FCINCO is a method under development at CINCO aimed at identifying and measuring behavioural barriers in digital public services, using insights from Behavioural Sciences about how people make decisions.
Internationally known as SLUDGES , these barriers have a direct impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of public policies.
They are hidden, unintentional obstacles that discourage users during their interactions with government. They may appear in outdated or conflicting instructions, in the use of complicated language, in unnecessary requirements, or in other difficulties. For example, unintuitive navigation can confuse users and lead them to make wrong choices.
SLUDGES stem from both absences and excesses that create cognitive and emotional overload—for example, the lack of assistive resources or the presence of procedures that are difficult for some people to complete independently—thereby restricting broad access to rights and services. These barriers generate impacts ranging from frustration and loss of trust in the service to the exclusion of a significant portion of the Brazilian population, especially individuals with low levels of schooling or limited digital skills.
Based on an understanding of observed real-world behaviours, the FCINCO method seeks to help public-policy implementers diagnose barriers, analyse their impact on users, and identify and prioritise interventions to improve both the user experience and the effectiveness of public services.
The FCINCO in Action report summarizes activities and key findings from applying the method to map the behavioural journey of Individual Microentrepreneurs registering on Contrata+Brasil, an online platform that streamlines public procurement and supports local economies.
Some sludges were found, including one that halted the process.
