Future Now
The IFTF Blog
A fun twist on skip-stop elevators and stairs
If you haven't already, check out this video.
It's a great example of nudging people to take the stairs. We addressed this idea at our Spring Conference in the context of employers as choice architects.
We used as an example the California Department of Transportation headquarters in Los Angeles, which features skip-stop elevators; they stop at every third floor. In order to access the skipped floors, most employees choose to use the skip-stop stairs, which are more convenient than the regular elevator that is tucked away at one end of the building. These stairs are more open and user-friendly than traditional fire stairs, and in addition to nudging employees to be at least a bit physically active during their work day, they also encourage people to stop, talk, and collaborate.
The piano stairs video is part of an initiative from Volkswagen called thefuntheory.com. The site is
dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the environment, or for something entirely different, the only thing that matters is that it’s change for the better.
Check out the other videos currently on the site. There is a contest running until November 15th—enter your own fun ideas about how to change people's behavior (and if they are health-related, let us know!).