The document discusses the principles of gamification. It begins by defining gamification as using game thinking and mechanics to solve problems and engage users. It then discusses the growing gamification market, projected to reach $2.8 billion by 2016. It outlines some common categories of gamification like consumer engagement, employee incentives, and social change. The rest of the document provides steps and considerations for effective gamification, including defining goals, understanding player profiles, setting objectives and challenges, incorporating feedback and rewards, and testing and iterating the system. It emphasizes gamification as a way to drive long-term user engagement and motivation through fun and aspirational mechanics.

1. The Principles of
Gamification

2. Definition of Gamification
Gamification is the process of
using game thinking and game
mechanics to solve problems
and engage users.

3. The Gaming Market

4. The Market
• Gamification market, currently estimated at around $100 million, will
grow to more than $2.8 billion by 2016.
• The enterprise represents the largest vertical segment of the gamification
market, accounting for nearly a quarter of the market.
• Top gamification vendors are projecting 197% growth in 2012, up from
155% in 2011.
• Gamification vendors report that 47% of client implementations are for
user engagement, with brand loyalty accounting for 22% and brand
awareness 15%.
• Breakdown of the gamification market:
• Consumer market = 62%
• Enterprise market = 38%

5. Categories of gamification
• Consumer Engagement - using game mechanics to draw consumer
attention and sell more goods and services.
• Employee Incentives – using game mechanics for more employee
productivity or for employee training, incentives, etc.
• Collaborative Work – to encourage teams to discover solutions.
• Social Change – using game mechanics to enact social change.

6. The purpose of gamification
• Motivation & long term user engagement and loyalty.
• Making things more pleasurable in an interaction, process &
information overloaded world (gain user attention).
• Creates a brand connection with users / customers in a meaningful
and interesting way and aligns business objectives with user’s
motivations.
• Can be used in different roles & scenarios: Customer, patient, user,
student, employee, personal motivation & engagement.
• Builds complex systems for motivation that meets people’s intrinsic
desire but also make them feel that they are accomplishing
something aspirational and make them move forwards in their life.

7. The purpose of gamification
• Gamification is an interesting way of looking at all kinds of systems
design: what are the motivations of our actions? What drives a
community to act or users to act?
• Taps into the millennium generation & people’s intrinsic desire for
motivation.
• Empirical data shows that games are superior at motivational
techniques – if game mechanics are used in a smart & effective
way.
• Companies that are experimental & smart use gamification for
positive change & influence in employee & customer communities.
• Game mechanics are going to replace more traditional systems of
user motivations.
• Gamification makes feedback loops tighter and a little bit more
decentralised.

8. Step 1: Why Gamify?
Critical Stakeholder Questions:
1. What is the main reason for Gamifying your product / service?
2. How does it benefit the user?
3. Will they enjoy it?
Business Questions:
1. What are the goals of the business?
2. How do you get the user to fulfill these goals?
3. What actions do you want your players to take?

9. Step 2: Player Profile
Research Inspires Design:
1. Who are your players?
2. What are their needs and goals? Why are they playing?
3. What’s holding them back from achieving their potential?
4. Is it lack of volition or lack of faculty?
5. What is their primary player style – solo, competitive or
cooperative?
6. Who are the playing with?
7. What Social Actions do they find enjoyable – and why?
8. What metrics do they care about?
Motivational Drivers:
1. Achievement of goals <-or-> Enjoyment of experience.
2. Structure and guidance <-or-> Freedom to explore.
3. Control of others <-or-> Connect with others.
4. Self-interest in actions <-or-> Social Interest in actions.

10. Step 3: Goals & Objectives
The Hero’s Quest….
1. The Long Term Goal must be compelling & fairly difficult to
achieve.
2. Can be Master of a New Skill, A New Habit, An Achievement, A
Title or any other pinnacle of personal growth.
One Step at a Time.
1. What must players accomplish in order to reach the ultimate
objective?
2. How can you break the journey up into discrete & satisfying
challenges that push your players & help them improve?
Desire to Inspire.
1. Figure out a way to make long-term & short-term goals as
exciting & aspirational as possible. Go for the Glory!

