nyc together
NYC Together was developed as part of my graduate work in strategic communication, where we were challenged to design a civic engagement initiative grounded in behavioral science.
The question wasn’t simply how to get more people to participate in civic life; it was how to design participation in a way that feels natural, visible, and worth it.
Living in New York, I’m constantly aware of how physically close we all are — and how socially distant we can feel. The city is dense, loud, and full of energy. But proximity doesn’t automatically create a connection. NYC Together began as an exploration of that gap: how do you design a system that makes engagement feel like belonging rather than obligation?
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behavioral architecture
2025
Brief Summary
The project asked us to design a behavioral intervention that would increase civic engagement in a large urban environment.
Rather than relying on messaging alone, we were encouraged to think structurally:
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What environments shape behavior?
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What friction prevents participation?
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What social signals influence whether people show up?
The goal was to move beyond awareness campaigns and instead build an ecosystem that makes participation easier, more visible, and socially reinforced.
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The Challenge
Civic disengagement is rarely about apathy. It’s about psychological distance and structural friction. In fast-paced urban environments, participation competes with work, commuting, and constant stimuli. When effort feels high and impact feels invisible, intention collapses. The deeper challenge was restoring a sense of shared agency. How do you design civic life so that showing up feels normal, visible, and socially contagious?
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Behavioral Insight
Behavior is shaped more by architecture than intention. People are more likely to act when participation is visible, socially modeled, and identity-aligned. Social proof increases engagement when individuals see others like them participating. Commitment-consistency bias strengthens habits once small actions are taken publicly. Collective efficacy grows when people can see a measurable shared impact. Belonging, more than obligation, sustains civic behavior.
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Strategic Approach
NYC Together was designed as a behavioral platform rather than a messaging campaign. The initiative created hyper-local visibility through neighborhood dashboards that display real-time participation. Micro-commitments lowered friction by breaking civic engagement into smaller, identity-consistent actions. Public recognition systems reinforced social proof and normalized involvement. Integration with existing city infrastructure reduced access barriers. The system transformed participation into a visible, shared rhythm rather than a private effort.
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Outcome
NYC Together reframed civic engagement as an ecosystem rather than an event. By reducing friction and amplifying visibility, the model increases perceived agency and collective momentum. The strategy demonstrates how behavioral principles can translate into scalable public infrastructure. Rather than asking citizens to care more, it redesigns the environment so engagement feels intuitive. The project reinforced a core belief of mine: systems shape participation. And participation, when visible, becomes culture.