This document discusses how to sustain passionate users over the long term by adding elements of gameplay to otherwise mundane activities. It suggests motivating consumer behavior through game mechanics like points, levels, badges etc. and maintaining user engagement through continual novel and delightful challenges that allow users to extend and exercise their capacities. The document also provides examples of how different attitudes and approaches can make the same content more interesting and fun for users.

1. @stephe nanderson
#sixd
LONG AFTER THE THRILL
(Sustaining Passionate Users)
STEPHEN P. ANDERSON

2. Are you in a long-term
relationship?
(and would you like to stay in that relationship?)

3. Some context…

4. Some context…

5. How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
How do we get people to fall in love
with our applications?

6. How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
?
By making
applications
more gamelike?

7. “Motivating consumer behavior through game mechanics”
points
levels
scoreboards
achievements
badges
assignments

8. human psychology
“Motivating consumer behavior through game mechanics”
appropriate challenges
points variable rewards
levels
scoreboards pattern recognition
achievements curiosity
badges reputation & identity
assignments
social proof
surprise
status
feedback loops
etc.

9. Sustaining passionate users...
Through delightful challenges.

10. Sustaining passionate users...
Through delightful challenges.
Human beings have an inherent tendency
to seek out novelty and challenges, to
extend and exercise their capacities, to
explore, and to learn.
Edward Deci, psychologist

11. OMG - He’s so...
mysterious! can’t. read.
her. mind!
<sigh> I’m in
Love!

12. Let’s go back to the classroom...

13. Attitude One:
This stuff is
boring.
I’ll make the best
of it. But, you’ll
have to work and
apply yourself to
get something
out of this class.

14. Attitude One: Attitude Two:
This stuff is This stuff isn’t all
boring. that interesting.
I’ll make the best But, I’ve added
of it. But, you’ll some activities to
have to work and the content that
apply yourself to will make this a
get something lot more fun for
out of this class. everyone.

15. Attitude One: Attitude Two:
This stuff is This stuff isn’t all
”
”
boring. g
that interesting.
lf
se tin
a
ur
I’ll make the best But, I’ve o
added
C
Yo
of it. But, you’ll some r
a activities to
ly
have to work and theg
u content that
pp
apply yourself to S make this a
“will
“A
get something lot more fun for
out of this class. everyone.

16. GAMIFICATION?

17. WHY ARE WE ADDING
GAME MECHANICS TO
THE REAL THING?
At itʼs core the idea is something like this…
Add game The thing now has People are more
A thing a new layer of fun likely to engage
mechanics
it didnʼt before. with that thing
This explanation is from Matthewʼs Guyʼs presentation FreeForm: Reality Invaders
Check it out: http://www.slideshare.net/sergethew/freeform-reality-invaders-5375224

18. WHY ARE WE ADDING
GAME MECHANICS TO
THE REAL THING?
At itʼs core the idea is something like this…
Add game The thing now has People are more
A thing a new layer of fun likely to engage
mechanics
it didnʼt before. with that thing
This explanation is from Matthewʼs Guyʼs presentation FreeForm: Reality Invaders
Check it out: http://www.slideshare.net/sergethew/freeform-reality-invaders-5375224

19. Play & Goals &
Challenges + Rewards = Game
(a gross oversimplification of game design!)

20. Play & Goals &
Challenges + Rewards = Game
(a gross oversimplification of game design!)

21. How do we actually make something a game?

22. Drive by Dan Pink

23. Let me offer an exercise:

24. Performance Reviews
Hiring & Recruiting Tools
Time Tracking
Invoices
Health Records Corporate Email Scheduling Apps
Project Management Software
Investment Tools
Sales Tracking
Online Training / E-Learning
Banking & Accounting Tools Marketing Managemen
Knowledge Sharing
File Manageme
Customer Relationship Management

25. Performance Reviews
Hiring & Recruiting Tools
Time Tracking
Invoices
Health Records Corporate Email Scheduling Apps
Project Management Software
Investment Tools
Sales Tracking
Online Training / E-Learning
Banking & Accounting Tools Marketing Managemen
Knowledge Sharing
File Manageme
Customer Relationship Management

27. Think of a game.

28. List the things that make
this game work.

29. Appointment Mechanic
Self-Expression
Social Gifting

30. Limited Time
Group Competition
Teamwork
Self-Expression
Pattern Recognition

31. What would
A time tracking app
with these characteristics:
{whatever you
wrote down}
look like?

32. What would
A time tracking app
with these characteristics:
-Turn based game
-Goal: reach ‘x’ points 1st
-trade resources
-cooperate + compete
-chance + strategy
look like?

