Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and ...€¦ · Introduction This book is not about why gamification is amazing. It is not about how gamification is the future and

ActionableGamification

BeyondPoints,Badges,andLeaderboards

Yu-kaiChou

©2014-2015Yu-kaiChou

Thisbookisdedicatedtothosewhopassionatelybelieveinsomethingandhavethecouragetopursueitinthefaceofcircumstantialobstacles.Weare

surroundedbysocialandeconomicalsystemsthataredesignedbyotherslongagotofulfilltheirowndreams,butsomeindividualsmanagetotakealeapoffaith,risksocialrejectionandevenpersecutioninordertocreatemoremeaning

intheirownlivesandthelivesofthosearoundthem.

Youinspiretheworldandmovehumanityforward.IsaluteyoufordoingwhatIcontinuouslystriveforbutmayneverfullyreach.Ihopethisbookwillhelpyou

onyourjourneytowardsmakingadifference.

TableofContents

Introduction

Chapter1:WhentheSurrealBlendsintoourWorldHowaGamechangedmyLifeTheFirstGameIDesignedWhyGamification?Human-FocusedDesign:TheBetterTermforGamificationTheConquestsofGamification

Chapter2:ThePBLFallacyAStoryaboutSocialMediaAnObsessionwithGruntWorkSecondhandSushiMakingATrojanHorsewithoutGreekSoldiersTheThreatandOpportunitiesinGamificationTheStoryoftheGoodDesignervs.BadDesigner

Chapter3:TheOctalysisFrameworkAGamificationDesignFrameworkforEveryoneThe8CoreDrivesofGamificationLeftBrain(ExtrinsicTendency)vs.RightBrain(IntrinsicTendency)DrivesWhiteHatvsBlackHatGamificationHowtoApplyLevel1OctalysistoActualSystemsQuickIntrotoLevelIIOctalysisandBeyond

Chapter4:PuttingGamificationinitsPlaceTheWaronWordsSemanticsvs.ValueTomato:FruitorVegetableExplicitGamification:GamesthatFulfillNon-GamePurposesImplicitGamification:Human-FocusedDesignthatUtilizesGameElementsImplicitvs.ExplicitGamification4ApplicationFieldsofGamification

Chapter5:TheFirstCoreDrive-EpicMeaning&CallingTheCoreDriveHighAboveTheEncyclopediathatPwnedMeNewton’sLegacyisBeyondaFruitMjolnirisNotJustaToolYourParentsareBiggerThanYou!GameTechniqueswithinEpicMeaning&CallingCoreDrive1:TheBiggerPicture

Chapter6:TheSecondCoreDrive-Development&Accomplishment

Development&AccomplishmentinGamesTheFirstGamificationSitethatIwasAddictedto“Ioverpaidformyproduct.Takethat,suckas!”NevermakeUsersFeelDumbStarofBethlehem-GuidingUsersForwardLimitationsofeBay’sDesignWait,that’snotnew!GameTechniqueswithinDevelopment&AccomplishmentCoreDrive2:TheBiggerPicture

Chapter7:TheThirdCoreDrive-EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback

TheComputerGamethatBecameaNationalSportGamificationFatigue?Tic-Tac-DrawTheGeneral’sCarrotinEducationFoldingintotheCrowdTheElysianStairstoHealthEmpowermentandCreativityintheCorporateSpaceDrawaGunforBadEndgameDesignGameTechniqueswithinEmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackCoreDrive3:TheBiggerPicture

Chapter8:TheFourthCoreDrive-Ownership&PossessionWait,it’smine?Holdon,Idocarethen!StampsofSanity

HowStonedCanYouBeTheFirstVirtualPetGameTheEndowmentEffectIdentity,Consistency,andCommitmentsGameTechniqueswithinOwnership&PossessionCoreDrive4:TheBiggerPicture

Chapter9:TheFifthCoreDrive-SocialInfluence&Relatedness

TheMentorthatStoleMyLifeWe’reallPinocchiosatHeartTheAveragePersonisAboveAverageSocialInfluencevs.EpicMeaningwithinaTeamCorporateCompetitionasanOxymoronGameTechniqueswithinSocialInfluence&RelatednessCoreDrive5:TheBiggerPicture

Chapter10:TheSixthCoreDrive:Scarcity&ImpatienceTheLureofbeingExclusivelyPointlessTheValueofRarePixelsTheLeftoversaren’tallthat’sLeftOverPersuasivelyInconvenientCurvesarebetterthanCupsinEconomics“Thisguy’snotexpensiveenough.”“IDon’tFeelGoodWhenMyPocketIsTooFullAfterAPurchase”GameTechniqueswithinScarcity&ImpatienceGreat!Sonowwhat?CoreDrive6:TheBiggerPicture

Chapter11:TheSeventhCoreDrive-Unpredictability&Curiosity

And,Nowit’sFunTheCoreDriveinaSkinnerBoxSweepstakesandRafflesALuckyDaywithLuckyDiemSuspenseandMysteryinaBlenderFakingyourWaytoVirality

Google’sCuriousSecondButtonWoot!CreatesMidnightCinderella’sGameTechniqueswithinUnpredictability&CuriosityCoreDrive7:TheBiggerPicture

Chapter12:TheEighthCoreDrive-Loss&AvoidanceCroppingyourLossesAffectionHeldHostage“Whydon’tyoutakeallmymoney?”inPokerTheGoodChasingtheBadZombiesMakeyouSkinnierFlippingotherCoreDrivesOffUltimateLossvsExecutableLossACaveat:AvoidingtheAvoidanceGameTechniquesinLossandAvoidanceCoreDrive8:TheBigPicture

Chapter13:LeftBrainvsRightBrainCoreDrivesUsingOctalysisintheRealWorldLeftBrainvs.RightBrainCoreDrivesExtrinsicvsIntrinsicMotivationSlightSemanticDifferenceswiththeSelf-DeterminationTheoryMotivationTrapsinGamificationCampaignsTheProblemwithEducationalSystemsPaytoNotPlayHowMarketSettingsReverseSocialSettingsTheAdvantagesofExtrinsicMotivationDesignHowtoMakeanExperienceMoreIntrinsicLeftBrainvsRightBrainCoreDrives:theBiggerPicture

Chapter14:TheMysteriesofWhiteHatandBlackHatGamification

OriginsoftheTheoryTheNatureofWhiteHatvsBlackHatCoreDrivesZyngaandBlackHatGamificationBlackHatwithaClearConsciousGamification,Manipulation,andEthicsWhentoUseWhiteHatGamificationDesign

CarefulTransitioningbetweenWhiteHatandBlackHatNoBuyer’sRemorsefromTOMSWhataboutCoreDrives4and5?

UnderstandingOtherGamificationandBehavioralFrameworkswithOctalysis

ScientificResearchandGameStudiesOctalysisViewofSelf-DeterminationTheoryRichardBartle’sFourPlayerTypesNicoleLazzaro’s4KeysToFunMihalyCsikszentmihalyi’sFlowTheoryFoggBehaviorModelJaneMcGonigal’sTheoriesTheWorldisYourPlayground

Chapter16:LevelIOctalysisinActionOctalysisReviewofFacebookTheScoreisaSmokeScreenOctalysisoftheSpeedCameraLotteryOctalysisoftheWazeNavigationAppTheEndgamePhaseofWazeTheNextStep:IdentifyPotentialImprovementsforWaze

Chapter17:DesigningaprojectfromscratchwithOctalysisRedesigningYukaichou.comTheOctalysisStrategyDashboardLevelIOctalysisIdeationProcessCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingRepeatingtheOctalysisProcessSummaryofLevel1OctalysisinAction

Chapter18:TheJourneyGoesOn

WallofGratitudeThosewhodirectlycontributedtothebookThosewhoimpactedwhoIamtoday

Introduction

Thisbookisnotaboutwhygamificationisamazing.Itisnotabouthowgamificationisthefutureandhowinspiringlifecouldbewithit.Itisnotnecessarilyforthelateadopterswhoaresimplycuriousaboutwhatgamificationis.Italsodoesnotfocusonwhatthegamificationindustryisdoingasawhole,especiallywhenthatiscontinuouslychangingeverymonth.Rather,thisbookisaboutimplementinggoodgamificationdesignintoyourproducts,workplace,andlifestyle.

Itisadeepexplorationintowhatmakesagamefunandhowtoapplythosefunandengagingelementsinreal-lifeproductiveactivities.Itisabouthowyoucanusegamificationandscientificallyprovenmethodstoimproveyourcompany,yourlife,andthelivesofthosearoundyou.

Effectivegamificationisacombinationofgamedesign,gamedynamics,behavioraleconomics,motivationalpsychology,UX/UI(UserExperienceandUserInterface),neurobiology,technologyplatforms,aswellasROI-drivingbusinessimplementations.Thisbookexplorestheinterplaybetweenthesedisciplinestocapturethecoreprinciplesthatcontributetogoodgamificationdesign.Iwillbesharingmyobservationsinmultipleindustriesandsectorsbasedonmy12-yearjourneyofpassionatelyandrelentlesslypursuingthecraftofGamification.

Chaptersinthisbooktendtobuildonpreviouschapters,soskippingaroundisnotsuggested.Thatsaid,ifyouhavebeenanavidreaderofmyworkandviewerofmyvideos,youmightalreadyhaveafirmgraspofthe8CoreDriveswithintheOctalysisFramework.Inthatcase,feelfreetoskiptoasectionthatyouwanttohomeinon.

Ifyouareextremelybusyandaren’tsureifyouwanttocommittothisbook,IrecommendstartingoffwithChapters3,5,10,14,and15todecidewhetheryouwouldliketoreadtheentirebook.

Withinthebook,therewillbemanyeverydayscenariostoillustratethepotentialoftheseCoreDrivesandtheflexibilityoftheirapplicationsbeyondtraditional

“gamification”examples.ImyselfstillconstantlygainnewinsightsandrevelationswhenIreflectandspeculateuponthevariouspossibilitiescontainedinthe8CoreDrives.Ihopeyoudotoo.

Asthisbookistitled“ActionableGamification,”mygoalisforittobecomeastrategyguideinhelpingmyreadersmasterthegamesthattrulymakeadifferenceintheirlives.Ifyouabsorbthecontentsofthisbook,youwillhaveliterallyobtainedwhatmanycompaniespaytensofthousandsofdollarstoacquire.

Myultimateaimistoenablethewidespreadadoptionofgoodgamificationandhuman-focuseddesigninalltypesofindustries.Icaredeeplyaboutcreatingaworldthatissustainablymoreenjoyableandproductive.Inthatworld,therenolongerwillbeagreatdividebetweenwhatpeoplehavetodoandwhattheywanttodo-ourlivesbecomebetteraswespendtimeenjoyingeverythingwedo.

I’mexcitedforyoutodiveintothecontentsofthisbooksothatwecanstarttobuildaworldthatharnessesthepowerofplaytogether.Let’sbegin.

Yu-kaiChou(WrittenFebruary14th2014)

Chapter1:WhentheSurrealBlendsintoourWorld

HowaGamechangedmyLifeOnaseeminglyregularmorningin2003,Iwokeupfeelingdifferent.Ifeltutterlyunenthusiasticaboutthenewday.Therewasnothingtolookforwardto–nodemonstoslay,nogearstoperfect,nodropstolootandnoExcelspreadsheetstostrategizeon.ThatwasthefirstmorningafterIdecidedtoquitDiabloII,acomputerbasedrole-play-game(RPG)developedbyBlizzardEntertainment.

AndIfeltextremelyempty.

LittledidIknowthatIwasgoingthroughoneofthemosttreacherouseffectsstemmingfromblackhatgamedesign.SomethingInowcallthe“SunkCostPrison.”

Butitwasthatmorning,thatIalsohadthemostimpactfulepiphanyinmylife,somethingthatpropelledmefromaslightly-above-averagestudent,togoontostartmyfirstbusinessduringmyfirstyearofcollegeatUCLA;tobecomeaguestlectureratStanfordUniversitybytwenty-three,raiseover$1millionayearlater,andfinallybecomeaninternationalkeynotespeakerandrecognizedconsultantinthefieldofgamificationbymylatetwenties.

Moreimportantly,thisdeeprevelationensuredthatIwouldbecomepassionateandexcitedaboutmyworkeverysingledaysince.

Iamsharingthiswithyounottosoundconceited(afterall,youarealreadyreadingmybook),butbecauseItrulybelieveifanyonewastotakewhatIhavelearnedduringthisepiphanytoheart,theywouldlikelydoevenbetterinashorteramountoftime,withoutallthefumblingandstumblingIwentthrough.

DiabloII:myEpiphany

In2003,likemanystudentsofmygeneration,Iwasaheavygamer.IneachgameIplayed,Iwasverycompetitiveandalwaysstrivedtoobtainthehighestscore.Iwasalmostincapableofplayingagamecasually.Itwaseitherallornothing.

Aspartofmyobsession,IwouldgeneratecomplexspreadsheetstohelpmedeterminetheexactcombosIwouldneedforplayingoptimally.(InChapter7wewillexplorehowmanygamersdothis.)Iwouldreadstrategyguideswhileintherestroomandpostregularlyonforums,becomingaknownleaderwithinvariousgamingcommunities.OnceIevenbrokeintomycollegebuddy,JunLoayza’sapartmentwhilehewasstillinclass,enteringthroughthewindowafterremovingthescreen,justtopracticeagameheownedcalled“SuperSmashBrosMelee.”(Eventually,JunandIbecameCo-Foundersofmanyexcitingprojectsintheyearstocome).Asyoucansee,Iwasfairlyobsessedwithgaming.

Backthenhowever,mostofmytimewasheavilyinvestedinplayingDiabloII.MyfriendsandIwouldspendhourseverydaylevelingup.Ihadmorethan5charactersaboveLevel90andacoupleabovelevel96.InthegameworldthismeansI’velikelyloggedoverathousandhoursonthisonegame.IfIplayedfortwohourseverysingledayfortwostraightyears,itwouldstilljustbarelyexceedfourteenhundredhours.Quiteintense,Iknow.

Butatonepoint,asmostgamersdo,myfriendsbegantoquitplayingDiabloIIandmovedontoothernewgames.EventuallyIdecidedtoquitaswellsinceIdidn’twanttoplayalone.Itwasduringthistransitionthatasuddensenseofennui(orweariness)caughtmebysurprise.

Ifeltdepressinglyempty.Ithoughttomyself,“I’vespentthousandsuponthousandsofhoursgettingmoreexperience,levelingup,accumulatingmoregold,collectingbettergear…andnowIendupwithnothing.”WastherereallynomeaningtoallthehoursIhadspentplayinginthepastfewyears?WhatifIhadspentallthistimelearninganewlanguage,orplayingtheviolininstead?Iwouldbe“highlevel”inreallife,insteadofinsomedigitalworldofescapism.

Thisemptinessbroughtarude,butimportantawakening.HowcouldIinstead,playagamethateveryoneisplayingbuttheoutcomeswouldactuallymeansomethingintherealworld?

TheFirstGameIDesigned

IrealizedthegameIwaslookingforwassimplylifeitself.

IfIweremyownrole-playinggamecharacter,Iwouldneverjuststayintown,beidleanddonothing–thereallifeequivalentofwatchingTV,“hangingout”andleavingdreamsunfulfilled.Ofcoursenot!Iwouldgooutintothewilderness,defeatmonsters,gainexperience,learnnewskills,accumulateresources,allymyselfwiththosewhohavecomplementaryskills,learnfromthosewhowereofahigherlevelthanI,andseektoconquerexcitingquests.

Theonlyproblemis,unlikemostgameswithacomputerinterface,lifedoesnothaveclearobjectives,visualcuestotellmewhattodo,orfeedbackmechanicstoshowmehowIhaveadvancedinit.Ihadtodesignmyowngame,alongwithcleargoals,meaningfulquests,andcreativefeedbacksystems.Effectively,IhadtotransformlifeintoanentireadventurewhereI,theplayer,couldadvanceandgrowin.

Thisrealizationstartedmyjourneyofpersonalgrowthandentrepreneurialpursuits.MylifebecamemygameandIwasdeterminedtobecomeahigh-levelplayerinit.Despitebeingyoung,Ifeltmyyearsasacompetitivegamerhadtaughtmehowtomasterthisnewgameoflife.

Designingmylifethenbecameadecadelongjourneyofaddressingtwointriguingdesignquestions:

1. Howtomakegamesmoremeaningful?2. Howtomakelifemorefun?

LittledidIknowbackthenthatthislonelypassionfrom2003wouldbecomeoneofthehottestnewindustriesandbuzzwordsthatpeoplenowcommonlythrowaroundastheterm“Gamification.”

WhyGamification?Gamification,ortheactofmakingsomethinggame-like,iscertainlynotsomethingnew.Throughouthistory,humanshavetriedtomakeexistingtasksmoreintriguing,motivating,andeven“fun.”Whenasmallgroupofpeoplecasuallydecidetocompeteagainsteachotherinhuntingandgathering,orsimplystartkeepingscoreoftheiractivitiesandcomparingittotheirpastrecords,theyareadoptingprinciplesthatareprevalentinmoderngamestomaketasksmoreengaging.

Oneoftheearlierworksdoneonadaptinggameplaypracticeswithintheworkplacecanbetracedbackto1984,whenCharlesCoonradtexploredthevalueofaddinggame-playelementsatworkthroughhisbookTheGameofWork.1

Coonradtaddressedthequestion,“Whywouldpeoplepayfortheprivilegeofworkingharderattheirchosensportorrecreationalpursuitthantheywouldworkatajobwheretheywerebeingpaid?”Hethenboileditdowntofiveconclusionsthatledtohobbiesbeingmorepreferabletowork.

ClearlydefinedgoalsBetterscorekeepingandscorecardsMorefrequentfeedbackAhigherdegreeofpersonalchoiceofmethodsConsistentcoaching

Aswedivedeeperintoourjourneytogether,wewilllearnabouthowthesefactorsboildowntospecificmotivationCoreDrivesthatcanbeintentlydesignedfor.

Ontheotherhand,someearlyformsofmarketinggamificationcanalsobeseenintheformof(regrettably)“shoottheduck”banneradsonwebsites,whereanimageadtemptsuserstoclickonitbydisplayingaduckflyingaround.Thesetacticshaveprobablytrickedmanypeople,myselfincluded,intoclickingonthemonceortwiceuponseeingthem.Lateron,eCommercesiteslikeeBayandWoot.comalladaptedsoundgamificationprinciplestobecomehugelypopularexamplesofhowgamemechanicsanddynamicscanreallymakeaprocessfunandengaging(inlaterchapters,wewillexaminehowbotheBayandWoot.comutilizegreatgamificationdesigntomakepurchasesexcitingandurgent).

Ofcourse,as“games”evolvedthroughoutthecenturies,theartof“makingthingsgame-like”naturallyevolvedtoo.ThroughtheadventoftheInternet,BigData,pluggableframeworks,andstrongergraphics,ourabilitytodesignandimplementbettergamificationexperienceshasdrasticallyimprovedtothepointwherewecannowbringsophisticatedandsubtlegame-likeexperiencesintoeveryaspectofourlives.

Inrecentyears,theterm“gamification”becameabuzzwordbecausethegamingindustryshiftedfrommakingsimplegamesthatonlytargetyoungboys,tosocial

andmobilegameslikeFarmvilleandAngryBirdsthatalsoappealtomiddle-agedexecutivesaswellasseniorretireesalike.

Aspeoplediscoverthateveryonefromtheirniecestotheirgrandmasareplayinggames,whilecompanieslikeZynga,King,andGluMobilearehavingimpressiveInitialPublicOfferings(IPOs),theybegintoseethesocialpowerofgamification.Atthesametime,gamificationhasalsobeendamagedbythelackofsustainingsuccessfromcompanieslikeZynga,largelyduetobaddesign,whichwewillexaminecloselyinChapter14onWhiteHatvsBlackHatGamification.

Theterm“gamification”rosetoprominencewhenorganizationssuchasBunchballandGamification.cobrandedtheirserviceswiththeexoticword,whichspurredawholenewindustry:onethatgivesmanagers,marketers,andproductdesignerstoolsforcreatingengagementandloyaltyintheirexperiences.

Human-FocusedDesign:TheBetterTermforGamificationInmyownview,gamificationisthecraftofderivingfunandengagingelementsfoundtypicallyingamesandthoughtfullyapplyingthemtoreal-worldorproductiveactivities.ThisprocessiswhatIcall“Human-FocusedDesign,”inoppositiontowhatwenormallyfindinsocietyas“Function-FocusedDesign.”Human-FocusedDesignoptimizesforhumanmotivationinasystemasopposedtooptimizingforpurefunctionalefficiencywithinthesystem.

Mostsystemsareinherently“function-focused,”thatis,designedtogetthejobdonequickly.Thisislikeafactorythatassumesitsworkerswilldotheirjobsbecausetheyarerequiredto,notbecausetheynecessarilywanttoperformtheassociatedtasks.However,atitscore,Human-FocusedDesignemphasizesthatpeoplearen’trudimentarycogsinasystem.

Wehavefeelings,ambitions,insecurities,andreasonsforwhetherornotwewanttodocertainthings.Human-FocusedDesignoptimizesforthesefeelings,motivations,andengagementasthebasicfoundationfordesigningtheoverallsystemaswellasitsfunctions.(Note:Ioriginallycreatedtheterm“Human-FocusedDesign”tocontrastwith“Function-FocusedDesign”in2012,butitshouldnotbeconfusedwith“HumanCenteredDesign2,”or“User-CentricDesign”byIDEO3.)

Thereasonwecallthisdesigndiscipline“Gamification”isbecausethegamingindustrywasthefirsttomasterHuman-FocusedDesign.

Gameshavenootherpurposethantopleasethehumansplayingthem.Yes,thereareoften“objectives”ingames,suchaskillingadragonorsavingtheprincess.Butthoseareallexcusestosimplykeeptheplayerhappilyentertainedinsidethesystem,furtherengagingthemenoughtostaycommittedtothegame.

Theharshrealityofgamedesignersisthat,nooneeverhastoplayagame.Theyhavetogotowork,dotheirtaxes,andpaymedicalbills,buttheydon’thavetoplayagame.Themomentagameisnolongerfun,usersleavethegameandplayanothergameorfindotherthingstodo.

Sincegamedesignershavespentdecadeslearninghowtokeeppeopleconsistentlyengagedwithrepetitiveactivityloopstowards“purposeless”goals,gamesareagreatsourceofinsightandunderstandingintoHuman-FocusedDesign.Indeed,dependingonhowyouqualifyagame(thinkofchess,hide-and-seek,andMonopoly),youcouldstretchbackcenturiestolearnwhatgamedesignerscanteachusoncreatingcompelling,playfulexperiences.

Throughgamification,wecanlookthroughthelensofgamestounderstandhowtocombinedifferentgamemechanicsandtechniquestoformdesiredandjoyfulexperiencesforeveryone.

TheConquestsofGamificationGameshavetheamazingabilitytokeeppeopleengagedforlongperiodsoftime,buildmeaningfulrelationshipsbetweenpeople,anddeveloptheircreativepotential.Unfortunately,mostgamesthesedaysaresimplyfocusedonescapism–wastingyourlifeawayonsomethingthatdoesnotimproveyourownlifenorthelivesofothers-besidesthegamemakersofcourse.

Nowimagineifthereisatrulyaddictivegame,wherethemoretimeyouspendonit,themoreproductiveyoubecome.Youwouldbeplayingandenjoyingitallday.Yourcareerwouldimproveasyourincomeincreased,youwouldexperiencebetterrelationshipswithyourfamily,createvalueforyourcommunity,andsolvetheworld’smostchallengingproblems.ThatisthepromiseIbelieveGamificationcanfulfill,anditisthevisionIcontinuouslystriveforthroughoutmylife.

Inafewshortyears,gamificationhasreachedasocialtippingpointandisstartingtocreepintoeveryaspectofourlives-fromeducation,work,marketing,parenting,sustainability,allthewaytohealthcareandscientificresearch:

TheU.S.ArmedForcesnowspendsmoremoneyonrecruitmentgamesthananyothermarketingplatform.Volkswagengenerated33millionwebvisitsand119,000newideasthroughitsPeople’sCarProjecttodesignthe“perfectcar”.Nikeusedgamifiedfeedbacktodriveover5,000,000userstobeattheirpersonalfitnessgoalseverydayoftheyear.WithBeattheGMAT,studentsincreasedthetimetheyspentonthewebsiteimprovingtheirtestscoresby370%throughagamifiedplatform.In10days,FolditgamerssolvedanAIDSvirusproteinproblemthathadconfoundedresearchersfor15-years.AccordingtotheEntertainmentSoftwareAssociation,70%ofmajoremployersarealreadyusinggamificationtoenhanceperformanceandtrainingattheircompanies.Inasimilarreport,themarketresearchfirmGartnerpredictedthat70%ofFortune500firmswoulduseGamificationbytheendof2014.

