Why This WorksDriving Greater User Engagement through Gamification

Introduction Game Designer

Top Chef TV Series

Good Chef: • Executes recipes flawlesslyTop Chef: • Understands ingredients• Deconstructs recipes • Able to create, given unusual circumstances

Game design is like cooking. Instead of ingredients you have mechanics.

Why Gamification? What is it good for?

Everyone has problems. Everyone has metrics to drive.• Participation• Content Creation• Sharing• Registration

But what if I told you everyone has the same 3 problems?

• Adoption• Activity• Retention

• Purchases• Stickiness• Software Adoption• Time on Site

• Turnover• Onboarding• Productivity• etc.

We’re chasing the same 3 rabbits

Incentive to participate

Incentive to do more

Incentive to stay

Solution: Gamification? Goal: Adoption, Activity, Retention

So we have a goal, and we’ve been told gamification can solve it, but how?

Not like this:

Themed gem-swapping game! Avatar Builder!

Not like this:

Gamification ≠ Game All about Context

Gamification is not adding games to your customer experience.• Games contain their own objectives, goals, metrics and rewards

Adding a Game is a ‘Change of Context’• a.k.a. the quickest way to kill credibility with your audience

If you add an X-box to the office break room,

• You didn’t gamify work.• You gave your employees something else

to do, instead of working.

Gamification is…

So if Gamification isn’t games, what is it?

Gamification is:Game Techniques integrated into a non-game experience

Like This:

But those things aren’t new!

Or This:

A Turning Point in Time What Changed?

Gamification is an old idea. So why is it a big deal now?

Technology Lifestyle Psychology

X XTechnology and Lifestyle enable gamification to succeed.Psychology is the reason gamification succeeds.

Psychology of Games ‘Fun’

When we talk about the psychology of games, we’re basically talking about the things that people find ‘entertaining’ or ‘fun’.

There are a lot of things that make games ‘fun’ but to keep it simple, I like to break it down into these three primary categories:

FantasyChoiceGrowth

Fantasy Choice Growth

The ‘Fun’ of Games 3 Categories

• Strategy• Control• Expression

• Learning• Challenges• Social Connections• Order

• Imagination• Stories• Roleplaying

Monopoly Board Game A simple example

Fantasy

Choice

Growth

I’m rich! I’m powerful! I’m a tycoon

Defeat your rivals! Watch a fortune, amass! Build Houses into Hotels!

Do I trade Pennsylvania for Marvin Gardens or hold out for Pacific? Do I want to be the dog or the racecar?

Application: Gamification What works?

But remember, Gamification is not games. Not everything translates

–escapism is usually counter-productiveFantasy

Choice

Growth

–emphasize existing choices but don’t force new choices

Getting from ‘Game’ to ‘Gamification’:

Life is a Story of Growth People seek personal progress

Learning

Overcoming Challenges

Social Connections

Building/Finding Order

Concentrating, solving puzzles, accumulating knowledge, exploring the unknown, making connections and discoveries • Norepinephrine (possible ADD treatment)Competing, winning, accomplishments, victory in the face of adversity, challenge, thrill, respect• Epinephrine (adrenaline)

Bonding, collaboration, cooperation, roles, teamwork, network of contacts, popularity, specializations• Oxytocin (possible autism treatment)

Contentment, faith, completeness, order, part of a larger plan, clear rules, right and wrong, purpose• Serotonin (possible OCD treatment)

Growth, by audience A gift from social games

‘Traditional’ video games• Learning• Challenges• Social Connections• Building Order

‘Social’ Games• Learning• Overcoming Challenges• Social Connections• Building Order

Growth, by audience A gift from social games

Facebook• Learning• Challenges

•Social Connections• Building Order

World of Warcraft

• Learning• Challenges• Social Connections• Building Order

Bringing it together Gamification directives

1. Don’t change your context. Support it.2. Tell a story of personal growth

Gamification is measuring the natural behaviors and interactions of your customer experience, and recognizing them in way that tells a story of growth.

A more actionable definition:

Organized system of reputation, indicative of challenges overcome and talents learned

Organized system of building orderly sets with the discovery of the unknown every time you peel a piece.

When Growth isn’t enough Backup plan?

So far our discussion has focused on Intrinsic motivations.But sometimes the intrinsic motivations aren’t very interesting.

If I’m buying sandwiches, what can be said about me?• I like Turkey and Avocado?

I already know that and nobody else cares. • Not much opportunity for telling a story of growth or accomplishment

Unless I’ve eaten more Turkey and Avocados than everyone else• Name the sandwich after me• Right idea, but doesn’t scale well

Buy 9, get 10th free• Extrinsic motivation, but appropriate

Example:

Extrinsic Motivators Another Way

Extrinsic rewards:• Tangible rewards (money, prize, privilege)• Only resort to extrinsic, if intrinsic won’t work

Intrinsic rewards:• Recognize behaviors that will say something

meaningful about the user. Tell the story.

Yum!

Extrinsic motivations offer another option to provide aspiration and growth

2 possible scenarios: • No intrinsic at all (sandwich shop)• Top users have achieved everything (deserve an extra ‘thank you’ and something

to strive for)

Achieving Results Gamification Goals

Goals:• Adoption• Activity• Retention

Method: • Create a growth story

Options:• Learning• Challenges• Connections• Order• Extrinsic Rewards

Incentive to come

Incentive to do more

Incentive to stay

I didn’t forget these guys

Mechanics Gamification Goals

Step 1: Measure Behaviors

Behaviors are the building blocks of gamification – you need to track what the user is doing

Examples:• Visit / ‘Check in’• Complete task• Review• Receive vote• Make a sale• Make a purchase

Mechanics Mapping Mechanics

Step 2: Leverage Behaviors Game Mechanics Reputation Mechanics Social Mechanics

• Learning• Reputation Mechanics

• Challenges• Game Mechanics• Reputation Mechanics

• Connections• Social Mechanics• Reputation Mechanics

• Order• Game Mechanics

• Extrinsic Rewards• Game Mechanics

Quantify:Tangible Data, Organized Goals

Qualify:Expressing Status, Aptitude

Connect:Groups, Facilitating Connections

Receive 20 ‘Likes’ in one

week

Game Mechanics Applications

Game Mechanics

Points

Achievement CollectionsTask Lists

Notifications

Competitions / Races

Challenges

Quantify:Tangible Data, Organized Goals

Reputation Mechanics Applications

Reputation Mechanics

Levels / Points totalsStatus LeaderboardsAchievement badgesExpertise badgesExclusive privileges

Qualify:Status, Aptitude

Most helpful team award

Social Mechanics Applications

Social Mechanics

Groups / Teams

Away NotificationsFriending / FollowingActivity Streams

Filtering / RecommendationsSharing, Gifting

Connect:Forming Groups / Facilitating

Connections

Group Achievements

Review Gamification Conclusion

Why Now? • Revolutions in:

• Technology• Lifestyle• Psychology

Gamification is not games • No new context!

Two directives:1. Measure Behaviors2. Tell a story of personal growth

Extrinsic when it makes sense

Game Mechanics• Quantify• Tangible data• Organized goals

Reputation Mechanics• Qualify• Status, Aptitude• Making it Personal

Social Mechanics• Connect• Enable Connections• Shared Experiences

Incentive to come

Incentive to do more

Incentive to stay

QUESTIONS?

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