| name | fogg-behavior-model |
| description | Design behavior change using the B=MAP framework. Use when designing onboarding flows, improving conversion, building habits, increasing feature adoption, or understanding why users don't take desired actions. |
Fogg Behavior Model - B = MAP
The Fogg Behavior Model explains that three elements must converge at the same
moment for a behavior to occur: Motivation, Ability, and a Prompt.
When a behavior does not occur, at least one of these elements is missing.
When to Use This Skill
- Designing onboarding and activation flows
- Improving conversion rates
- Building habit-forming products
- Increasing feature adoption
- Understanding why users drop off
- Planning behavior change interventions
The B = MAP Formula
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ BEHAVIOR = MAP │
│ │
│ Behavior happens when Motivation, Ability, and Prompt │
│ come together at the SAME MOMENT. │
│ │
│ When behavior doesn't happen → at least one is missing. │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
High │ ·····
M │ ····· Behavior
o │ ····· Happens
t │ ····· Here
i │····─────────────────────────────
v │ Action Line
a │
t │ Behavior
i │ Fails
o │ Here
n │
Low └─────────────────────────────────────
Hard ←── Ability ──→ Easy
Prompts only work above the Action Line.
The Three Elements
1. Motivation
What drives the user to act?
Motivation Sources:
Core Motivators (Fogg):
├── Pleasure / Pain
├── Hope / Fear
└── Social Acceptance / Rejection
Additional Drivers:
├── Intrinsic interest
├── Personal goals
├── External rewards
└── Social pressure
| Motivator | Low | High |
|---|
| Pleasure/Pain | "I should exercise" | "I want to feel great" |
| Hope/Fear | "Might be useful" | "Don't want to miss out" |
| Social | "No one cares" | "Everyone's doing it" |
2. Ability
How easy is it to do?
Ability Factors (Fogg):
Simplicity Chain (weakest link determines ability):
├── Time: How long does it take?
├── Money: How much does it cost?
├── Physical effort: How hard physically?
├── Mental effort: How much thinking?
├── Social deviance: How weird is it?
└── Non-routine: How different from habits?
Ability = Inverse of the HARDEST factor
| Factor | Low Ability | High Ability |
|---|
| Time | 30-minute signup | 2-click signup |
| Money | $99/month | Free trial |
| Physical | Visit store | Click button |
| Mental | Complex form | Smart defaults |
| Social | Public commitment | Private action |
| Routine | New behavior | Fits existing habit |
3. Prompt
What triggers action at the right moment?
Prompt Types:
Spark (High Ability, Low Motivation):
├── Inspires and motivates
├── Appeals to emotions
└── Example: "Your friends are waiting"
Facilitator (High Motivation, Low Ability):
├── Makes action easier
├── Reduces friction
└── Example: "One-click purchase"
Signal (High Motivation, High Ability):
├── Simple reminder
├── Just needs timing
└── Example: "Time to check in"
Behavior Diagnosis Framework
Step 1: Define Target Behavior
Be specific about what you want users to do:
Behavior Definition:
❌ Vague: "Use the app more"
✅ Specific: "Complete a 5-minute workout daily"
Components:
├── Who: [Target user segment]
├── What: [Specific action]
├── When: [Timing/context]
└── How often: [Frequency]
Step 2: Diagnose Missing Element
Diagnosis Tree:
Is the user doing the behavior?
│
├── NO → Diagnose which element is missing:
│ │
│ ├── Do they WANT to do it?
│ │ ├── NO → Motivation problem
│ │ └── YES → Continue
│ │
│ ├── CAN they easily do it?
│ │ ├── NO → Ability problem
│ │ └── YES → Continue
│ │
│ └── Are they PROMPTED at the right moment?