Thelistgoesonandon.Infact,Ihavecompiledalistofover“90GamificationCaseStudieswithROIStats”fromreputableand“serious”firmslikeSAPandCiscoonmyblogYukaiChou.com.Thislisthasbeenoneofmymostviewedpagestodatebecauseenthusiastsandpractitionersareconstantlylookingforactualmetricsthatprovethatgamificationcancreateareturnbeyondsimpleaesthetics.ThepagecanbeaccessedatYukaiChou.com/ROI.

Inmyownexperience,Ialsoseethetrendontherisetoo.Justafewyearsago,onlyahandfulofpeopleapproachedmetotalkaboutgamification.Nowadays,IamstartingtogetinvitationstospeakorconsultinavarietyofverticalsandindustriesfromeverycontinentexceptAntarctica.

Unfortunately,inthesamereport,Gartneralsopredictedthat80%ofthosegamifiedeffortswillfailduetobaddesign,whichwewillalsoexploreindepthinthisbook.

Sothequestionstillremains:whatexactlycangamificationdo?Doesitactuallycreatevalueandreturnmeasurableresults,orisitjustanewgimmickyfad

withoutlastingimpact?Moreimportantly,howcanmyowncompanyimproveourmetricsjustlikeallthosecasestudiesmentionedabove,insteadoffailingmiserablylikethe80%predictedbyGartner?

AsstatedintheIntroduction,thisbookisnotaboutexplainingwhygamificationisvaluableandwhyyoushoulduseit.Iwon’tbedevotingmuchtimeinexplainingitsvaliditybecausethereareenoughbooksouttherethatalreadydothatquitewell.Mygoalistoexplainexactlyhowtobesuccessfulinapplyinggamificationprinciplesandtechniquestorealworldsituations.Iaimtoaddressthesepressingquestionsandhelpyoudesignexperiencesthatactuallymotivatebehavior,insteadofsimplyaddingsome“gameshells”ontopofafailedideainthehopesofamiracle.Lifeistooshorttowasteonplayingbadgames.

Onthatfatefuldayin2003whenIdecidedtoquitplayingcomputergames,IneverwouldhaveguessedthatIwouldendupdevotingmylife’sworktostudyingitsomanyyearslater.Thevaluegamescanprovideusfarexceedssimplykillingtime.Nowisthetimetoharnessthatvalueandmakethemostoutofourtime.

Thejourneybeginshere.

1. CharlesCoonradt.TheGameofWork.Paperback.GibbsSmith.Layton,Utah.07/01/2012.↩

2. WikipediaEntry“User-CenteredDesign”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User-centered_design↩

3. HumanCenteredDesignTookitbyIDEO.URL:http://www.ideo.com/work/human-centered-design-toolkit/↩

Chapter2:ThePBLFallacy

AStoryaboutSocialMediaThelandscapeofgamificationdevelopmentmustbeviewedwithinahistoricalcontexttoseewhygamificationmechanicsthemselvesdon’tultimatelyleadtoeffectivedesign.Let’sstartbytakingalookatsocialmedia1.

GoogleTrendssearchfor“SocialMedia”

Duetotheproliferationofblogs,Facebook,andTwitter,theversatileterm“socialmedia”overtook“socialnetworking”in2007andbecameanewbuzzword.Whenenoughinterestandexcitementinanindustryhitscriticalmass,therewillalwaysbepeopleandagenciesproclaimingthemselvesasexperts,tocapitalizeonthetrendingbuzz.Itreallydoesn’tmatterwhatthenewbuzzwordis–SEO,SaaS,Cloud,BigData,younameit-thetermsaresonewthatwhilenoonecantrulybeanexpert,everyoneisintherunningtobeconsideredasone.

Andsothese“experts”sawthegrowthin“socialmedia”platformsandservicesasheraldingthedawnofaneweraintechnology,business,andculture.Theymadesuretodemonstratetheimportanceofitsinfluencethroughviralgrowthmodelsandbycollectingcasestudiesthatshowcompaniesobtaininghugesuccessesduetotheirsocialmediasavviness.“Everyoneisnowapublisher”becamethemotto,andhowcompaniesleveragedthephenomenonbecamethefocus.Thepitchwasveryinspiringandlogical.

Unfortunately,beingan“expert”onlywentsofar.Whencompaniesactuallyhiredthesesocialmediaservicestoruntheirmarketingcampaigns,theyfoundthatallthese“experts”coulddowascreateTwitterprofilesandFacebookFanPages(I’veevenseenservicesthatchargethousandsofdollarsjusttocreatetheseaccounts).

However,therealquestionwasn’thowtopublishbutwhattopublish.Contentstrategywasstillamysteryintheearlydaysofthesocialmediarevolution.Forcontent,the“experts”wouldsimplyasktheircompaniestosendthemworthyupdatesforposting.Everyonceinawhiletheymightevenprovidesomecustomersupportusingthecompanies’TwitteraccountsorsharepicturesontheirFacebookFanPages.Butoverall,theindustryfeltalittledisillusionedbythisnew“fad,”asthemiracletheywereexpectinginROI(ReturnonInvestments)justwasn’tbeingrealized.

Whatmostpeopledidn’trecognizethenwasthatsocialmediaismuchdeeperthansimplypossessingandpostingonprofileaccounts.That’sjusttheoutershellofitsinfluenceandimpact.Today,weknowthatgreatsocialmediacampaignsfocusonhowtocreatevaluefortheaudiencebysharinginformationthatisinsightfulandengaging,hasapersonalvoice,engagesandsincerelyinteractswitheachpotentialcustomer,andmuch,muchmore.Inessence,thebeautyofsocialmediawasinhowyoudesignedandimplementedacampaign,notinthebellsandwhistlesyouused.Itwastheinformalandformaldialogueyouhadwithyourcommunitythatultimatelytapsintotheplatform’suniquepossibilities.

Havingknowledgeofgoodsocialmediaprinciplesdoesnotnecessarilymeansomeonecanexecutethemcorrectly.Takepopularityforexample.Mostpeopleknowtheprinciplesofbeinga“popular”person–beoutgoing,funny,confident,insomecasescompassionate,etc.Butwhenyoulookaroundyourcommunityornetwork,youfindthattherearestillonlyafewpeoplewhoaretruly“popular,”whilesomemayevenappeartobesleazyastheytry.Helpingabrandbecomepopularisexactlywhattruesocialmediaexpertswouldbedoingifbothprinciplesandexecutionwerealigned.

Fortunately,socialmediadoeshavethepowertomakeacompanyradicallysuccessfulandthetrendstuckaround.(Therearestilldozensofsuccessfulsocialmediacasestudiesappearingonamonthlybasis.)Today,mostcompaniesnow

subscribetothebeliefof,“Ifyourcompanydoesn’thaveasocialstrategy,itwillbecomeirrelevant.”

Whatconnectiondoesthishavewithgamification?Wewillsoonseethattheearlydaysofsocialmediaalmostcompletelymirrorthegamificationindustrytoday.

AnObsessionwithGruntWorkAsImentionedinthelastchapter,gameshavetheamazingabilitytokeeppeopleengagedforalongtime,buildrelationshipsandcommunitiesamongplayers,andcultivatetheircreativepotential.Stillpeopleoftenask,“Dogamesreallyhavethepowertomotivatepeople?”Considerthis:manyfeelthatchildrentodaydonothavestrongworkethics.Theycomplainthatkidsnowadaysdon’thavediscipline,areeasilydistracted,anddon’tshowpersistencewhenencounteringchallenges.

Butwhenitcomestoplayinggames,thesesamekidshavewhatmostpeoplewouldconsideramazingworkethics.Manyofthemwakeupsecretlybehindtheirparents’backat3AMinthemorning,justtoplayagameandleveluptheirfictionalcharacters.

What’sthemotivationbehindthis?IfyouhaveeverplayedRPGs(Role-PlayingGames)before,youwouldknowthattheactof“levelingup”oftenrequiresdefeatingthesamemonstersoverandoveragaininthesamestageforhoursonend.EvenmobilegameslikeCandyCrushorAngryBirdsrequirethesamerepetitiveaction(bird-throwingandgem-matching)forweeksormonthsinordertolevelupandprogress.Inthegamingworld,thisisappropriatelycalled“grinding,”anditisfunandaddictiveforchildrenandadultsalike.

Intherealworld,thisisoftendefinedas“gruntwork.”Generally,noonelikestodogruntwork,anditrequiresstrongworkethicandwillpowertocompleteit.Butkids,whoagainareassumedtohavenodisciplineorworkethic,aresomehowsacrificingsleepandriskingpunishmenttocompleteseeminglypointlessgruntworkforfun.

Why?Becausetheyareexcitedaboutlevelingtheircharacterup.Theywanttogetthatextra+5strengthandgainanewgameskilltobeatachallengingbossthattheycouldn’tdefeatuntiltheyreachedahighenoughlevel.Theydoitbecausetheyseethebigpicture,the“why”theyaredoingit.Theylikethat

senseofaccomplishment,aswellastheuseoftheircreativityindevelopingandoptimizingcertainstrategies.Theydesirethesefeelingssomuchthatanythingthatstandsintheway,beitgruntworkorotherwise,isworthdoinganddoingurgently.

Now,imagineaworldwherethereisnolongeradividebetweenwhatyouneedtodoandwhatyouwanttodo.Whereeverythingisfunandengaging,andyouactuallywanttowakeupeachmorningtotacklethechallengesahead.Gruntworktakesonanewmeaningwhenunderstoodasanaffectofpowerfulmotivationalfactors.Thisisthepromiseandvisionthatgoodgamificationdesigncancreate.

SecondhandSushiMakingDespitethemanycasestudiesongamificationthatdemonstratethepotentialandpromiseofitsgreatimpactintheworld,therearestillmanymoreexamplesofpoorpractices,failedattempts,andmisconceptions.WhenIstartedmygamificationcareerin2003,itwasatopicthatnoonereallyunderstoodorbelievedin.PeoplethoughtIwasjustcreatingmoreexcusestoplayvideogames

Fast-forwardtwelveyearsandgamificationisnowaleadingdesignmethodologyforindustriesacrosstheglobe.Thoughitgivesmegreatpleasuretoseethatmyoncelonelypassionbecamemainstream,ittroubledmethatexpertswhowereworkingingamificationdidn’tseemtounderstandgamesverymuch.Yes,theymighthaveplayedCandyCrushalittle,orevenAngryBirdsandFruitNinja.Butifyouaskthemwhatgameshavetheybeencompletelyimmersedinandobsessedwithforlongperiodsoftime,yougetveryshortanswers.

Aswithsocialmedia,oncegamificationbecameabuzzword,itattractedmanywhosawitasanopportunitytocorneranemergingindustry.I’mafirmbelieverthatyoushouldimmerseyourselfinanexperienceinordertobestunderstandit.Yes,youcanderiveinsightbycloselyobservingthosewhoaregoingthroughtheexperience.Butthatislikewatchingsomeoneeatsushiandaskingthemtotakeasurveyaboutit,ratherthaneatingthesushiyourself.You’renotgoingtogetthesamefindings,andifyoutrytoreplicatethatexperiencesimplybasedonthesurvey,you’regoingtoimparta“superficialsushitaste”totheproductyou’redesigning.

Asaresult,manygamificationprofessionalsfocusonlyondevelopingthesuperficiallayerofgames.Icallthistheshellofagameexperience.ThisismostoftenmanifestedintheformofwhatwecallthePBLs:Points,Badges,andLeaderboards.Manygamificationprofessionalsseemtobelievethatifyouputpointsonsomethingboring,addsomebadges,andprovideacompetitiveleaderboard,thatonceboringproductwillautomaticallybecomeexciting.

Ofcoursethat’salsowhatalotofgamificationplatformsspecializein:addingPBLsintovariousproductsinascalablemanner.Andasaresult,manypeoplewhoarelessinformedbutcuriousaboutgamificationstarttobelievethatthesumtotalofgamificationmethodologyandphilosophyismerelytheprocessofaddingpoints,badges,andleaderboardstoproducts.Justifiably,thisleadsthemtobelievethatgamificationisashallowfadandnotveryimpactful.

Thishasalsogeneratedabacklashfromthegamedevelopmentcommunity,astheyclaimthatgamificationisabastardizationofthetrueessenceintrinsictogoodgaming.Andwhocanblamethem?Foursquareseemstobenothingmorethanpoints,badges,andleaderboardsbasedongoingtoplaces,whileNike+seemstobethesamethingbasedonrunning.Isthisasdeepasgamificationgoes?

Ofcourse,points,badges,andleaderboardsdohaveaplaceingamedesign.That’swhyyouseetheminsomanydifferentgames.Theyhavetheabilitytomotivatebehaviorandpushpeopletowardscertainactions.ButgamificationissomuchmorethanPBLs.ManygamificationprofessionalsareonlyfamiliarwithhowtoimplementPBLmechanicsandeventhoughthesedocreatevalue,mostofthemcompletelymissthepointofengagingtheuser.Itisnotunusualforuserstofeelinsultedbyshallowshellmechanics.

Ifyouaskanygamerwhatmakesagamefun,theywillnottellyouthatitisbecauseofthePBLs.Theyplayitbecausethereareelementsofstrategyandgreatwaystospendtimewithfriends,ortheywanttochallengethemselvestoovercomedifficultobstacles.Thepointsandbadgesareoftenanaddedbonusthat’snicetohavedependingonthecontext.Thisisthedifferencebetweenextrinsicmotivation,whereyouareengagedbecauseofagoalorreward,andintrinsicmotivation,wheretheactivityitselfisfunandexciting,withorwithoutareward.We’lldivedeeperintothesedistinctionsinChapter13onLeftBrainvsRightBrainMotivations.

ATrojanHorsewithoutGreekSoldiersGenericgamemechanicsandpoorlyconstructedgameelementssuchaslevels,bossfights,orquestsoftenfallintothesameholeasPBLs.Simplyput,applyingtraditional“gameelements”ubiquitousinpopulargameplaywithoutdivingdeeperintousermotivationcontributestoshallowuserexperience:it’sallflashandnobang.AnalmosthumorousexampleofthisiswhenpeopleImeetcallsomethinga“quest”insteadofa“task”thinkingthatthisautomaticallymakesthesameoriginalactionsfunandengaging.Sure,havingaplayfulattitudecanmakeabigdifference,butitonlygoessofar,especiallywhenyourcustomersandemployeesmayalreadydistrustyourmotives.

Thetruthis,simplyincorporatinggamemechanicsandgameelementsdoesnotmakeagamefun.

Gamesaren’tnecessarilyfunbecauseofhighqualitygraphicsorflashyanimationseither.Therearemanyunpopular,poor-sellinggameswithstate-of-the-art3Dhigh-resolutiongraphics.TherearealsogameswithverybasicgraphicssuchasMinecraft,orevennographics,suchasthepurelytext-basedmulti-userdungeongames(MUDs),thathavelargecommunitiesofplayersaddictedtothem.Clearly,therearemoretogamesthan“meetstheeye.”

Unfortunately,alotofpeoplewhoworkingamificationincorrectlythinkthatapplyinggamemechanicslikepoints,badges,andleaderboards–elementsthatyoucanalsofindinboringandunsuccessfulgames-willautomaticallymaketheproductorexperiencefunandengaging.Unfortunately,it’snotjustwhatgameelementsyouputin-it’show,when,andmostimportantly,whythesegameelementsappear.

Itwouldbefoolishforamodernarmycommandertosay,“Hey!TheGreekssentabigwoodenhorsetotheTrojansandwonthewar.Letssendourenemiesabigwoodenhorsetoo!”Inthiscase,heclearlydoesn’tunderstandthetruedesignbehindtheTrojanHorse,butheonlycopiedtheoutershellofit.Instead,itwouldbemuchmoreeffectiveifhecreatedavirusthatpretendedtobeanormalfiletocorruptenemycomputers.Learnfromthedesign;don’tcopytheshell.

TheThreatandOpportunitiesinGamificationEventhoughgamificationhasbecomeacceptedinthemainstream,poorlydesignedapplicationsthreatenitslong-termviabilityandimpactdevelopment.I

amgenuinelyafraidthatinafewyears,companieswilllookatgamificationandsay,“Hey,wetriedthepointsstuffanditdidn’tworkout.Iguessgamificationwasjustashort-termfad.”

Thatwouldbeahugelossfortheworld.

Basedonmyyearsofresearch,observation,anddesigningamification,Iamahundredpercentcertainthatgoodgamificationdesigncanunlocktremendouspotentialandimprovemanylivesintheprocess.Therearehundredsofcasestudiesthatillustratethisalso.Andsoitismyjob(andhopefullyyoursoneday)tocontinueprotectingandinnovatingthecoreessenceandthepromiseofgamification.

Inthelongrun,theterm“gamification”mightactuallyfadeandeventuallydisappear.Currently,noonedescribesawebsite’sdesignasbeing“soWeb2.0!”Gamificationmayjustbecomethenormalwaywedesign,implement,andinteractwiththeworldaroundus.It’smyhopethattheprinciplesthatoptimizeforhumanmotivationbecomesthestandardforgooddesignacrosstheboard.

Fortunately,thereareenoughgoodgamificationexamplesthatcontinuetoshowhowthoughtfuldesigncanimprovecorebusinessmetricsandinspirenewwaysofthinkingandexecution.Besidesthe90+GamificationCaseStudieslistedonmysite,asmentionedinthelastchapter,itisinterestingtonotethatsomeofthebesthistoricalexamplesofgamification,suchaseBayorWoot.com,havenotbeencategorizedasgamificationbymostpeopleintheindustry.Therearedozens,ifnothundredsofcompaniesthatbecameextremelysuccessfulbecause,regardlessofwhatitwascalled,theyappliedgreatgamemechanicsandgameplaydynamicstotheirprocesses.Someoftheseexamplesareillustratedinthefollowingchapters.

Becauseofthesesuccessstories,Ibelievethatgamificationwillcontinuetoevolveandmeetrealneedsifpractitionersandthegeneralgamificationcommunityalsoevolveintheirunderstandingofitsprinciplesandpractice.

Soif“gamemechanics”alonearenotthetruereasonwhygamesaresoengagingandsometimesaddictive,thenwhatis?

TheStoryoftheGoodDesignervs.BadDesigner

Tounderstandthecoreofgoodgamificationdesign,let’sstartwithanexampleofhowabadgamedesignermightdesignagame.

Indesigningagame,abaddesignermightstartoffthinking,“Okay,whatpopulargamemechanicsandgameelementsshouldIuse?Well,ofcourseweneedmonstersinthegame.WealsoneedswordssowhereshouldIplacethose?Howaboutcropsthatfriendscanfertilize?Whataboutsomebirdsthatshowalotofattitude?I’msurepeoplewillloveit!”

Asyoucanseefromtheexaggerateddepictionabove,agamemighthaveallthe“rightgameelements”butstillbeincrediblyboringorstupidiftheydonotfocusontheirusers’motivationsfirst.Itisworthrememberingthateverysinglegameinthemarkethaswhatwecallgamemechanicsandgameelements.However,mostarestillboringandarefinanciallosers.Onlyafewwell-designedgamesbecomeengagingandevenaddictive.Areyoudesigningyourexperiencetobethefailinggameorthesuccessfulgame?Howwouldyouknow?

Soletuslookathowagoodgamedesignermighttackletheproblem.Insteadofstartingwithwhatgameelementsandgamemechanicstouse,thegoodgamedesignermaybeginbythinking,“Okay,howdoIwantmyuserstofeel?DoIwantthemtofeelinspired?DoIwantthemtofeelproud?Shouldtheybescared?Anxious?What’smygoalfortheirintendedexperience?

Oncethedesignerunderstandshowshewantsheruserstofeel,thenshebeginstothink,“Okay,whatkindofgameelementsandmechanicscanhelpmeaccomplishmygoalsofensuringplayersfeelthisway.”Thesolutionmaylieinswords,plants,orperhapswordpuzzles,butthewholepointhereisthatgameelementsarejustameanstoanend,insteadofanendinitself.Gameelementsaresimplytheretopushandpullontheirusers’behavioralcoredrives.

Asaresult,inordertofurtherexplore,systemize,andscalemethodsofcombininggamemechanicswithourmotivationalcoredrives,in2012IdecidedtosharemyoriginalgamificationdesignframeworkcalledOctalysistotheworld.TheOctalysisFrameworkembodiesmylife’swork,andthemajorityofthisbookwillbeabouthowtouseOctalysistodesignexperiencesthatarefun,engaging,andrewarding.

1. GoogleTrendssearch,“socialmedia”,accessed12/15/2014.↩

Chapter3:TheOctalysisFramework

AGamificationDesignFrameworkforEveryoneBecauseoftheissuesdiscussedinthelastchapter,Ispentthepastdecadeworkingtocreateacompleteframeworktoanalyzeandbuildstrategiesaroundthevarioussystemsthatmakegamesengaging.IsawthatalmosteverysuccessfulgameappealstocertainCoreDriveswithinusandmotivatesustowardsavarietyofdecisionsandactivities.Ialsonoticedthatdifferenttypesofgametechniquespushusforwarddifferently;somethroughinspirationandempowerment,somethroughmanipulationandobsession.Idrilleddowntofindwhatdifferentiatesonetypeofmotivationfromanother.Theendresultisa

gamificationdesignframeworkcalledOctalysis,whichderivesitsnamefromanoctagonalshapewith8CoreDrivesrepresentingeachside.

Octalysiswithonly8CoreDrivesPresent

Inthepastdecade,IhavebeenblessedinmanymorewaysthanIcouldanticipate.Mylonelypassioningamificationbecamesomethingthatvariousindustriespaidattentionto.Icouldhaveeasilystumbleduponapassionthatremainedadesertlandthroughoutmylife.Similarly,whenIpublishedtheOctalysisFrameworkonmyblogYukaiChou.com,itwasalsoextremelywell-receivedbytheindustry.Manybrilliantpiecesofworkremainunnoticedorunappreciatedformostofthecreator’slife,letaloneadesignframeworkIsimplyputuponmypersonalblog.Tomydelight,withinayeartheOctalysisFrameworkwasorganicallytranslatedintooverfourteendifferentlanguages-Ihadtostumbleuponmostofthemoneatatime.Iquicklyreceivedmanyopportunitiestospeak,teach,andconsultglobally.

Throughmanyyearsofexperimentsandadjustments,Irealizedthateverythingwedoisbasedononeormoreofthe8CoreDriveswithinOctalysis.Thisis

importanttokeepinmindbecauseitalsosuggeststhatiftherearenoneoftheseCoreDrivesbehindaDesiredAction,thereisnomotivation,andnobehaviorhappens.

Letusquicklyexaminewhatthese8CoreDrivesare.

The8CoreDrivesofGamification

CoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingEpicMeaning&CallingistheCoreDrivethatisinplaywhenapersonbelievestheyaredoingsomethinggreaterthanthemselvesand/orwere“chosen”totakethataction.AnexampleofthisiswhenaplayerdevotesalotoftheirtimetocontributetoprojectssuchasWikipedia.Wearefamiliarwiththefactthatpeopledon’tcontributetoWikipediatomakemoney,buttheydon’tevendoittopadtheirresumes.PeoplecontributetoWikipediabecausetheybelievetheyareprotectinghumanity’sknowledge–somethingmuchbiggerthanthemselves.Thisalsocomesintoplaywhensomeonehas“Beginner’sLuck”–aneffectwherepeoplebelievetheyhavesometypeofgiftthatothersdon’torbelievetheyare“lucky”gettingthatamazingswordattheverybeginningofthegame.

CoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentDevelopment&Accomplishmentisourinternaldriveformakingprogress,developingskills,achievingmastery,andeventuallyovercomingchallenges.Theword“challenge”hereisveryimportant,asabadgeortrophywithoutachallengeisnotmeaningfulatall.Thisisalsothecoredrivethatistheeasiesttodesignforand,coincidently,iswherethemajorityofthePBLs:points,badges,leaderboardsmostlyfocuson.

CoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackEmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackisexpressedwhenusersareengagedinacreativeprocesswheretheyrepeatedlyfigurenewthingsoutandtrydifferentcombinations.Peoplenotonlyneedwaystoexpresstheircreativity,buttheyneedtoseetheresultsoftheircreativity,receivefeedback,andadjustinturn.ThisiswhyplayingwithLegosandmakingartisintrinsicallyfun.Ifthesetechniquesareproperlydesignedandintegratedtoempoweruserstobecreative,theyoftenbecomeEvergreenMechanics:whereagamedesignernolongerneedstocontinuouslyaddadditionalcontenttokeeptheactivityfreshandengaging.Thebrainsimplyentertainsitself.

CoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionOwnership&Possessioniswhereusersaremotivatedbecausetheyfeelliketheyownorcontrolsomething.Whenapersonfeelsownershipoversomething,theyinnatelywanttoincreaseandimprovewhattheyown.Besidesbeingthemajorcoredriveforthedesiretoaccumulatewealth,itdealswithmanyvirtualgoodsorvirtualcurrencieswithinsystems.Also,ifapersonspendsalotoftimecustomizingtheirprofileoravatar,theyautomaticallyfeelmoreownershiptowardsitalso.Finally,thisdriveisalsoexpressedwhentheuserfeelsownershipoveraprocess,project,and/ortheorganization.

CoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednessSocialInfluence&Relatednessincorporatesallthesocialelementsthatmotivatepeople,including:mentorship,socialacceptance,socialfeedback,companionship,andevencompetitionandenvy.Whenyouseeafriendthatisamazingatsomeskillorownssomethingextraordinary,youbecomedriventoattainthesame.Thisisfurtherexpressedinhowwenaturallydrawclosertopeople,places,oreventsthatwecanrelateto.Ifyouseeaproductthatremindsyouofyourchildhood,thesenseofnostalgiawouldlikelyincreasetheoddsofyoubuyingtheproduct.

CoreDrive6:Scarcity&ImpatienceScarcity&ImpatienceistheCoreDriveofwantingsomethingsimplybecauseitisextremelyrare,exclusive,orimmediatelyunattainable.ManygameshaveAppointmentDynamicsorTortureBreakswithinthem(comeback2hourslatertogetyourreward)–thefactthatpeoplecan’tgetsomethingrightnowmotivatesthemtothinkaboutitalldaylong.Asaresult,theyreturntotheproducteverychancetheyget.ThisdrivewaswellutilizedbyFacebookwhenitlaunched:atfirstitwasjustforHarvardstudents,thenitopeneduptoafewotherprestigiousschools,andeventuallyallcolleges.Whenitfinallyopeneduptoeveryone,manypeoplewantedtojoinsimplybecausetheypreviouslycouldn’tgetin.

CoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityUnpredictabilityistheCoreDriveofconstantlybeingengagedbecauseyoudon’tknowwhatisgoingtohappennext.Whensomethingdoesnotfallintoyourregularpatternrecognitioncycles,yourbrainkicksintohighgearandpaysattentiontotheunexpected.ThisisobviouslytheprimaryCoreDrivebehind

gamblingaddictions,butitisalsopresentineverysweepstakeorlotteryprogramthatcompaniesrun.Onalighterlevel,manypeoplewatchmoviesorreadnovelsbecauseofthisCoreDrive.TheverycontroversialSkinnerBoxexperiments,whereananimalirrationallypressesaleverfrequentlybecauseofunpredictableresults,areexclusivelyreferringtothecoredriveofUnpredictability&Curiosity-althoughmanyhavemisunderstooditasthedriverbehindpoints,badges,andleaderboardmechanicsingeneral.1

CoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidanceThisCoreDriveshouldcomeasnosurprise–it’sthemotivationtoavoidsomethingnegativefromhappening.Onasmallscale,itcouldbetoavoidlosingpreviousworkorchangingone’sbehavior.Onalargerscale,itcouldbetoavoidadmittingthateverythingyoudiduptothispointwasuselessbecauseyouarenowquitting.Also,opportunitiesthatarefadingawayhaveastrongutilizationofthisCoreDrive,becausepeoplefeeliftheydidn’tactimmediately,theywouldlosetheopportunitytoactforever(e.g.“Specialofferforalimitedtimeonly!”)

LeftBrain(ExtrinsicTendency)vs.RightBrain(IntrinsicTendency)Drives

Iwillrepeatmultipletimesinthisbookthat,becauseeverythingyoudoisbasedononeormoreofthese8CoreDrives,whentherearenoneofthese8CoreDrivesbehindaDesiredAction,thereiszeromotivationandnoactiontakesplace.Inaddition,eachofthese8CoreDriveshavedifferentnatureswithinthem.Somemaketheuserfeelpowerful,butdonotcreateurgency,whileotherscreateurgency,obsession,andevenaddiction,butmaketheuserfeelbad.Somearemoreshort-termextrinsicallyfocused,whilesomearemorelong-termintrinsicallyfocused.Asaresult,these8CoreDrivesarechartedonanOctagonnotsimplyforaestheticpurposes,butbecausetheplacementdeterminesthenatureofthemotivation.

LeftBrainvsRightBrainCoreDrives

TheOctalysisFrameworkisarrangedsothattheCoreDrivesthatfocusoncreativity,self-expression,andsocialdynamicsareorganizedontherightsideoftheoctagon.Inmyframework,IcallthemRightBrainCoreDrives.TheCoreDrivesthataremostcommonlyassociatedwithlogic,analyticalthought,andownershiparegraphedontheleftsideoftheOctagonandaretermedLeftBrainCoreDrives.

Itisworthnoting(especiallyforthe“sciencey”readerswhoarenowshakingtheirheads)thattheLeftBrainandRightBrainreferencesarenotliteralintermsofactualbraingeographybutmerelyasymbolicdifferentiationbetweentwodistinctfunctionsofthebrain.

Interestingly,LeftBrainCoreDrivestendtorelyonExtrinsicMotivation–youaremotivatedbecauseyouwanttoobtainsomething,whetheritbeagoal,agood,oranythingyoucannotobtain.Ontheotherhand,RightBrainCoreDrivesaremostlyassociatedwithIntrinsicMotivations–youdon’tneedagoalor

rewardtouseyourcreativity,hangoutwithfriends,orfeelthesuspenseofunpredictability–theactivityitselfisrewardingonitsown.

Thisisimportant,becausemanycompaniesemphasizedesigningforExtrinsicMotivators,suchasprovidingusersarewardwhentheycompleteatask.However,manystudieshaveshownthatextrinsicmotivationimpairsintrinsicmotivation.Why?Becauseoncethecompaniesstopofferingtheextrinsicmotivator,usermotivationwilloftenplummettoalevelmuchlowerthanwhentheextrinsicmotivatorwasfirstintroduced.Wewillexaminethistendency,termedtheoverjustificationeffect,inChapter13.

ItismuchbetterforcompaniestodesignexperiencesthatmotivatetheRightBrainCoreDrives,makingsomethinginofitselffunandrewardingsouserscancontinuouslyenjoyandengageintheactivity.Motivationisoftenbetterwhenitsticks.

WhiteHatvsBlackHatGamification

WhiteHatvsBlackHatCoreDrives

AnotherfactortonotewithintheOctalysisFrameworkisthatthetopCoreDrivesintheoctagonareconsideredverypositivemotivations,whilethebottomCoreDrivesareconsideredtobemorenegative.IcalltechniquesthatheavilyusethetopCoreDrives“WhiteHatGamification,”whiletechniquesthatutilizethebottomCoreDrivesarecalled“BlackHatGamification.”

Ifsomethingisengagingbecauseitletsyouexpressyourcreativity,makesyoufeelsuccessfulthroughskillmastery,andgivesyouahighersenseofmeaning,itmakesyoufeelverygoodandpowerful.Ontheotherhand,ifyouarealwaysdoingsomethingbecauseyoudon’tknowwhatwillhappennext,youareconstantlyinfearoflosingsomething,orbecauseyou’restrugglingtoattain

thingsyoucan’thave,theexperiencewilloftenleaveabadtasteinyourmouth-evenifyouareconsistentlymotivatedtotaketheseactions.

FromanOctalysisperspective,theproblemwithZyngagames(asof2015)isthattheyhavebeenverysuccessfulwithimplementingmanyBlackHatGameTechniques.Ofcourse,theydon’thavetheframeworktounderstanditas“blackhat,”buttheyrefertoitas“DataDrivenDesign.”2BecauseoftheBlackHatMotivation,foralongperiodoftimetheirgamesdrovegreatnumbersoffeachuserintermsofretention,addiction,andmonetization.However,becausemostZyngagamesdonotmakeusersfeelgoodwhenplaying,whentheuserisfinallyabletoweanthemselvesfromthesystem,theywill.

Thisissimilartothesituationwithgamblingaddictions-theydon’tfeelliketheyareincontrolofthemselves,andwhentheyquittheyactuallyfeelempowered.Inrecentyears,ZyngafurthervalidatedmytheoriesbasedonOctalysisby“double-downing”onasuiteofgamblinggamessuchastheSlotMachineGameTreasuresofOlympus,whichfurtherdrawstheirdesignmethodologyawayfromWhiteHatCoreDrives.3

It’simportanttonotethatjustbecausesomethingiscalledBlackHatdoesn’tnecessarilymeanitisbad.Thesearejustmotivatorsandtheycanalsobeusedforproductiveandhealthyresults.ManypeoplevoluntarilysubmitthemselvestoBlackHatGamificationinordertogotothegymmoreoften,eathealthier,oravoidhittingthesnoozebuttonontheiralarmclockeverymorning.WewilltalkabouttheethicsandpositiveBlackHatGamificationDesigninChapter14.

BasedontheOctalysisFramework,agoodGamificationpractitionershouldconsiderall8CoreDrivesinpromotingpositiveandproductiveactivitiessothateveryoneendsuphappierandhealthierafterwards.

TheHiddenNinthCoreDrive:SensationBeyondthe8CoreDrivesthatwillbeexploredindepthwithinthisbook,thereisinfactahiddenninthCoreDrivecalled“Sensation,”whichisthephysicalpleasureoneobtainsfromtakinganaction.Peopledodrugs,getmassages,orhavesex(hopefullyalongwithmanyotherCoreDrives)becauseofthesensationCoreDrive.Ifyouchooseonefoodoveranother,itisoftenmerelybecauseonetastesbetterthantheother,whichisprimarilysensation.TheykeydifferentiationherecomparedtootherCoreDrivesisthatsensationdealswithphysicalfeelingsthatbringpleasuretoourtouch,hearing,sight,smell,andeven

taste.TheotherCoreDrivesbringpleasuretousthroughpsychologicalmeans-themeaningandcontextbehindwhatwesee,hear,ortaste.

ThereasonwhyIdon’thaveitincludedinthemainsetoftheframeworkisthattheOctalysisFrameworkprimarilyfocusesonpsychologicalmotivatorsinsteadofphysicalones.Forinstance,inmostcasesIcannotdesignaninteractiveexperiencewheretheusergetsthefeelingofphysicalaccelerationwhilebeingonarollercoaster.MassagescanbedesignedasrewardsorfeedbackmechanicswithintheOctalysisStrategyDashboard(coveredinChapter16),butthebehaviorswillusuallybemotivatedthroughCoreDrivessuchasScarcity,Accomplishment,andOwnership.

Eventhoughwedon’tincludesensationaspartofthe8CoreDrivesofOctalysis,werecognizeitspresenceandunderstandhowcertainbehaviorsaredrivenbyit.However,sensationbyitselfalsohaslimitationswithoutthe8CoreDrivesaccompanyingit.Evenpleasurableactivitiessuchassex,whenlackingcuriosity,relatedness,creativity,andscarcity,canpotentiallybecomeratherunappealing.

HowtoApplyLevel1OctalysistoActualSystemsNowthatwehavetheOctalysisFrameworklaidout,thenextstepistodeterminehowtoutilizeit.SinceeverythingapersondoesisbasedononeormoreoftheCoreDrives,generallyanyengagingproductorsystemwillhaveatleastoneoftheCoreDriveslistedabove.IfnoneoftheCoreDrivesarepresentwithinasystem,thereisnomotivation,anduserswilldropout.

ThefirstapplicationofOctalysisistouseitinanalyzingthestrengthsandweaknessesofvariousproductsandexperienceswithrespecttomotivation.Thekeyhereistostartthinkingabouthowthatproductorexperienceutilizeseachofthe8CoreDrives,andidentifyallthegamemechanicsandtechniquesthatareusedtoactivatethem.

AfewGamificationexampleswithOctalysisHere’sanOctalysisdoneforafewgamesandonlineproducts:

Asyoucanseefromthechart,Facebookisverystronginmanyofthe8CoreDrives,butratherweakonCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling-thereisgenerallynohigherpurposeonusingFacebookunlessyouareoneofthefewwhoareactivelycontributingtoacauseonFacebook.

ItisalsoweakonCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience,asthesedaysthereareveryfewthingsthatuserswanttodoonFacebookbutarebarredfromdoingit.

TheillustrationtellsusthatFacebookmostlyfocusesonRightBrainCoreDrives,whichfocusonIntrinsicMotivation.ItalsotrendsmoreintotheBlackHatzone,whichmeansthatitismorepronetodriveobsessivebehaviorthatencouragesuserstoreturnonadailybasis.

AmongtheLeftBrainCoreDrives,weseethatpeopleareextrinsicallymotivatedonFacebook,notsomuchtofeelaccomplishedorgainexclusivity,butbecauseofCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession-tocollect,customize,andimprovewhatistheirs.

Hereweseeacouplegameexamplesthatcontrastagainsteachother.

LikeFacebook,FarmvilleandCandyCrushalsolackCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callingwithin,butFarmvillealsolacksCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity-therearenotthatmanysurprisesinthegame.YougobackonFarmvillesimplytoharvestthecropsthatyouplantedafewhoursearlier.CandyCrushisalittlemorebalanced,butalittleskewedtowardstheRightBrainCoreDrives.

Previously,IcraftedeachOctalysisshapebyhandonKeynote.Fortunately,afanofOctalysis,RonBentatafromIsrael,graciouslyofferedtobuildaneasierOctalysisToolforeveryone.

(Accessedfromwww.yukaichou.com/octalysis-tool)

WiththeOctalysisTool,let’sseeafewmoreexampleswithOctalysis.

HerewecanseethatTwitterisalsofairlywellbalancedbutskewsmoretowardsRightBrainCoreDrives.Incontrast,LinkedInisheavilyfocusedontheLeftBrainCoreDrives,withaWhiteHatemphasis.Thismakessense,becauseLinkedInisallaboutyourcareer,yourlife,youraccomplishment.Thoseareveryextrinsicgoals,andasaresult,everyonefeelsliketheyneedtohaveaLinkedInAccount.However,becauseitlacksRightBrain(intrinsictendency)CoreDrives,there’snotalotofenjoyableactivitiesonLinkedIn.Andthishas

beenthechallengethattheyhavebeenfacedwithformanyyears.Userscreatetheirprofiles,andthenthereisnothinglefttodoonLinkedIn.Theaccountjustsitsthere.

Inthepastcoupleofyears,LinkedInhasbeenworkingveryhardtoincreaseengagementonthesite,especiallyonCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednessthroughGameTechniquessuchasSocialProdsandSocialTreasures-wewilltalkabouthowLinkedInusestheseGameTechniquesinChapter9.However,throughtheOctalysisFrameworkwecanseethatLinkedIncouldbenefitmassivelyiftheyputmoreeffortintoCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,aswellasCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity.

QuickIntrotoLevelIIOctalysisandBeyondTenyearsofGamificationstudyandimplementationsresultinafairlyrobustframeworkthatcanbecomeactionabletowardsdrivingbettermotivationandmetrics.Asyoucansee,creatingarichgamifiedexperienceismuchmorethansimplyslappingonvariousgame-mechanicstoexistingproducts.Itisacraftthatrequiresanontrivialamountofanalysis,thinking,testing,andadjusting.

AsyoubecomemoreandmoreadvancedinOctalysisbeyondthecontentsofthisbook,youwillstarttolearnthehigherlevelsofOctalysisdesign.(Uptofivelevels.ThereareonlyahandfulofpeopleintheworldwhoknowwhatisLevelIVandabove).Theseadvancedlevelsincorporatemuchmoresophisticateddesignprinciplesandin-depthanalysis.

OnceonehasachievedmasteryinLevelIOctalysis,theycanthenapplyittoLevelIIOctalysis,wherewetrytooptimizeexperiencesthroughoutallfourphasesoftheplayer/userjourney.Thesephasesare:Discovery(whypeoplewouldevenwanttotryouttheexperience),Onboarding(whereuserslearntherulesandtoolstoplaythegame),Scaffolding(theregularjourneyofrepeatedactionstowardsagoal)andEndgame(howdoyouretainyourveterans).

LevelIIOctalysis:Factoringinthe4PhasesofaPlayer’sJourney

Mostpeopletreattheirproductasoneexperience,whichseemsreasonable.Butintermsofmotivation,IbelievethisisamistakebecausethereasonyouareusingaproductonDay1isoftenverydifferentfromthatofDay100.Sinceeverythingyoudoisbecauseofoneofthese8CoreDrives(besidesthe9thhiddenCoreDrive-Sensation),ifatanyphasenoneofthe8CoreDrivesarepresent,thereisnoreasonfortheusertomoveontothenextphase,andtheusersimplydropsout.

Sensingthepulseofwhatplayersfeelacrossthejourney

Intheaboveillustration,youcanevaluatehowdifferentCoreDrivesaremoreprominentduringeachExperiencePhaseoftheplayer’sjourney-whetheritwouldbeunpredictability,accomplishment,orsocialinfluence.Forinstance,mostpeopleDiscoveraproductbecauseofCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity–theyreadaboutitonthenewsorhearotherstalkingaboutit.

DuringOnboarding,theymightbemotivatedbyCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment–feelingsmartandcompetentduringtheearlystages.DuringtheScaffodlingPhase,theymightbemotivatedbecauseofthesocialdynamic(CoreDrive5)aswellastryingtogoafterthegoaltheycouldnotreachyet(CoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience).IntheEndgame,theymightcontinuetobeengagedbecausetheydon’twanttolosetheirstatusandachievements(CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance).

HowyoudesignforallfourExperiencePhasesthroughthe8CoreDriveswillstronglydemonstrateyourabilityasanOctalysisGamificationDesigner.Ofcourse,neverforgettodesignforthepropernatureoftheCoreDrives,

understandingwhenyouwanttohavemoreBlackHat,whentohavemoreWhiteHat,andwhentouseExtrinsic/Intrinsicmotivators.

OnceyouhavemasteredLevelIIOctalysis,youcanthenpushontoLevelIIIandfactorinthedifferentplayertypes.Thiswillallowyoutoseehowdifferenttypesofpeoplearemotivatedatdifferentstagesoftheexperience.

Pushingupalevelfurther:Level3OctalysiswithBartle’sPlayerTypes

Intheabovediagram,IappliedRichardBartle’sFourPlayerTypes(Achievers,Socializers,Explorers,andKillers)toLevelIIIOctalysisprimarilybecauseitisthemostrecognizedmodelingamedesign.However,LevelIIIOctalysisdoesnotneedtouseBartle’sPlayerTypes4.Infact,RichardBartlehimselfclaimsthathisFourPlayerTypesmaynotbesuitableforgamificationenvironments5.ItcouldbeSalesvs.MarketingStaff,Malevs.Female,LoyalCustomersvs.NonchalantCustomersvs.NewCustomersetc.Thepointhereisthatdifferenttypesofpeoplearemotivateddifferently,soLevelIIIOctalysisallowsthedesignertounderstandanddesignforhoweveryoneisfeelingatdifferentstages.

WewillalsoexamineRichardBartle’sFourPlayerTypeswithOctalysisinChapter15.

SensinghoweachPlayerTypeismotivatedateachExperiencePhase

Itisincrediblydifficulttodesignsomethingthatpleaseseveryone.Butwiththisframework,youcanstarttoidentifywheretheweaknessesarewithinyoursystemandworkonimprovingformotivationatvariouspoints.OnceyoubecomefamiliarwithLevelIIIOctalysis,youcanalmostfeelhowmotivationmoveswithinyoursystemandrecognizewheremotivationislackingorwhetherthereistoomuchBlackHatorExtrinsicMotivationinthesystem.

Forinstance,throughLevelIIIOctalysis,onecanreachconclusionssuchas,“LooksliketheAchieversstarttheexperienceinDiscoverywell,Onboardingisfine,butinScaffoldingtheylosemotivationanddropout.TheExplorerswilltryouttheproductbecauseofCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity,butduringOnboardingtheyfeelconfusedandwouldleave.Socializerswouldn’teventryouttheexperiencebecausethereisnoCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednessadvertisedintheproduct.Finally,theKillersseemtobetheonesin

thiscasetostaythroughDiscovery,Onboarding,Scaffolding,andEndgame-possiblyshowingofftothenewplayers.”

WhiletherearefivelevelsofOctalysisintotal,LevelIisoftensufficientforthemajorityofcompaniesseekingtounderstandwhytheirproductsarenotengagingtheirusers.Higher-levelOctalysisprocessesareusefulfororganizationsthataretrulycommittedtomakingsurethattheypushtheirmetricsintherightdirectionandimprovethelongevityofagamifiedsystem.Manygamesareonlypopularforthreetoeightmonths,butonesthathaveimpeccableEndgamedesigncanlastoverdecades—orevencenturies.

Thisbookwillbeaboutexaminingthe8CoreDrives,howtodesignforthem,andhowtheyallcometogethertocreateaphenomenalexperienceforanyuser.Iftheabovedoesnotinterestyousofar,itissafeforyoutoputthebookdownanddobetterthingswithyourtime.Butiftheaboveexcitesyouandyouchoosetogoon,Ipromiseyoutherewillbeanexhilaratingjourneyofdiscovery,empowermentandawakeningahead.I’mevenfeelingexcitedjustthinkingaboutit.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:Thinkofagamethatyouhaveenjoyedplayingforaverylongtime.Canyouidentifywhichofthe8CoreDrivesarepresentinthegame?

Medium:Thinkaboutwhyyouarereadingthisbook.WhatCoreDriveshavemotivatedyoutoreadthisbookoverotheractivities?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandseewhatideasotherpeoplehave.

1. Skinner,B.F.(1983).AMatterofConsequences.p116,164.AlfredA.Knopf,Inc.NewYork,NY.↩

2. MikeWilliams.GameIndustry.biz.“Zynga’shigh-speed,data-drivendesignvsconsoledevelopment”.Posted08/06/2012↩

3. VikasShukla.Valuewalk.com.“ZyngaInc(ZNGA)Unveils‘RichesofOlympus’SlotsGame”.Posted02/07/2014.↩

4. RichardBartle,“Hearts,Clubs,Diamonds,Spades:PlayersWhosuitMUDs”.04/1996.↩

5. GabeZichermann.Slideshare:“Agamedesigner’sviewofgamification”byRichardBartle.Posted06/24/2012.↩

Chapter4:PuttingGamificationinitsPlace

Beforewejumpfurtherintodeeperexperienceandengagementdesignthroughthe8CoreDrives,I’dliketotakeamomenttoresolvesomepressingquestionsregardingthevariousformsofgamificationcampaigns.

WhilethetopicofGamificationisexcitingandproductive,manypeoplenewtotheindustryhaveahardtimefiguringoutwhatgamificationmeansandhowtocategorizeit.

Whatifouremployeesdon’twanttoplaygames?Iscallingsomethingaquestconsideredgamification?IsthegamificationBlendTechusestopromoteitsblendersthesameasthegamificationthateBayusestomakeitsplatformaddictive?HowdoIknowwhattypeofgamificationworksformycompany?

Allthiscanbequiteconfusingtotheaveragereader(whichofcourse,youarenot).AsGamificationissuchanall-encompassingumbrellatermfor“makingthingsgame-like”(bytheway,thepopularWikipediadefinitionis,“theuseofgamethinkingandgamemechanicsinnon-gamecontexts”1),therearealmostnoboundsforwhatitcanorcannotbe.Thisallowsgamificationtobefarreachingintoallsortsoffieldsandindustries.However,italsoinvitesmanycriticswhoareupsetabouthowbroadthetermcanbe.Theyespeciallycriticizethat,duetothebroadnatureoftheterm,gamificationenthusiastsareclaimingeverythinggood,fun,motivating,orimmersiveassomethingtheyperformonaprofessionallevel.

