Technology permeates our everyday lives, including our work in behavior analysis. We use technology to manage our work, communications, service delivery, data collection and analysis, and business operations. You build valuable skills when you become a savvy and mindful user of technology; these skills can be valuable to tech companies that deliver software products and services.
While many BCBAs and ABA professionals traditionally work in clinical or educational settings, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles are highly valuable in tech roles such as product management, product design, user experience design, customer success, and sales. If you're interested in transitioning to the tech world, this article will guide you through identifying opportunities, leveraging your ABA skills, and taking actionable steps to land a role in a technology company.
Why Tech Needs Behavior Analysts
Behavior analysts are wired to solve problems using behavioral science. My story began with identifying a problem and seeing a technological solution, and then creating it. From 2004 to 2006, I supervised a team of ABA professionals in Japan, all while based in Honolulu, Hawaii. The team was eager to learn and train more professionals and parents as quickly as possible. This was around the time YouTube emerged, and I realized how online videos could disseminate knowledge through a new learning platform, Learning Management Systems. My desire to share training drove me to leap into tech. I quit my position as Clinical Director and began collaborating with engineers, content creators, and instructional designers to establish an ABA Tech company. I soon discovered that my skills as a Behavior Analyst could translate into meaningful roles in a start-up tech company. Some of the best people I placed in business development, customer success, and product roles came from the ABA field.
Tech companies thrive on data-driven decision-making, user engagement, and behavior optimization—all of which align with ABA principles. Whether it's understanding customer behavior, improving product usability, or optimizing sales strategies, behavior analysts bring unique expertise. This is how your ABA skills can translate into tech roles:
1. Customer Success
Customer Success may provide the most opportunities and most straightforward transition for a Behavior Analyst-- especially if you work for a software company that serves the ABA market. Customer success teams ensure users get the most value from a product. ABA professionals contribute through:
Behavioral Assessments: Identify customer engagement patterns and behaviors and address barriers to adoption.
Reinforcement & Pairing: Strengthen customer relationships by understanding their needs and providing tailored support. Pair software features with time-savings, simplification of tasks, and automation.
Shaping Success Pathways: Design onboarding and training programs that gradually build customer competence and satisfaction.
Sharing Expertise: For products that solve ABA industry pain points, guide others using your subject matter expertise and industry experience.
2. Sales & Business Development
Sales teams rely on understanding client needs, motivation, and decision-making processes. ABA expertise can enhance sales through:
Motivation & Reinforcement: Identify the motivating operations (pain points) that drive purchasing decisions, and build the reinforcing value of your product.
Behavioral Pairing: Build trust with clients through strategic relationship-building techniques.
Data-Driven Selling: Use behavioral data to refine sales strategies and personalize outreach efforts.
Create Credibility: For products that solve ABA industry pain points, demonstrate that your solution “speaks their language.” Represent clinical factors while guiding technology selection decisions.
3. Product Management and Product Design
Product managers and designers develop and refine software or products based on user needs. ABA professionals excel in:
User Research & Functional Assessment: Use data analysis and structured assessment methods to understand user behaviors and pain points.
Shaping & Chaining in Product Development: Use incremental improvements to design user-friendly experiences. Break down and design functionality based on user workflows and behaviors.
Reinforcement Strategies: Encourage user engagement and retention through positive behavioral interventions (e.g., UX design elements, gamification)
Translating Clinical and Operational Needs: For products that address ABA industry pain points, describe clinical/operational requirements to developers to ensure functionality is reflected properly throughout the software design process.
How to Transition into Tech
1. Identify Transferable Skills
Start by marketing your current software skills to vendors in the ABA space. Being a Subject Matter Expert with end-user experience is gold to tech companies in the ABA or Education space. Map out your ABA skills to the specific needs of tech companies. Some significant skills to highlight in your resume and interviews include:
Deep understanding of end-user/customer data flows and workflows that need technology solutions.
Ability to translate technology to clinical and business issues in the ABA or Education space.
Data-driven decision-making.
Instructional Design and educational interventions that translate into customer education.
Communication and relationship-building.
2. Learn the Language of Tech
While your ABA knowledge is valuable, learning the basics of tech terminology will help you stand out. Consider taking online courses or reading about:
Instructional Design and Learning Management Systems (LMS)
Software development lifecycle (SDLC)
Basic software development (simple websites and applications)
User experience (UX) design and research
Product management methodologies (Agile, Scrum)
Customer relationship management (CRM) software
Sales methodologies (e.g. BANT, MEDDICC) and processes (e.g. lead generation, managing pipeline)
3. Network with Industry Professionals
Connect with professionals in tech through:
LinkedIn: Join groups related to behavioral science, UX, and tech.
Conferences & Meetups: Attend technology, product management, or instructional design events. You can also meet tech vendors in the exhibit hall to network and learn more about job opportunities.
Informational Interviews: Reach out to professionals in your desired role and ask about their experiences.
4. Gain Experience Through Side Projects
If you're making a career pivot, consider:
Becoming a SuperUser of a technology you use daily, then reaching out to the tech company's support team to offer feedback or research opportunities.
Applying or volunteering to help tech startups in the ABA or Education space as a pilot tester or Subject Matter Expert.
Being open to part-time or project-based work to gain experience.
5. Tailor Your Resume & Apply Strategically
Customize Your Resume: Highlight ABA skills in ways that align with tech job descriptions.
Showcase Behavioral Impact: Provide specific examples of how you've improved processes, engagement, or outcomes through behavioral interventions.
Clarify your “Why:” Figure out exactly why this career pivot interests you, and how your experience makes you well-suited for this type of work. Tech companies want to know that you understand and are passionate about their mission.
Final Thoughts
The tech industry is an excellent place for behavior analysts to make a meaningful impact. You can successfully transition into a rewarding tech career by understanding how your skills translate to product management, customer success, and sales and taking strategic steps to upskill and network.
So, what next? Start by exploring roles that interest you, connecting with professionals in the industry, and taking the leap toward a career that merges behavioral science with cutting-edge innovation.
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