Paper presented by Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak at the Pre-Conference Event, Games, Gaming and Gamification, Winter AMA, February 21, 2014.

1. THE GAMIFICATION OF SMART
DEVICES: SOME PRELIMINARY
THOUGHTS ON CONCEPTS AND
CONSTRUCTS
Donna Hoffman & Tom Novak
The George Washington University
Paper presented at Pre-Conference Event
Games, Gaming and Gamification
Friday, February 21, 2014
Winter AMA

2. Agenda
• What is Gamification?
• Game Interface Elements
• Conceptual Framework for Gamification Experience
• Research Questions
• Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic Reward
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 3

3. What is Gamification?
• The use of game design elements in non-game
contexts (Deterding et al. 2011, ACM MindTrek ‘11)
• Play applied to non-play spaces (Whitson 2013,
Surveillance and Society)
These definitions are very broad.
Do we really want to include all games?
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 4

4. Lowbrow Games
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 5

5. Highbrow Games
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 6

6. Non-Game Contexts
The range of non-game contexts is even
broader than the range of games.
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 7

7. There Are Many Non-Game Contexts
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 8
Check-In Behaviors (Foursquare)
Personal Fitness (Nike+)
Employee Fitness (NextJump)
Toothbrushes (Kolibree)
Eating (Hapifork)
Microsoft Office (RibbonHero)
Recycling (RecycleRank)
Advertising (Sweden’s Safest Hands)
Website (Samsung Nation)
Safe Driving (Speed Camera Lottery)
Management Training (Xerox “Stepping Up” Quests)

8. So, We Need To…
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 9

9. Focus on the Smart Device Context
• Wearable Smart Devices
• Basis, Fitbit, Fitbug, Up,
FuelBand, Nabu, Shine, Tao,
Atlas, etc.
• June Bracelet (sun exposure)
• Sensoria Fitness Socks
• Non-Wearable Smart
Devices
• Kolibree smart toothbrush
• Hapifork smart fork
• Nest thermostat
• Smart lock
• Beddit sleep tracker
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 10
Why Focus on Smart Devices?
1. Explosion of consumer interest
2. Explosion of devices
3. Consumer adoption hurdles
4. High churn rates
5. Consumer persistence
problems
6. Lack of consumer
understanding
7. Persuasive technologies
8. Impact well-being
9. Devices can interconnect
10.Vanguard of the consumer
Internet of Things

10. Example of Smart Device Gamification:
Nike FuelBand
11
http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?l=shop,pdp,ctr-inline/cid-1/pid-691776/pgid-670534
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda

11. Levels of Game Design Elements
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 12
Most marketing
gamification focuses
on basic game
interface design
elements (badges,
points, etc).
Diederding et al (2011)

12. Points Can Lead to “Schell Hell”
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 13
From: Jesse Schell, “Beyond Facebook: The Future of Pervasive Games,” DICE 2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FSsztwbRW0&feature=fvsr)

13. Levels of Game Design Elements
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 14
Most marketing
gamification focuses
on basic game
interface design
elements (badges,
points, etc).
Diederding et al (2011)
But, higher-level
elements can also be
incorporated in
marketing gamification
(reinforcement
schedules, social
aspects, fantasy,
curiosity).
Now it gets more
interesting!

14. Three Game/Device Interface Elements
1. Feedback about actions (data, sound, lights,
etc.)
2. Consequences of actions (rewards, points,
badges, change in status, etc.)
3. Notification of feedback and consequences
(real time vs. upon request, variable vs. fixed
schedule, transient vs. persistent, etc.)
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 15

15. Two Type of Interaction
1. Direct interaction (concrete visualization,
takes center stage, attention getting, engages
you, realistic, rational)
2. Ambient interaction (abstract visualization, on
the periphery, calm technology, choose level
of engagement, ambient displays, metaphors,
experiential)
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 16

16. Each Defines a Different Experience
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 17
Virtual Aquarium Smart ToothbrushKolibree Smart Toothbrush
http://www.kolibree.com/ Nakajima and Lehdonvirta (2013) in
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing
DIRECT INTERACTION AMBIENT INTERACTION