33. Any interesting ideas?

34. This is a good exercise to:
1. See a design from different perspectives
2. Move beyond “points & badges gamification”

35. This is a good exercise to:
1. See a design from different perspectives
2. Move beyond “points & badges gamification”
BUT...

36. adding your time at
+ time tracking = set intervals (several
times a day) keeps
your garden alive

37. Adding your time
reveals a number;
+ time tracking = Goal? Be the first
person on your team
to win a weekly prize!

38. + time tracking =

39. + time tracking =

47. Fastest time to register: 16 seconds.
Can you beat that?
Username:
Email Adress:
Password:
Repeat Password:

48. All of these ideas add a layer of fun to the core activity.

49. www.getmentalnotes.com
www.getmentalnotes.com

51. Attitude One: Attitude Two:
This stuff is This stuff isn’t all
”
”
boring. g
that interesting.
lf
se tin
a
ur
I’ll make the best But, I’ve o
added
C
Yo
of it. But, you’ll some r
a activities to
ly
have to work and theg
u content that
pp
apply yourself to S make this a
“will
“A
get something lot more fun for
out of this class. everyone.

52. Attitude One: Attitude Two: Attitude Three:
This stuff is This stuff isn’t all This stuff is really
”
”
boring. g
that interesting. quite interesting!
lf
se tin
a
ur
I’ll make the best But, I’ve o
added I’m going to show
C
Yo
of it. But, you’ll some r
a activities to you why this is
ly
have to work and theg
u content that important. But
pp
apply yourself to S make this a
“will first, I’ve got a
“A
get something lot more fun for challenge for
out of this class. everyone. you…

53. Elementary kids skipped recess
to watch an educational video?!

54. Attitude One: Attitude Two: Attitude Three:
This stuff is This stuff isn’t all This stuff is really
”
”
boring. g
that interesting. quite interesting!
lf
se tin
a
ur
I’ll make the best But, I’ve o
added I’m going to show
C
Yo
of it. But, you’ll some r
a activities to you why this is
ly
have to work and theg
u content that important. But
pp
apply yourself to S make this a
“will first, I’ve got a
“A
get something lot more fun for challenge for
out of this class. everyone. you…

55. Attitude One: Attitude Two: Attitude Three:
This stuff is This stuff isn’t all This stuff is really
”
”
boring. g
that interesting. quite interesting!
”
lf
se tin r y
a e
ur
I’ll make the best But, I’ve o
added I’m goings tto show
C a this is
Yo
of it. But, you’ll some r
a activities to you why
M
“
ly
have to work and theg
u content that important. But
pp
apply yourself to S make this a
“will first, I’ve got a
“A
get something lot more fun for challenge for
out of this class. everyone. you…

56. PERFORMANCE
GOALS
VS LEARNING
CHALLENGES

57. PERFORMANCE
GOALS
Getting an A in French
VS LEARNING
CHALLENGES
Learning to speak French
leads to mastery

58. How do you identify the core challenge?

59. QUESTION
WHY ARE YOU HERE,
AT SXSW?

60. WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?

61. Whatʼs a core challenge for our time tracking app…?

62. Whatʼs a core challenge for our time tracking app…?

63. VS
relative to our personal best
relative to others

65. “...for each day that I do my task of
writing, I get to put a big red X over
that day… After a few days you’ll
have a chain. Just keep at it and the
chain will grow longer every day.
You’ll like seeing that chain,
especially when you get a few weeks
under your belt. Your only job next is
to not break the chain.”

67. A time tracking application that uses status?

68. A time tracking application that uses status?
Why do I even want to
track my time?

69. WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?

70. WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
TO KNOW HOW LONG I’M TAKING
WHY?

71. WHY?
WHY?
TO LEARN WHERE I’M UNDERESTIMATING
TO KNOW HOW LONG I’M TAKING
WHY?

72. WHY?
TO GET BETTER AT ESTIMATING MY TIME
TO LEARN WHERE I’M UNDERESTIMATING
TO KNOW HOW LONG I’M TAKING
WHY?

73. TO HAVE A MORE BALANCED LIFE.
TO GET BETTER AT ESTIMATING MY TIME
TO LEARN WHERE I’M UNDERESTIMATING
TO KNOW HOW LONG I’M TAKING
WHY?

