EAST is a framework that provides policymakers with an easy-to-follow guide for using behavioural insights.
The EAST framework distills a range of behavioural science evidence into four intuitive principles— make a behaviour Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely. We developed the framework in response to demands from practitioners for a guide that was accessible yet reliable.
First published in 2014, the current version of EAST was revised and updated in 2024 to reflect a decade of advancements in behavioural science
A history of the EAST framework
When the EAST framework was first released in 2014, BIT was a team of 14 people that had just detached from the UK government. The field of applied behavioural science was still emerging, with relatively few dedicated teams around the world.
Much has changed in the decade since. BIT has grown into a global organisation of 250 people with offices in eight countries. Hundreds of units have been created worldwide to apply behavioural insights in both public and private sectors. The field has attracted more Nobel Prizes – but has also faced major challenges like the replication crisis.
Throughout this time, we’ve been surprised by the enduring appeal of the EAST approach – make it Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely. The framework’s simplicity has proven to be its strength for practitioners. EAST continues to be a touchstone for our projects; it has spawned a set of tools, in several languages, that help people generate ideas in new ways; and it can communicate the basics of behavioural insights in a few minutes.
EAST has also been cited nearly 350 times in its first decade, despite not being aimed at an academic audience.
The continued popularity of EAST, together with the vast amount of new research since 2014, prompted us to return to the framework and refresh it. Our updated report maintains the core principles while incorporating new insights, examples, and lessons learned over the past decade. We’ve added new depth to the main principles and broadened the range of examples to feature new issues, new geographies and settings, and new types of interventions.
EAST remains a valuable guide for practitioners, providing an accessible entry point to behavioural science that has proven its worth over time.
EAST Framework Cards
When taking part in one of our workshops or training programmes at BIT you will receive access to our EAST Training Cards, providing expert insights, advice and policy using our EAST Framework.
