Thursday 26 March 2026 (1pm GMT)
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[Image of woman walking away from the camera down a path through park land. Source: Image by GreenCardShow from Pixabay.]
In this seminar, designer and behavioural researcher Andrew Barker explored how behavioural science can strengthen the effectiveness of placemaking and wayfinding projects.
Andrew outlined how designers inevitably influence behaviour, sometimes unintentionally, and showed how evidence‑based behaviour‑change models can support more positive, ethical, and sustainable outcomes. He introduced three widely used frameworks from behavioural science and demonstrated how they can be applied to encourage healthier habits, improve safety, and support clearer navigation in both physical and digital environments.
The talk also highlighted Andrew’s broader work across built, digital, and print spaces, as well as his recent publications, including the updated Sign Design Guide and his study of Penguin Classics typography. Attendees gained practical insights into integrating behavioural principles into real‑world design commissions.
About the speaker
Andrew Barker is a designer and behavioural researcher. Throughout his career he has focussed on helping people to find the stuff they need. He has not only helped people find their way through the built environment, he has also helped people navigate digital spaces – such as apps and websites – and print spaces – such as books and bills. On the way he has won a handful of design awards, including a Design Effectiveness Award for his work redesigning the bill for a mobile telephone company so that it works better for customers. He also has a PhD from the University of Reading for his research comparing navigation strategies in the built environment, digital and print spaces. 2024 saw the publication of two books that he has written: the Sign Design Guide + (Sign Design Society, a full-scale update of the Sign Design Guide originally published in 2000), and La typographie des Penguin Classics (Bureau Brut Publishing, a translation of his case study of the redesign of Penguin Classics). Andrew currently works as a behavioural researcher for the UK Government, and is chair of the Sign Design Society.