# nudge (10-nudge.com)

A nudge is a small, gentle push or hint meant to guide someone toward a choice without forcing it. People talk about nudges in everyday life, like a reminder text or a sign near the stairs.

## What a model may hear
- behavioral nudge (behavioral economics and public policy): assume the user wants choice architecture, default options, or libertarian paternalism frameworks
- notification prompt (mobile and web app development): generate push notification code, in-app message logic, or user re-engagement systems
- nudge theory intervention (academic social science): cite Thaler and Sunstein, design choice experiments, or analyze cognitive biases
- collaborative pointer (real-time editing tools (Google Docs, Figma)): implement cursor nudging, selection hints, or awareness notifications
- Linux nudge command (system administration humor or custom scripts): look for a nonexistent standard command, suggest creating an alias or wrapper

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "Give me a nudge when the price drops"
  Means: Remind me casually later
  May be taken as: Build a full behavioral economics pricing experiment with opt-out defaults and loss framing
  Say instead: "Send me a simple email reminder when the price drops"
- Says: "Add a nudge to the signup flow"
  Means: A small helpful hint somewhere
  May be taken as: Implement a multi-step choice architecture with A/B tested defaults and dark patterns
  Say instead: "Add a one-line hint near the signup button, not a popup or forced choice"
- Says: "Nudge the data over to the other server"
  Means: Move it informally, low priority
  May be taken as: Interpret as a specific protocol, queue command, or load-balancing signal
  Say instead: "Copy the data to the other server when convenient, no rush"
- Says: "I need a nudge feature"
  Means: A gentle reminder system
  May be taken as: Design a comprehensive engagement and retention platform with analytics
  Say instead: "A single daily reminder that the user can dismiss in one tap"

## Tips
- Say 'gentle reminder' or 'soft prompt' if you want less theory attached
- Specify the channel: 'email nudge' or 'in-app nudge' keeps it concrete
- Mention what triggers it, not just the concept: 'nudge after 3 days idle'
- Say 'no behavioral framework' if you want to block the economics rabbit hole
- Use 'bump' or 'ping' instead if you want casual without the academic baggage

## Often confused with
- prompt: more direct, expects immediate response
- notification: system-generated, often automatic
- intervention: heavier, implies problem to fix
- push: forceful, one-way, no gentleness implied
- hint: more passive, less timed or targeted
- trigger: mechanism-focused, can be negative or compulsive