In Episode 3 of The Human Side of Clinical Trials, hosts Brian S. McGowan, PhD, FACEHP, chief learning officer and co-founder of ArcheMedX, Inc., and Kelly Ritch, chief operating officer of ArcheMedX, Inc., speak with Jason Riis, PhD, CEO and chief behavioral scientist at Behavioralize, about why a well-written protocol doesn’t always translate into consistent execution, and how designing for the way people actually think and learn can reduce site burden and the need for costly unlearning.
Why doesn’t a well-written protocol always translate into consistent trial execution? In Episode 3 of The Human Side of Clinical Trials, Brian S. McGowan, PhD, FACEHP, chief learning officer and co-founder of ArcheMedX, Inc., and Kelly Ritch, chief operating officer of ArcheMedX, Inc., welcome cognitive psychologist and behavioral scientist Jason Riis, PhD, CEO and chief behavioral scientist at Behavioralize, to explore how fuzzy mental models affect clinical trial success.
Mental models are the understandings people use to interpret situations and decide what to do. They can be incomplete, imprecise, or simply wrong. Under the pressure of daily site work, even experienced professionals rely on familiar patterns and shortcuts that may not fit the trial in front of them. Familiarity can feel like understanding, until someone is asked to explain the reasoning behind a decision.
The conversation connects these everyday thinking patterns to protocol ambiguity, site burden, and the gap between knowing and doing. Kelly highlights how redundant requirements across a site’s portfolio can compound that burden, leaving less time and attention for the work that matters.
The team explores practical ways to support clearer thinking and more reliable performance: test protocols under realistic distraction, anticipate what teams might underestimate or misunderstand, and introduce unusual or critical steps before diving into the details. They also explain why meaningful engagement requires learners to do the thinking, talking, and teaching back, rather than simply listening.
The central message: improving trial execution requires designing for how people actually think, learn, and work. By uncovering misperceptions early and helping teams build clearer understanding, clinical operations leaders can better support readiness and reduce the need for costly unlearning.
