👋 Hi, I'm Ben.
The world is shifting fast—and we aren't equipped for what's coming. We struggle to navigate disagreements without blowups or avoidance. We feel hopeless in the face of climate change. We freeze when our neighbors need defending.
Future People Lab is where I build tools for the world that's coming. Not self-help. Not theory. Practical tools that work.
Here's what makes them different: Most products are designed to extract profit, not solve problems. These tools are Designed with Purpose™—shaped by research to tackle real challenges and actually work.
How I build each tool:
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I use a salutogenic approach, focusing on factors that promote well-being, like fostering healthier disagreements, reducing climate anxiety, or supporting safer neighborhoods.
Each outcome connects to specific behaviors that drive healthier, safer, more connected lives.
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To move the needle on these outcomes, like better disagreements, we have to identify which behaviors need to stop, start, or shift.
In this case, the science shows constructive disagreement requires dropping old habits (e.g. winning, logic-only debates) and building new ones (e.g. sharing communication styles, making each other feel heard).
Behavior research maps the levers of change tailored to each audience and the target behaviors, leading to evidence-based prototypes ready for real-world testing.
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Science-backed prototypes only matter if people want to use them.
User research shapes prototypes through real feedback, until disagreements feel as easy as following a trusted trail guide.
What exists right now:
Disagree Differently – a co-op conversation card game for staying close through any disagreement
In development:
mixtapes for working through climate despair
safe-house gift baskets for supporting our immigrant neighbors
Each tool tackles one specific problem. Together, they're building a toolkit for navigating what's ahead.
Want to help shape what's next? Vote on priorities, join play-tests, or consult as an expert.
Welcome,
Ben
Reach Out
I also provide user research and behavior change design services for folks working on well-being. My clients have included:
Fidelity Investments | CoinMetrics | Meedan | Nigeria Health Watch | Harvard University