E68 Have we forgotten our own behaviour? Why E.A.S.T. still works and what that says about us as practitioners.

This week, we’re celebrating 10 years of the EAST Framework (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely) and asking a powerful question:

How often do we reflect on our own behaviour as change-makers?

We explore why simple frameworks still work in a complex world, what the “toothbrush problem” is, and why mastering a few tools beats collecting many.

🛠️ Action tip: Start by checking in on your decision-making and how you use behavioural frameworks to support change—not stress you out.

 

This week on BrainFuel, we’re taking a moment to turn the lens inward—not just on the behaviours we’re trying to shift, but on our own as the people designing change.

We’re celebrating the 10th birthday of the EAST Framework—Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely. It’s still our go-to tool when we need something clear, fast, and grounded in how people actually think and behave. But we’re also asking a deeper question:
Do we ever pause to reflect on our own behaviours when we’re planning programmes for others?

We share thoughts on a brilliant article by Michael Holdsworth, written for EAST’s 10-year anniversary, exploring whether simplicity still holds up in today’s world of generative AI, personalisation, and complexity. Spoiler alert—we believe it does. Simplicity cuts through the noise.

We also dig into the “toothbrush problem” (you’ll have to listen!) and remind ourselves that frameworks are tools, not trophies. Mastering a few—and using them well—is often more powerful than collecting many.

🧠 Episode Outline

• We ask: what if the first step in designing change is understanding ourselves as practitioners?

•  Is that why E.A.S.T. Still Works?

Reflecting on the E.A.S.T. Framework

• We share some highlights from Michael Holdsworth’s anniversary article, “Why Simplicity Can Be Strength in a Complex World.”

• HIs article asks: does a simple framework still hold value in a world of complexity and AI?

• We say yes—and talk through why simplicity still has real power in our work.

The Role of Frameworks in Behavioural Science

• We remind ourselves that frameworks aren’t for show. They’re here to serve the change, not our egos.

• We talk through why E.A.S.T. is so memorable, and how new frameworks often muddy the waters.

• We highlight the “toothbrush problem”—how everyone wants to invent their own framework—and suggest we focus on mastering a few instead.

Embodying the Principles of Behavioural Science

• We reflect on what it means to embody behavioural science—not just use it.

• That means making things easy for others, reducing stress for our teams, and staying clear-headed ourselves.

• We encourage everyone to ask: are we making our work easier or harder? Are we showing up in the way we want others to?

 

Our show notes are generated by AI then read through for clarity and sense-checking.