Glossary
Reduce prompts/cues
What does “reduce prompts/cues” mean?
Reduce prompts or cues means gradually withdrawing reminders used to prompt a behavior. It is also called fading.
How prompt fading works
Fading describes a change in support, not proof that a habit has formed. A continuing reminder may remain useful, depending on the task and the person’s needs.
Illustrative example
Imagine training an employee to complete a routine filing checklist. At first, the trainer gives a prompt before each task. Once the employee completes it reliably, the trainer waits and prompts only if a step is missed or delayed. If independent completion is maintained, the trainer reduces support further while continuing to check the work. If errors increase, the plan can retain or restore prompts and examine where support is needed. This is a hypothetical fading plan guided by observed performance, not a fixed timetable for removing all reminders or proof of automatic habit formation.
Taxonomy definition
The original BCT Taxonomy v1 definitions identify this as technique 7.3.