A North Wales behavioural scientist has unveiled a pioneering new exhibition she believes could revolutionise how businesses and public services influence people.<\/p>\n
Trailblazer Denise Hampson, author of a critically acclaimed book called The Desire Code, has launched what\u2019s being hailed as the UK\u2019s first interactive and immersive showcase, designed to help clients spark fresh ideas and engagement.<\/p>\n
Ms Hampson, a former Team GB cyclist who qualified as a systems engineer before moving into behavioural science, said the exhibition brings her Desire Code philosophy to life in a way that is \u201cengaging, accessible and immediately useful.\u201d<\/p>\n
She explained: \u201cThis isn\u2019t about abstract theory \u2013 it\u2019s about creating a modern-day ideas box. We can immerse people in scenarios that reflect their sector and generate real, actionable concepts they can take away and put to work straightaway.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a successful trial in Llandudno, health providers, housing associations and community groups are among those already showing interest in the platform, which blends psychology, storytelling and interactive technology to spark imagination and drive positive change.<\/p>\n
Ms Hampson, who lives in Old Colwyn, studied systems engineering at Loughborough University where her degree was sponsored by British Aerospace.<\/p>\n
She says the degree which focused on human factors engineering \u2013 understanding how people interact with complex systems \u2013 was the \u201cfoundation for everything I do now\u201d.<\/p>\n
Alongside her studies, she rose through the ranks of British cycling. From 2001 to 2004 she was part of the national squad full time, becoming British Women\u2019s Sprint Champion and setting a national 200 metre record in 2002.<\/p>\n
After retiring from competition, she returned to North Wales and worked with Conwy Council\u2019s leisure team, and then the Public Health Service in Wales. It was, she said, the turning point that drew her toward behavioural science.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were throwing numbers at people \u2013 five-a-day, 10,000 steps, alcohol units \u2013 but you don\u2019t win hearts and minds with a blizzard of statistics,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember standing outside Asda in Kinmel Bay trying to talk to people about fruit and veg. They already knew it all, but they weren\u2019t engaged. That\u2019s when I realised we needed to design things differently.\u201d<\/p>\n
That insight led her to focus on how people make real-world decisions. \u201cIt\u2019s not about telling people what to do,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s about helping them make the best choices for themselves \u2013 and giving them information in a way that resonates.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her approach has since been used across health, justice, sport and industry. One project in Glasgow to help people stop smoking beat its target by 150 per cent and was later used by NHS Scotland as an example of best practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t one thing that made a difference \u2013 it was probably eight,\u201d she said. \u201cWe probably tried 20. You throw lots of small things at a challenge and see what sticks. Simplicity and user-centred design are crucial \u2013 involve the people who\u2019ll actually use it and you\u2019ll get better results.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those lessons were distilled into The Desire Code, an eye-catching coffee table type book which she wrote during the Covid lockdown and published in 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone once told me the title sounds like a sci-fi sex thriller,\u201d she joked, \u201cbut it\u2019s really about cracking the code that unlocks people\u2019s desire to do things. It\u2019s a guidebook for behavioural science \u2013 and a framework for applying it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her new exhibition takes that philosophy into the real world. \u201cThe showcase is a logical progression of The Desire Code because it brings it all to life,\u201d said Ms Hampson \u201cIt\u2019s immersive, interactive and multi-sensory \u2013 people become active participants in the process, not passive listeners.\u201d<\/p>\n
The installation, roughly the size of a badminton court, allows up to 30 participants at any one time to explore a walk-through maze at two-minute intervals, with bookings managed through an automated system.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe test in Llandudno went really well \u2013 flawless,\u201d she said. \u201cThe booking system worked, the idea capture worked \u2013 it gave us everything I\u2019d hoped for. People came away buzzing with ideas and that\u2019s exactly what I wanted to achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Hampson said the format is flexible and can be tailored to any organisation or theme. \u201cThe fabric can be replaced with a company induction, an annual health and safety update or a public consultation,\u201d she explained. \u201cThe applications are only limited by your imagination.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her hope is that the installation will help businesses, councils and community groups think differently about engagement.<\/p>\n
\u201cBehavioural science is used massively in advertising and retail \u2013 that\u2019s why we come out of supermarkets with things we never planned to buy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it can also help people pause, step back and make better, more informed decisions about their health, finances or everyday lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Ms Hampson, it all comes back to understanding what makes people tick.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cHumans are intriguing. We like to think we\u2019re calm and rational, but really we live our lives heart-first. Most of our decisions come from instinct and emotion, and behavioural science helps us understand that.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything that helps people make better decisions for themselves is massively valuable. If this exhibition helps organisations understand people a little better and design things that truly work for real life \u2013 that\u2019s a win for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n