On 3rd September, PMI Tasmania organized an insightful site visit to the Tasmanian Behavioural Lab, where all participants had the privilege of learning from industry leading experts in the field of behavioural economics. The session kicked off with an engaging introduction by Dr. Ananta Neelim and Professor Robert Hoffmann who shed light on the Lab's pivotal role in advancing behavioural research in collaboration with various organisations and government agencies.
Following the introduction, Professor Swee-Hoon Chuah delivered a presentation on why people often resist change - an issue that is all too familiar to those of us in project management. She identified three major reasons for resistance.
Cognitive Limits: People have finite mental capacity to process new information. When overwhelmed, they struggle to adapt to change, leading to resistance.
Thinking Fast and Slow: Drawing from Daniel Kahneman's research, people use two systems for thinking- System 1, which is fast and intuitive, and System 2, which is slower and deliberate. Resistance arises when changes challenge fast-thinking habits, requiring more deliberate effort and cognitive engagement.
Social Creatures: Humans are inherently social. Peer influence and social norms play a significant role in how people respond to change. If the majority resists, individuals are likely to follow suit.
Understanding these behavioural tendencies is crucial for project professionals. Professor Chuah introduced us to the EAST framework—Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely—as a practical tool to apply behavioural insights in our projects. By making processes easy to follow, ensuring that changes are attractive, leveraging social influences, and implementing changes at the right time, we can significantly improve our success in leading change.
This visit to the Tasmanian Behavioural Lab was not only informative but also highly relevant to the challenges we face in our projects. By understanding the underlying behavioural factors that drive resistance to change, we can design more effective interventions that align with human nature, ultimately leading to greater success in our projects. This visit underscored the importance of integrating behavioural insights into project management, and I am excited to apply these learnings in my future work.
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