17. Two Smart Toothbrush Gamification Experiences
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 18
Kolibree
(Direct Interaction)
Feedback. Data/stats to quantify
the frequency and quality of your
tooth brushing.
Consequences. Earn points and
achievements (“good job”
brushing).
Notification. Transformed
visualization (data transformed into
charts on smartphone), direct
notification is viewed by request
using an app. Persistent feedback
viewed in trend charts.
Virtual Aquarium
(Ambient Interaction)
Feedback. Frequency and quality of
households’ tooth brushing represented
via behavior of fish in an aquarium
projected on bathroom mirror.
Consequences. Fish live or die based
upon how family brushes teeth.
Notification. Augmented visualization
via an “ambient mirror”. Transient
personal feedback (fish swim when
brushing) and persistent social
consequences (health of aquarium)

18. A Framework For Smart Device Gamification
Beyond interface elements and type of interaction,
gamification of smart devices also involves:
• Consumer objectives for using smart devices (goal
achievement, monitor/measure, experience)
• Consumer motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic)
• Consumer needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness)
• Consumer outcomes (psychological, behavioral)
• Effect of social context (social visibility, social identity, status,
etc. )
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 19

19. AConceptual Framework for Gamification Experience
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 20
Objectives
goal achievement
monitor/measure
experience
Need
Satisfaction
autonomy
competence
relatedness
Psychological
Outcomes
empowerment
experiential
connectedness
Motivation
intrinsic
extrinsic
Motivation
Change
intrinsic
extrinsic
Behavioral
Outcomes
persistence
usage
learning
success
Social Context
social visibility
social identity
Interface
Elements
feedback
consequences
notification
Interaction
Type
direct
ambient

20. AConceptual Framework for Gamification Experience
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 22
Objectives
goal achievement
monitor/measure
experience
Need
Satisfaction
autonomy
competence
relatedness
Psychological
Outcomes
empowerment
experiential
connectedness
Motivation
intrinsic
extrinsic
Motivation
Change
intrinsic
extrinsic
Behavioral
Outcomes
persistence
usage
learning
success
Social Context
social visibility
social identity
Interface
Elements
feedback
consequences
notification
Interaction
Type
direct
ambient

21. Consumer Objectives for Smart Devices
Goal Achievement
• Weight loss
• Desire to make a change for the better
Monitor/Measure
• Quantify the self
• Chronic health issue (blood pressure, blood glucose)
Experience
• Curiosity
• Fun factor and novelty
• Peer pressure
• Interact with friends
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 23

22. AConceptual Framework for Gamification Experience
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 24
Objectives
goal achievement
monitor/measure
experience
Need
Satisfaction
autonomy
competence
relatedness
Psychological
Outcomes
empowerment
experiential
connectedness
Motivation
intrinsic
extrinsic
Motivation
Change
intrinsic
extrinsic
Behavioral
Outcomes
persistence
usage
learning
success
Social Context
social visibility
social identity
Interface
Elements
feedback
consequences
notification
Interaction
Type
direct
ambient

23. A Closer Look at Psychological Outcomes
Empowerment
Experiential
Connectedness
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 25

24. AConceptual Framework for Gamification Experience
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 26
Objectives
goal achievement
monitor/measure
experience
Need
Satisfaction
autonomy
competence
relatedness
Psychological
Outcomes
empowerment
experiential
connectedness
Motivation
intrinsic
extrinsic
Motivation
Change
intrinsic
extrinsic
Behavioral
Outcomes
persistence
usage
learning
success
Social Context
social visibility
social identity
Interface
Elements
feedback
consequences
notification
Interaction
Type
direct
ambient

25. Are Smart Devices Transformative?
Empowerment
Interactivity with data generated creates awareness
and generates information for self-quantification and
provides cognitive support
Leads to Behavioral Outcomes
• Persistence
• Usage (Behavior change)
• Learning
• Success
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 27