Beforeyoureadon,Iwanttomakeadisclaimerthatthischapterdoesnotteachyouhowtogamifyanexperiencetowardsbetterresultsbutmerelyaddressessomeissuesonthelanguageandsemanticswithinthefieldandmyownopiniononthematter.Ican’tpromiseyouadefinitiveconclusiontothedebateoverwhatisandwhatisn’tgamification,butIdohopeyouleavethechapterwithamoreroundedunderstandingofthefield.

Therearemanymorefascinatingtopicsonhumanbehaviorandgooddesignthatexcitememoreinthechapterstocome.Eventhoughitbreaksmyhearttospend

precioustimewritingaboutthisnon-productivetopic,Idon’twantmyreaderstobeunawareofthegreater“GamificationWorld.”

TheWaronWordsBackin2011,gamificationnotablesGabeZichermannandSebastianDeterdinghadapublicdebateongamificationconcepts.

Somebackgroundinfo:GabeZichermannisabrilliantmarketer,speaker,CEOofthelargestGamificationconferenceintheindustry,theGSummit,andisoneoftheleadingevangelistsofGamificationanditscommercialuse.

SebastianDeterdingisthePh.D.academicthatstudiesthedeeptheoriesandmotivationsofgamedesignandGamification.Heisconsideredoneofthemostrespectedthoughtleadersinthespace.

Inthisdebateofepicproportions,SebastianDeterdingpubliclyexaminedeachchapterofGabeZichermann’sbookGamificationbyDesign,andexplainedwhyheconsideredeachchaptertobeflawedand/orinaccurate2.Hyperbolicallyspeaking,hisblogpostonthesubjectwasalmostlongerthanthebookitself.

OneofDeterding’scritiqueswasthat,contrarytowhatZichermannstatesinGamificationbyDesign,seriousgamesandadvergamesshouldnotbeconsideredexamplesofGamification.Forthosewhoareunfamiliarwiththeseterms,Wikipediadefinesseriousgamesas,“agamedesignedforaprimarypurposeotherthanpureentertainment.”Inotherwords,gamesthataregenerallybuiltforaproductivepurpose,suchastraining,education,healthcare,andthelike(Hence,theterm“serious”).3.

BusinessDictionary.comdefinesadvergamesas,“Avideogamewhichinsomewaycontainsanadvertisementforaproduct,service,orcompany.”4Thesearegamesthatbasicallyactasinteractiveadvertisementcampaignswhichdrawpotentialcustomersontoawebsiteorintoabusiness.WhenIreferto“shoot-the-duckbannerads”asearlyandembarrassingformsofmarketinggamification,thosebanneradsaretechnicallyclassifiedasAdvergames.

Asyoucansee,bothdefinitionshavetheword“a[video]game”inthem,whichseemstogoagainstthecoreessenceofwhat“gamifying”somethingmeans.Inmyownwritings,Italkabouthowyoucangamifyanythingthatinvolveshuman

motivation,aslongasitisnotalreadyagame,justlikehowyoucan’tliquefyliquid.Youcanhowever,applybettergamedesigntogames.

Sobecauseadvergamesandseriousgamesare“games,”bythatstandardyoucan’treallygamifythem.Right?

Semanticsvs.ValueTomethisdiscussionisnon-productive.Iwouldratherspendmytimelearningaboutandharnessingthepowerofgamestochangetheworldforthebetter,insteadofdebatingoverclassificationsofterms.Whatgoodhaveyoucreatedintheworldwhenyouspendyourdayarguingifsomethingis“agamemadefortraveling”or“travelgamified”?

Buttherearepeoplewhowouldsay,“No.Thatgreatexampleisaseriousgame!Gamificationisjustlimitedtothesethingsthatarereallylame.”Whydopeoplefirstdefinegamificationassomethinglame,andthencallitlame?FormanyyearsIhavealsoworkedonseriousgameprojectsandadvergames,andifIcanutilizethatknowledgeandexperiencetohelptheworld,whylimitwhatIcandoasagamificationprofessionaljustbecauseofsomedefinitions?

I’llsharealittlesecretwithyou:Forthemoststringentacademicsoutthere,thoughIclaimtohavetwelveyearsofgamificationexperience,I’mactuallyafraud.Technically,Ihavethreeyearsofseriousgamesexperience,threeyearsofloyaltyprogramexperience,andsixyearsofgamificationexperience,consistingoftwodistinctperiods.Throughouttheentiretime,Iwasdrivenbytheexactsamevisionofapplyinggameprinciplestoimpacttheworld.Callmelazy,butI’dratherjustrefertomyworkasgamificationandstartproducingresultsthatmakeadifferenceintheworldinsteadofarguingaboutwhatIcanandcannotdoasagamificationprofessional.

I’vewrittenabouthowI(alongwithmany“gamificationprofessionals”)amnotabigfanoftheword“Gamification.”Thisismostlythetermthattheindustryhasadopted.Ihavepreferredtheterm“Human-FocusedDesign”(asopposedtoFunction-FocusedDesign),whichisadesignprocessthatremembersthehumanmotivationswithinthesystem.

Onasimilarnote,Ialsodisliketheterm“seriousgames,”asitimpliesthatpuregamesarenotserious–somethingthatmillionsofseriousgamersouttherewouldheavilydisagreewith.Thinkhowmanysportsathleteswouldbeoffended

iftheyplayedbasketballforacharitablecause,andpeoplecalledthatthe“SeriousSports”industry.

Thentherearethemore“corporate-appealing”termslikeMotivationalDesign,BehavioralEconomics,orLoyaltyPrograms,whichhavemanyblendsandoverlapswiththevagueterm“gamification.”ManyoutthereclaimthatLoyaltyProgramsarenotconsideredgamificationbutwouldthenarguethatairlinerewardmilesareoneofthebestexamplesofgamification.

Furtherfollowingthebattlesemantics,manygame-basedsolutionenthusiastslikeSebastianDeterdingandJaneMcGonigaldisagreewithsomanyprinciplesfrommostofthe“mainstream”gamificationexpertsandplatforms,thattheycameoutandexpressedthat,ifthatwasgamification,theywantednothingtodowithit.Theyprefertheterm“GamefulDesign”tothewordGamification,whichtheysometimesregardastheascendedformofgamification56.AlongwithDeterdingandMcGonigal,manyothercriticsofgamificationclaimthatimplementationsofmainstreamgamificationareuninspiringandmanipulative.

Attheendoftheday,insteadofarguingaboutwhatisandisn’tincludedinumbrellaterminologies,wouldn’titbemuchmoreproductiveforeveryonetosay,“Letsmakeeverythingbetterwiththelessonswe’velearnedthroughsomanyhoursofgame-playinourlives”?

Ofcourse,peopleinevitablyhavelongdiscussionsonsemantics,andthereforeitmakessensetohaveastructuredwayofthinkingthroughtheentireconversationsoyoucancommunicatewithyourcolleaguesorsuperiors.

Tomato:FruitorVegetableInmyopinion,seriousgamesandadvergamesshouldactuallybeincludedingamification,astheyareutilizinggamedesigntoachieveanon-gameproductiveresult.

There’softenablurrylinebetweenthe“isagame”versusthe“isnotagame”spectrum.Forinstance,sometimesitisdifficulttosaywhethersomethingisa“game”thattrainspeople,orratherjust“trainingthatisgamified.”Youcouldsaythatagamethattrainsemployeestohavegoodconductisa“seriousgame,”butyoucanalsosaythattheydecidedtogamifytheirtrainingprogram.Accordingtomyowndefinition,itfeelslikeyoucould“gamify”trainingbyintroducinga“seriousgame,”butyoucan’tgamifythatveryseriousgameonce

itiscreated.Nowsinceitisalreadyagame,youcanonlyapplybettergamedesigntoitinsteadof“gamifying”it.Youcanseehowthisconversationcanquicklybecomenon-constructive.

InmyownTEDxtalkinLausanne,Switzerland,Ibroughtup8world-changingconceptsingamification,eachrepresentingoneoftheCoreDrivesinthepreviouschapter7.ImentionedthatmyfavoritegamificationexampleforCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackwasthe“SeriousGame”FoldIt.Tosome,thatstatementmighthavecausedaheartattack.

MyexampleforCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednesswasDragonBox,whichisalearninggame;forCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,itwas“Zombies,Run!”whichisafitnessgametomotivateyoutorunmore.Somedon’tconsiderthemgamificationexamplessincetheyarealreadygames(asopposedtojustplasteringbadgesonsomethingboring).

Again,ifthereisawaytoutilizethingswehavelearnedfromgamestomaketheworldbetter,whyworksohardtolimityourselfinhowyouapproachit?Theaudienceclearlydidnotcareandwereinspiredaboutthepotentialsofevolvingeverythinginourlivesintosomethingfunanddynamic,ormoregame-like.

Andfortherecord,atomatoisbiologicallyclassifiedasafruit,butisculinarilytreatedasavegetable.Itprobablymattersmoretotheexperthorticulturistthantopeoplewhojustcareaboutpreparingandeatingahealthyanddeliciousmeal.

ExplicitGamification:GamesthatFulfillNon-GamePurposes

Movingawayfromwhatisandisn’tgamification,Ithinkitismoreproductivetodifferentiatetypesofgamificationintotwowaysbasedonhowtheyareexecutedandhowdifferenttypesofplayersrespondtothem.Thetwotypesofgamificationimplementationsinmyownworkare“ImplicitGamification”and“ExplicitGamification.”

ExplicitGamificationinvolvesstrategiesthatutilizeapplicationsthatareobviouslygame-like.Usersacknowledgetheyareplayingagame,andgenerallyneedtooptintoplaying.AnexamplewouldbeDikembeMutombo’s4½weekstoSavetheWorld8.Thisisaninterestingandcorky“Advergame”launchedbyOldSpice,whereareknownedbasketballlegendtriestosavetheworldby

accomplishingaseriesofchallengesinan8-bitvideogameworldbeforetheanticipated“endoftheworld”in2012.Ofcourse,OldSpicepowerupsandplacementscanbeseenrepeatedlywithinthegame.Thisisaclearexampleofnotonlyapplyinggamedesigntechniquesintomarketing,butusingagameitselftodothemarketing.

McDonald’sMonopolyGameisalsoagoodexampleofexplicitgamification9.EveryoneknowstheyareplayingagamebutthekeypurposeofthegameistogetpeopletoreturntoMcDonald’sandeatmorefrenchfries-nothingsubtlethere.WewillexamineMcDonald’sMonopolygameinmoredetailinChapter9regardingGameTechnique#16:CollectionSets.

OtherinterestingexamplesofExplicitGamificationincludethefamousseriousgameFoldItthatfacilitatedAIDSresearch10,aswellasAutoDesk’sUndiscoveredTerritory11,agamecreatedforsellingtheirveryexpensive3Dimagingsoftware.TherearealsoexplicitgamificationexamplessuchasRepairtheRockaways12,whichisagamesimilartoFarmville,butthenumberofbricksthatareavailableisdeterminedbyhowmuchisdonatedtosupportHurricaneSandyrepairs.

Again,theseexamplesareallgameswherepeopleplayandoptinto,hence“explicit”gamification.Theadvantageofdesigningforexplicitgamificationisthattheproductisgenerallymoreplayfulanditallowsthedesignertohavemorefreedomofcreativity.Thedisadvantageisthatitcouldbeseenaschildish,non-serious,ordistractingtosometargetuserssuchasenterprisefirms,banks,ormanufacturers.Somecorporatemanagers,uponseeinggraphicalgame-play,immediatelyfeelanaversiontoit,thoughifdesignedwell,theinteractive“game”cankeepthetargetuserengagedforlongerandleadtobetterbusinessresults.Also,moreoftenthannot,implementinggreatexplicitgamificationusuallyrequiresmoreresourcesinordertocreateahighqualitygame.

ImplicitGamification:Human-FocusedDesignthatUtilizesGameElements

ImplicitGamificationisaformofdesignthatsubtlyemploysgamificationtechniquesandthe8CoreDrivesofOctalysisintotheuserexperience.ImplicitGamificationtechniquesarefilledwithgamedesignelementsthataresometimeseveninvisibletotheuser.Thisislikeadoorknob,wherethebestdesignsaretheonesthatyouaren’tevenawareofbutsimplyusetoopenthedoor.

ImplicitGamificationexamplesareoftendiscussedingamificationliterature,suchastheLinkedInProgressBar13,theintrinsicmotivationthatdrivesWikipedia14,competitivebiddingandfeedbacksystemviaeBay15,socialcomparisonandmotivationinOPower16,andUnpredictabilityandScarcitywithinWoot!17.

UponseeingtheprogressbaronLinkedIn,mostpeoplewon’t,say,“Ah,they’remakingmeplayagame!Idon’twanttoplaygames.”TheProgressBarjustgentlybuildsaWin-Statefortheusertoseeandmotivatesthemtogetcloserandclosertowardsthegoal.Ofcourse,manyofthepoints,badges,leaderboards,andlevelsareseencommonlyinimplicitgamification.

Theadvantagesofimplicitgamificationisthatitistechnicallyeasiertoimplementandcanbeappropriateinmostcontexts.Thedisadvantageofimplicitgamificationisthatthisveryconvenientimplementationcanoftenleadto“lazy”designwherethesubtlegamedynamicsareincorrectlydesignedforandthefunctionleadstosomethingcompletelyincorrectapplied.Thiswouldleadtosomethingcompletelyill-formedorineffectiveintermsofdrivingbusinessmetrics.

Implicitvs.ExplicitGamificationAttheendoftheday,onetypeofgamificationisnotinherentlybetterthantheother.TheproperuseofImplicitorExplicitGamificationdependsonthepurposeoftheprojectaswellasyourtargetmarket.Somegroupslikeparticipatingingames;somedon’t.Somewanttohavethatadrenalinerushwhenpurchasing,whileotherswanttoexpandtheircreativityandmasteralearningcurve.Ofcourse,all8CoreDrivescanbeimplementedintoImplicitandExplicitGamificationcampaigns,whichwewillexploreinthefollowingchapters.

Whileitisnotusefultoarguewhatgamificationincludesandexcludes,itisveryimportanttounderstandwhattypesofimplementationsaremostappropriateforyourdesignprojectbasedontheobjectives,thecontextuallandscape,andculturalexpectations.Again,attheendoftheday,gamificationshouldneverbeacookie-cuttersolution.Allgameshavegameelementsandgamemechanicsinthem,butmostgamesarenotsuccessful,andonlyafewwell-designedgamesbecomehighlyengaging.Gamificationrequiressophisticateddesigntoactually

beeffectiveandcreatealonglastingrelationshipbetweentheplayerandthegamemaker.

4ApplicationFieldsofGamificationNowthatwehavecoveredthedifferentimplementationmethodsforgamification,wewillexplorethevariousapplicationsofgamificationinseveralindustries.

Ingeneral,themajorityofmyclientsrepresentfourfieldsthatIconsistentlyseeinnovatingtimeandtimeagain,indicatingatremendousamountofapplicationandgrowthinthesesectors:

ProductGamificationWorkplaceGamificationMarketingGamificationLifestyleGamification

ProductGamificationProductGamificationisaboutmakingaproduct,onlineoroffline,moreengaging,fun,andinspirationalthroughgamedesign.Mostcompaniesstruggletocreateproductsthatcustomersfallinlovewith,continueusing,andpassionatelysharewiththeirfriends.Someoftheseproductshavegreat“functional”purposes,butdon’tfocusonthemotivationandCoreDrivesoftheirusers.

Inapreviousera,consumersdidn’thaveadequateinformationandwereaccustomedtoslowgratification.Alongwithimmensebarriersforstartingnewcompanies,itwasnotasdetrimentalforacompanytosimplyassumethatcustomerswouldusetheirproducts-providedthattheyweremarketedcorrectly.However,peopletodayarespoiledwithinstantgratificationthroughtheInternet,withimmersiveempowermentandreal-timefeedbackthroughgames,andtheconstantconnectiontotheirsocialnetwork.Yourusers,customers,andemployeesarebecominglesstolerantofbadlydesignedproductsthatdonottakeintoaccounttheirmotivations,especiallywhentheyhaveavarietyofcompetitivealternativestheycanchoosefrom.

Manycorporationsandstartupsexcitedlytellme,“Ourproductisgreat!Userscandothis;userscandothat;andtheycanevendothesethings!”Andmy

responsetothemhasbeen,“Yes,youaretellingmeallthethingsyouruserscando.Butyouhavenotexplainedtomewhytheuserwoulddoit.”

That’stheproblemwithamajorityofcompanyproducts–greattechnologyandfunctionalities,butnotraction.Peopledon’thaveareasontogooutoftheirwaytousetheproduct.Sometimes,astartupfoundertellsme,“Hey,Yu-kai,there’snoreasonwhypeoplewouldn’tuseourproduct.Wesavethemmoney,wesavethemtime,andwemaketheirlivesbetter.”Onluckydays,customersthemselveswouldevensay,“Yeah,there’snoreasonwhyIwouldn’tuseyourproduct.Itsavesmemoney,itsavesmetime,anditmakesmylifebetter.I’lldefinitelysign-upsometimetomorrow.”

Forthosewhohaverunstartupsorlaunchedproductsbefore,youknowthecrucialpartoftheentirephraseistheending.Whenpeoplesaytheywilldoit“tomorrow,”moreoftenthannotitmeans“never.”ThisisbecauseatthispointtheyaremotivatedbyCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,andspecificallybysomethingIcallStatusQuoSloth(GameTechnique#85)–theyareavoidingachangeintheirhabitsandbehavior.

RememberhowwetalkedabouthowGamificationisactuallyHuman-FocusedDesignlearnedfromdecades,evencenturiesofgamedesignexperience?Whenyouarelaunchinganewproduct,itsmotivationalstandingisverysimilartoagame.Noonehastoplayagame.Youhavetodoyourtaxes;youhavetogotowork;andyoureallyshouldgotothegym.Butyouneverhavetoplayagame,andlet’sbehonest,oftentimesyoushouldn’t.

Becausegameshaveinvestedanamazingamountofcreativity,innovation,andresourcesintofiguringouthowtogetpeopletowanttospendmoretimeonthem,therearedefinitelymanygreatlessonsyoucanlearnfromgamesforyourownproducts.Thekeyhereistomakeaproductsoexcitingthatcustomersbecomeobsessedwithusingyourproductandarecompelledtosharehowexcitingtheirexperienceiswiththeirfriends.

WorkplaceGamificationWorkplaceGamificationisthecraftofcreatingenvironmentsandsystemsthatinspireandmotivateemployeestowardstheirwork.Moreoftenthannot,employeesshowuptoworkeverydayjustsotheycanearnapaycheck(CoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession)andtonotlosetheirjobs(CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance).Asaresult,employeesonlyworkhardenoughtoearntheir

paychecksandtonotlosetheirjobs(ifyourecall,CoreDrives4and8aregreatexamplesofLeftBrain,ExtrinsicandBlackHatMotivation).

Infact,Gallup’s142-countrystudyshowsthatonly13%ofemployeesarecategorizedas“engaged”withtheirwork18.Incomparison,24%oftheworkforceiscategorizedas“ActivelyDisengaged,”whichmeanstheyaresounhappywiththeirworkthattheyminimizetheirproductivity,spreadnegativity,andevensabotageproductiveeffortsthatrequirethemtodomoreworktokeeptheirjobs.

Thatissomethingprettyscarytothinkabout.Itmeansthat,chancesare,aquarterofyourcompanyispoisonous!Howcananyorganismbecompetitiveatanythingif24%ofitsbodyiscomposedofcancercells?

Contrarytopopularself-denial,itisactuallynottheemployees’faulttheyaredisengaged.CompanieslikeZapposandGoogle(especiallyintheolddays)areknowntogettheiremployeesmotivated,driven,andexcitedabouttheirworkonadailybasis1920.Ifirmlybelievethateveryonehasthecapacityandthelongingtobecomemotivatedanddrivenforsomethingthatisworththeircause.Itisbadenvironmentalandculturaldesignthatturnsgoodemployeesintotoxiccells.

Ofcourse,youdon’tneedaGallupstudytoknowhowdisengagedemployeesareatwork.Justthinkabouthowoftenpeopleclosetoyoucomplainabouttheirworkortheirbosses.ThinkaboutthemovieOfficeSpace,thequintessentialcomedyaboutlifeinatypicalbland,rigid,andoppressivecompanyinAmerica21.Themoviewassuchagreathitandnowacultclassicbecausepeoplecanactuallyrelatetothefrustrationanddisengagementofthecharactersinthemovie(agoodexampleofthe“relatedness”piecewithinCoreDrive5atwork).

Whydoesthatmatter?Becauseresearchhasshownthatonaverage,thecompanieswithdisengagedandunmotivatedemployeesonlyobtain50%ofprofitsandonly40%ofrevenuegrowthwhencomparedtocompanieswithengagedandmotivatedemployees.22IfItoldyouthatyoucoulddoubleyourprofitsandimproveyourrevenuegrowthby250%withoutopeningnewmarketsandwithoutintroducingnewbreakthroughtechnologiesbutbysimplymakingyourworkplacemoreengagingandmotivating,wouldyoudoit?Mostpeoplewouldsayyes.Butfrommyownpersonalexperience,therewillstillbepeoplewhosayno,simplybecause,“Idon’twantmyemployeesplayinggames.It’sadistraction!”

WorkplaceGamificationiscriticalfortoday’seconomyandthefutureofcreativeinnovation.TheGen-Ysenteringtheworkforce(andtheyarethirtynow)areusedtobeinginenvironmentsthatprovidethemEpicMeaning,Relatedness,Autonomy,andmore.Thiswillonlygetworseastheeven-youngergenerationenterstheworkforce,soitiswiseforcompaniestostartsettingupthecorrectmotivationssystemsasearlyaspossibletoavoidthedevastationofhavingasurplusinlaborbutashortageintalent.

MarketingGamificationMarketingGamificationistheartofcreatingholisticmarketingcampaignsthatengageusersinfunanduniqueexperiencedesignedforaproduct,service,platform,orbrand.Nottoolongago,peopleclickedononlineadsbecause,moreoftenthannot,theycouldn’ttellthedifferencebetweenadsandcontent.Butnowadays,usersarebecomingmoresophisticatedinfilteringoutunwantedpromotions,decreasingtheeffectivenessofmanyadvertisementcampaigns(thanksinlargeparttoadblockerappstoo).

ThenyouhaveTVcommercials,whereeveryonesimplytunesthemout,switchesthechannelaway,orjustfast-forwardsiftheyhaveaTiVo.Asforothertraditionalmethodslikeadsonbillboardsornewspapers…don’tevengetmestarted.

Inthepastdecade,SearchEngineMarketing(SEM)andSearchEngineOptimization(SEO)haveproventobefairlyeffectivetechniquesforgainingexposureandimprovingsales.Infact,asearchengineisjustalargeleaderboard,andtheindustryofSearchEngineOptimizationissimplythegametoclimbtothetopofthatleaderboard.Thisworksbecause1)youcantargettherightpeoplewhoaresearchingforyourexactsolution,and2)youcantargetthemattherighttimetheyaresearching.

However,SEOandSEMstilllackthetrustcomponentinonlinemarketing.Ifawebsiteyoutrustandhavefollowedfortwoyearssellssomethingyouneed,youarelikelynotgoingtogosearchingforarandomsiteonasearchenginetopurchasefrom.

ThisiswhereSocialMediaMarketingcomesin.Throughplatformslikeblogs,Facebook,Twitter,andYoutube,brandsareabletobuildrelationshipswithpotentialcustomers,createuniquevalue,andestablishtrustthatleadstofutureengagement.Unfortunately,socialmediaplatformsarejustthedeliverychannels

forengagingcontent;inandofthemselves,theydonotmotivateorsuccessfullyengagewithusers.

ThisiswhereGamificationcomesin.MarketingGamificationspecificallyutilizesgameelementsandstrategiesthroughoutaplayer’sjourneybyfirstfocusingonwhyauserwouldengagewithyouinthefirstplace.Marketingshouldn’tjustbeoneactiondonefromthemarketerandoneresponsebackfromthecustomer,butshouldbeanentireecosystemwhereboththemarketerandcustomerareabletoexperiencefunandfeelcontinuouslyengagedthroughmultipleinteractions.

