Gamification 101
Gamification sometimes is defined as an application of the game design techniques to the non-game environment. Simple, right? Add some badges, levels and scores to your activity et voilà! Well, many do not agree with this definition. It misses the most important part: the fun of the game.
I would describe the gamification as the process of creating a ludic engaging experience in the nongame scenario.
In the gamification process, it is important to focus on the fun rather than game elements.
Take Root — a robot that teaches kids to code. It moves according to the code. No points, badges, or leaderboards: just the fun of the activity itself.
Or Hyper-Reality — a concept by Keiichi Matsuda that presents a provocative vision of the AR future. The game elements are clearly abused.
Main frameworks
Most of the gamification frameworks are describing the design process starting from the definition of the objectives and finishing with the implementation.
Pete Jenkins and B. Merino de Paz are focusing more on the implementation part. Like other frameworks, they start with business objectives and target behaviors. But they also suggest thinking about the implementation cost, maintenance strategy, team building, and specifications production.
Player Centered Design approach by IxDF, 6 D’s by Werbach and Hunter and Andrzej Marczewski's framework are describing the process from the research to the design part. They are also aiming to cover main gamification concepts like player types, human motivations, the concept of Flow, and the concept of Fun. We are going to explore these concepts below.
Octalysis of Yu-kai Chou does not describe the process but classify the game mechanics by motivation. It can help to make more conscious choices on the prototyping stage. Like in this case study.
Core principles of gamification
Marache-Franciscor and Brangier defined the core gamification principles:
- Freedom of choice
Users should have the opportunity to express their own will - Benefits and meaningfulness
The gamification should benefit both users and the business. Don’t introduce points just for its sake. - Personalized experience
The game should respond to users' actions. - Long-term interaction
Design with the evolution of the interaction in mind, especially concerning the motivational elements - Unwanted secondary effects anticipation
Unwanted effects can include stress by efficiency requirements, loss of the feeling of privacy and credibility, or focus on quantity over quality to obtain some reward - Legal and ethical matters
Take into account the existing legal context, e.g. data and privacy - I would add one more. The rules.
As every game has the rules, gamified activities should also have it. People can play football without the proper field, but can not do it without the rules. If we are using leveling up technique, for example, we should clearly identify on which conditions a new level opens.
Business goals and target behavior
The first step to gamification is business goals and target behavior identification.
For example, if a transport company needs a solution to optimize its logistics, it might not need gamification at all.
Gamification can be useful when we deal with human motivation, attention, and satisfaction. For example, a remote educational company might want to retain its users by motivating them to use the service regularly.
IxDF is suggesting S.M.A.R.T. mission framework to identify the objectives and target behavior.
The success of achieving the target behavior must be measured. For the educational service case, it might be the time spent in the app or frequency of the sessions.
Player
As in every design process, we should know who we are designing for. It might be useful to identify also the skill level of the users and their player type. Richard Bartle developed 4 types of player personalities:
- Achievers — need a sense of progression and accomplishment
- Explorers — want to explore your world and learn
- Socializers — want to connect with others who are like-minded
- Killers — thrive on competition and rank
For example, if gamification is built solely on competition, it targets only the “Killers”.
Human motivation
The most used motivational theory in gamification is Self-Determination Theory. It is classifying the motivators as extrinsic and intrinsic one. The extrinsic one is providing the first boost of motivation towards action, but intrinsic motivators are more reliable in retaining the desired behavior.
Gamification is aiming to achieve this internal motivation by building a fun and joyful experience. Game techniques applied to the product without ludic experience are better to classify as behavioral design.
Game dynamics, mechanics and elements
Now we are ready to design a game. Let’s be clear about the terminology. Even in different frameworks, terms might mean different.
Game elements are interaction points between human and game (Sicart, 2008). Like the ball in the football game. Or like the hair color of the character in Nintendo Ring Fit game. It is changing when the player does some physical activity. A fun way of giving feedback, don’t you think?
The rules about when the hair changes its style are game mechanics. It specifies the rules of a game for the possible interactions between game and player.
Game dynamics are the way the player actually interacts with those mechanics (Marczewski, 2013). Was the workout with Nintendo fun and intensive?
Engagement loop
The engagement loop is a model by Amy Jo Kim that describes the re-engagement process. It is similar to Nir Eyal’s and Charles Duhigg behavioral models.
To entice your players back, start by crafting and tuning a simple, solid Core Loop based around three key design rules:
1. start with compelling activities players want to do repeatedly
2. create a mix of feedback and progress to increase players’ skill, motivation and flow
3. develop an integrated system of triggers and investment to pull players back
Concept of Flow
Psychological Flow captures the positive mental state of being completely absorbed, focused, and involved in the activities.
“My mind isn’t wandering. I am not thinking of something else. I am totally involved in what I am doing. My body feels good. I don’t seem to hear anything. The world seems to be cut off from me. I am less aware of myself and my problems.”
-one of the participants interviewed in the earliest stages of ‘Flow research’ (Csikszentmihalyi and Csikszentmihalyi, 1988: 195)
To achieve the Flow, a balance between challenge and skills should be found.
Iterations
Like in every other design process, gamification is required to be tested, measured, and revised.
Gamification canvas
To help designers to put everything together and not to forget anything, I have developed a gamification canvas. It is covering all the main concepts of gamification and can guide the design process of meaningful gamified experience. It complements a design process that one already has established.
In the research questions area, there are questions that have to be answered before the ideation phase. Identify why do you need to gamify your product, what are the business objectives and target user behavior. Identify how it is going to be measured. Identify the player types.
In motivation are name the motivators you are addressing. Start with extrinsic ones that provide the first boost of the interest and help to keep a minimum necessary motivation. Finish with intrinsic ones that can ensure user retention.
In engagement loop identify what are you going to use to retain and re-engage users.
In Flow describe how the challenge is changing according to the skill level. How do you avoid boredom of too simple challenges and the anxiety of too difficult one?
In Game Mechanics describe how is your gamification works and what are the rules.
And finally the most important one. Fun and enjoyment. Identify, how the activity that you are designing can provide users with a fun and joyful experience. This is the whole purpose of gamification, right?
Let’s start using it. Here is the Duolingo gamification as an example.
Mapping gamification canvas can help to find further opportunities. For example, in Duolingo's case, the challenge is quite rigid according to the skills. Also, there is a possibility to explore more intrinsic motivators.
Download the canvas
It is the first time I am publishing the gamification canvas. So I am gathering the feedback for further improvements.
The canvas template in Figma format is available free to download. If you are using it, drop me a line with the feedback. I am always open to discussion.
