hi, i’m erik

I improve individual and organizational performance with behavioral science, the study of human behavior and decision-making.

In practice, this means I typically work with digital marketing or product teams to develop customer-driven strategies and optimize performance via rigorous user research, analytics, and testing. I also lead trainings for individuals and teams on these methods.

I’m the founder of Behavioral Strategies, a boutique consultancy providing the services described above. Previously, I worked at ideas42 and on Morningstar’s Behavioral Insights Team. I created ProductPsychology.com (and its corresponding course) with author Nir Eyal and am a board member of the Action Design Network.

I co-host the Action Design Radio podcast, where we interview practitioners at the cutting edge of applied behavioral science.

I publish a newsletter that shares 3 insights from behavioral science - and how they apply to work and life - every week.

I’ve been published in the Harvard Business Review, Behavioral Scientist, Observer, Morningstar Magazine, ConversionXL, Nir and Far, and PeopleScience. I also wrote a chapter in the book Building Behavioral Science in an Organization.

join my newsletter

Sign up to my newsletter to get three insights on psychology, decision-making, and behavioral change regularly delivered to your inbox.

work with me

If you’re interested in collaborating on a project, having me conduct a training workshop or speak at an event, or just want to say hello, reach out via my contact form.

mission and work

My mission is to spread the knowledge and application of behavioral science. I believe that the world will be a better place when it’s better designed for the irrationality of humans.

What is behavioral science? Put simply, it’s the study of why humans do what we do. Why do we so often fail to follow through on what we say we want to do, like exercise or save money? Why do some products or ideas catch on while others don’t? Why do logical and rational solutions to big problems fail to have an impact? Behavioral science has ideas processes for solving such problems.

In my work, I help people understand behavioral science and apply it to their own lives, either for professional or personal goals. I do this through writing, podcasting, working directly with clients, speaking, and workshops. To engage with me for any of those projects, reach out via the Contact page.

Previously, I worked at Morningstar as a member of their behavioral insights team, behavioral economics consulting firm ideas42, and IBM. I also created ProductPsychology.com with author Nir Eyal. I’m a board member of the Action Design Network, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization promoting the use of behavioral economics and psychology in policy, business, and product design.

Writing and podcasting

I publish new articles every week on my blog and newsletter. Sign up at the bottom of the page to get three insights from behavioral science delivered to your inbox every week, as well as any new posts I publish.

I co-authored an article in the Harvard Business Review on how companies can experiment effectively.

I’ve written articles about why behavioral science is good for businesses, how to start a career in behavioral science and how companies can hire practitioners in their organizations.

I wrote a chapter on behavioral science driven marketing for the book Building Behavioral Science in an Organization, which is available for free download.

Our podcast episodes with Rory Sutherland and Linnea Ghandi are great introductions to applied behavioral science. I also recommend our episodes with The Second City’s Kelly Leonard, Dr. Sarah Newcomb, and Nir Eyal to get perspective on the breadth of the field and its use cases.

How to connect with me

I’m most active on Twitter. Follow me at @erikleejohnson and feel free to send a direct message. You can also add me on LinkedIn.

Sign up to my newsletter to get 3 insights from behavioral science - and how they apply to your work and life - delivered to your inbox every week.

If you’re interested in collaborating on a project, having me speak at an event, run a workshop at your company, or just want to reach out and learn more about behavioral science, check out the Contact page of this site.