This document discusses the definition of gamification. It defines gamification as "the use of game design elements in non-game contexts". It distinguishes between gaming, which involves whole game systems, and playing, which is more improvisational. Gamification focuses on using discrete game design elements, not entire game systems. These elements include points, badges, leaderboards, rewards, and feedback mechanisms. The document also situates gamification in relation to concepts like gamefulness, playfulness and game design. It notes that gamification involves bringing qualities like gamefulness and playfulness to non-game contexts through the application of game design elements.

1. From Game Design Elements
to Gamefulness
Defining “Gamification”
S. Deterding, D. Dixon, R. Khaled, L. E. Nacke
Mindtrek 2011, Tampere, September 28, 2011

2. Overview
You are here
• Introduction
• Precursors and parallels
• Defining “gamification”
• Situating “gamification”
• Open questions
2

3. “Gamification”?
3

4. “Gamification”?
4

5. The industry blueprint
Points
Badges
Leaderboards
Incentives
Tracking, Feedback
Goal-setting
Competition
Rewards
(And behavioral analytics in the backend)
5

6. Overview
• Introduction
You are here
• Precursors and parallels
• Defining “gamification”
• Situating “gamification”
• Open questions
6

7. Precursors in HCI
Man as machine
Man as computer
Man as meaning-maker
Ergonomics
Cognitive sciences
Human sciences
Precursors
Repurposings
UX
Playfulness
Persuasive Tech
(1980+)
(2001+)
(2002+)
(2005+)
(2006+)
Hedonic attributes
Game UX
Ludic design
CSCW
(2002+)
(2005+)
7
Harrison, S., Tatar, D., and Sengers, P. The Three Paradigms of HCI. Proc. AltCHI 2007, ACM Press (2007).

8. Precursors in Game Studies
Digital
Alternate Reality/
Ludification
Serious Games
Serious Games
Pervasive Games
Serious Gaming
of culture
(1960+)
(2001+)
(2001+)
(2006+)
(2006+)
Precursors
Repurposings
UX
Playfulness
Persuasive Tech
(1980+)
(2001+)
(2002+)
(2005+)
(2006+)
Hedonic attributes
Game UX
Ludic design
CSCW
(2002+)
(2005+)
8

9. Overview
• Introduction
You are here
• Precursors and parallels
• Defining “gamification”
• Situating “gamification”
• Open questions
9

10. Gamification: A definition
“The use of
game design elements
in non-game contexts”
10

11. Gamification: A definition
“The use of
game design elements
in non-game contexts”
11

12. game
Ludus
skill
effort
ordered
rule-bound
play
improvisation
Paidia
tumultuous
immoderate
12

13. Gaming, not playing
Gaming
Playing
13

14. Elements, not whole systems
er libert
chas yand
Dune vigila
nce
Whole
Elements
14

15. What is a “game element”?
• Most game definitions have multiple necessary
conditions, e.g. Juul 2005:
15

16. What is a “game element”?
• Elements characteristic for games
specific to games
(empty/too constrained)
characteristic for games
(with fuzzy boundaries)
present in games
(boundless/too broad)
16

17. Game design elements
Game-based technology
Controllers, AI, 3D engines, ...
Game-based practices
Serious Gaming
Game-based design
Gamification
17

18. Levels of game design elements
Playcentric design, value conscious game
Game design methods
design…
Game models
MDA, Game design atoms, CEGE, ...
Enduring play, clear goals, variety of play
Game design principles and heuristics
styles, ...
Levels, time constraint, limited
Game design patterns and mechanics
resources,…
Game interface patterns
Badge, leaderboard, timer, ...
18

19. Non-game contexts
19

20. Non-game contexts
• Big issues with “serious game” being initially
reduced to learning as one goal/context, thus
• No specific goals (learning, motivation, …)
• No specific contexts (g4change, g4health, …)
• Not limited to digital/online
20

21. 21

22. Can you “gamify” a game?
• Only if definition is tied to a set of specific
elements (e.g. achievements)
• Metagames seen as games, not game elements
in literature
• Designer view: Hard to distinguish ‘core’ game
design from ‘outer’ gamification
• User view: Open empirical question whether
game/gamified part are perceived as separate
22

23. Overview
• Introduction
• Precursors and parallels
You are here
• Defining “gamification”
• Situating “gamification”
• Open questions
23

24. Gamification: the definition again
“The use of
game design elements
in non-game contexts”
24

25. Bringing it together
Gaming
Whole
Elements
Playing
25

26. Situating the definition
26

27. Overview
• Introduction
• Precursors and parallels
• Defining “gamification”
You are here
• Situating “gamification”
• Open questions
27

28. Social and subjective nature of play
• Playing/gaming as a subjective, shared mode of
behavior and mindset
• User view: When do they “use”, when “play”
an app? (Framing, user-added rules goals, …)
• Designer: When intended as product, gameful
product, or full game?
• Flickering, switching, conflicting modes of
engagement within and between users as rich
new data source

29. Gamefulness
29

30. Elements or qualities?
• Playfulness as a specific quality/mode of user
behavior and experience, as well as design goal
• Gamefulness as logic complement
• Gameful design: less contentious baggage, less
definitional complications, hence preferable for
academic discourse

31. Playfulness and Gamefulness
Quality of experience
Playfulness
Gamefulness
and behavior
Artifact affording that
Playful interactions
Gameful interactions
quality
Designing for that quality
Playful design
Gameful design
31

32. Bringing it together... again
Gaming
System
Quality
Playing
32

33. Thank you
Rilla Khaled
Sebastian Deterding
Dan Dixon
Lennart E. Nacke
rikh@itu.dk
s.deterding@hans-bredow-institut.de
dan@digitaldust.org
lennart.nacke@acm.org