74. TO HAVE A MORE BALANCED LIFE.
TO GET BETTER AT ESTIMATING MY TIME
TO LEARN WHERE I’M UNDERESTIMATING
TO KNOW HOW LONG I’M TAKING
WHY?

75. FRIDAY, MAY 16TH, 2011
Estimated: Actual:
9 RESEARCH EMAIL
WRITING
8
?
7 EMAIL
6 CLIENT 2
5
CLIENT 2
4
3 MEETING
MEETING
2
1 CLIENT 1 CLIENT 1
0

76. FRIDAY, MAY 16TH, 2011
Estimated: Actual:
9 RESEARCH EMAIL
79%
WRITING
8
7 EMAIL
6 CLIENT 2
5
CLIENT 2
4
3 MEETING
ACCURACY RATING
MEETING
2
1 CLIENT 1 CLIENT 1
0

77. Play & Goals &
Challenges + Rewards = Game
(a gross oversimplification of game design!)

78. TO GET BETTER AT
ESTIMATING MY TIME
Play & Goals &
Challenges + Rewards = Game
(a gross oversimplification of game design!)

79. TO GET BETTER AT
ESTIMATING MY TIME
POINTS
BADGES
Play & Goals &
Challenges + Rewards = Game
ACHIEVEMENTS
SCOREBOARDS
LEVELS
(a gross oversimplification of game design!)

80. Play & Goals &
Challenges + Rewards = Game
(a gross oversimplification of game design!)

81. Play &
Challenges
Conflicts & Choices
Goals &
Rewards Feedback Loops

82. Play &
Challenges
Conflicts & Choices
Goals &
Rewards Feedback Loops

83. www.getmentalnotes.com
www.getmentalnotes.com

84. ason we throttle shots is to
se it isn't obvious, the re ope scarcity
In ca
ers to post w ith care - we h
encourage play
s quality. (So far, so good.)
induce

86. Play &
Challenges
Conflicts & Choices
Goals &
Rewards Feedback Loops

87. Play &
Challenges
Conflicts & Choices
Goals &
Rewards Feedback Loops

88. The one secret to
changing human
behavior?
Feedback loops.
Aza Raskin

92. (and retweets)

93. Attaching a measure to anything
turns it into a game.

96. ...monitoring the bloom
was the gentle nudge
[Andrew Chen] needed to
stay on track.
“It’s a nice reminder to be
more active without being
too numeric or cold...”
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/fitbits-motivator-a-virtual-flower/

97. The little flower growing represents
anticipation and hope that something good
will happen, which is the flower growing...
When you push that button and see the
change, it's instant feedback, a reward.
Even though the device seems simple, it's
tapping into a complex psychology that
changes people's behavior... It hits the right
button.
These kinds of feedback systems tap into
basic human nature... Most humans are
naturally wired to nurture things and be
rewarded for doing so...
http://www.core77.com/blog/news/captology_how_the_fitbit_pedometer_really_motivates_its_users_15582.asp

99. All the endless questions a person answers
also produces "personality" reports on the
type of person you are. So, even if you're
not seeing anyone on the site you want to
date, you keep coming back for more
because you get to learn more about
yourself and your tastes. Pretty ingenious
if you ask me, and I've been through the
gamut of almost every online dating site
out there.
-commenting on OK Cupid

100. Play &
Challenges
Conflicts & Choices
Goals &
Rewards Feedback Loops

101. Education Investing Office Politics
Play & Learn to speak French; Make lots of money Become the CEO
Challenges flirt with the french girl
Conflicts & Memorizing vocabulary pressure of time; how competition from other
Choices words; choosing how much to invest; which co-workers; office politics,
much time to spend stocks to buy choosing who to align
studying yourself with; taking a
stand vs going under the
radar
Feedback Successfully ordering a stock goes up or down promotions; quarterly
Loops menu item (en performance reviews;
Francais) successful product
launches
Goals & Get an A, pass the quiz cashing out with a A new title; more
Rewards sizeable sum of money; employees under your
30% annual growth direction

102. Play &
Challenges
Conflicts & Choices
Goals &
Rewards Feedback Loops

103. INTRINSIC
MOTIVATION
Play &
Challenges
VS
Goals &
Conflicts & Choices
EXTRINSIC
Rewards
Feedback Loops MOTIVATION

104. Rewards motivate people
(for more rewards)

105. How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
?
By making
applications
more gamelike?

106. (MOST) GAMES
EVENTUALLY END

107. Sustaining passionate users...
takes more than delightful
experiences

108. “Delight,
unfortunately,
doesn’t last”
Raph Koster,
Game Designer

109. #?!!