26. AConceptual Framework for Gamification Experience
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 28
Objectives
goal achievement
monitor/measure
experience
Need
Satisfaction
autonomy
competence
relatedness
Psychological
Outcomes
empowerment
experiential
connectedness
Motivation
intrinsic
extrinsic
Motivation
Change
intrinsic
extrinsic
Behavioral
Outcomes
persistence
usage
learning
success
Social Context
social visibility
social identity
Interface
Elements
feedback
consequences
notification
Interaction
Type
direct
ambient

27. Are Smart Devices Transformative?
Experiential
Interface creates engagement and gamification (i.e.
feedback, consequences and notification) provides
motivational support
Motivational Implications
• Intrinsic Motivation
• Extrinsic Motivation
• Implication of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation
• Converting extrinsic motivation to more intrinsic
motivation
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 29

28. Motivation
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 30
Intrinsic Identified Introjected External
Extrinsic
NON-GAMIFIED GAMIFIED

29. What is the Impact of Interface Elements of Feedback,
Consequences and Notification (i.e. Extrinsic “Reward”)
on Intrinsic Motivation?
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 31
When does
adding
additional
extrinsic
gamified
motivation
HELP?
When does
adding
additional
extrinsic
gamified
motivation
HURT?
Existing
motivation:
Intrinsic
(because I
want to do it)
Existing
motivation:
Extrinsic
(because I
should do it)
Can gamification even be
effective when existing
motivation is extrinsic? Would
type of interaction matter here
(direct vs ambient)?
Should extrinsic rewards
be focused on experience
(feedback) or performance
(consequences)?

30. AConceptual Framework for Gamification Experience
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 32
Objectives
goal achievement
monitor/measure
experience
Need
Satisfaction
autonomy
competence
relatedness
Psychological
Outcomes
empowerment
experiential
connectedness
Motivation
intrinsic
extrinsic
Motivation
Change
intrinsic
extrinsic
Behavioral
Outcomes
persistence
usage
learning
success
Social Context
social visibility
social identity
Interface
Elements
feedback
consequences
notification
Interaction
Type
direct
ambient

31. Are Smart Devices Transformative?
Connectedness
Interaction (with the device and other people) creates
social networks that provide social support
Well-Being Implications
• Satisfaction of the basic needs of autonomy, competence
and relatedness
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda 33

32. 34
• How does existing motivation interact with objectives to produce best outcomes?
• How do interface elements (feedback, consequences and notification) interact with interaction types
(direct vs ambient) to produce outcomes?
• Which intermediate outcomes (psychological, needs, motivation) mediate these relationships?
• Which types of interface elements, if any, support short-term goals? Note that popular goals like
weight loss are decidedly longer-term
• Autonomy and competence are likely to be important mediators:
• If you feel a sense of autonomy, you might stick with the goal longer
• If you need skill to progress, you might keep trying
• Even extrinsic motivation could be effective if you perceive you have a choice and feel in control
(high autonomy)
• Is long-term behavior change even possible with gamified smart devices?
• What individual difference variables moderate these relationships?
• For example, do naturally competitive people respond better to consequences instead of
feedback elements?
A Few Research Questions
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda

33. 35
Market Demand
• Somewhere between 10M– 17M smart fitness devices will be sold this year (1 billion
smartphones sold last year)
• The immediate marketing problem is adoption, but persistence is close behind:
• What will it take for smart devices to go mainsteam?
• Will people keep using these devices after the novelty wears off? Churn rate is high:
after 3 months, 60% drop out and stop wearing the device
Market Evolution
• For now, 90% of wearable smart device sales are concentrated in the fitness category,
but “consumerization of health” is expected as consumers get used to wearing
computers on their bodies.
Marketing Problem
• Find a way to make the device indispensable to consumers’ in their daily lives
Marketing Solution
• Gamify wearables? But how? But what works best? The concepts and constructs we’ve
discussed here suggest it may not be as straightforward as a simple “play for points”
approach.
Some Thoughts on the Marketing
Implications of Wearable Smart Devices
Donna Hoffman and Tom Novak, Gamification: A Research Agenda

34. THANKS!
36