11. Step 4: Skills & Actions
Making Lists a Skill.
1. Consider what abilities are necessary to succeed in the endeavor.
2. Make a skills lost of ALL things you can think of that are relevant to
your game across the following categories:
• Physical Skills – walking, running, typing, using a chefs knife, etc.
• Mental Skills – pattern recognition, memory, spatial logic,
organization.
• Social Skills – presentation, conversation, meeting new people.
Track and Measure.
1. Choose skills that have long learning curves and can be developed
over time.
2. Break longer mastery arcs into smaller nested sill-chains.
3. Are the skills you are considering measurable? How might you make
them measurable?

12. Step 5: Look Through Lenses of Interest
Viva La Resistance!
1. Competition Types: Player vs Player, Player vs System, Self Directed.
2. Time Pressure: Relaxed explorative play or brash tactics get things done
play.
3. Scarcity: Scarcity can add a level of challenge and strategic game play.
4. Puzzles: Problems that promise the existence of a solution.
5. Novelty: Change presents a new set of challenges & patterns to master.
6. Levels: Provide roadmap of progress.
7. Social Pressure / Proof: The herd must be right.
8. Teamwork: Can also be resistance when we need to work with others.
9. Currency: Anything that can be exchanged for something of value will
be sought.
10. Renewals & Power-ups: “Unstick” players & redirect from dead-ends.

13. Step 6: Desired Outcomes
Feedback, Rewards & Results.
1. Positive includes both tangible & intangible rewards such as moving
up a level.
2. Negative might be starting a challenge over.
3. Outcomes can be contingent or scheduled. Players can trigger an
outcome based on specific action they take or based on a time frame
within a game.
Epic Win!
1. The Ultimate Objective (Epic Win!) may take weeks, months, years to
achieve but along the way players need to see and feel incremental
successes and failures.

14. Step 7: Play-Test & Polish
Platforms are never done.
1. What’s working / What isn’t?
2. What have you not considered?
3. Is the game personal enough for your players?
4. Do they feel that it’s tailored to their own unique personality &
desires?
5. Are you tapping into Player Experience needs of Competence,
Autonomy & Mastery?
6. What is going to keep it interesting in 10 weeks time? In 8 months
time?
7. When players reach the Epic Win! It’s time to go back to the drawing
board.

15. Social Engagement Verbs

16. Competitive Verbs
Win, Beat,
Brag, Taunt,
Challenge, Pass,
Fight

17. Cooperative Verbs
Join, Share,
Help, Gift,
Greet,
Exchange,
Trade

18. Exploration Verbs
View, Read,
Search, Collect,
Complete,
Curate

19. Expressive Verbs
Choose,
Customise,
Layout, Design,
Dress up,
Showoff

20. Player Lifecycle: 3 Key Stages
Enthusiast
(mastery)
Regular
(habit building)
Newbie
(onboarding)

21. Newbies need to learn the ropes
welcome + goals + progress + achievable rewards

22. Regulars
Fresh content + activities + challenges

23. Enthusiasts
Need exclusivity + recognition + impact

24. Think Like a Game Designer
Mechanics
Player
Journe
y
Dynamics
Aesthetics
Game mechanics are only part of the picture

25. Think Like a Game Designer
Dynamics
Competition Pacing
Status
Self Expression
Progressive
Reward
Unlocks
Schedules
Game Dynamics are patterns over time

26. Think Like a Game Designer
Mechanics
Challenges
Levels
Player Journey
Leaderboards
Points
Missions
Virtual Goods
Game mechanics make progress visible

27. Think Like a Game Designer
Aesthetics
Curiosity Satisfaction
Trust
Surprise
Delight
Pride
Envy
Connection
Game aesthetics evoke emotion

28. Achieve Flow in the Zone

29. Examples: foursquare

30. Examples: Nike+

31. Examples: Strava

32. Recap - Elements of Gamification
Badges Social Triggers Leaderboards
Social Integration Virtual Currency Challenges
Virtual Gifts Organisational Goals Friends

33. How Gamification helps you business
• More engaged customers = more sales
• More engaged employees = better
productivity
• Can you increase your sales by adding
gamification to your business?

34. Thank You
Contact Details:
Mark van Diggelen
www.gamifyconsultant.com
Tel: +27 (0) 83 441 1082
Email: mark@skillpodmedia.com