110. What are some Web apps/services youʼve used for
more than three years?
Why? What motivates you to stick with these
services?
http://www.quora.com/What-motivates-people-to-stick-with-one-web-app-service-for-a-long-time

111. What are some Web apps/services youʼve used for
more than three years?
Why? What motivates you to stick with these
services?
http://www.quora.com/What-motivates-people-to-stick-with-one-web-app-service-for-a-long-time

112. What are some Web apps/services youʼve used for
more than three years?
Why? What motivates you to stick with these
services?
It works and they continually update/improve the application.
it does a decent job very reliable and affordable
reliability and ease of use
It's not complicated.
Management, customization, and layout options
does one particular thing well
my friends use it utility of the application
there isn't another option
http://www.quora.com/What-motivates-people-to-stick-with-one-web-app-service-for-a-long-time

113. What are some Web apps/services youʼve used for
more than three years?
Why? What motivates you to stick with these
services?
It works and they continually update/improve the application.
it does a decent job very reliable and affordable
“Where is the love?” use
reliability and ease of
It's not complicated.
Management, customization, and layout options
does one particular thing well
my friends use it utility of the application
there isn't another option
http://www.quora.com/What-motivates-people-to-stick-with-one-web-app-service-for-a-long-time

114. How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
?
By providing a service
that is trustworthy
and of value.

115. Share examples of services youʼve used for more than
6 months that continue to delight - not just satisfy -
you (and how they do it).

116. Share examples of services youʼve used for more than
6 months that continue to delight - not just satisfy -
you (and how they do it).
<crickets>

117. Kano Model

118. HIGH SATISFACTION
NEUTRAL VALUE
LOW SATISFACTION

119. HIGH SATISFACTION
NEUTRAL VALUE
NOT (OR POORLY) FULLY IMPLEMENTED
IMPLEMENTED
LOW SATISFACTION

120. HIGH SATISFACTION
Performance
Payoffs
NEUTRAL VALUE
NOT (OR POORLY) FULLY IMPLEMENTED
IMPLEMENTED
LOW SATISFACTION

121. HIGH SATISFACTION
Performance
Payoffs
NEUTRAL VALUE
NOT (OR POORLY) FULLY IMPLEMENTED
IMPLEMENTED Basic Needs
Only noticed if missing.
LOW SATISFACTION

122. HIGH SATISFACTION
Performance
Payoffs
Delighters
Not required, but when
added brings value.
NEUTRAL VALUE
NOT (OR POORLY) FULLY IMPLEMENTED
IMPLEMENTED Basic Needs
Only noticed if missing.
LOW SATISFACTION

123. HIGH SATISFACTION
Performance
Payoffs
Delighters
Not required, but when
added brings value.
T
IM
NEUTRAL VALUE
E
NOT (OR POORLY) FULLY IMPLEMENTED
IMPLEMENTED Basic Needs
Only noticed if missing.
LOW SATISFACTION

124. HIGH SATISFACTION
Performance
Payoffs
Delighters
Not required, but when
added brings value.
NEUTRAL VALUE
NOT (OR POORLY) FULLY IMPLEMENTED
IMPLEMENTED Basic Needs
Only noticed if missing.
LOW SATISFACTION

125. HIGH SATISFACTION
Performance
Payoffs
Delighters
Not required, but when
added brings value.
NEUTRAL VALUE
NOT (OR POORLY) FULLY IMPLEMENTED
IMPLEMENTED Basic Needs
Only noticed if missing.
LOW SATISFACTION

126. ?

127. How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
? Social Proof.

128. How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
? Social Proof.
my friends use it

129. How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
? Stories.

130. r !
C
Y r
“I r
r ’
S p P. A
” BAD GE!

131. www.getmentalnotes.com

132. Th an ks !!
Stephen P. Anderson
@stephenanderson
www.getmentalnotes.com
www.poetpainter.com
www.slideshare.net/stephenpa