Behavioral science and AI, applied
The leaders in personalized behavioral design for health platforms
Designing dynamic engagement systems that turn platform activity into lasting health outcomes for every user, powered by behavioral science.
Let's chat
Close the gap between engagement metrics and real health outcomes
Design engagement tools that drive meaningful clinical results
Most wellness platforms reward behaviors that are easy to track instead of supporting the changes that actually make a difference. We design engagement mechanics grounded in behavioral science that go beyond clicks and points, connecting platform activity to long-term clinical outcomes.
Embed evidence-based personalization logic
Personalization misses the mark when technical infrastructure isn't backed up by behavioral logic—what to customize, when, and for whom. We build adaptive frameworks that use behavioral modeling and dynamic incentive tools to deliver the right intervention to the right person at the right moment.
Replace superficial gamification with habits that stick
Consumer health apps lose over 70% of users within weeks; points and badges create short-term spikes that fall away once the external rewards disappear. We create behavior change frameworks designed for long-term habit formation, empowering users to make "healthy" a part of who they are.
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I was blown away with their application and translation of behavioral science into practice. They took a very complex ecosystem and created a series of interventions using an innovative mix of the latest research and creative client co-creation. I was so impressed at the final product they created, which was hugely comprehensive despite the large scope of the client being of the world's most far-reaching and best known consumer brands. I'm excited to see what we can create together in the future.
Heather McKee
BEHAVIORAL SCIENTIST
GLOBAL COFFEEHOUSE CHAIN
OUR CLIENT SUCCESS
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Annual Revenue Increase
By launching a behavioral science practice at the core of the organization, we helped one of the largest insurers in North America realize $30M increase in annual revenue.
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Increase in AI Adoption
By diagnosing key barriers and scaling low-touch, gamified interventions, we achieved a 35% increase in AI Adoption and a 17% increase in Job-Integrated Usability with a leading SaaS company
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Reduction In Design Time
By designing a new process and getting buy-in from the C-Suite team, we helped one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world reduce software design time by 75%.
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Reduction in Client Drop-Off
By implementing targeted nudges based on proactive interventions, we reduced drop-off rates for 450,000 clients belonging to USA's oldest debt consolidation organizations by 46%
What goes into a behavior-led health engagement project?
Diagnostic immersion
We conduct behavioral audits of your platform to map the highest-impact opportunities for redesign.
Evidence synthesis
We review the latest research spanning behavioral science, clinical evidence, and learnings from analogous domains to understand what's worked, what's failed, and why.
Member and employer research
We ground everything in real data through quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and AI-powered focus groups that reveal how current mechanics are experienced and what would make them meaningful for your users.
Framework design and feature specifications
We build a custom, evidenced-backed behavior change framework and translate insights into implementation-ready specifications.
Make it
your secret sauce
Merging behavior and technology to personalize lasting health change at scale
Applied behavioral science for digital health that actually works
Digital health and corporate wellness are at an inflection point; employers are spending billions on platforms that reward activity completion but can't demonstrate clinical impact. Generic gamification alone doesn't work, but the industry doesn't have a replacement model.
That is where behavioral science makes the difference. Uniform reward structures leave most users behind, especially those who need the most support. We identify the gaps between incentives and impact, build frameworks that tie engagement mechanics to health outcomes, and design adaptive systems that personalize the motivational logic itself.
Our work across digital health, corporate wellness, and consumer platforms has consistently shown that behaviorally-informed engagement design outperforms standard gamification approaches:
As outcome-based programs replace activity-based ones, the platforms that win will be those that can credibly link engagement to health results that matter. Every user's health journey is unique, and their incentives should be too.
Ready to turn engagement into real-world results?
We'll diagnose gaps between engagement and impact to design a custom, evidence-based behavior change framework that drives healthy habit formation at scale.
We’ll never share your info with anyone.
OUR CLIENT SUCCESS
Promoting healthy lifestyles by designing custom-fit engagement tools
TDL worked with a leading digital health platform used by 60 million people to design new evidence-based mental health tools. By developing a custom behavioral design process, we formulated features that offered a personalized user experience and seamlessly integrated into existing digital infrastructures.
Our mission is to translate cutting-edge science into powerful tools, enabling passionate leaders to place intentional bets on innovation.
Dan Pilat
Co-Founder & Managing Director
MEET OUR EXPERTS
Managing director
Marielle MontenegroMarielle has led a number of large product mandates for multinational clients, focusing on the intersection of human centered design and behavioral science. Her work within highly complex team structures and organizations has made her a world expert of the integration of behavioral science into product - and expertise which she speaks about at conferences around the world.
Director
Turney McKeeTurney is a Director at The Decision Lab, where he brings a multidisciplinary lens to solving complex public health challenges. With a background in cellular biology and pharmacology, he explores how behavioral science can support healthcare systems and policies around the world. Before joining TDL, Turney worked at the intersection of healthcare and technology as a competitive and business intelligence analyst, helping organizations navigate emerging trends and strategic decisions.
Managing director
Sekoul Krastev, PhDSekoul is a decision scientist focused on using scientific rigor to create innovation within digital environments. His work, which has been featured in peer review journals, conferences and publications focuses on next-generation products that are not only innovative but also deeply integrated with an understanding of user psychology to drive desired behaviors and outcomes.
OUR CLIENT SUCCESS
Improving safety for millions of ride-sharing users around the world
We worked with one of the largest ride-sharing services in the world to understand safety issues across multiple markets. Using a combination of qualitative work, machine learning and behavior change research, we were able to create global safety framework as well as a series of on-the-ground trainings aimed at reducing incidents.
Everything we do is based on five core principles (SPICE): Socially Conscious, Pragmatic, Inventive, Catalytic, Evidence-Based.
Dr. Sekoul Krastev
Co-Founder & Managing Director
AS FEATURED IN
Insights that address the toughest product design challenges
faq
Common Questions We Receive
What are the next steps if I'd like to work with you?
Get in touch with us with a quick description of the problem you're looking to tackle and, if we think we can help, we'll connect you with the right person to chat about our past experiences. Whether we end up working together or not, our goal is to add value in issue areas we care about.
What's your approach to making sure the work you do has high ROI?
Our work focuses on using a unique mix of rigor & pragmatism to solve very hard problems. To do this well, we're very careful to look for the right fit each time we receive a collaboration request - we want to make sure we can make a significant dent in the issue you're working on. Because of this, our past collaborations have consistently delivered substantial results - something we'll walk you through during our first chats.
What makes The Decision Lab's approach unique compared to other consulting firms?
We blend scientific rigor with pragmatic insight, using a no-nonsense multidisciplinary approach that doesn't discriminate against any field, be it psychology, UX, marketing or machine learning. This approach, which is supported by a team with diverse experience, allows us to solve very hard problems in an entirely new way.
How do I convince the rest of my team that behavioral design is a helpful tool?
Internal stakeholder buy-in is often the most important part of any behavior change project we do, and we like to believe we're experts in it. The first step is, of course, to make sure that behavioral science really is the right approach - to what extent is the problem you're looking to solve related to a decision made by a person and why can't more traditional approaches be used instead? We work closely with potential clients to answer questions like these and, if there is a fit, build a strong internal case.
