SCOPE: Behavioral science for wicked problems
The SCOPE methodology provides a practical, participatory, and action-oriented approach to integrate behavioral insights with systems thinking, design, and strategy, identifying leverage points where small changes can lead to transformational shifts.
This document introduces SCOPE: a framework for more effectively applying behavioral science to the world’s most wicked and complex problems. SCOPE outlines five mindset shifts, five steps, and one real-world example that shows how this framework promotes and enacts lasting solutions for change.
The world’s most pressing challenges—climate change, pandemics, armed conflicts, and humanitarian crises—are more interconnected and complex than ever. Approximately 2 billion people, or one-quarter of the global population, live in conflict-affected areas, according to the World Health Organization. An even greater number, around 3.6 billion individuals, reside in regions highly vulnerable to climate-related impacts. These crises are not isolated events, but hallmarks of wicked problems that are deeply interwoven, unpredictable, and constantly evolving. Such challenges are tough to address because they lack clear solutions, involve multiple stakeholders with competing interests, and require continuous adaptation rather than a one-time fix.
Behavioral science approaches, particularly nudges, have often focused on narrowly defined, measurable behaviors. These interventions are chosen for their fit with impact evaluations, rather than their potential to unlock more systemic change. While these interventions have been highly effective in their respective domains and at scale, they tend to focus on measurable, tractable changes rather than systemic transformation.
Furthermore, many of these commonly found nudges, such as reminders or tweaks to choice environments, are tactical. They are also less durable and resilient within adaptive systems. With funding facing uncertainty and humanitarian needs at an all-time high, there is a pressing need for breakthrough solutions that can better serve crisis-affected populations. This paper argues that not only can we apply behavioral science to these problems, but these complex problems would also benefit from a more integrated use of behavioral science.
To address this need, this guidance note will argue for a shift in how behavioral science defines and engages with wicked problems, under conditions of uncertainty and adaptation. Rather than focusing on micro-behaviors or preconceived notions of the problem, we propose an interdisciplinary approach to behavioral insights that leverages systems thinking, design thinking, and strategy to maximize the impact of interventions. We advocate for identifying leverage points within systems, where targeted interventions can create large scale, cascading change.