MarketingGamificationutilizestheplatformsandvehiclesdescribedaboveaswellasothers:SEO,SocialMedia,Blogging,EmailMarketing,online/offlinecompetitions,viralvehiclestrategies,andrewardschedulestocontinuouslyengageusersthroughoutanengagingandgamifiedexperience.

LifestyleGamificationImentionedinChapter1thatmylifecompletelychangedwhenIwasstruckbyanepiphanythatIshouldtreateverythinglikeagame.Sincegamificationisgreatatmotivatingpeopletowardscertainactivities,whywouldn’tyouapplythattomotivateyourself?

LifestyleGamificationinvolvesapplyinggamificationprinciplesandthe8CoreDrivesintodailyhabitsandactivities,suchasmanagingyourto-dolist,exercisingmoreoften,wakingupontime,eatinghealthier,orlearninganewlanguage.

TherearealsomanytechnologicalenablersthatmakeLifestyleGamificationmorepopular,includingbigbuzzwordtrendssuchasBigData,WearableTech,QuantifiedSelf,andTheInternetofThings23.TheinterestingthingaboutallthesetrendsisthatitenablesallyouractivitytobetrackedallowingyoutheabilitytomanageyourFeedbackMechanicsandTriggers.

Gameshavehistoricallybeenabletotrackeverysingleactionthataplayermakes.AgamewouldautomaticallyknowthatthisparticularplayerisonLevelthree,shehaspickedupthesefouritems,learnedthesethreeskills,talkedtothesesixcharacters,butnotthoseotherthreecharacters,andbecauseofthat,thisdoordoesnotopenfortheplayer.

Agamerememberseverythingyouhavedoneandcustomizesyourexperiencebasedonthat.Inreal-life,mostofyour“data”isnotrecorded,andsoitishardtocraftaoptimizedlifestyle.Thetrendwithwearabletechandquantifiedselffinallyallowsustotrackmoreofourownbehavioronadailybasis.Ofcourse,evencompaniesthatclaimtheywieldthepowerofBigDatadon’tyetcomparetothelevelofcustomizationthatgamerstakeforgranted.Manystillsticktogeneralizeddemographicsandnon-actionablereports,insteadofcreatingauniqueexperienceforeachuserinreal-time24.

LifestyleGamificationbranchesintoafewsectorssuchasCareerGamification,HealthGamification,ProductivityGamification,andEducationGamification.Itcanbeutilizedtogamifybigpictureactivitiessuchasaccomplishingyourlifegoals,orverytacticalactivitiessuchasusingadicetodeterminehowyoushouldrewardyourself(whichisderivedfromCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity).

SinceLifestyleGamificationfundamentallychangedmylife,Iamextremelypassionateabouthowitcanhelppeopleachievetheirdreamsthrough1.Findingtheirgame,2.Analyzingtheirinitialstats3.Formulatingtheirskilltrees,4.Connectingwithallies,5.Findingtherightquests,and6.Beatingthegame.Sincethisisahugetopicthatwarrantsitsownbook,Iwon’tbespendingtimeinthisbookcoveringthetopicindetail.

Sofarwehavelaidoutawidenetthatcoversmanyterms,concepts,CoreDrives,ExperiencePhases,naturesofmotivation,andimplementationsofdesign.Don’tfeelintimidated.Forthenextfewchapters,webegintodivedeeperintoallthethingswealreadytalkedabout,whichwillallowyoutohaveanevenbettergraspofthefoundationoftheOctalysisFramework.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:Thinkaboutwhatareasinyourlifethatyouwouldlikegamificationtohelpyouimprove.IsitProduct,Workplace,Marketing,orLifestyleGamification?

Medium:Identifyagamificationexampleyouhaveencounteredbefore.IsitExplicitorImplicitGamification?Whataretheprosandconsforusingthattypeofimplementation?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandseewhatideasotherpeoplehave.

1. WikipediaArticle:“Gamification”,accessed12/13/2014.URL:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamification↩

2. Deterding,Sebastion.“AQuickBuckbyCopyandPaste”,GamificationResearchNetwork,Posted09/15/2011.↩

3. Zichermann,Gabe.“ATeachableMoment”byGabeZichermann,Gamification.co,Posted09/20/2011.↩

4. BusinessDictionaryentry:“advergames”.Accessed12/13/2014.↩5. Mcgonigal,Jane.Slideshare:“Wedon’tneednostinkin’badges:Howtore-

inventrealitywithoutgamification”,posted2/17/2011.↩6. Deterding,Sebastian.“TheLensofIntrinsicSkillAtoms:AMethodfor

GamefulDesign”,GameDesign,CollegeofArts,Media,andDesign,NortheasternUniversity,06/27/2014.↩

7. TEDxTalks,Chou.“GamificationtoChangetheWorld”byYu-kaiChou.Posted2/26/2014.URL:http://www.yukaichou.com/tedx↩

8. ProBasketballTalk,NBCSports,“Newonlinegame:DikembeMutombo’s4½weekstosavetheworld”,posted11/28/2014.↩

9. MentalFloss.com.“13ThingsYouMightNotKnowAboutMcDonald’sMonopoly”,posted10/7/2014.↩

10. FoldItWebsite:http://fold.it↩11. UndiscoveredTerritorybyAutodesk:

http://area.autodesk.com/undiscoveredterritory↩12. “RepairtheRockaways”,MotherNewYork.↩13. TaigeZhang.KISSMetricsBlog.“ThePowerofTheProgressBar”.

Accessed03/01/2015.↩14. DonTapscott&AnthonyD.Williams.Wikinomics:HowMass

CollaborationChangesEverything.p70.PortfolioTrade.2006.↩15. Equimedia.“Usinggamificationtoimprovewebsiteengagementand

increaserevenue”,posted09/30/2013.↩16. oPowerBlog.“GamificationandEnergyConsumption”,08/30/2012.

Accessed12/15/2014.↩17. 2COBlog.“E-Commerce&Gamification:IncreaseYourSalesLikeThese

3Pros”,posted6/13/2014.↩18. Gallup.“Worldwide,13%ofEmployeesAreEngagedatWork”,posted

10/8/2013.↩19. DavidVise&MarkMalseed.TheGoogleStory.p96.RandomHouse,New

York,NY.2005.↩

20. GreatPlacetoWorkInstitute.WhitePaper:“HowZapposCreatesHappyCustomersandEmployees”,2011.↩

21. SpliceToday.“FiveReasonsOfficeSpaceisaCultClassic”,08/01/2013.↩22. AonHewitt.“2013TrendsinGlobalEmployeeEngagement”.2013.↩23. MckinseyQuarterly.“TheInternetofThings”,03/2010edition.↩24. Business2Community.“DeliveranExcellentCustomerExperienceUsing

BigData”.posted11/10/2014.↩

Chapter5:TheFirstCoreDrive-EpicMeaning&Calling

NowthatwehaveestablishedafoundationaloverviewoftheOctalysisFramework,itistimetodivedeeperintoeachCoreDriveanddiscoverthepowerandenchantmentwithin.

Ifthereisonlyonethingyourememberafterreadingthisbook,itshouldbetofocusonmotivationbythinkingthroughthe8CoreDrivesinsteadoffocusing

onfeaturesandfunctionalities.Ofcoursetodothat,youneedtobefamiliarwiththe8CoreDrivestowieldthemcorrectly,otherwiseyoumayevenenduphurtingusermotivation.

TheCoreDriveHighAboveEpicMeaning&CallingistheFirstCoreDriveofOctalysisGamification.Thisisthedrivewherepeoplearemotivatedbecausetheybelievetheyareengagedinsomethingbiggerthanthemselves.

GamesoftentriggertheEpicMeaning&CallingCoreDrive.Inmanygames,anintronarrativecommunicatesthattheworldisabouttobedestroyed,andsomehow,youastheplayeraretheonlyonequalifiedtosavetheworld.Thatimmediatelycreatesexcitementandmotivationtowardstheadventure.

Whataboutreallife?DoweeverencounterscenarioswherewearedrivenbyEpicMeaning&Calling?

Haveyoueverwonderedwhypeoplecontributetothenon-profitwebsiteWikipedia?Whatwouldmakesomeonespendhoursupdatingasitethatdoesn’tpayherorevenhelpherbuildherresume?WhyarepeoplesoloyaltoAppleproducts,totheextentthattheyknowtheywanttobuythenextproduct,evenbeforetheyknowwhatitis?Whyareschoolrivalriessoengaging,drivingradicalbehaviorssuchaspranks,streaking,violence,whilealsoleadingtoprofitfortheschools?Canhigherpurposealsobedesignedintoparentingstylesbeyondtheusualrewardandpunishmentsystem?

Interestingly,thesequestionscanallbeansweredbythepowerfulWhiteHatCoreDriveofEpicMeaning&Calling.Inthischapter,we’llattempttoaddressmanyofthesequestionsandprovidemoreunderstandingofthisselflessCoreDrive.

TheEncyclopediathatPwnedMe“Pwnisaleetspeakslangtermderivedfromtheverbown,asmeaningtoappropriateortoconquertogainownership.ThetermimpliesdominationorhumiliationofarivalusedprimarilyintheInternet-basedvideogameculturetotauntanopponentwhohasjustbeensoundlydefeated(e.g.,“Youjustgotpwned!”).”-Wikipedia1.

WhenIfoundedmyfirststartupcompanyin2004,Iwasreallyexcitedaboutfinallybeinganentrepreneurandwantedtopromoteiteverywhere.IlearnedthatanyonecanupdateWikipediabecauseitisuser-generated,andthoughtitwouldbeastellarideatohavemycompanyincludedwithinthevastknowledgeofWikipedia.Iexcitedlyspentanentiredaycraftingagreatandinformativesectionaboutmycompany-describingwhenitwasfounded,bywhichamazingprodigies,andtheproblemsitsetouttosolve.

Oncecompleted,Iproudlyclickedthe“publish”button.Andthereitwas:IsawmyowncompanyasaWikipediaarticle.Woohoo!WewereofficiallyonWikipedianow!WhatanEpicWin!

However,myblissof“finallymakingitinlife”wasshort-lived.

Aboutthreeminutesaftermyposting,mypostwasflaggedbya“memberoftheWikipediacommunity,”statingthatthisentitywasnotsignificantenoughandthereforedoesnotdeservetobeonWikipedia.Fiveminuteslater,acoupleothersagreedtothatpointofview,andmypostwasdeleted.

Justlikethat,myfullday’sworthofworkdisappearedwithintenminutes.

Thefirstquestionthatcametomymindafterthemany“dotdotdot”momentsandthethree|||linesacrossmyforeheadwas,“Whoarethesepeople?Dotheyevenhavelives??”

ItsureseemsoddthatafairlylargegroupofvolunteersgoonWikipediaregularly,nottobeenlightenedwithmind-blowingknowledge,buttopolicetheplatformforpestslikemewhoaretryingtosneakirrelevantorunimportantcontentintotheWikipedia.

Ifyouhaveeverhiredinternsorentry-levelemployeesandhavepaidattentiontotheirmotivationsandfeelings,youmayknowthataskingpeopletodo“auditingwork”onmountainsofpagesandtoflagoutdatedcontentcanpresentanawkwardsituation.Youknowthatnooneenjoysthistypeofgruntwork.Thesebrightyounginternsandemployeesreallywanttolearngreatskillsfromyouandyourcompanysotheycangrowasprofessionals.Butthereisnegligiblelearningassociatedwithsuchmundanework.Someoneinthecompanyhastodothework,andtheentrylevelinternsnaturallyshouldbetheonesthatperformthetasksthatnooneelsewantstodo.

Asaresult,youtrytotellthemtodoitasamatter-of-fact,sotheymaygowiththeflowwithoutthinkingaboutthedemoralizingnatureofit.Oryoumaychoosetospendalotoftimeexplainingtothemhowthisisimportanttothecompanyandhowtheirworkcreatesgreatimpact.Youcouldalsotrytomaketheprojectsoundfunandexciting.Attheendoftheday,youknowinyourheartthatthisisdreadfulwork,andtheyoungcolleaguesimplyneedsto“paytheirdues”beforetheycangetotherinternstodothesame.

ButwhenitcomestoWikipedia,peoplearevolunteeringtheirprecioustimeoutsideoftheirjobstodotheexactsamethingwithoutgettingany“real”benefits!Whenyoucomehomefromwork,therearelotsofthingsyoucando-practiceyourdailyboss-complainingritual,watchTV,Skypewithyoursignificantother,orevenplaygames.PeoplechoosetopoliceWikipediaaboveallthoseotheractivitiesbecausetheyfeelliketheyareprotectinghumanity’sknowledge-somethinggreaterthanthemselves.

WhenitcomestoEpicMeaning&Calling,it’snotaboutwhatyouwantasanindividualnoraboutwhatmakesyoufeelgood.Individualsparticipateinthesystemandtakeactionnotbecauseitnecessarilybenefitsthem,butbecausetheycanthenseethemselvesasheroesofagranderstory.It’saboutplayingyourpartforthegreatergood.

AndifplayingmypartdoesnotrequiremetosacrificemylifeasamartyrbutsimplyinvolvesmetospendacouplehoursadaymonitoringweirdactivitiesonWikipedia,that’sahugebargainandsomethingworthdoing.

AccordingtoanMITstudy,obscenitiesthatarerandomlyinsertedonWikipediaareremovedinanaverageof1.7minutes2.Theseunpaidguardiansaredefinitelykeepinghumanity’sknowledgeincheckdiligently.

However,basedonmylateracquiredunderstandinginhumanmotivation,IalsohadthehunchthatinsteadofgettingpaidforpouringhoursoftheirpreciouslaborintoWikipedia,theyarealsomorelikelytopayWikipediainstead.

Aftersomeresearch,whoopee,IdiscoveredthatpeoplewhohavespenttimeeditingWikipediaarealmostninetimesmorelikelytodonatetoWikipediacomparedtopeoplewhoonlybenefitoffitbyconsumingthevaluableinformation(28%vs3%)3.What’smore,donorswhodon’teditthesitehaveall

donatedforfewerthanthreetimes,whileawhopping80%ofdonorswhohavealsoputlaborintoWikipediahavedonatedfivetimesormore.

Timeandtimeagain,weseethat,whenyoursystemorproductdemonstratesdeepandsincerepassiontowardsahighervision,otherswillwanttobelieveinitandgetonthejourneywithyou,evenifitmeansforegoingfinancialcompensation(whichisCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession).

Eventothisday,whenpeopleaskme,“Whydon’tyouenteryourselfandyourOctalysismodelontoWikipedia?You’refairlywell-knowninyourindustryright?”Iusuallytrytosidetracktheconversation,asthemerethoughtofdoingsobringsbackscarringmemoriesofhavingsuchanauthoritativecommunityunanimouslyvotethatIwasnotworthyofbeingmentioned.

“Nah,I’mnotthatwell-known.”

Newton’sLegacyisBeyondaFruitCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingisgenerallybestcommunicatedduringtheDiscoveryandOnboardingPhaseofaPlayer’sJourney.Youwanttocommunicateveryearlyonexactlywhytheusershouldparticipateinyourmissionandbecomeaplayer.

AppleisoneoftherarecompaniesthatunderstandthisCoreDrive,andtheymanagedtoinstillthisintoconsumerswithoutbeinguser-generated,beinganopenplatform,orpushingfor“acharitablecause.”Everyonceinawhile,I’llhavefriendswhoexcitedlytellme,“HeyYu-kai,IamsavinguptobuythenextiPhone.”Iwouldrespond,“Butyoudon’tevenknowwhat’sinthenewiPhone!Whatifitsucks?”Myfriendswouldthenrespondwith,“Idon’tcare.I’mgoingtobuythenextiPhone.”

Isn’tthatastrangephenomenoninaworldwhereelectronicconsumersarespoiledbyaplethoraofoptionsoutthere,withmanyalternativestoutingthesameorbettercapabilitiesthantheiPhonebutonlyafractionofthecost?

WhyarepeoplesocrazyaboutAppleproducts?

Whatweareseeinghereisthatthesefriendsofmine(andIsuspectyourstoo)havefirstself-identifiedasan“ApplePerson.”Therefore,theyneedtodowhat“ApplePeople”do,whichistobuythenewestiPhonesandMacbooks,aswell

asactlike“AppleSnobs”bywalkingaroundandmakingcommentssuchas,“Oh,IneverhavethatproblembecauseIuseaMac.”Imyselfhavealsobeenguiltyofthis.

WhenconfrontedwiththetopicofmanyAndroidphoneshavingbetterspecsandlowerpricesthantheiPhone,myresponsehasusuallybeen,“Well,Idon’tknowaboutthespecs,butIdoknowthat,whenI’musinganAndroidphone,Ifeelfrustrated;butwhenI’musinganiPhone,Ifeelhappy.That’sprobablyworthsomething.”(Bytheway,inmyopinion,itisoftenunfairtocomparethemarketshareofiPhonestoAndroidPhonesasasuccessmeasurement,sincetheiPhoneissoldbyonecompany,whileAndroidPhonesaresoldbyoveradozencompaniesthroughouttheworld.Whenpeoplefreakoutabout“Ohlook!TherearemoreAndroidusersthaniPhoneusersnow!”,that’sbasicallysayingthatallthesenon-ApplesmartphonecompaniescombinedhavesurpassedApple.Bigdeal.)

Sothemulti-billiondollarquestionis:So,howdidAppledothis?

Besidesofferingstellarproductswithelegantdesignandmeticulousengineering,Applehasbeenoneofthefewelectronicscompaniesthatactuallytrytosellahighermeaning.

Letsexaminetwoofthemostsuccessfulcommercialsinhistory-bothfromApple.

TheCrazyOnesin1984ThefirstApplecommercialthatreachedmassivefameandsuccess,isthe“1984”commercial,airedin1984’sSuperBowlXVIIIonCBS4.

Thisisabuild-upofthepopularnovel“NineteenEighty-Four”byGeorgeOrwell,publishedin1948aboutafuturisticdystopianworldwhereaunifiedsocietyiscontrolledandbrainwashedbyacentralizedgovernment5.

Theadpresentsadrab,depressivesetting-representingadiabolical,yetorderlysociety;seeminglyundertherepressivecontrolofatotalitarianinfluence.Inalargeroomfilledwithgray,cheerlessindividualsdressinmonotonousgreyuniforms,anauthoritativevoicebooms.Themassesstareblanklyatahugescreendisplayingthecolossalimageofa“dictatorialfigure”.“BigBrother”isaddressingtheminions,demandingtheirobedience,theirloyalty,theirminds.

Suddenly,awomaninfullcolorrunsinandthrowsasledgehammeratthebigscreen,completelyshatteringit.Then,adeepmalevoicesays,“OnJanuary24th,AppleComputerwillintroduceMacintosh.Andyou’llseewhy1984won’tbelike‘1984.’”6

Throughthiscommercial,Applereassuresviewersthattheworldwouldn’tbecontrolledby“BigBrother”-IBM,butwouldbeliberatedbyApple’scomputers.

ThoughApple’sBoarddidnotreallyapproveofthiscommercialanditwasalmostthrownintothegarbagebin,whenfinallyaired,itbecameoneofthemostsuccessfulcommercialsinhistory.Inhisbook,ElectricDreams:ComputersinAmericanCulture,TedFriedmandiscusseshowpowerfulthecommercialwas:

SuperBowlviewerswereoverwhelmedbythestartlingad.Theadgarneredmillionsofdollarsworthoffreepublicity,asnewsprogramsrebroadcastitthatnight.Itwasquicklyhailedbymanyintheadvertisingindustryasamasterwork.AdvertisingAgenameditthe1980sCommercialoftheDecade,anditcontinuestorankhighonlistsofthemostinfluentialcommercialsofalltime.7

Afterwards,Apple’sinternalteamcalculatedtheamountoffreeairtimethatthecommercialgarnered.Theyestimatedthatthetotalvaluewasabout$150millionworthofderivedairtime.Withinthreemonthsofthecommercial’sappearance,Applewouldsell$155millionworthofMacintoshes,establishingitselfastherevolutionarycomputercompanyontheblock.

ThesecondextraordinarilysuccessfulApplemarketingcampaigntoresonatewithpeoplewasthe“ThinkDifferent”campaign.Thiscommercialranin1998,notlongafterApple’sFounder,SteveJobsreturnedtotheboardattheendof1996.8

Atthetime,Applewasastrugglingcompany,andadyingbrand.JobsnotonlytrimmedApple’sproductlinefromover350itemsdownto10,heknewhehadtoreinventtheApplebrand.

Whiletherearemanyshorterversionsofthead,theoriginalfulltextruns:

Here’stothecrazyones.Themisfits.Therebels.Thetroublemakers.Theroundpegsinthesquareholes.Theoneswhoseethingsdifferently.They’renotfondofrules.Andtheyhavenorespectforthestatusquo.Youcanquotethem,disagreewiththem,glorifyorvilifythem.

Buttheonlythingyoucan’tdoisignorethem.Becausetheychangethings.Theyinvent.Theyimagine.Theyheal.Theyexplore.Theycreate.Theyinspire.Theypushthehumanraceforward.Maybetheyhavetobecrazy.

Howelsecanyoustareatanemptycanvasandseeaworkofart?Orsitinsilenceandhearasongthat’sneverbeenwritten?Orgazeataredplanetandseealaboratoryonwheels?Wemaketoolsforthesekindsofpeople.

Whilesomeseethemasthecrazyones,weseegenius.Becausethepeoplewhoarecrazyenoughtothinktheycanchangetheworld,aretheoneswhodo.9

Theseriesofcommercialswasagiganticsuccess.ItwondozensofprestigiousadvertisementawardsandmadetheApplebrand“cool”again.IttangiblyspearheadedthetransformationofApplefromadyingcompanyintoliterallythemostvaluablecompanyintheworldwithinadecade.

Haveyounoticedsomethinguniqueandinterestingabouttheseads?

Neitherofthesecampaignsactuallytalksaboutcomputersorelectronics.Theydon’ttalkaboutspecs,RAM,colorscreens,orcomputers.You’renotevensurewhattheysellifyouareunfamiliarwiththecompany.

Theysoldavision.

Whenpeopleconnectwithastatementlike,“BecauseofAppleComputers,1984willnotbelikeNineteenEighty-Four,”manystartedtothink,“Wow!That’samazing!Idon’tknowwhattheydo,butIwanttobepartofthis!”

Howdoyou“bepartofit”?YoubuytheMacintoshcomputer.

Similarly,whenpeoplehearthedeepwisevoiceconcludingwith,“Becausethepeoplewhoarecrazyenoughtothinktheycanchangetheworld,aretheoneswhodo,”theybecomeinspiredandthink,“Yes!I’vealwaysbeenhidingmytruepassionstoconformwithwhatpeopleexpectedofme.Iwanttobeoneofthecrazyonesthatchangestheworld!”Andofcourse,thewaytothinkdifferent

andchangetheworldistobuyaniPodandhaveathousandsongsinyourpocket.

SeethepowerofEpicMeaning&Calling?Wheneveryothercompanyissellinghowamazingtheircomputersare,Applesellsavisionworthbelievingin.Interestingly,whenApplewasdevelopingtheThinkDifferentcampaigns,thefirstrulewasthattherewouldbenoproductsinthecommercials.Thisissocounterintuitive,yetsoHuman-Focused.

AslongasApplecancontinuetomakepeoplethinkthatitisavisionworthbelievingin,theircustomerswillcontinuetobe“ApplePeople”andbuyAppleproducts.ButifonedayAppledoessomethingstupidandbreaksthetrustofbeingavisionworthbelievingin,peoplewillstopblindinglypurchasetheirproductsandwillbegintolookatthespecsagain.

MjolnirisNotJustaToolSomecompanieshaveapproachedmeduringmyall-too-good-soundingsoapbox,andaskedme,“Yu-kai,thisEpicMeaning&Callingthingisgreatandall,butourproductisjustatool.It’snotmeanttochangetheworldandsolveglobalwarming.HowcanweaddEpicMeaning&Callingtoasimpletool?”

Forthis,oneofmyfavoriteexamplesisthemobileappWaze10.WazeisaGPS-basedmobilenavigationappthatprovidesawealthofuser-generatedinformationabouttravelconditionsfromtheWazecommunity.

WhenyouthinkofaGPS,itispurelyfunctionalasatool.Youturnleft,turnright,andgettoyourdestination-veryfunctionalasatool,butnotveryepic.SohowdoesanapplikeWazecreateEpic&Meaning&Calling?Andhowdoyouinstillthatmeaningwithoutgivinguserslongvideostowatchorhugeamountsoftexttoread?

