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The science of human behavior is a flow of exclamations, curiosities, prejudices, and modest confusion. But among the currents and eddies there are often useful insights that help us find our way in everyday life.

Such a thought was introduced by Jason Hreha, a Stanford graduate and one-time co-author with Dan Ariely. Hreha is now Global Head of Behavioral Sciences at Walmart, the world's largest employer.

About a year and a half ago, Hreha spoke to a former member of President Obama's social and behavioral science team.

According to Hreha in a recent email, the small group has become a behavioral economics consultancy in the past three years of Obama's presidency. They worked on various large and small projects in different agencies.

After several different case studies, Hreha says, it became clear that the social and behavioral science group was all about simplification.

Every single project that Hreha described was about tackling a bloated government process or solution – and making it smaller, faster, and easier.

An example. Imagine that the Ministry of Health and Human Services (DHHS) wants to increase the application rate for health insurance. However, the application process only takes 45 minutes and requires the completion of a health questionnaire.

The SWAT team for behavioral sciences wants to reduce the application length as much as possible (from 45 minutes to 10 minutes) by eliminating or shortening steps. In this case, the team can ask the DHHS to redesign the form so that healthy applicants can complete the health section with a few clicks ("I'm a healthy person", etc.).

Since healthy applicants are least likely to take out health insurance, such optimization could increase the application rate for this group – important as this group pays for the healthcare they rarely use.

Processes designed by bureaucrats are usually longer than necessary, so a behavior change strategy that is designed to shorten and simplify forms of government makes a lot of sense.

That brings us to the three types of behavioral interventions.

1. Simplification
2. Motivation
3. Incitement

Simplification is about developing behavior easier.

Motivation is about doing more behavior enjoyable or exciting.

The instigation is about developing behavior outstanding or Top of mind. It's about Remember people do a behavior.

The White House behavior team focused on simplification, which made sense for the nature of the problems in the government.

However, points 2 and 3 are equally important in our private and business lives.

When faced with a brand or business behavior problem, consider these three categories.

Ask yourself: is there any way to simplify this behavior? Is there a way to make this behavior more intentional, pleasant, or exciting? Is there a way to ensure that this behavior is memorable and repeated?

Contribution to the Branding Strategy Insider by: Patrick Hanlon, author of Primal Branding

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