Ammaarah Martinus is the Director of Policy, Research and Analysis for Western Cape Government’s Department of the Premier. In her current role, she focuses on innovative research, policy development and strategic implementation in the social sector. Established in her field, we asked her for advice on how to deal with people problems in the Behavioural Insights (BI) space – from colleagues to partners and beneficiaries.
Navigating people problems
At this stage in our interview series, we’ve touched on a lot of the common problems facing BI practitioners in the Global South, like tight budgets and underdeveloped communication channels. There is, however, one more big challenge we've yet to dive into: the problem with people. The complexities of human relationships, cultural codes, and social contexts mean that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Nevertheless, we can look at how others in the BI space have dealt with similar problems – at least as a starting point.
When it comes to resource limitations, Ammaarah feels that while finding funding is a challenge, it can be leveraged via partnerships. Human resources, however, are a different story. “For me, the number one challenge is people,” she explains, adding that it was not merely a challenge to find staff and funds to do the work, but it could also be extremely difficult to find people who are willing to take part in interventions. “People can be difficult at times. They may not necessarily understand the work that you do, particularly if you’re working in the BI field.”
So how do you overcome this? “When going into a project, you need to think about the study, as well as how other people will perceive it,” says Ammaarah. “You would need to get their buy-in from the beginning.” However, she says, this is especially difficult when there are also cultural or ethical reservations.
“People are suspicious, and particularly in low-resource contexts, they are wary of being experimented on.” Ammaarah gives an example of what her team experienced when running a BI intervention in a school, and the principal was hesitant to cooperate. “You are, after all, a stranger coming into a very protected space. I had to sit down and explain to her exactly what the information would be used for, that it was going to add value to the academic syllabus and that it was not a hindrance. It wasn't initially welcomed but she later understood and let us into the school."
Some citizens have low trust in government, this is not unique to the developing world but a global phenomenon. However, “The more time you spend in communities, the more people can see you’re genuine, and the more they begin to trust you.”
How you say it matters
While there are many behavioural scientists out there, there aren't many applied to the policy space, but thankfully this field is growing. Furthermore, when working with more traditional, academic behavioural scientists, sometimes beneficiaries and partners have trouble fully grasping the scholastic style of communication.
It may seem insignificant, however, getting the team to communicate better, by using simpler, more universally understood language is critical in getting beneficiaries and partners to buy into the intervention. For instance, instead of saying that something is "statistically significant", say: "It had a positive effect, and for these reasons.” If the audience understands you, they’re more likely to support you.
Advice on finding partners
If the money problem can potentially be solved with partnerships, then we need to discuss how partnerships are created. In her experience, says Ammaarah, there are generally a few ways that partnerships are formed. The first route is by simply being approachable. "Sometimes people already know our work, which is nice because you don't have to ‘sell’ yourself," she says, “the potential partners already understand the work that you do. This partnership interest usually comes from the private sector, academia, and other applied BI spaces.”
The second route is surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly) through social media. “A lot of my new connections have been through Twitter or Instagram,” Ammaarah points out, citing those new contacts most commonly follow an event or engagement on one of her unit’s posts.
Finally, Ammaarah tries to keep in contact with embassies as they have networks of organisations from their country, have insight on what’s happening in the country, and know who the funders are. Very practically, “I approach the ambassador or relevant official, who approaches the organisations and sets up a meeting, that’s how the partnership is created.”
Spread the net wide
Ammaarah further recommends approaching a wide range and number of partners. “I find conferences useful for networking and exposure, especially if you’re in a speaking or training role.” For example, she says, the Nudgeathon we hosted in 2019 came about by coincidence after speaking to a fellow speaker at a conference in Beirut.
Partnerships are a two-way street
To attract the right partners, you need to offer mutual benefits. Not all partnerships are centred around financial investment, so don’t let this be a limitation. Sometimes it’s about cooperating in kind, like speaking at each other’s events or sharing knowledge. “We allow some partners access to our data and facilitate relationships with other government departments,” says Ammaarah.
“We provide them a seat at the table in government which enables them to penetrate bureaucracy. As an example, our partners assist us with writing policy briefs and give us access to resources we might not normally have access to, such as a venue for an event; or data and evidence which we may not have access to.”
Planning for the unpredictable
“Never underestimate the small things,” she says. “Having strong, positive relationships with vendors, suppliers, beneficiaries and partners is the key – especially when the unexpected happens. For example, in South Africa, we’ve had instances where communication cables were stolen, and it can take months for them to be repaired. In that instance, you’d need a good relationship with the IT people to build the systems and networks to fix the problem. You need to be flexible and prepared for any eventuality. You need plan for option A through D.”
The future of BI in the Global South
It seems that the future of BI, especially in lower-resource countries, lies in creating a strong community. “Our problems are alike,” she concludes, “and therefore we can learn from each other and not be so dependent on the West. We need to come together, work together, and support each other. The more we do so, the more effective BI interventions in the Global South will become.”