The advantages of making small changes, rather than big ones

Big doesn’t necessarily mean good. It could even be bad.

By contrast, there are tremendous advantages to making small changes.

Behavioural science has shown that tiny variations in phraseology can cause huge change.

Small changes are usually less costly, and often free.

Small changes attract less attention from bosses and meddlers, so they are easier to implement.

Small changes are easier to rectify if they don’t achieve their original objective.

So bear in mind that the ‘next big thing’ could be small.

Behavioural principles

Behavioural ideas at play in this post

Short, plain-English explanations of the principles behind this post, with links to related books and examples in the archive.

Friction costs

Small hassles and extra steps can sharply reduce action.

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Salience

What stands out captures attention and shapes choice.

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Curse of knowledge

Once we know something, it becomes hard to imagine what it feels like not to know it.

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The advantages of making small changes, rather than big ones

Behavioural ideas at play in this post

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