Why This Works

1. Why This Works Driving Greater User Engagement through Gamification

2. Introduction Game Designer Top Chef TV Series • Good Chef: • Executes recipes flawlessly • Top Chef: • Understands ingredients • Deconstructs recipes • Able to create, given unusual circumstances Game design is like cooking. Instead of ingredients you have mechanics.

3. Why Gamification? What is it good for? • Everyone has problems. Everyone has metrics to drive. • Participation • Content Creation • Sharing • Registration • Purchases • Stickiness • Software Adoption • Time on Site • Turnover • Onboarding • Productivity • etc. • But what if I told you everyone has the same 3 problems? • Adoption • Activity • Retention Incentive to participate Incentive to do more Incentive to stay We’re chasing the same 3 rabbits

4. 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: Not like this: Themed gem-swapping game! Avatar Builder!

5. 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.

6. Gamification is… • So if Gamification isn’t games, what is it? • Gamification is: • Game Techniques integrated into a non-game experience Like This: Or This: But those things aren’t new!

7. A Turning Point in Time What Changed? Gamification is an old idea. So why is it a big deal now? Technology Lifestyle Psychology • X • X Technology and Lifestyleenable gamification to succeed. Psychology is the reasongamification succeeds.

8. 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: • Fantasy • Choice • Growth

9. The ‘Fun’ of Games 3 Categories • Learning • Challenges • Social Connections • Order • Imagination • Stories • Roleplaying • Strategy • Control • Expression Fantasy Growth Choice

10. Monopoly Board Game A simple example Fantasy Choice Growth I’m rich! I’m powerful! I’m a tycoon Do I trade Pennsylvania for Marvin Gardens or hold out for Pacific? Do I want to be the dog or the racecar? Defeat your rivals! Watch a fortune, amass! Build Houses into Hotels!

11. Application: Gamification What works? But remember, Gamification is not games. Not everything translates Getting from ‘Game’ to ‘Gamification’: Fantasy –escapism is usually counter-productive Choice –emphasize existing choices but don’t force new choices Growth

12. Life is a Story of Growth People seek personal progress Learning • Concentrating, solving puzzles, accumulating knowledge, exploring the unknown, making connections and discoveries • Norepinephrine (possible ADD treatment) Overcoming Challenges • Competing, winning, accomplishments, victory in the face of adversity, challenge, thrill, respect • Epinephrine (adrenaline) Social Connections • Bonding, collaboration, cooperation, roles, teamwork, network of contacts, popularity, specializations • Oxytocin (possible autism treatment) Building/Finding Order • Contentment, faith, completeness, order, part of a larger plan, clear rules, right and wrong, purpose • Serotonin (possible OCD treatment)

13. Growth, by audience A gift from social games ‘Traditional’ video games ‘Social’ Games • Learning • Challenges • Social Connections • Building Order • Learning • Overcoming Challenges • Social Connections • Building Order

14. Growth, by audience A gift from social games Facebook World of Warcraft • Learning • Challenges • Social Connections • Building Order • Learning • Challenges • Social Connections • Building Order

15. Bringing it together Gamification directives 1. Don’t change your context. Support it. 2. Tell a story of personal growth A more actionable definition: Gamification is measuring the natural behaviors and interactions of your customer experience, and recognizing them in way that tells a story of growth. Organized system of building orderly sets with the discovery of the unknown every time you peel a piece. Organized system of reputation, indicative of challenges overcome and talents learned

16. 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. Example: • 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

17. Extrinsic Motivators Another Way Extrinsicmotivations offer another option to provide aspiration and growth • Intrinsic rewards: • Recognize behaviors that will say something meaningful about the user. Tell the story. • Extrinsic rewards: • Tangible rewards (money, prize, privilege) • Only resort to extrinsic, if intrinsic won’t work Yum! • 2 possible scenarios: • No intrinsic at all (sandwich shop) • Top users have achieved everything (deserve an extra ‘thank you’ and something to strive for)

18. Achieving Results Gamification  Goals Incentive to come • Goals: • Adoption • Activity • Retention Incentive to do more Incentive to stay I didn’t forget these guys • Method: • Create a growth story • Options: • Learning • Challenges • Connections • Order • Extrinsic Rewards

19. 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

20. Mechanics Mapping Mechanics • Step 2: Leverage Behaviors • Game MechanicsReputationMechanicsSocialMechanics Quantify: Tangible Data, Organized Goals Qualify: Expressing Status, Aptitude Connect: Groups, Facilitating Connections • Learning • Reputation Mechanics • Challenges • Game Mechanics • Reputation Mechanics • Connections • Social Mechanics • Reputation Mechanics • Order • Game Mechanics • Extrinsic Rewards • Game Mechanics

21. Game Mechanics • Quantify: • Tangible Data, Organized Goals • Notifications auction • Challenges • Achievement Collections • Task Lists • Points Receive 20 ‘Likes’ in one week • Competitions / Races Applications Game Mechanics

22. Reputation Mechanics • Qualify: • Status, Aptitude • Levels / Points totals • Status Leaderboards • Achievement badges • Expertise badges • Exclusive privileges Reputation Mechanics Applications

23. Social Mechanics Gift Manjeera: • Connect: • Forming Groups / Facilitating Connections Share with David? share send • Groups / Teams • Group Achievements • Activity Streams • Friending / Following • Away Notifications • Filtering / Recommendations Most helpful team award • Sharing, Gifting Social Mechanics Applications

24. Review Gamification Conclusion • Game Mechanics • Quantify • Tangible data • Organized goals • Reputation Mechanics • Qualify • Status, Aptitude • Making it Personal • Social Mechanics • Connect • Enable Connections • Shared Experiences • Why Now? • Revolutions in: • Technology • Lifestyle • Psychology • Gamification is not games • No new context! • Two directives: • Measure Behaviors • Tell a story of personal growth • Extrinsic when it makes sense Incentive to come Incentive to do more Incentive to stay

25. QUESTIONS? serotonin epinephrine oxytocin norepi. www.badgeville.com | email@badgeville.com