WhatWazedidwasbrilliant.IntheearlydaysofWaze,whenyoufirstdownloadtheapp,itwouldshowyouoneimage.Ontheleftsideofthatimage,thereisahugesnakemonster,consistingofastreetwithmanycarsstuckonit.Thissnakemonster’snamewasTraffic.Ontherightsideoftheimage,therewerecutelittleWazeknightcharacterswithswords,shields,andarmor,workingtogethertofightthisbigsnakemonster.

Sonow,whenyouaredrivingwithWaze,youarenotjustgettingtoyourdestination,youarehelpingacommunityofbraveWazersfightthisTrafficmonster!Thisresonatesonasubconsciouslevelbecause,deepinourhearts,everyonehatestrafficwithapassion.

Ofcourse,theactualwaytobeatthisTrafficmonsteristodrivewithWazeon.SinceWazeisauser-generatedsystem,asyoudrivewiththeappon,itwillstarttogathervaluableinformationabouttheroadconditionsthatwillhelptheoveralldrivingexperienceofthecommunity.

ThepowerfulthingaboutEpicMeaning&Calling,isthatitturnsotherwisepassiveusersintopowerfulevangelistsofyourmission.Theyareevenhighlyforgivingofyourflaws.BecauseWazeisuser-generated,sometimesitisnotasaccurate.Consequently,initsearlydays,ittookmetothewronglocationaboutthreetimes,andIbecameapologeticallylateformymeetings.

YouwouldthinkthattheonlypurposeofaGPSistotakeyoutothecorrectdestination,andwhenitfailsinthatonepurpose,mostuserswouldsay,“Thisisapieceofcrap.I’mgoingtodeleteit!”However,becauseoftheEpicMeaning&CallingWazehasinstilledintheheartsandmindsofpeople,whenittakespeopletothewronglocation:insteadofdeletingitinanger,manypeoplestarttopanic.“Ohno!Themapisbroken!Ineedtogofixit!”

Howpowerfulisthat?Whenyoufailinyourcorecompetency,insteadofdeletingtheappinanger,usersactuallyrushtosolvetheproblemforyou.Again,whenitcomestoEpicMeaning&Calling,whatmakesyouhappyisirrelevant.It’saboutthebiggermeaningandhighervision.Andwhenyouseeacrackinthathighervisionyoubelievein,youbecomefearfulthatotherswillseethatcrackandlosefaithinthevision.Asaresult,youtakeituponyourselftofixit.

ThistiesbacktothecoreofHuman-FocusedDesign.Youplayagamenotbecauseyouhaveto,butbecauseyouenjoydoingso.YouuseWazenotbecausetherearen’tanyothergoodGPSappsouttherethatcanreporttoyoutrafficconditions,hazards,andwatchfulpolicemen;youuseitbecauseit’sfunandyouenjoytheexperiencethemost.AndjustlikeMjolnir,Thor’smightyhammerknownforlevelingmountains11,thisisnoordinarytool-itevensslaystraffic!

Despitethemanyerrorsandfrustrationsleadingtoinaccuracy,withinafewyearsofitsfounding,thecompanywasacquiredbyGoogleforover$1BillionDollars.Notbadforsellingavision.

YourParentsareBiggerThanYou!

SomepeoplemistakeOctalysisandGamificationastechnologysolutionsthatareexpensivetoimplement.Inreality,theyaredesignsystemsfocusedonmotivation.Soiftheactivityrelatestomotivation,youcanapplygamificationtoit.Justlikegames–youcanplaywithacomplex3DVirtualWorldtechnologylikeWorldofWarcraft,oryoucanplayHide-And-Seek,somethingthatrequiresnotechnologyatall.ChildrenthesedayshavebothWorldofWarcraftandHide-And-Seekavailable,andthelasttimeIcheckedtheystillenjoyHide-And-Seek.

Becauseofthat,wecanevenapplyOctalysisGamificationtothingsabitmoreabstract,suchasparenting.ParentsoftenusetwomainCoreDrivestomotivatetheirchildrentobehavewell-CoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment(rewardwhenthechildbehaves),aswellasCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance(punish/groundwhenthechilddoesnotbehave).

However,theChineseculturehas“figuredout”howtoimplementCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callingintoparenting,throughthemeaningbehindatermknownas“”.Pronounced“Sheeow,”(or“Xiao”incorrectPinyinspelling,butmostpeopledon’tknowwhattodowiththeX).IthasnodirectEnglish

translation,butitisaconceptthattranslatesintoabeliefthatsincethefirstdayofyourbirth,youareindebtedtoyourparentswhoyouoweyourlifeandexistenceto.Asaresult,“”mandatesthatyouneedtodoeverythingpossibletohonorthemandliftthemup.

ThereareevenpopularexpressionsandidiomsinChineseliteraturesuchas“,,”whichmeans,“Forasonwithout‘,’thereisnospace/toleranceforhiminheavenorearth.”Thismeansthatifyoudonothave“,”youaresuchanepicscumbagyoudon’tevendeservetohaveeverexisted;boththeheavenandtheeartharesodisgustedbyyourexistencetheyareliterallyspittingyououtoftheirpresence.

Somesourcestranslatethecharacter“”tomean“FilialPiety”–“avirtueofrespectforone’sparentsandancestors.”Yet,havinggrownupwiththistermIfeelitgoesalongwaybeyondtheword“respect.”WhenIwaslittleandjuststartedtocomprehendtheworld,Irememberreadingorlisteningtothethrillingandsometimesgruesomestoriesofthewell-knownchildrenof“”inAncientChina.Thesechildrenwouldfighttigerstoprotecttheirparents,warmuptheirparents’mattressesbeforebedtime,orcutofftheirownfleshinordertofeedtheirhungryparents.Inonestory,asixtyyearoldmanof“”pretendstoplayonthegroundinahumorouswayinordertoentertainhiseighty-year-oldparents.(Note:regardlessofthetacticstoeducatesuchEpicMeaning&Calling,“”istrulyagreatvirtuethatisslowlybeinglostinaglobalized“flatworld”ofinstantgratificationandself-centeredness).

Otherexamplesof“”inthe 24ParagonsofFilialPiety12include:

amansellshimselfintoslaverytopayforhisfather’sfuneralamantasteshissickfather’sstooltounderstandthehealthofhisfatherawomancookspartofherownlivertofeedhermotheraneightyearoldboyattractsmosquitoestosuckhisbloodsotheywon’tbotherhisparentsafatherdecidestoburyhisthreeyearoldsonsohecanaffordtocareforhisownmother.Whilediggingthehole,hefindstreasureanddoesn’thavetokillhisson.

Whilesomeoftheseactualstoriesaredisturbing,itillustrateshowimportant”“isasavaluewithintheculture.Ofcourse,parentsaren’tjusthypocriticallymanipulatingtheirchildren.Thechildrenwhoseetheirparentstreattheir

grandparentspoorly,regardlessofwhetherthesestoriesaretoldtothem,willmostlikelynotbuyintotheEpicMeaningof.ThisisanimportantfactorinusingthemotivationelicitedthroughCoreDrive1-itmustfeelauthentic.

InTraditionalAncientChineseCulture,whenone’sparentspassaway,theyneedtodressinmourningattire,abstainfromallentertainmentandsometimesmeat,aswellasexcludesocialrelationshipsforthreeentireyearstoexpresshisgrief.Thisactiscalled“”,whichliterallymeans“guarding”andwastraditionallysettobethreeyearsbecauseConfuciusstatedthatittakesthreeyearsforustoleaveourparents’arms;hence,itispropertospendthreeyearsmourningforthem.Ofcourse,intoday’smodernsociety,muchofthethree-yearmourningislostandreducedtodaysorweeksasasymbolicgesturetohonorone’sparents.

Andbecauseofthiscultureof“,”Asianchildrengrowupfeelingthattheyhavetodoalotfortheirparents–theyhavetostudyhard,theyhavetogetintoagoodschoolthattheirparentscanbeproudof,theyhavetosupporttheirparentsthroughoutlife,theyshouldlivewiththeirparentstoalwaysbeavailableandmakesureeverythingistakencareoffortheirparents’life-longwellbeing.Asanexample,IhaveacloserelativeinhisfiftieswhohaslefthiswifeandsonintheUnitedStatesforclosetoadecadenow-sohecouldlivewithandtakecareofhisagedmotherinTaiwan;onlyvisitinghisimmediatefamilyafewtimeseachyear.

Incontrast,inmanyWesternsocietieswheretheconceptof“”isnotasprevalent,peoplestillrespecttheirparentsimmensely.However,oncetheyformtheirownfamilies,theygenerallybecomemoredisconnectedandsimplybringtheirchildrentograndpaandgrandmaonceortwiceayear,insteadofconstantlymakinglifedecisionsthataretailoredtotheirparents.

Eventoday,ifmyparentstoldmeIdon’thavebecauseofanybehavior,itwouldcrushmeemotionallyandmotivatemetowardsalmostanythingtoamendforit.JustbecauseIunderstandthenatureofthemotivationdoesnotmeanIamexemptfromit.Itissomethingdeeplyingrainedwithinmeandmyvalues.Insimilarfaith,myparentshavenevermadethataccusationtowardsme,becauseitwouldbeoneofthegreatestinsultsaparentcouldgiveachild.Itisthatseriousandtangiblewhenitcomestothistypeofmotivation.

GameTechniqueswithinEpicMeaning&Calling

NowthatyouhavethemainconceptofCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling,thequestionishowtoimplementitintoyourexperiences.BelowIintroduceafewGameTechniquesthat,ifdesignedcorrectly,canbringoutthesenseofEpicMeaning&Calling.Keepinmind,inmyterminology,whenImentionGameTechniques,ImeantechniquesthatincorporateGameElements(whichincludesGameMechanics)todrivemotivation.

Youwillalsostarttonoticemany“GameTechniquenumbers(#s)”thatfolloweachGameTechniquementioned.TheseGameTechnique#sarepartofascavengerhuntthatoriginatedfrommywebsiteYukaiChou.com.Myreaderswouldtrytocollectallthenumbers,whichwillonedayresultinsomefascinatingthingsthatonecandowithOctalysisdowntheroad.

OnekeythingtorememberisthattheentirepremisebehindtheOctalysisDesignFrameworkisthatoneshouldnotbetoostuckongamemechanics,gametechniques,oranyouterappearancesofadesign.Rather,oneshouldfocusontheCoreDrivesandhowitbringsoutmotivationinanactionablemanner.TheGameTechniques,aswellastheassociated#s,arealljustbellsandwhistlesforgreatmotivationaldesign.IfyoudonotfocusontheCoreDrives,itwillsimplyhavetheShellofanengaginggame,nottheEssence.

Narrative(GameTechnique#10)Mostgamesstartwithanarrativethatgivestheplayersomecontextaboutwhytheyshouldplaythegame.Manyofthemarerelatedtosavingtheworld,aprincess,solvingacase,orevenjusthelpingadragonorcrocodiletakeabath.Sowhydon’tweusenarrativetogivepeoplecontextinotherthings?

OneofthemoreeffectivewaystoinstillEpicMeaning&CallingintoyouruserbaseisthroughanengagingNarrative.Thisallowsyoutointroduceastorythatgivespeoplecontextforahighermeaningthroughinteractingwithyourcompany,product,orwebsite.

Zamzee,a“wearabletechnology”companyforchildren,usesnarrativestoinstillepicfantasiesintochildrentomotivatethemtoexercisemore.Throughitsonlinesoftwareinterface,Zamzeegiveskidsfantasyquests,suchasbecomingasorcerer’sapprentice.Inordertolearnyourfirstspell,yourunupanddownthestairs15times.Eventhoughtheactionitselfisdisconnectedfromthenarrative,justhavingthemmake-believeamagicalmeaninginspiresthekidstoexercisemorebecausetheyarenowmotivatedbytheirownimaginations.Zamzeeshows

thatkidswhoparticipateintheseimaginarymissionsmove59%morethankidswhodon’t13.

HumanityHero(GameTechnique#27)Ifyoucanincorporateaworldmissionintoyourofferings,youcangainevenmorebuy-induringtheOnboardingprocess.OnecompanythatdoesanincrediblejobofinstillingasenseofHumanityHeroisTOM’sShoes,whichsendsonepairofshoestoachildinathird-worldcountrywheneveryouplaceanorderwiththem14.Theideathatyoucanhelpunderprivilegedkidseverytimeyoumakeapurchaseisextremelymotivating.Additionally,whencustomersweartheshoes,theyletothersknowthattheyarehelpingtheworld,whichisaformofTrophyShelf(GameTechnique#64)withinCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.

FreeRiceisanotherexamplethatutilizestheHumanityHerotechnique.FreeRice.comisawebsitethatdonates10grainsofriceforeverycorrectanswertotheeducationalquestionspostedontheirsite.Thefundingcomesfromtheadsandthenumberofpageviewstheygeneratefromthoseansweringthequestions.Todate,FreeRicehasdonated6100metricTONSofrice,consistingof93billiongrainsofriceandenoughtofeed10millionpeople.15

Often,ifyoucantieyoursystemtoacausethatmanypeoplecareabout,youcanbuildanentirebusinessonthegoodwillofothers.

Elitism(GameTechnique#26)Allowingyourusersorcustomerstoformapridefulgroupbasedonethnicity,beliefs,orcommoninterestsalsomakesthemfeelliketheyarepartofalargercause.Elitisminstillsgrouppride,whichmeanseachmembertriestosecuretheprideofthegroupbytakingspecificactions.Thegroupalsoattemptstofrustrateitsrivals,whichcanleadbothgroupsuppingtheiractionstobeatthecompetition.

ThisiswhyUniversityRivalriesaresoengaging.WhenIwasattendingUCLA(UniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles),itwasverydifficulttonotfeelthestrongrivalryagainstUSC(UniversityofSouthernCalifornia).StartingfromorientationasaFreshman(Onboarding),thereisnolackofcontentandjokesthatsetsthesceneoftheUSCrivalry.Duringsportsseasons,thisrivalryreachesitspinnacle,withbothsidesaggressively,sometimesviolently,insultingeach

other.ThereareevenT-Shirtsprintedwiththetext,“My2favoriteteamsareUCLA,andwhoeverisplayingUSC.”

Bothsidesbelievethatthisrivalryisbiggerthanthemselves,andwiththisnewlyinstilledsenseofElitism,theyengageinmanyirrationalactivitiesbecausethey“should”asaproudrepresentativeofthatschool.

Eventhoughrivalriesareengagingorevenfunforstudents,whoactuallybenefitthemostfromtheserivalries?Moreoftenthannot,itistheuniversitiesthemselves.Bycreatinganoutsideenemythatstudents“shouldhatewithapassion,”itcreatesmore“schoolspirit”wherestudentsbondtogetherandcommitDesiredActionsinfrenzies.TicketstogamesagainstUSCselloutquickly,witheveryonegearingupwithUCLAmerchandiseandwarpaint.Moreimportantly,studentsfeelastrongertietowardstheirAlmaMater,whichmeansthatlateronintheircareers,theyaremorepronetodonatetotheirschoolssincethat’swhatsuccessfulalumni“should”do.

Similarineffecttotheconceptof“,”ItooimplicitlyfeelthatI“should”donatetomyAlmaMater.Notbecauseofanypersonalgains,butforapurposebeyondmyownselfishandfamilymatters.Inoneofmyspeeches,anattendeeaskedme,“Iwouldliketofigureouthowtoaddmorealumniparticipationforouruniversity.Academically,werankreallywell,butforsomereason,ouralumnidon’tfeelproudcominghereandjustseeusasasteppingstone.Theyrarelyparticipateordonate!”Myresponsetohimwas,“Soundslikeyouneedtoaddmoreschoolspirittostudentswhiletheyarestillattending.I’mguessingyoudon’thavecompetitiveathleticteamsorbigschoolrivalries?”“No,wedon’t!Howdidyouknow?”

Evenacolleagueofmine,JerryFuqua,chosetoattendUCLAmanyyearsagooverhavingafullscholarshipintoHarvardandotherIvyLeagueschoolsbecausehelovedUCLA’sbasketballteam.AnotherfriendofminewhoacedallhisCalculusexamsasaFreshmaninHighSchoolalsochosetoattendtheUniversityofKansasoverothermoreprestigiousschoolbecausehegrewupbeingafanoftheKUJayhawks.Ifyoueverwonderedifitwasworthaneducationalinstitution’sbudgettosupportanexpensiveathleticteam,nowyouatleastseethejustification.

AnothergreatexampleofElitismisdemonstratedbythemicrolendingplatformKiva.org,whichallowsdevelopedcountriestopseudo-donatetheirmoneytohelpthirdworldcountryvillagersstarttheirsmallbusinessesandhelpsustaintheirfamilies.TocreateasenseofElitism,Kiva.orgcreatedgroupsandpublishedstatisticsthatallowedChristiansandAtheiststocomparetheirgivingagainsteachother,toseewhocontributesmoremoneyinhelpingthirdworldcountries.16

TheChristiansbelievedthat,sincetheBibletellsthemtoloveGodandloveoneanotherbeyondallthings,theyshoulddemonstrategenerositytotheworldandhelpthoseinneed.Asaresulttheyincreasedtheircontributions.TheAtheists,ontheotherhand,wantedtoprovethatonedoesnotneedtobelieveinagodtosimplybekindtofellowhumanbeings,sotheyalsoincreasedtheircontributions.Again,bothsidescontributedmorethantheywouldhaveotherwise,simplybecausetheyfelttheyweredoingitforagreaterpurposethanthemselves-protectingtheirgroup’sreputation.(Disclaimer:IammyselfapersonofChristianfaith).

Beginner’sLuck(GameTechnique#23)

Beginner’sLuckfocusesontheCallingpartinEpicMeaning&Calling.Callingmakespeoplethinktheyareuniquelydestinedtodosomething.WithBeginner’sLuck,peoplefeelliketheyareoneofthefewchosentotakeaction—whichmakesthemmuchmorelikelytotakeit.Ifagamer,uponthefirstdayofplayingagame,randomlyearnsoneofthemostpowerfulswordsinthegame,onethatevenveteranplayerscouldn’teasilyobtain,chancesareheisn’tgoingtoquitondayone.He’lllikelybeusingthatpowerfulswordtokillmonstersfanaticallyuntilthenexthookinthegameshowsup.

ThegamedesignerwouldlikelyalsoaddinSocialInfluence&Relatedness(CoreDrive5)bydesigninginTrophyShelves(GameTechnique#64),whicharemechanismsthatallowtheusertoimplicitlyshowoffwhattheyareproudof.IfthegamedesigneralsoaddsScarcity&Impatience(CoreDrive6)throughMoats(GameTechnique#67)bytellingtheuserhecanonlyequipthisswordoncehedefeatsalltheadversariesataparticularlydifficultlevel,theusernowbecomesobsessedandtriestofigureoutallsortsofwaystoconquerthatlevel.

FreeLunch(GameTechnique#24)Alongthelinesofthe“Calling”theme,givingfreebies(thatarenormallynotfree)toselectedpeopleinsuchawaythatitbindsthemtoalargerthemecanmakecustomersfeelspecialandencouragethemtotakefurtheraction.

Forexample,Spoleto,aBrazilianrestaurantchainwithover200restaurantsthroughoutBrazil,Spain,andMexico,gavealiteralfreelunchtoanyfemalewhotoldthemshewasbeautiful,incelebrationofInternationalWomen’sDay.17Thishelpedpromoteapositivemessageandmadewomenfeelspecialforthatday.Thiswilllikelybringthembackinthefuturetoo,asthisvenueisnowassociatedwithapositivememorythatmakesthemfeelunique.

BelievabilityisKeyEventhoughEpicMeaning&Callingispowerful“beyondmeasure,”itcanalsobackfireandfailinepicproportions.Asyouusetheseconcepts,keepinmindthatyoucanreallyturnpeopleoffwhenyou’reappearingdisingenuousinyoureffortstocreateEpicMeaningandCalling.

Forexample,ifamajorgasolinecompanythatwasknownto“profitfromevil”triedtoconvincepeopletousetheirbrandbysaying,“pumpingwithusprotectstheplanet.”Customerswouldnotonlybeunimpressed,theywouldlikelyfeel

insulted.Orifacertainfastfoodconglomeratethatisknownforcheapunhealthyfoods(thathappentoneverdecompose)runsamarketingcampaignthatsays,“Eatingourfoodprotectsyourhealthandyourfamily,”peoplewouldlikelyseethatasamanipulativeslapintheface.

Eveninfantasymake-believesettingslikeZombiesRun,whereusersaremotivatedtorunmorebecausetheyaretryingtosavetheirvillagefromhypotheticalzombies,youwanttomakesuretheuserispreparedtobelieveinthehigherfantasymeaninginthatcontext.Pretendingthattherearezombiesintheroomduringlargecorporateboardmeetingsinordertogeteveryonetostandupmoreoftenwouldlikelynotfareallthatwell.(Sopleasedon’ttellyourBoardDirectorsthatyoudiditbecauseyoureadmybookonEpicMeaning&Calling).

OnceyouhavefirmlyestablishedbelievabilityinyourEpicMeaning&Calling,youwillhaveagoodchanceofapplyingthisCoreDriveeffectivelytobringoutthefunandselflessnessoutofpeople.

CoreDrive1:TheBiggerPictureCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingistheprimeWhiteHatCoreDrivewithintheOctalysisFramework,andisoftenverypowerfulintheDiscoveryandOnboardingPhasesofaplayer’sjourney.ItunderlinesthepurposebehindtheactivityandstrengthensalltheothersevenCoreDriveswhenitisintroducedcorrectly.Inlaterchapters,wewillalsoexplorehowsomecompaniesutilizeEpicMeaning&Calling(amongotherWhiteHatGamificationCoreDrives)toinspiretheiremployeestoworkwithmorepassionandstayintheorganization,evenwhenothercompaniesofferthemgreatermonetaryincentives.

CoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling’sweaknessliesinthedifficultyofimplementingbelievability,aswellasthelackofurgencywithinthemotivation.Whilepeopleconstantlyaspiretobecomepartofsomethingbiggerandwouldfeelgreatiftheyactuallytooktheactions,theywilloftenprocrastinateanddelaythoseveryactions.Thus,tocreatedesirablebehavior,thegamificationdesignerneedsthehelpoftheotherCoreDriveswithinOctalysis.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:ThinkofanexamplewhereCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callingmotivatedyouorotherstotakecertainactions.Doesitmakepeopleactmore

selflessly?

Medium:Identifyaprojectyouareworkingon.ThinkaboutwhethertherearewaystoinstallCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callingintotheexperience.Canyoutietheexperienceintoabiggertheme?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandseewhatideasotherpeoplehave.

NewSectionUnlocked!-GetInspiredNowthatyouarebecomingfamiliarwiththeOctalysisFramework,checkoutmyTEDxtalkonhoweightdifferentworld-changingproductsutilizeeachofthe8CoreDrivestomaketheworldabetterplace.TheTEDxtalkcanbeaccessedathttp://yukaichou.com/tedx,oryoucansimplygoonGoogleandsearch“GamificationTedx.”

1. WikipediaEntry:“pwn”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pwn.Accessed12/18/2014.↩

2. DonTapscottandAnthonyD.Williams.Wikinomics.P75.PortfolioPublishing.September28,2010.↩

3. WikimediaBlog.“WhoareWikipediasDonors”.02/05/2012.↩4. Maney,Kevin.“Apple’s‘1984’SuperBowlCommercialStillStandsas

WatershedEvent”.USAToday.January28,2004.↩5. Orwell,George.NineteenEighty-Four.Secker&Warburg.1949.↩6. Youtube,“Apple-1984”URL:http://www.yukaichou.com/1984↩7. Friedman,Ted.ElectricDreams:ComputersinAmericanCulture,2005.↩8. Hormby,Tom.LowEndMac.“ThinkDifferent:TheAdCampaignthat

RestoredApple’sReputation”.8/10/2013.↩9. Siltanen,Rob.Forbes.“TheRealStoryBehindApple’s‘ThinkDifferent’

Campaign”.12/14/2011.↩10. WazeWebsite:waze.com↩11. InNorsemythologyandtheComicBookMarvelUniverse,Mjolniristhe

divinethunderhammerofThor.↩12. Jujing,Guo.TheTwenty-fourParagonsofFilialPiety.YuanDynasty

(1260–1368).↩13. ZamzeeBlog.“NewResearchShowsZamzeeIncreasesPhysicalActivity

byAlmost60%”.09/06/2012.↩14. Groden,Claire.Times.“TOMSHits10MillionMarkonDonatedShoes”.

