In 1989 Nigel Oakes set up an academic working group at London University to develop a more effective method of communication for conflict reduction. The key objective of the unit was to produce a workable model of communication and persuasion that could be used in crisis and social situations. The group attracted many academics from a wide spectrum of disciplines and within one year 53 universities from all over the world were participating in the research.

A European investment consortium provided all of the necessary funding and in 1990, the Behavioural Dynamics Institute was born.

The initial findings of the first year’s research shocked the group. The analysis of global events clearly showed that the methods that had been developed for advertising and marketing were the same methods that were being applied to
critical communication situations. Advertising agencies were producing
commercials extolling the virtues of birth control in Africa and anti-gun legislation
was winning marketing awards in Canada. Millions of dollars were being spent on communication methods that did not work and worse still, many people were dying
as a result.

It was obvious to all members of the Behavioural Dynamics group that a new communication model needed to be produced as fast as possible.

Led by some of the most influential social psychologists in the field, the working
group produced a communication model that could be applied to any homogenous group situation. In effect this meant that as long as the group all had the same problem, the communication would work.

In December 1990 field trials were conducted on a number of audience groups.