Meet the IIU's Behavioural Science Fellow: Sarah Hackett

Sarah Hackett is a Program and Policy Fellow within the Impact and Innovation Unit at the Privy Council Office. She is responsible for supporting the team’s work on trust in institutions, misinformation, and increasing the trustworthiness of government behaviours. She is also working to apply Impact Canada’s sludge methodology to reduce undue barriers and frictions in current government processes, focused on creating value for Canadians.

Prior to her current role, Sarah was a Policy Advisor within Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. In this position, she worked with a team of behavioural scientists to use interdisciplinary approaches to generate evidence rooted in the real experiences and measurable behaviours of public servants in preparation for the future of work.

Sarah holds a Master of Public Policy from the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.

Based on your skills and past experience, what unique perspectives do you bring to this work?

In my previous role, I was a Policy Advisor on the Research and Experimentation Team within the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer of Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. In this role, I worked collaboratively with a team of behavioural scientists to improve people management outcomes and streamline processes across the Government of Canada by generating evidence to inform decision-making with respect to the future of work. In addition to my project management role within the team, I served as a knowledge translator, taking the data gathered through research and experimentation activities and strategizing communications for its presentation to ensure it is salient for decision makers and aligns with government priorities.

Through my professional and educational experiences, I have developed a passion for understanding and producing better outcomes in the face of intractable global challenges. I feel strongly that evidence-based decision-making is critical to ensuring these better outcomes across policy domains and I am eager to continue gaining practical experience as a Fellow working at Impact Canada.

What attracted you to apply to the Fellowship program?

Given my previous work experience focused on the machinery of government from an internal-facing perspective, the Fellowship program stood out to me as an opportunity to apply and develop my skillset. I am excited to have the opportunity in this role to leverage insights and methodologies from public opinion research and BeSci to inform the design and implementation of citizen-facing programs, services, and initiatives to ultimately drive change and improve the lives of Canadians.

Why do you believe government departments should embrace the application of experimentation and Behavioural Science?

As the scale and complexity of challenges governments face today continue to evolve, the institutionalization of innovation is essential. Embedding experimentation and behavioral science within departments and agencies offers a powerful way to respond to emerging challenges in a citizen-centric and timely manner. These approaches allow governments to pilot and refine solutions, ensuring policies are both effective and practical.

Moreover, there is a growing expectation among citizens that their governments be adaptive, innovative, and evidence driven. Experimentation and behavioral science focus on practical, data-driven solutions that improve people’s lives in tangible ways, which can strengthen trust in government and its institutions. By institutionalizing these practices, governments can position themselves to effectively address future challenges while maintaining public confidence.

What is your favourite behavioural science bias, heuristic, or effect – and why?

My favorite behavioral science concept is the framing effect, which explains that people’s decisions are influenced by how information is presented, rather than the information itself. What I find most fascinating about this effect is that it highlights just how much context and wording can shape our perceptions and choices, even when the underlying facts remain the same.

I also find this BeSci effect so compelling because it has enormous practical applications across domains, and I find it empowering to understand. It shows that the way we communicate, and frame information or decisions matters and that we can use this knowledge to craft interventions, policies, and messages that resonate. For me, it’s a constant reminder of the power of perspective and the importance of thoughtful, intentional communication.