06/26/2013.↩

15. Burbano,Jaime.GamificatorsBlog.“GamificationforaBetterWorld”.10/27/2013.↩

16. Lebo,Lauri.ReligionDispatches.org.UniversityofSouthernCalifornia.”AtheistsandChristiansCompetetoGiveMore”.1/19/2011.↩

17. AOTW.“SpoletoRestaurant:Beautifulwomendon’tpay”.Accessed1/20/2015.↩

Chapter6:TheSecondCoreDrive-Development&Accomplishment

Development&AccomplishmentistheSecondCoreDriveoftheGamificationFrameworkOctalysis.ThisistheCoreDrivewherepeoplearedrivenbyasenseofgrowthandaneedtoaccomplishatargetedgoal.Itiswhatfocusesusonacareerpath,generatesourenthusiasmandcommitmenttolearninganewskill,

andultimatelymotivatesusbyshowingushowfarwe’vecomeandhowmuchwe’vegrown.

Manypeoplehavememoriesoftheirkindergartenteachersgivingthemgoldstarstoemphasizegoodbehavior.Eventhoughthesestickersdon’tbecomerealprizes,childrenareoftenextremelyintentonobtainingmorestarsandwillfocusondetermininghowbesttogainthem.That’saverystraightforwarddemonstrationontheeffectsofDevelopment&Accomplishmentandhoweasyitistoaddthemintoanexperience.

Thisisalsothemostcommonimplementationofgamificationweseeinthemarket,asmostofthePBLs–points,badges,andleaderboards–appealheavilytothisdrive.

Development&AccomplishmentinGamesAlmostallgamesshowyousometypeofprogresstowardstheWin-States.AWin-Stateisoftenascenariowheretheuserhasovercomesomesortofchallenge-that’sthe“win”intheWin-State.Gamesbreakdownuserchallengesintostagestohelptheuserfeellikethereisalwaysprogress.

Ourbrainshaveanaturaldesiretoachievegoalsandtoexperiencegrowthinordertofeelthatrealprogressinlifeisbeingmade.WeneedWin-States.Gamescansustainlongforty-hourorevenfour-thousand-hourplayerjourneysbecausetheyusedistinctivestagesandboss-fightstorecognizeuseraccomplishmentalongtheway.

Todisplaythatsenseofaccomplishment,somegamesshowyoupoints,othersuselevels,badges,stages,progressbars,betterlookinggear,victoryanimations…thelistgoeson.However,justbecauseyouseeyourprogressthroughtheseelementsdoesnotnecessarilymeanyoufeelaccomplished.

ThekeytoCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishmentistomakesureusersareproudofovercomingthechallengesthataresetoutforthem.JaneMcGonigal,renownedgamedesignerandPh.D.inPerformanceStudies,definesgamesas“unnecessaryobstaclesthatwevolunteertotackle.”1(ThisisoriginallydefinedbythephilosopherBernardSuits).

McGonigalpointsoutthatchallengesandlimitationsarewhatmakeagamefun.Forexample,ifgolfwasjustagamewithoutanylimitations,everyplayerwould

justpickuptheballandputitintotheholetowin.Everyonewouldscorehigh,andeveryindividualwhohasoutgrownthe“puttingaroundpegthrougharoundhole”gamewillprobablyfeelbored.

Byaddingunnecessaryobstacles,suchasrequiringtheuseofastrangestick,certaindistances,andlandscapehazards,golfbecomesfunbecausetheplayeractuallyfeelsaccomplishedoncesuchchallengesareovercome.GamificationaimstointegratethatfeelingofDevelopment&Accomplishmentintoeverydayexperienceswithinyourproductorservice.

TheFirstGamificationSitethatIwasAddictedtoOneofthemostpopularblogpostsonmywebsiteisalistofthe“Top10eCommerceGamificationExamplesthatwillRevolutionizeShopping.”AtthetopofthislistiseBay(fulldisclosure–IworkedwitheBayonacoupleprojectsin2013)2.

eBay.comisanonlineauctionsitethatwasfoundedin1995,fairlyearlyintheWorldWideWebera.ItbecameoneofthelargestDotComboomsuccesses,andasoftodayitisoneoftheleadingtechcompaniesinSiliconValley.ItisalsooneoftheearliesteCommercecompaniesthatbuiltgamificationintoitscoreDNA.Ifyouplantocreateasimple,genericeCommercesite,it’snotnecessarilyintuitivetoincludeacompetitivebiddingsystemorascoredbuyer-sellerfeedbackinterface.Norisitobvioustoprovidea“pathtolevelup”throughachievementsymbolssuchasYellow,Purple,andGoldenStars,aswellascreatingaPowerSellerstatussystem.

eBaywastheplatformthattriggeredthefoundingofmyfirstbusiness.WithouteBay,itisverylikelythatIwouldnothavebecomeanentrepreneur,andasaresultyouwouldnothavethisbooktoread.

WhenIwasabouttoenterUCLAasaFreshman,therewasalocalbarbecueeventwheresecondyearstudentssharedtheirexperienceandtipswithus“newbs.”Atthatevent,therewasadrawingfortwofootballticketstothefirstgameoftheseason.Iwasconvenientlyselectedtobethestudenttodrawasinglenameoutofaboxtowinthesetwotickets.CallitDivineWill,fate,coincidence,orwhathaveyou;Idrewmyownnameoutofthebox.

WhenIannounceditwasmyownname,everyonewasastonished,andtheeventorganizerjokedwithawink,“Congratulations!Justmakesureyoudon’tsellit

oneBay!We’llcheck!”

Atthetime,Ithought“What’seBay?I’veheardaboutitbefore.”IdidsomeresearchabouteBay,andshortlyafterIsoldmytwoticketsthroughtheplatform(Ihopethebarbecueorganizersdon’treadmybook).

Thatonetransactionwassurprisinglythrillingandfunforme.WhenIreceivedmyfirstbidfromananonymousstrangerontheInternet,Ialmostjumpedforjoy(culturaljoke:butIdidnotgetstuck).Shortlyafter,Ibecameobsessivelygluedtothescreenafteranotherbidderjoinedinonthe“war.”

Duringthefewdaysofthelisting,itwastheonlythingonmymind.Icontinuouslycheckedmylisting,tryingtoseeifpeoplewouldoutbidthelastbidder.Ofcourse,itwaslife-endinglydepressingwhennoonehadputinanewbidaftermyfourththree-minutecheck!Bytheway,thisiswhatInowcalla“TortureBreak”(GameTechnique#66),whereausermustwaitanintervaloftimeregardlessoftheiractions,agametechniquetobeexploredunderCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.

WhenIfinallysoldthetwoticketsforafewhundreddollars,Iwasecstatic.IfeltthatIhadjustaccomplishedsomethinggreat(forapersonjustgraduatinghighschool).Imademyfirstmoneyasaseller!IstartedtofindotherthingstoselloneBay.Duringthistime,InoticedthatthefinalpriceofaneBayauctionisusuallydeterminedbywhatpartofthedaythelistingends.Thisisbecausemostpeopleliketowaitforthelastfewminutestoputtheirbidsinandstealthedeal.

Inthatfrenzy,peoplequicklyoutbideachotherbeforethetimerunsout.ThiseffectisacombinationofaCountdownTimer(GameTechnique#65)andaLastMileDrive(GameTechnique#53),whereusersfeelthattheyaresoclosetothegoalthattheyrushtocompleteit.Fortherecord,thesemostlyemployBlackHattechniques.

Observingthiseffect,IbeganasmallbusinessbuyingandsellingTI-83Calculators,whichwasoftenahighschoolandcollegemathclassrequirement.IwouldstarttobuyalltheTI-83sIcouldfindthatendedtheirlistingsat2AM,whennoonewasbiddingagainstme,typicallyfor$40.Iwouldthenresellthemwithauctionsendinglateintheafternoonwheneveryonewasbiddingagainsteachother,typicallyfor$60.Asopposedtotheboringmathematicaltheories

fromeconomicsclassandthesocialinterminglingwithincollegeparties,thiswasthegamethatIneededtomaster.

Truetothegamifiedspirit,whenIsoldmytenthitemoneBay,IreceivedanemailfromeBayitself!Itwasacertificatesentfromthispersonnamed“Meg,”congratulatingmeasavaluableeBaysellerandgivingmeaYellowStarCertificate!IwassoexcitedaboutthisAchievementSymbol(GameTechnique#2),thatIprinteditoutandputitonmydormroomformanyyears.Eventoday,Ithinkitisstillsittingsomewhereinaboxatmyparents’home.

EventhoughthiswasnottheoriginalcertificateIreceived,itlookedsomethingliketheimagebelow.

EventuallyIwouldsellaplethoraofotheritems,includingnewelectronicproductssuchasdigitalcameras,iPods,GPSdevices,andevensomestringquartetsongsIwrote!Inmysecondyearofcollege,attheheightofmyeBay

career,Ireceiveda100%satisfactionratingwithover1,100positivefeedbacks.Asaresult,IwasawardedaRedStarranking.

“Ioverpaidformyproduct.Takethat,suckas!”Basedontheabove,it’seasytoseehoweBayusesCoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmenttomaketheexperiencemorefunandaddictivefortheSeller.ButwhatabouttheBuyer?WhatmakesabuyerwanttocontinuouslybuyoneBay?

Fromthebuyer’sperspective,thegeniusthingabouteBayisthatwhenapurchaseismade,youaren’tjustbuyingsomethingonlinelikeyoudoonothereCommerceplatforms.No,insteadoffeelingthatyouarejustacquiringsomeitemsinexchangeforyourmoney,youfeellikeyou’veactuallyWon!

Sure,aftersomeadrenaline-filledbiddingattheend,youmayhaveendeduppayingtenpercentmorethanyouotherwisewouldhave,butyouatleastachievedvictoryoverthoseelevenotherbastardswhowerebiddingagainstyou!

“Takethatsuckas!It’smine!”

Insteadofjustpayingyourwaytosuccess,whichanyonecoulddoeasily,youworkedhardandactuallyachievedaWin-State!Youfeelaccomplished,andthevalueofthathappinessfarexceedstheextramoneyyouenduppayingfortheitem.OneBay,youarenotpayingtopurchase;youarepayingtoplay.

Thisissimilartogameswherepeoplespendmoneyinordertobeatdifficultlevelsthattheycan’tovercome.Tobeexact,peoplearen’tbuyingvictories.If,immediatelyafterpeoplepaythegamestudio,amessagepopsupandsays,“Congratulations!Youhavewon!”,veryfewpeoplewouldfeelexcited.Anyonecouldjustpaymoneyandgetsomething.Whatgamersarepayingfor,isthefeelingofbeingawesome.Theypaytogetpowerfulweaponsorboostersthatallowthemtodefeatabunchofenemymonstersquickly,ultimatelyachievingdominatingvictory.

AnotherexamplethatbuildsonthesameprincipleistheGeneralMillsbrandBettyCrockercakemixes.Whenitfirstlaunchedmanydecadesago,itwasdesignedtobetheeasiestcakemixforstay-at-home-momstomake,wheretheyjusthavetoaddwatertothepowderedmixandthenstickitintotheovenfor

deliciouscakestocomeout.Unfortunately,saleswerefairlystagnantandthecompanyeventuallyhiredbusinesspsychologiststohelpdeterminewhy.

Oneofthehypotheseswasthatthecakemixesweresoeasytomake,customersdidn’tfeeltheywereactuallybaking,andthereforedidnothaveasenseofaccomplishmentorcompetence.Basedonthisconcept,insteadofmakingtheprocesseasierbyremovingsteps,GeneralMillsdecidedtoaddadditionalstepstotheprocess.TheydecidedtoremovetheconvenientlypowderedeggsfromtheirBettyCrockercakemixesandrequiredthebakerstoaddintheirownfresheggsbeforeputtingthemintotheoven.

Tomany’ssurprise,theproductimmediatelybecameabreakoutsuccess.Byaddingthatextrastepofthrowinginaneggyourself,peoplefeltthattheywereactuallybakingadeliciousdesserttocomplimentameal.Thismadethemfeelgreataboutthemselvesandtheircontributionstothefamily.3.Thephilosophyof,“Gamesareunnecessaryobstaclesthatwevolunteertotackle”canbeseenclearlyhere,whereaddingafewextrastepsincreasedCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishmentwithintheexperience.

Asaresultofthegamifiedsystemsmentionedabove,manyclaimthatbeingoneBayis“addictive.”IteventuallytransformedfromapersonalhobbytoaFortune200companythatisworthover$70Billion.4

WhataboutAmazon?AfterlookingateBay,youmightask,“WhataboutAmazon?Aren’ttheyevenmoresuccessful?Idon’tseeanygamificationontheirplatform.”It’strue,foundedin1994,justayearbeforeeBay,AmazonisnowaFortune50giantwortharound$150Billion,andtheydon’tdo“gamification.”

Well,theydon’tdogamificationasinintegratingpoints,badges,narratives,avatarsorpathstolevelingup.However,theyhavespentagreatamountofresourcesnailingdownmanytechniqueswithinHuman-FocusedDesignandmanyofthe8CoreDrives,whicharethebackbonedriversofsuccessfulgames.

Ifyourecallfrompreviouschapters,goodImplicitGamificationisofteninvisiblelikeadoorknob–youdon’tevennoticeit’sthere,butyoudouseittoopenandcloseadoorwithoutthinking.ThroughAmazon’soptimizeddesign,wecanseeafewCoreDrivesbeingimplementedwithgreateffect.

Firstofall,themainCoreDrivebehindAmazon’sbusinessisCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.AsmentionedinChapter3,thepremisebehindthisCoreDriveisthatifyoufeellikeyouownsomething,youtendtowanttoimproveit,protectit,andgetmoreofit.

AmazonhasworkedhardtostreamlinethisprocessofOwnership&Possession.Itisanoptimizedenginethatallowsyoutoownandpossessthingsquickly,accurately,andwithouthassle.Ithasestablisheditselfastheprimeplaceto“getmorestuff,”andyouknowyouarelikelygettingthecheapestbargainonthemarket.WithAmazon,youknowyoucanownmore,faster.

Also,Amazonisconstantlylearningaboutyourpreferencesandpersonalizingwhatyouseetowhoyouare,somethingIcalltheAlfredEffect(GameTechnique#83).Asitdoesso,thesenseofOwnership&Possessiongrowsevenmoreaspeoplenowidentifyitasaunique“MyAmazon”experiencethatnoothereCommercesitecanprovide.

Don’tfallbehindyourneighbors!AccompanyingtheAlfredEffectisAmazon’sRecommendationEngine,nowinfamousinthepersonalizationindustry.Amazon’srecommendationengine,accordingtoAmazonthemselves,ledto30%oftheirsales5.That’safairlysignificantfactorforacompanythatisalreadymakingbillionsofdollarseverymonth.Infact,JPMangalindan,awriterforFortuneandCNNmoney,arguesthatasignificantpartofAmazon’s29%salesgrowthfromthesecondfiscalquarterof2011tothesecondfiscalquarterof2012wasattributedtotherecommendationengine.6

Andwhatdoesthisrecommendationenginelooklike?

“CustomersWhoBoughtThisItemAlsoBought.”

Amazonquicklyrealizedthat,bylearningaboutwhatotherpeoplesimilartoyouarebuying,youhaveamuchhighertendencytobuythesameitemstoo.CanyouthinkaboutaCoreDrivethatpushesthisbehavior?

Youmayhaveguessedit(butIwon’tjudgeyouifyouhaven’t)-CoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.Byknowingwhatother,similarpeoplearebuying,socialproofandrelatednesshelpconsumersmakedecisionswithgreaterconfidence.ThishelpsAmazonincreasetheirsalesandsubsequentup-sells.

Ofcourse,another“SocialInfluence&Relatedness”factorofAmazonthatheavilycontributedtoitsearlysuccess,wasthemillionsofuserreviewsonbooksandotheritems.

“MyfriendBobsaysthedoctoriswrong–andhereadsalotabouthealth.”

StudiesonTrustandReputationinPeer-to-PeerNetworksbyresearcherslikeYaoWangandJulitaVassilevaoftheUniversityofSaskatchewan,aswellasMinaxiGupta,PaulJudge,andMostafaAmmaroftheGeorgiaInstituteofTechnologyfoundthattheaverageconsumerprefersandtrustsreviewsbypeersoverthosebyprofessionalcritics78.Thisissomewhatodd,becauseprofessionalcriticshavemadeittheirlifemissiontodistinguishthegoodfromthebad.Foreverypublishedreview,theywouldspendasignificantamountoftimecollectingallthenecessaryinformation,goingthroughtheexperience,justtowriteawellthought-outpiecereflectingtheirdepthofknowledgeandcommitment.

Butwhenitcomesdowntoit,consumersseemtopreferthethoughtsandopinionsofotherconsumers,wholikelydonothavethesamelevelofsophisticationandunderstandingwiththeproduct,letalonespentthesameamountoftimeexperiencingandreviewingtheiteminquestion.Attheendoftheday,wevaluethethoughtsofpeoplewecanrelateto,oftenmorethanthevoiceofauthoritativeexperts.

InAmazon’sreviewinterface,youseeastatementsuchas,“4.6outof5stars,”followedbya“leaderboard”ofreviewsthatexpressesthevotingsentimentsofthecommunity.Forthetopreview,“400of445peoplefoundthefollowingreviewhelpful.”Coincidently,thereviewwasgivenby“BookShark,”whoislabeleda“Top500Reviewer.”

Ohwait,therearealsoleaderboards,communityvoting,andstatuslabelingonAmazon?IfyouthoughtAmazondoesnotusegamification,thinkagain.Whileyouareatit,trytorememberwhatwasthecolorofthelastdoorknobyouheld.

NevermakeUsersFeelDumbI’dliketotakeamomentheretopointoutthatthoughthefocusofthischapterisonCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment,itisalmostimpossibletoevaluateagoodexperienceorproductwithoutconsideringtheothersevenCoreDrives,astheyintricatelyworktogethertocreateaunifiedandmotivatingexperience.EventhoughthesuccessonAmazonisseenthroughmanyother

CoreDrives,suchasScarcity&Impatience,aswellasEmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,let’srefocusbackonthethemeofDevelopmentandAccomplishment.

Beyondimprovingone’sranksandobtainingbadges,averyimportanttypeofemotionalaccomplishmentisto“feelsmart.”Weallliketofeelcapableandcompetent,andfeelingsofbeingincompetentorpowerlesscancreatesomeofthemostscarringmomentsofourlives.

Aproductthatmakesusersfeelstupid,nomatterhowgreatthetechnology,isoftenafailingproduct.Frommyexperience,ifauserspendsfoursecondsonaninterfaceandcan’tfigureoutwhattodo,theyfeelstupidandwillstarttodisengageemotionally.

TheGoogleSearchEnginemakessurethisdoesn’thappen.BeforeGooglebecame“Google,“Yahoo!wasthequintessential“searchengine.”giant.However,Yahoo!sawitselfasanonlineportalwherepeoplecoulddiscovernewcontentinsteadofbeingapuresearchengine.

Interestingly,whentheGoogleFounderswantedtoselltheirsearchenginetoYahooforameasly$1million,Yahooturneditdown,eventhoughtheyrecognizedGoogletobeamoreefficientsearchenginethattookpeopletotheirdestinationsfaster.ThiswasbecauseitwentagainstYahoo’sportalstrategyofshowingusersmanylinkstoclickon,leadingtomanymoreclickablelinks(aCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityCoreDriveplay).Andalongtheway,offeringadvertisinglinkstoclickon.9

Consequently,whenyougotoYahoo’shomepage,youwillseeagreatdealofcontentalongwithlinks.Eventhoughitdoesdrivemanyclicksandexploratoryactivitiesformanyusers,itcanbeabitdauntingorevenparalyzingforuserswhocan’tnavigateanddecidethroughsomanychoices.Google,ontheotherhand,focusestheirstrategyontheDevelopment&AccomplishmentCoreDrive.

WhenyougoonGoogle.com,youusuallyseeonlytwothings:Google’slogo,andasearchbox.Thereisalmostnochanceforyoutofeelconfusedaboutwhattodonext.Youtypeyourinquiryinthesearchbox.Evenifyouarenotexactlysurewhattosearch(amomentoffeelingpartiallyincompetent),theauto-fillfunctionjumpsrightintogiveyousuggestions.

Googleunderstoodthiskeypointveryearlyon.AccordingtothebookTheGoogleStorybyDavidA.ViseandMarkMalseed,thecompanywassoclearlyfocusedonthestrategyofhavingacleanhomepage,thattheyturneddownmanygreatmonetizationopportunitieswhichcouldbeleveragedfromtheirlaunchpoint;eventilltoday.10Itissaidthatanorganization’sstrategyisnotwhattheychoosetodo,butwhattheyinsistonnotdoing.

Unfortunately,theunderstandingandsophisticationofmakingusersfeelsmartfromGoogledoesn’talwaysspillintotheirotherproductlines.Google+isacommonexampleofhowagreattechnologycanmakeusersfeeldumbandlosetraction.

EventhoughGooglelikestotouthowGooglePlus’“activeusers”countmakesitthesecondlargestsocialnetworkintheworld,theaverageconsumerunderstandsthatitisbecausetheyweresomehow“tricked”intotheGoogle+interfacewhileusingYouTubeorGmail,somethingIcallbruteforcedistribution(nogametechniquehere).Despitehundredsofmillionsof“activeusers,”accordingtoComScoreandNelson,averageGoogle+usagetimeperusereverymonthislessthan7minutes.Comparedtothe400minutespermonthfromFacebook,itclearlyisn’ttheplaceeveryoneishangingoutat.

OtherwebsavvyusersalsocontinuetouseGoogle+becauseofallegedSearchEngineOptimizationadvantagesformarketing,whichiscreditedtothebrilliantworkdonebythesearchengineitselfratherthanthemeritsofthesocialplatform.11Afterall,somepeoplewouldeveneatinsectsifithelpsthemincreasetheirsearchrankings.

Despitebeingthe“numbertwosocialnetworkintheworld,”ifyoulookatGoogle’sownblog,withitsuseraudiencebeingthemostbiasedtowardsGoogleproducts,youwilloftenseewaymoretweetsandFacebookLikesthanGoogle+1’soneachpost.AnunnamedGoogleemployeeoncetoldme,“AtGoogle,there’sthisjoke,‘Ifyouareorganizingapartyandyoudon’twantanyonetoknowaboutit,shareitonGooglePlus.’”

StarofBethlehem-GuidingUsersForwardIfyouhaveplayedthepopularhitgameCandyCrush,haveyoueverwonderedwhywhenyoudon’tmakeamoveforafewseconds,thegameshowsyoua“GlowingChoice”(GameTechnique#28)ofapossiblesolutionthatisoftennot

theoptimalwaytomatchthegems?Inalmostallcases,ifyoujustblindlyfollowtheGlowingChoices,youwillenduplosingthegame.Whywouldtheyshowmeasolutionthatdoesnotmakemewin?Isthisatrap?

Thetruthis,CandyCrushunderstandsthat,feelingasenseofprogressandultimatelylosingismuchbetterthanfeelingstuckandconfused.Ifyouplaythegamethroughandlose,yournaturalreactionistostartanewgame;butifyougetstuckandcan’tfindthreegemstomatchforalongperiodoftime,youmayjustabandonthegamealtogetherandstartdoingotherthings.Perhapstheexpertconsultanthasalreadyansweredtheemailyoujustsentout-betterchecknow!

BacktoAmazon;Amazonmakespeoplefeelsmartwhentheybuythings.Theydoitinmanydifferentways.Firstofall,Amazontriestoavoidthe4-SecondRulebymakingsureusersalwaysknowwhattodonext.

Onthisscreenshotofaproductlisting,mostofthescreeniswhitewithblacktext,butgraphically,theexperienceguidestheusertowardstwoDesiredActions.Thefirstisthe“LookInside”buttononthebook,displayedinvibrantcolorswithapointedarrow,similartotheinteractiveonboardingtutorialsfoundwithingames.ThisisanotherexampleofaGlowingChoice,whereauserisvisuallyguidedbyobvioussignstowardshowtoproceed.

ThesecondDesiredActionisthegreenzoneontheright,withtwotime-testedorangeactionitembuttonsthatserveastherealconversionmetricforthebusiness.Interestingly,thetwoorangebuttonsdon’tevenhavethesamecolor,withthe“BuyNowwith1-Click”showingacursorindexfingerpressingabuttonwithinthebutton.

