This document discusses game thinking and how to harness the power of games to drive long-term engagement. It outlines three key components of game thinking: social actions to find the fun for different player types, skill-building core loops to make customers more capable, and a four-stage customer narrative to guide the end-to-end experience from discovery to mastery. The document advocates applying gaming principles like feedback loops, progression systems, and social motivation to product design to accelerate growth and better engage customers.

1. Secrets of
Game Thinking
harness the power of
games to drive long-
term engagement
Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D.
co-founder, Shufflebrain

2. As a
child
I loved
to play

3. As a
child
I loved
to play
But I
didn’t
love to
compete

4. one night
on a beach
in Greece
my creativity
was re-ignighted

5. I found another way to play

6. I developed my coop design skills

7. then one day, I got THE CALL

8. we created a breakthrough hit

9. which led to more breakthrough hits

10. and insights
about Game
Thinking

11. What is
Game
Thinking?

12. Three Key Components
• Social Actions: Find the Fun
• Skill-building Core Loop
• 4-stage Customer Narrative

13. Social Actions: Find the Fun1
Fun is just another word
for learning
Raph Koster
MMO designer & author, A Theory of Fun

14. Fun means different things to different people

15. What is a game?
a system in which players engage in an
artificial conflict, defined by rules, that
results in a quantifiable outcome*
* Source: Rules of Play

16. Zero-Sum Game
We are opponents
I Win You Lose

17. Head-to-Head Battles War Simulations
Rank-Ordered Competitions Gambling

18. a structured experience with rules
and goals that’s fun to play together*
* Source: The Player’s Journey (forthcoming)

19. We are partners
Non-Zero-Sum Game
Win-Win
Lose-Lose

20. Martial Arts Charity Walk
Double Dutch Pictionary

21. Who are your customers?
How do they like to interact?

22. Killers Achievers
Socializers
Explorers
Bartles 4 Player Types (1996)

23. Jane McGonigalRichard Bartle
Points, Badges, Levels, Leaderboards… appeal
primarily to Achievers

24. Compete
CollaborateExplore
Express
Content People
Social Actions Focus on Motivation

25. Express

26. Explore

27. Compete

28. Collaborate

29. Social Action Matrix
Content Players
Explore
Express Compete
Collaborate

30. Content Players
Explore
Express Compete
Collaborate
Help
Comment Like
Share
Greet
Collect
Rate
View
Review
Vote
Curate
Win Challenge
Showoff
Compare Taunt
Create
Design
Customize Choose
Purchase
Decorate
Build
Contribute
Social Action Matrix

31. Content Players
Explore
Express Compete
Collaborate
Help
Comment
Share
GreetCollect
Showoff
Create
Customize
Build
Contribute
Social Action Matrix

32. Jane McGonigalRichard Bartle
If you’re building a social app, instead of
asking “who are my player types?” ask
“what social actions motivate my players?”

33. Skill-building Core Loop2
In a loop, you’re learning a
skill and updating your mental
model. That’s what leads to
player delight.
Dan Cook
Game Designer

34. Fake
landing page?

35. Fake
landing page?

36. Operant
Conditioning
AKA
Skinner Box?

37. Operant
Conditioning
AKA
Skinner Box?
X

38. Skill-building =
making customers
more awesome

39. Skill-building =
making customers
more awesome

40. Core Loop =
skill-building
habit loop
Skill-Building Core Loop

41. Check Updates
urge to connect
with your team
Read &
Respond to
Updates
No More
Updates Need
Attention
Customize your
channel &
expressions
Activity Chain
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
Internal
Trigger
Core Loop

42. Check Updates
urge to connect
with your team
Read &
Respond to
Updates
No More
Updates Need
Attention
Customize your
experience
Activity Chain
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
Internal
Trigger
When I
need to check on my
team’s progress
I want to
see everything in one
place
So I can
stay on top of what’s
happening with less
friction & more pleasure
Core Loop
Job Story

43. Check Updates
urge to connect
with your team
Read &
Respond to
Updates
No More
Updates Need
Attention
Customize your
experience
Trigger
Activity
Engaging
activity
satisfies an
urge or need
Internal
Trigger
Core Loop

44. Feedback &
progress
promote
learning &
mastery
EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Read &
Respond to
Updates
No More
Updates Need
Attention
Customize your
experience
Feedback &
Progress
Core Loop

45. EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need Attention
Customize your
experience
Investment Path
Investment
& triggers
pull people back
Engaged
Trigger
Check Notifications
Core Loop

46. BreakTime!
urge for a quick
social “hit”
Read &
Respond to
Updates
Check
Notifications
& Stats
Collect faves,
RTs & followers

47. BreakTime!
urge for a quick
social “hit”
Read &
Respond to
Updates
Check
Notifications
& Stats
Collect faves,
RTs & followers
Activity
TriggerEngaging
activity
satisfies an
urge or need
Internal
Trigger

48. Feedback
& progress
promote learning
& mastery
BreakTime!
urge for a quick
social “hit”
Read &
Respond to
Updates
Check
Notifications
& Stats
Collect faves,
RTs & followers
Feedback &
Progress

49. Investment
& triggers
pull people back
BreakTime!
urge for a quick
social “hit”
Read &
Respond to
Updates
Get
Notifications,
Check Stats
Investment Path
Engaged
Trigger
Check your Stats
Collect faves,
RTs & followers

50. PartyTime!
urge for a fun
social activity
Play a Song
Together
Get your Score,
Accolades, $$
get better, play
harder songs &
bigger venues
Core Loop
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
Activity
Internal
Trigger
Beat the Song
Engaged
Trigger

51. Skill-building =
making customers
more awesome

52. Core Loop =
making customers
more skillful

53. 4-stage Customer Narrative3
Design is not just what it
looks like & feels like.
Design is how it works.
Steve Jobs

54. is for Enthusiastsend-to-end customer experience
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery

55. is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Stage 1: Discovery is for Visitors
What is this? Is it right for me?
What’s the value proposition?

56. is for EnthusiastsStage 2: Onboarding is for Newbies
Discovery
Onboarding
How do I learn the ropes?
How do I start giving & getting value?

57. is for EnthusiastsStage 3: Habit-building is for Regulars
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
What urge pulls me back?
What am I getting better at?

58. is for EnthusiastsStage 4: Mastery is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
What skills & knowledge have I mastered?
How can I leverage that?

59. is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
Customer Narrative

60. conversational environment
built around
friendly, helpful
bots

61. extensible environment
built to enable
UGC & player
creativity

62. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Discovery is for Visitors
Social Discovery
via Friends &
Colleagues

63. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Onboarding is for Newbies
Learn the ropes
with a friendly bot

64. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Habit-building is for Regulars
Customized group
chat with emojis,
bots & integrations

65. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Mastery is for Enthusiasts
Launch a channel,
program a bot,
integrate your app

66. skill-building makes your customers more awesome

67. game thinking helps them leverage their skills

68. .. and helps YOU
bring products
to life with
gaming smarts

69. How can you benefit from Game Thinking?
Accelerate your design & development process
+
Identify & leverage the right early customers
+
Validate your ideas with a simple, compelling MVP

70. What We Do
accelerate your path to
product/market fit with
gaming smarts

71. Just Launched
Getting2Alpha Podcast
listen in as we explore how
successful creative people
bring their ideas to life

72. Lightning-Fast
Customer Insights
Secrets of
Game Thinking
5 Rules for
Co-op Game Design
Getting2Alpha Flipped Workshops

73. Thank You
Let’s stay in
touch
@amyjokim
http://amyjokim.com