Decisionscience is a combination of behavioural economics, neuroscience, and evolutionary psychology which offers a radical new way for fundraisers, campaigners and communication specialists to shape and organise their messaging for greater impact.

Yes, no, maybe

This approach is already being used widely in the commercial world to help sell products, and also by a number of major international charities such as MSF and UNICEF. The good news is it’s based on solid science – rather than anecdote or best practice – and can be applied systematically to help you as a fundraiser or communicator to encourage individuals to take the action you want: make a donation, sign up to a membership, change behaviour or consider a legacy. Essentially reduce ‘friction’ towards a desired choice. Read more about Decision Science.

=mc consulting has been leading the way in developing this practice with major charities over the last five years, including, most recently, running the world’s largest arts and cultural fundraising experiment with 10 organisations across the UK, and a major series of online experiments with Doctors without Borders, USA. You can read about some of them via our blogs.

=mc has set up a specialised consulting team working in decisionscience

We’ve now set up a separate specialised consulting team working in decisionscience space to help charities, local authorities, public bodies and other agencies improve their approach to influencing pro-social behaviour of their audiences, supporters, policymakers and the public – supporting you to develop your decision-making strategy, and framework.

Among the fundraising projects where we have used decisionscience:

• Edinburgh Zoo – promoting online giving and membership for this leading conservation charity

• KidsOR- exploring how to apply decisionscience to major donors to support a $100 million campaign

• Trussell Trust-identifying how to persuade supporters to give more to food banks

• US Olympics Association- working with sports associations to raise funds for individual sports

And some upcoming projects outside fundraising include:

• Bristol Museums – looking at how to re-engage visitors when they reopen and improve customer spend in cafés and shops

• Global early years network – exploring how to improve parental involvement in early childhood development through improved decision-making

We have a host of resources & insights available at our specialist website www.decisionscience.org.uk including free downloads, videos, and frameworks.

We are hosting the third ‘European decisionscience for Social Good’, seminar in Birmingham and online on Tuesday 3rd November 2020. You’ll be able to hear from a panel of decision science experts from across Europe. Click here to
register your interest about the event and stay in touch about Decision Science.

You can also get in touch with the team through the website, or by writing to Bernard Ross, Director, decisionscience team. b.ross@managementcentre.co.uk or call 07976 280314