Gamification involves using game mechanics and elements in non-game contexts to motivate and engage users. It works by appealing to human psychological tendencies. Companies are increasingly using gamification across industries to build loyalty and encourage customer engagement. Successful gamification requires understanding what makes games fun and developing systems with rules, milestones, and feedback to immerse users. Current trends include social and status elements, virtual rewards, and blending gaming with media. Implementing gamification well can boost metrics like retention, revenues and time spent. However, some question if gamification can overly manipulate human behavior.

1. The Gamification of… Everything?Margaret Wallace, CEOmargaret@playmatics.comTwitter: @MargaretWallace

2. AboutTwitter: @MargaretWallace

3. AboutPlaymaticsA company that creates highly engaging games, media, user experiences and applications on the Internet, as part of social media networks, and on a variety of connected platforms.

4. What is Gamification?

5. GamificationThe use of game play mechanics for non-game consumer applications, products and other related services.“Gamification works by making a technology, product or service more engaging by taking advantage of humans‘ psychological predisposition to engage in gaming.”Source: Wikipedia

6. GamificationFramework for addressing emotions, motivations and consumer behavior in a proactive way to positively impact a consumer’s relationship to a product, technology or service.

7. Across Multiple Sectors

8. A Growing Market“Companies across multiple industries are beginning to realize that establishing some form of game mechanics goes a long way in maintaining loyal, engaged and more well-informed customers.”Wanda Meloni, M2 Research

9. What are Games?“A game is a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome.”- Eric Zimmerman, Katie Salen: “Rules of Play”

10. RulesRules provide the internal structure for games.Rules are…Unambiguous tenets that guide and also inform behavior.

11. Moment-By-Moment InteractionGames are concerned with moment-by-moment interaction:What is the pacing of the game?What are the major milestones of the game?

12. Game MechanicsUnderlying interlocking systems that form the “engine” of an experience in order to communicate a sense of context, meaning and overall progression. Can include:LevelsPointsMissionsBadgesRankingsTrophies

13. FarmvilleMoving Player from Novice to….Farmville, by Zynga

14. FarmvilleA Power User!Scheduled TasksIncentives to Return DailyHourly InteractionFarmville, by Zynga

15. Games Are Inherently Social

16. Lusory AttitudeBeing “in the zone” – disposition needed to engage in the play of a game.Players buy into limitations imposed by the rules because of the benefits a game affords.A successful game requires players to take part in this lusory attitude.

17. Lusory Attitude in ActionWhy not?

18. Gamification Trends

19. Gamification TrendsIt’s All Social:Leveraging the Social Aspects of Gaming

20. Shopping is Social By NatureCommunicates Status & IdentityFulfills Needs & Desires

21. Social Shopping: GrouponSources: Venturebeat & Groupon

22. Gamification TrendsThe “Game” of Life:Turning Real-Life Experiences into Game Events

24. Gamification TrendsMilestones & Markers:Using Game Techniques to Show Progression

25. Social City, by Playdom

26. Gamification TrendsStatus & Success:Appealing to People’s Need to Achieve

27. Twitter: Personal Brand-Building

28. Gamification TrendsUser-Generated Content (UGC):Incorporating user-created content into experience to play off social context and to foster engagement

29. Facebook Home Page

30. Gamification TrendsPoints, Currency & Rewards:Creating a Virtual Currency to Increase Engagement

31. JetBlue & American Express Rewards

32. Gamification TrendsCreating Scarcity:Using Scarcity to Force Choices & Create Demand

34. Gamification TrendsVisual Design:Using Game-Like Iconography in Non-Gaming Products

35. UPS “Logistics” Campaign

36. Gamification TrendsMerging of Media & Gaming Elements: Making Media Properties More Game-Like

37. Disney Parks on Gowalla

38. Bravo Television on Foursquare

39. Avatar

40. World of Warcraft

41. Avatar

42. World of Warcraft

43. Meaning and Engagement“If your team can’t tie back every decision they are making to the emotion you want people to feel when they are using your social product, then your reason for existence isn’t strong enough to serve its role, which is to guide your team and the product decisions you are making.”Gina Bianchini, TechCrunchCo-Founder, Former CEO of Ning

44. Meaning & EngagementLeverage existing key elements of your product or service to integrate gamification features.

45. Best Practices – Nike+

46. Best Practices – DevHubImprovements in:RetentionRevenuesEngagement80% of users finish building sites (up from 10%).Source: Dean Takahashi, Venturebeathttp://venturebeat.com/2010/08/25/devhub-scores-engagement-increase-by-gamifying-its-web-site-creation-tools/

47. Is this working?

48. Gamification & Its DetractorsMuch-Needed Debate & Scrutiny

49. Rendering The Intangible TangibleBoy Scout Badges = StatusChess = War GamesMaps = National BoundariesPaper & Metal Currency = Value

50. Questions?Margaret Wallace, CEOmargaret@playmatics.comTwitter: @MargaretWallace