│ ├── NO → Prompt problem
│ └── YES → Re-examine all three
│
└── YES → Behavior successful
Step 3: Design Intervention
| Problem | Solution Approach |
|---|
| Low Motivation | Increase desire (spark prompt) |
| Low Ability | Reduce friction (facilitator prompt) |
| No Prompt | Add well-timed trigger (signal prompt) |
| Multiple issues | Start with Ability (easiest to change) |
Output Template
After completing analysis, document as:
## Behavior Design Analysis
**Target Behavior:** [Specific behavior]
**User Segment:** [Who]
**Date:** [Date]
### Current State
| Element | Score (1-5) | Evidence |
| ---------- | ----------- | --------------------- |
| Motivation | [Score] | [What indicates this] |
| Ability | [Score] | [What indicates this] |
| Prompt | [Score] | [What indicates this] |
### Ability Breakdown
| Factor | Current State | Bottleneck? |
| -------- | ------------- | ----------- |
| Time | [Assessment] | Yes/No |
| Money | [Assessment] | Yes/No |
| Physical | [Assessment] | Yes/No |
| Mental | [Assessment] | Yes/No |
| Social | [Assessment] | Yes/No |
| Routine | [Assessment] | Yes/No |
### Diagnosis
**Primary Issue:** [Motivation/Ability/Prompt]
**Root Cause:** [Specific reason]
### Intervention Design
| Priority | Change | Element | Expected Impact |
| -------- | ----------------- | ------- | -------------------- |
| 1 | [Specific change] | [M/A/P] | [Measurable outcome] |
| 2 | [Specific change] | [M/A/P] | [Measurable outcome] |
### Success Metrics
| Metric | Current | Target | Timeline |
| --------------- | ------- | ------ | -------- |
| [Behavior rate] | X% | Y% | [Time] |
Real-World Examples
Example 1: Daily Exercise Habit
Target Behavior: Do a 20-minute workout daily
Motivation:
├── Want to get fit ✓
├── Feel better ✓
└── Score: 4/5 (High)
Ability:
├── Time: 20 min → Could be less
├── Physical: Moderate effort
├── Mental: Need to decide what to do
├── Routine: Not part of current habits
└── Score: 2/5 (Low - bottleneck)
Prompt:
├── No consistent trigger
└── Score: 2/5 (Low)
Interventions:
├── Ability: Reduce to 5-minute starter routine
├── Ability: Pre-select workout (no decisions)
├── Prompt: Phone alarm + clothes laid out
└── Routine: Anchor to morning coffee
Example 2: Feature Adoption (SaaS)
Target Behavior: Use new collaboration feature
Motivation:
├── Users don't see value yet
└── Score: 2/5 (Low - problem)
Ability:
├── Feature is buried in menu
├── Requires 4 clicks to access
└── Score: 2/5 (Low - problem)
Prompt:
├── One email announcement sent
└── Score: 1/5 (Very low)
Interventions:
├── Motivation: Show social proof ("Teams save 2hrs/week")
├── Ability: Add one-click access from dashboard
├── Ability: Pre-configure with defaults
├── Prompt: In-app tooltip at relevant moment
└── Prompt: Contextual suggestion during related tasks
Example 3: Newsletter Signup
Target Behavior: Subscribe to weekly newsletter
Motivation:
├── Valuable content promised
├── Social proof: "10,000 subscribers"
└── Score: 3/5 (Medium)
Ability:
├── Email only (simple)
├── One field
└── Score: 5/5 (High)
Prompt:
├── Popup after 30 seconds
├── User often not ready yet
└── Score: 2/5 (Wrong timing)
Intervention:
├── Prompt: Move to end of valuable article
├── Prompt: "Want more like this?"
└── Context: After user received value
Design Principles
Start with Ability
Why Ability First:
Motivation:
├── Hard to change
├── Often outside your control
└── Fluctuates over time
Ability:
├── Directly designable
├── Permanent once improved
└── Helps when motivation dips
"Make it so easy they can't say no."
Right Prompt, Right Moment
Prompt Timing:
Too Early:
├── User not ready
├── Creates annoyance
└── Wasted impression
Too Late:
├── Moment passed
├── Motivation cooled
└── Friction accumulated
Just Right:
├── High motivation moment
├── Ability is present
└── Action is natural next step
Tiny Habits Approach
BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits:
1. Make it TINY
└── Smallest possible version of behavior
2. Find the right ANCHOR
└── Existing habit to attach to
3. Celebrate IMMEDIATELY
└── Positive emotion reinforces
Formula: "After I [ANCHOR], I will [TINY BEHAVIOR]"
Example: "After I pour my coffee, I will do 2 pushups"
Behavior Types
| Type | Motivation | Ability | Focus |
|---|
| Green | High | High | Just add prompt |
| Blue | High | Low | Increase ability |
| Purple | Low | High | Increase motivation |
| Gray | Low | Low | Major redesign needed |
Integration with Other Methods
| Method | Combined Use |
|---|
| Hooked Model | Fogg explains the trigger/action phase |
| Cognitive Load | Ability = inverse of cognitive load |
| Loss Aversion | Powerful motivation lever |
| Curiosity Gap | Motivation through information gaps |
| Five Whys | Why isn't behavior happening? |
Quick Reference
B = MAP CHECKLIST
Motivation Boosters:
□ Clear value proposition
□ Social proof present
□ Loss framing considered
□ Personalized relevance
□ Emotional connection
Ability Enhancers:
□ Minimum steps possible
□ Smart defaults set
□ No unnecessary fields
□ Mobile-friendly
□ Fits existing routines
Prompt Optimization:
□ Right type for situation
□ Appears at right moment
□ Clear call to action
□ Not interruptive
□ Contextually relevant
Resources
