

6. Online Course Integration

  • Purpose: Asynchronous or hybrid delivery.

  • Example: Use Toolkit materials to build weekly modules focused on behavioral design principles. Students engage with Make it GPT and templates for online submissions.

Technical Requirements:

  • No indication of interactive software tools or complex digital interfaces
  • Internet connection - to access the online content and premium materials
  • Web browser - standard browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) to view the website and resources
  • Device compatibility - the site should work on desktop, tablet, or mobile devices for accessing materials
Identify Major Learning Goals:

Major Learning Goals of the Make it Toolkit align well with a variety of academic disciplines, including behavioral science, design thinking, public health, education, and marketing. 

  1. Understand the Principles of Behavioral Design

    • Learn the psychological and behavioral science foundations that influence human decision-making.

    • Recognize how behavior can be shaped through design.

  2. Apply Gamification Strategies to Real-World Problems

    • Gain practical knowledge of how game elements (e.g., rewards, progress, feedback loops) can be used to engage and motivate people.

    • Develop the ability to evaluate when and how gamification is appropriate.

  3. Design Interventions Using a Structured Framework

    • Use the Toolkit’s 15 strategies and 45 tactics to systematically design behavior change solutions.

    • Practice breaking down abstract goals into actionable design elements.

  4. Develop Creative Problem-Solving Skills

    • Engage in iterative, user-centered design processes that rely on creativity and empathy.

    • Enhance critical thinking by evaluating which strategies best suit particular behavioral challenges.

  5. Translate Behavioral Science into Practice

    • Move from theory to action by using practical tools like the Make it Box and templates.

    • Learn how to prototype, test, and refine behavior change interventions.

  6. Collaborate Across Disciplines

    • Strengthen teamwork and communication skills through group-based problem-solving and interdisciplinary projects.

    • Learn to integrate insights from design, psychology, marketing, and education.

  7. Reflect on Ethical Implications of Behavior Design

    • Consider the social and ethical dimensions of influencing behavior.

    • Evaluate the potential for manipulation and the importance of user well-being and consent.

 

Target Student Population:

High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School, Professional

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

  • Basic understanding of user experience (UX) design principles
  • Introductory psychology or behavioral science concepts (though the toolkit aims to make this accessible)
  • Product design or service design fundamentals
  • Digital product development processes

 

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

Validity of Concepts, Models, and Skills: The toolkit appears to present valid behavioral science principles, as evidenced by testimonials from professionals at established organizations (mPulse Mobile, SCB Academy). The emphasis on moving beyond "industry jargon" to practical application suggests grounding in legitimate behavioral science research, though the specific research foundation isn't detailed on the website.

Lesson #1 is free, and includes:

Day 1: The 5 Universal Laws of Behavior Everyone Should Know

Day 2: The 5 Barriers that Sabotage Your Behavior Change Efforts

Day 3: The 15 Strategies to Improve Any Experience Instantly (With Examples)

Day 4: How to Apply Behavioral Design To Anything in 5 Easy Steps

Day 5: Don’t be Evil: 1 Rule You Must Follow to Design Ethically

Educational Significance for the Discipline: The content addresses educationally significant concepts for behavioral design and UX disciplines. The 15 strategies covering "everything from attention to social influences" represent core areas of behavioral science application in design. However, behavioral design is an emerging interdisciplinary field, so standards for "educational significance" are still evolving.

Core Curriculum Status: This material appears to be supplementary rather than core curriculum. While behavioral principles are increasingly important in design fields, this specific toolkit seems positioned as a practical resource rather than foundational academic content. It's more of a professional development tool than essential coursework material.

Prerequisite Knowledge Provision: The toolkit is explicitly designed to be accessible without deep behavioral science background, suggesting it provides introductory rather than prerequisite knowledge. It may serve as a bridge to more advanced behavioral design study, but testimonials indicate it's meant to be immediately actionable rather than foundational for advanced learning.

Difficulty in Teaching/Learning: The website emphasizes that the material makes behavioral design "simple and effective" and avoids getting "lost in industry jargon." This suggests the creators have identified and addressed common teaching/learning difficulties in behavioral science application.

 

Quality of Content

Accuracy and Relevance:The Make it Toolkit offers a comprehensive framework grounded in behavioral science and gamification principles. It provides 15 strategies and 45 tactics designed to influence behavior effectively. The content is informed by extensive research and has been applied in various sectors, including health, education, and policy-making. 

Clarity and Organization:The toolkit is well-structured, with clear explanations of concepts and practical applications. Resources such as the Make it Box and digital templates enhance understanding and usability. 

Authority:Developed by Massimo Ingegno, a lecturer in Design Management and Director of the Thammasat Design Center, the toolkit reflects expertise in behavioral design and education.

Concerns:

The toolkit appears to be a valuable practical resource but may not meet traditional academic standards for comprehensive educational validity assessment.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

The toolkit aims to make behavioral science and gamification more accessible and actionable, helping users design better experiences. It supports learning through self-paced programs, masterclasses, and specialized courses. 

Engagement: Interactive elements like the Make it Box and AI-powered tools (e.g., Make it GPT) foster active learning and application of concepts. 

Learning Objectives: After using the material, learners should be able to:

  • Systematically apply 15 behavioral design strategies to real-world problems
  • Generate actionable ideas during brainstorming sessions using behavioral principles
  • Formulate behavioral design challenges and develop targeted solutions
  • Anticipate user behavior problems and design preventive interventions
  • Create more engaging and impactful programs using behavioral science
  • Move from theoretical knowledge to practical implementation of behavioral concepts

Learning Process/Cycle Stages:

  • Application/Practice: Primary use - hands-on strategy implementation
  • Analysis: Problem identification and behavioral challenge formulation
  • Synthesis: Combining multiple strategies to create comprehensive solutions
  • Evaluation: Assessing behavioral intervention effectiveness

Target Learner Characteristics:

  • Working professionals in design, product management, marketing, or healthcare
  • Team members who participate in brainstorming and strategic planning
  • Practitioners seeking practical skills over academic theory
  • Learners comfortable with self-directed, project-based learning
  • Those with basic design or business experience but limited behavioral science background

Faculty/Student Teaching-Learning Enhancement: The material appears to enhance learning through:

  • Practical, immediately applicable strategies
  • Clear, jargon-free presentation
  • Collaborative team-based application

Curriculum Integration: Challenges for integration:

  • More suited to professional development than academic curriculum
  • Lacks traditional educational scaffolding and assessment frameworks
  • Designed as standalone resource rather than course component

Versatility: The material can be used for:

  • Workshop activities
  • Team projects
  • Case study applications
  • Professional training sessions
  • Self-study reference
Concerns:

While the toolkit includes practical exercises and templates, it lacks formal assessment tools to measure learning outcomes.

Also consider:

  • Limited theoretical depth for academic rigor
  • May not significantly enhance teaching capabilities since it's designed as a practitioner tool rather than pedagogical resource
  • Less suitable for initial Knowledge or Comprehension stages

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

The website loads properly, displays content correctly, and appears to be fully functional. All elements seem to be working as intended with no obvious technical issues.

Navigation:The website is user-friendly, with intuitive navigation and accessible resources.

Design:Visually appealing and well-organized, the site facilitates easy access to various components of the toolkit.

Technical Requirements:The toolkit is accessible online, with options for physical materials (Make it Box) and digital tools compatible with standard devices.

Other Issues and Comments:

This material is not free but resources without a fee are available and the first lesson is free. The Make it Toolkit by Make it Lab - Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivative (CC BY-NC-ND)  International License.

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