ItisimportanttonotethatthisDesiredActionistheonlypartofthepagethatisvisually“colorful,”andtheeyesautomaticallyareguidedtothatdirection.IcallthataDesertOasis(GameTechnique#38),wherevisuallynothingelseisprominentbesidesthemainDesiredAction.TheDesertOasislooksgreenandjuicyanditsubconsciouslysuggeststhatthereisaWin-Statebehindthisoption.

Finally,AmazonneverforgetstoshowyouabogusListPricethatiscrossedout,arealsellingpricebelowit,andittellsyoutheamountandpercentageofyoursavingsifyoudidn’tpaythebogusListPrice.Thisagainmakespeoplefeelliketheyaremakingthesmartchoiceforgettingagreatdeal.AmisunderstandingofthisconceptledJ.C.PenneytofiretheirformerCEORonJohnson,widelyknownforpioneeringtheAppleStore,aftera“FairandSquare”campaignofremoving“fake”discountnumbers,resultinginoneofthebiggestfailuresinretailhistory.12

ThePremiumPriceofSmartyPantsBoguspricesthatmakeusersfeelsmartareseeneverywhere.IntheBehavioralEconomicsBestsellerbookPredictablyIrrational,DanArielydescribesacasewhereagroupofMITstudentsarepresentedwithachoicebetweenpaying$59.00foraone-yearsubscriptiontothedigitaleditionoftheEconomistmagazineortopay$125.00foraone-yearsubscriptiontoboththedigitalandprinteditionsofthemagazine.Themajorityofthestudents(68%)chosethedigitalversionfor$59.00.13.Whowantstopay$66moreforphysicalcopiesofmagazineswhenyoucanjustreaditdigitallyforhalfthepriceanyway?

However,whenanother$125.00optiontobuyaone-yearsubscriptionforjusttheprintededitionsofthemagazinewasinsertedinthemiddleoftheabovetwooptions,itchangedeverything.Technically,thisshouldn’tdoanythingright?Whywouldanyonegeta$125subscriptionforprintededitionsofthemagazinewhentheycouldgetprintedanddigitaleditionsforthesamepriceat$125?Andwealreadydeterminedabovethatveryfewpeoplewantedbotheditionsfor$125anyway.Howcouldaddinganevenlessdesirableoptionchangeuserbehavior?

Butsurprisingly,whenshowingthesethreeoptionstonewgroupsofMITstudents,zeropeoplechosethenewprintversiononlyoptionaswemighthaveexpected(theyaresmartMITstudentsafterall),butaoverwhelmingmajorityofthestudents(84%)suddenlywantedtoorderthedigitalandprintsubscriptionsfor$125,andonly16%ofthestudentswantedthedigital-onlycopyfor$59.

IfyouweretheEconomistmagazine,thismeansaddingtheuselessoptionthatnoonewantswillsuddenlyincreaseyourtotalrevenuesby44.6%!Howdoesthatmakeanysense?Thesecretliesinthefactthatpeopledonottakeactionsthatarenecessarilythemosteconomical,butactionsthatmakethemfeelthesmartest.

Ihavepersonallyseenrichwomenwhospenddozensofhoursclippingcouponssotheycouldreducea$20itemto$0.60.Dotheyneedtheextrasavings?No.Isitthemosteconomicaluseoftheirtime?Probablynot.Buttheydoitbecauseitmakesthemfeelsmart.Theygettobuya$20itemwithadollarbill,andtheyevengetchangeback!Similarly,inthecaseofthemagazine,whenapersonseesthatittakes$125togettheprintversionsalone,butalso$125togettheprintversionandthedigitalversion,itnowfeelslikethedigitalversionwasobtainedforFREE!Byputtingoutabaitreferenceprice,peoplenowfeelsmartergettingtheonethatseemedlikeano-brainergooddeal.Sometimesfeelingsmartcomesataluxuriouscost.

LimitationsofeBay’sDesignBecauseoftheGlowingChoices,PersonalizedRecommendations,PeerReviews,andDesertOasisdesignelementsmentionedabove,Amazonusersneverfeelconfusedaboutwhattodonext.YoumovequicklytowardstheWin-State,andespeciallyifyoumadethe“feel-smart”decisionofpurchasingAmazonPrime,youritemwillshiptoyourhomewithintwodays,witheasyreturnandrefundoptions.

eBayontheotherhand,doesnotenjoythesameluxuriesofmakingusersfeelsmart.Tostart,eBay’sinterfaceisabitmorelikeGoogle+,wheretheuserdoesn’treallyknowwheretofindwhattheywant.Withavarietyofhorizontalandverticalmenusonthesamescreen,alongwithmultipledropdownmenus,it’seasyforausertospendoverfoursecondsbeforefiguringoutwheretheywanttogo.

Also,becauseofeBay’sDNAofbeingabiddingmarketplace,itdoesnothaveasmuchcontrolovertheexperienceoftheusers.Whenauserfinallybuysaproduct,eBaycannotguaranteetheitemwillarrivewithintwodays.Infact,eBayisatthemercyoftheamateursellers,whomaynotevenshiptheproductoutinaweek.Evenwhenthesellerhasshippedtheitem,theysometimesdon’trecorditasshipped,letaloneincludeatrackingnumber.Duringthistimeof

waiting,thebuyerhasnoideawhethertheproductwasshippedornot,andwhenitwillarrive.Thisdefinitelydoesnotinducefeelingsofcompetency.

Luckily,whenthatdreamitemfinallyarrives,joyisreinstalled,andthatdelayedgratificationfuelsthedrivetobuyagainoneBay.Unfortunately,whentheitemdoesn’tcomeintheformyoudreamtittobe,thereinliesthelimitationsofeBay.Especiallyasaused-itemmarket,youmayreceiveitemsthatareindifferentconditionsthandescribed,damagedduringshipment,orjustplainoutnotwhatyoupaidfor.AndinthecaseofeBay,theycan’tjustgiveyouareturn-refund.Thesellerwhoshadilysoldyoutheproductinthefirstplacehasto.

Sure,youhavetheoptiontoleavenegativefeedbackoneBay’sreputationsystem,butforyearstherewasastrangefeedbackstandstillphenomenonwhichparalyzedfurtheractivity.Whentherehasbeenabadexperience,bothsidesrefusetoleavethefirstnegativefeedbackinfearofnegativefeedbackretaliation.EventhoughIhadabadexperiencebuyingateBay,Ididn’twanttogivethesellerabadreviewbecausethesellercouldturnaroundandsayIwasabadbuyer,hurtingmyreputation.Thatstalemateisanotherbadfeelingtogothrough,wheretheuserfeelsunsettledandnotfeelingsosmartaboutthepurchasingdecision(Note:thisexperiencehasbeenimproveduponinrecentyears).

Sure,theusercantakethisbadexperienceuptoeBayorevenreportfraudonPaypal(whichisownedbyeBay),butthatprocessisgrueling,withlotsofwaiting,frustration,andoftenpoorcommunication.Lettingusersgetstuckinbureaucracy(orbetransferredbackandforthonhold)isasurewaytomakethemfeelhelpless.

Imagineagameyouplay,wherebyworkinghardandreachingtheWin-State,youhavetowonderforaweekwhenyourrewardwillshowup.Whenitdoes,itmightactuallyshowupasapenaltyinsteadofareward,andtheonlywaytosortitoutistogothroughlongstepsofnegotiationandbureaucracy.Howoftenwouldyouplaythisgame?Itbecomesmucheasiertomoveonandnevercomebackagain.Perhapsthiswouldmakeanothergreatstoryintheusers’dailycomplainingritualstoo.

Ofcourse,thoughIfirmlybelievethatbothAmazonandeBaycandrasticallyimprovetheirmetricsevenmorewithbettergamificationandHuman-FocusedDesign,bothcompaniesareincrediblyandintimidatinglysuccessful.With

billionsofdollarsinrevenue,eachcompanypowerfullywieldsdifferentCoreDrivesthatmakethemsuccessful,engaging,andevenaddictive.

Wait,that’snotnew!Perhapsatthispoint,somepeoplewillsay,“Makingthingseasyforusersandmakingthemfeelsmart…that’snotprofoundatall!That’swhatallUsability,UserInterface,UserExperience,andso-calledUser-CenteredDesigneffortsalreadyworkon.HowisGamificationorHuman-FocusedDesigndifferent?”

IbelievethemaindifferencebetweenHuman-FocusedDesignandtheotherfieldsmentionedisthattheyprimarilyfocusonthe“ease”ofdoinganactivityinsteadofthemotivationbehindit.Whileusabilityfocusesonmakinguserscompletetheirtasksmoreintuitively,assumingusersalreadywanttodothatactivity,OctalysisGamificationfocusesonthemotivationtodothosetasksinthefirstplace.

EventhoughmostUX(UserExperience)Expertsalsofocusontheeaseandflowoftheexperience,IhavenotseenmanyUXprofessionalstrytoimprovemotivationthroughahigherepicvisionthatuserscanbelievein,norwithholdingcertainpartsoftheexperiencetocreateemotionalscarcity.Thefocusisquitedifferent.

Inreality,GamificationisacombinationofGameDesign,GameDynamics,MotivationalPsychology,BehavioralEconomics,UX/UI,Neurobiology,TechnologyPlatforms,andBusinessSystemsthatdriveanROI.Interestingly,gameshavealloftheabovebesidesthelastpart:businesssystemsthatdriveanROI(orReturnonInvestment).

Inordertomakeagreatgame,oneneedstohavegreatgamedynamics,greatUX/UI,haveanunderstandingofBehavioralEconomicsthroughitsvirtualeconomy,motivationalpsychologyandrewardschedules,aswellastheintricaterelationshipsbetweenhittingWin-Statesanddopaminefiring.Ifanyofthesefactorsareoff,theplayersimplyabandonsthegame.

Forthisreason,whenwestudygoodgamification/gamedesign,wewillalsoinevitablybringupmanyconceptsofcreatingbehaviorandgreatexperiencesinmanyotherfields.

GameTechniqueswithinDevelopment&AccomplishmentYouhavelearnedmoreaboutthemotivationalandpsychologicalnatureofCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.Tomakeitmoreactionable,I’veincludedsomeGameTechniquesbelowthatheavilyutilizethisCoreDrivetoengageusers.

ProgressBars(GameTechnique#4)OneofthesimplestandbestknownexamplesofDevelopment&AccomplishmentistheLinkedInProgressBar.Asthelargestprofessionalsocialnetworkintheworld,LinkedInrealizedthatitsvalueisonlyasgoodastheinformationpeoplechoosetoinputintothesystem.Butinputtingone’sprofileandjobhistoryonLinkedInistedious,andusersquicklydropoutearlyintheonboardingprocess.

LinkedInrealizesthatsimplymakingtheinterfaceeasierforuserstomaneuverwasnotenough.Theyneededtomaketheinterfacemoremotivating.AsaresultLinkedInintroducedalittleProgressBar(GameTechnique#4)onthesideofuserprofilestoshowpeoplehowcompletetheirsare.Ourbrainshateitwhenincompletethingsaredangledinfrontofourfaces.Whenweseeaprogressbarthatistauntingusasonlybeing70%ofahumanbeing,itgivesusthatextrapushtofinishtheDesiredActionsandachievetheWin-Stateofcompleteness.

Theamazingthingis,thisprogressbardidn’ttakedevelopersmanyhourstocode,butimprovedLinkedIn’sprofilecompletenessby20%,animpressivechangeconsideringhowtheyhavespentmillionsofdollarsintoachievingthissamegoal14.

ProgressBarsareseeninmanyplacesnowadays,andisoftenusedintheOnboardingexperience.Itisoneofthesimplestgamificationdesigntechniquesoutthere.Ofcourse,ifdesignedincorrectly,itwouldalsofailtocreatemeaningfulengagement.AparodyexamplecalledProgressWarsbyJakobSkjerningshowsameaninglessgamewhereeverytimeyouclickabutton,aprogressbarfillsup,allowinguserstolevelup15.ThisisagreatexampleofhavinggamedesigntechniquesinasystemwithoutCoreDrivespoweringthem,leadingtolowengagementresults.

TheRockstarEffect(GameTechnique#92)TheRockstarEffectisagamificationdesigntechniquewhereyoumakeusersfeellikeeveryoneisdyingtointeractwiththem.Inessence,ifyoumakepeoplefeelliketheyhaveearnedtheirwayinbecomingaRockstar,theywillfeelsomuchprideinitthattheywillcontinuetoperformtheDesiredActionsofbuildingupanevengreaterfanbaseandsharingwithothers.

TwitterisgreatexampleofutilizingtheRockstarEffect.MostpeoplerememberTwitter’sinnovationbeingthelimitationofonly140characterswithinamessage(whichisaninterestingbalancebetweenCoreDrive6:Scarcity&ImpatiencecombinedwithCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback),butfewpeoplerememberthatanotheroneofTwitter’skeyinnovationswastheone-wayfollow.

Backintheday,socialconnectionsweremutual–eitherbothsidesagreetobefriends,ornorelationshipexisted.WhenTwitterwaslaunchedin2006,itcamewiththisnewone-wayfollowsystem,allowinguserstofollowthemessageupdatesofpeoplewhoareinteresting,withoutthesepeoplefollowingtheusersback.Becauseoftheone-waynatureoftherelationship,manypeoplesawgettingmanyfollowersasatrueachievement–meaningthateveryonewantedtolistentoyourvaluableopinions,eventhoughyoudidn’tgivearat’spancreasabouttheiropinions.

Peopletriedashardastheycouldto“earn”followers–tweetingoutwittycomments,sharingvaluablelinks,andretweetingotherstogainattention.Someevenpressuredtheirnon-techfriendstofollowthemjustsotheycouldlook

betteronTwitter.Thisbecameagameformany,wherethegoalwastoreachthehighestamountoffollowersandretweets.

Then,atonepoint,influentialpeoplestartedtocompetewitheachothertoseewhohadmorefollowers.Atthebeginning,theimplicitcomparingcamebetweeninfluencersinthetechworld,suchasGuyKawasakiorRobertScoble.Thisisatypicalconditionthatmanynewtechcompaniesgothrough-wherebloggersandpeopleinSiliconValleylovetheplatforms,butthemainstreampopulationisn’tyetawareoftheirexistence.

However,becauseofthe“Accomplishment”naturethatisbakedintoTwitter’sDNA,TwitterfinallycaughtmassivemainstreamattentionwhencelebritieslikeAshtonKutcherjoinedthemixof“followercompetitions”againstothercelebrities,andmostnotably,theofficialCNNBreakingNewsTwitterChannel.

In2009,AshtonKutcher,publiclychallengedCNNBreakingNewstoseewhocanfirstreach1millionFollowers.16Bothsides,notwantingtolosethecompetition,startedpromotingTwitterandtheirownTwitterprofilesonalltheirmediaoutlets,hopingtobethefirsttohitthat“goldenmillion.”AshtonKutcher’sfans,wholovedhismoviesbuthadnoideawhatTwitterwas,alsostartedtowriteblogpostsandmakeYoutubevideostellingeveryoneelsetofollowhim.

Towardstheend,AshtonKutcherdidachievehisvictoryofreaching1millionFollowersonTwitterbeforeCNNBreakingNews.Again,becauseheconsidersthistobeatrueaccomplishment,hebragswithjoyandpridewithnineexclamationmarks.

CNNBreakingNews,ontheotherhand,behavesinasportsmanlikemanner,asabigcompanyshould.Intheabovescreenshot,youcanseethatbythetimeAshtonKutcherwon,CNNBreakingNewshad999,652followers,merehundredsawayfromwinning.Insteadofbitterlysaying,“Soclose!Wewereonlyoffbyafewhundred,”theygracefullyannouncedtotheworld“Ashton

Kutcherisfirsttoreach1millionfollowersinTwittercontestwithCNN”witha“Congrats”onthetweetbelow.

ThiscontesthasturnedoutverypositiveforthebrandnamesofbothCNNandAshtonKutcher,butthebiggestbenefiterisTwitter,whomreceivedmillionsofdollarsworthoffreepresswithanaudiencethatwasunfamiliarwiththeirplatform.

AchievementSymbols(GameTechnique#2)AsdiscussedinChapter2,pointsandbadgescanruingoodgamificationdesignasoftenso-called“gamificationexperts”slapthemontoeverythingtheysee.However,theyareusefultoolstodriveDevelopment&Accomplishmentandhavetheirplaceinagamifiedsystem.

BadgesarewhatIcall“AchievementSymbols”andcancomeinmanyforms–badges,stars,belts,hats,uniforms,trophies,medals,etc..TheimportantthingaboutAchievementSymbols,isthattheymustsymbolize“achievement.”Ifyougoonawebsiteandclickabutton,andthensuddenlyapopupspringsoutandsays,“CONGRATULATIONS!!!Youjustearnedyour‘ClickedOnMyFirstButtonBadge’!Clickheretoseeothercoolbadgesyoucanearn!”Areyougoingtobeexcited?

Probablynot.

Youmayeventhink,“Wellthisisprettylame…whatelseisthere?A‘ScrollingDownBadge’?A‘ClickontheAboutUsPageBadge’?”You’realmostinsulted.

Butifthroughyourcreativeskillsyousolvedauniqueproblemthatnoteveryonecouldsolve,andasaresultreceivedabadgetosymbolizethatachievement,youfeelproudandaccomplished.Nowthemotivationisvalid.

AchievementSymbolsmerelyreflectachievement,butarenotachievementsbythemselves.Asimilarexampleevolvedfromwherebadgescamefrom–themilitary.Ifyoujointhemilitary,andimmediatelygetabadgeonyourchest,“JoinedtheMilitaryBadge!”Andonthenextday,anotherbadgegetspinnedonyourchestthatsays,“SurvivedMyFirstDayBadge!”followedby“MademyFirstFriendBadge!”“MadeFiveFriendsBadge!”Youprobablywon’tfeelaccomplishedandwearallthesebadgestoyoursocialgatherings.Youaremorelikelytofeelnonplusedoreveninsulted.Butifyouperformedactsofvalor–

youriskedyourlifetosaveafellowsoldier,andasaresultreceivedaMedalofHonoronyourchest,youarelikelytotrulyfeelproudandaccomplished.

Keepinmindsomeofthose“insultingbadges”doworkgreatforchildren,becauseassmallchildren,theseareactualfeatsandaccomplishments.Moreoftenthannot,makingyourfirstfriendisnotsomethingyouhaveaparadeaboutwhenyouareagrownperson.

Therefore,whenIworkwithclientsongamification,Ineveraskthem,“Doyouhavebadges?”Iask,“Doyoumakeyourusersfeelaccomplished?”Havingbadges(oranygameelementinitself)doesnotmeanusersaremotivatedtowardstheWin-State.That’swhywefocusonthe8CoreDrivesinsteadofgameelements.

StatusPoints(GameTechnique#1)Therearetwotypesofpointsinamotivationsystem:StatusPoints,andExchangeablePoints.StatusPointsareforkeepingscoreofprogress.Internally,itallowsthesystemtoknowhowcloseplayersaretowardsthewin-state.Externally,itgivesplayersafeedbacksystemfortrackingtheirprogress.Asagreatcandidatefor“FeedbackMechanics”intheOctalysisStrategyDashboard(discussedinmoredetailinChapter17),showingpeopletheirscoreandhowitchangesbasedonsmallimprovementsoftenmotivatesthemtowardstherightdirection.

WithinStatusPoints,therearealsosmallerdivisionsoftypes.Forexample,AbsoluteStatusPoints(whichmeasuresthetotalamountofpointsearnedduringajourney)versusMarginalStatusPoints(whicharepointsthatarespecificallysetforagivenchallengeoronetimeperiod,andcanberesetoncethatchallengeortimeperiodisover).AnotherexampleisthatoftheOne-WayStatusPoints(pointsthatcanonlygoup)versesTwo-WayStatusPoints(itcanalsogodownastheuserfailstoachievetheWin-State).

Howyoucraftthegainandlossofpoints,aswellasmeaningbehindthepointscansignificantlychangetheusers’perceptionofyourproduct.Doneincorrectly,itcancausetheusertodevaluetheentireexperienceanddistrustyourintentionsasasystemsdesigner.

AyearpriortomyadvisoryroleasBehavioralScientisttotheIsrael-basedcompanyCaptainUp17,IwaslookingforagoodPBLplatformtouseformy

ownblogyukaichou.com.

IfoundCaptainUp’sgamificationplatformtobethemostcustomizableandeasiesttouseoutofmyoptionsduringthetime.

WhenIwasdesigningmyPointsandBadgessystemusingtheCaptainUpplatform,thefirstthingIdidwastochangealmosteverythinginthedefaultsettings.Thedefaultsettingsatthetimerewardedafewpointsforwatchingavideoandcommentingonmyblogposts,andalotmorefortweetingandsharingthepostonFacebook.Thisdesignisgenerallysound,especiallysinceIindeedgetmorevaluewhenmyreadersaresharingmycontenttoothers.However,Ifeltthedefaultpoints/rewardseconomywasnotoptimized.

ThefirstthingIchanged,wastomakecommentingonmyblogworth100points,andwatchingavideoworth40points.FacebookLikingandTweetingwereonlyworth25and10points.AfterImadethechangesontheplatform,thesupportiveteammembersfromCaptainUpreachedouttometomakesureIfeltcomfortablewiththeirplatform.Theyalsoasked,“Isn’t100pointswaytoomuchforjustcommenting?”

That’saverygoodquestion.

DuringtheDiscoveryandOnboardingPhasesofaPlayer’sJourney(theinitialtwophases)thefirstthingyouwanttocommunicatetousersiswhetherthisis“agameworthplaying?”Withtherulesyouset,youareestablishinganinteractionwiththeuserandcommunicatingyourvalues.

Ifyougivepeopleabunchofpointsjusttodomarketingforyou,orrewardthemwithvirtualitemsforeverylittlestupidthing,userswillfeellikethegameisshallow–thisisnotagameworthplaying.Usershavenointerestinagameiftheyknowthegamedesignerisjusttryingtobenefitthemselvesinsteadofcaringabouttheircommunity.Forinstance,iftherearepoints,progressbars,andbadgesfor“Howmuchmoneyyoudonatedtothesiteowner,”peoplewillfeelinsultedbyyourlameattempttousethemforsolelypersonalgains.

PeopleknowthatsharingonTwitter/Facebookmostlybenefitsme,andsoIdon’twanttotellthemthatmygameisaboutsharing.WhenIstatethatcommentingonmysiteisworthmorethananythingelse,I’mexpressingthatIvalueinteractingwithyoumorethananythingelse.Iwanttocommunicatewithyou,andthatiswhatIvalue.Andifyoudon’twanttotalktome,atleastwatch

myvideossoyoucanlearnsomething!Andofcourse,ifyouarewillingtosharemycontentwithyourfriendsandfamily,Iwouldbeverygratefultoo,butI’mnotgoingtousethatasabigcarrotinmysite.

Thistellsusersthatthekeyofthisgameis“engagement.”Iwantyoutobeengaged,learnalot,andparticipateinacommunity.Thisbecomesagameworthplaying.

WhenyoudesignyourStatusPointsystems,makesureitisbasedonsomethingmeaningful-somethingthattheusersthemselveswanttoengagein.Orelse,pointsjustbecomemeaninglesscountersmeanttostresspeopleout.

Leaderboards(GameTechnique#3)Leaderboardsisagameelementwhereyourankusersbasedonasetofcriteriathatisinfluencedbytheusers’behaviorstowardstheDesiredActions.EventhoughLeaderboardsaremeanttomotivatepeopleandbringinstatus,ifdesignedincorrectly,itoftendoestheexactopposite.

Ifyouuseasiteforafewhoursandreceived25points,andthenseeontheTop20listthatnumber20alreadyhas25,000,000points,thatwouldlikelydiscourageyoufromtryingfurther.

ThiswasanissuethatFoursquare,ageolocationmobileappthatgamifiedthecheck-inprocess,hadmanyyearsago.Often,anewuserwouldcheckintoanewcoffeeshop,andthenrealizethatthe“Mayor”therehasalreadyachieved250check-insandincreasingtheirtotaleveryday.“FightingfortheMayorship”isprobablynotsomethingtheuserwouldbeinterestedin,becauseheknowstheoddsofdevelopingprogressandfeelingaccomplishedareverylow.

WhatusersneedisUrgentOptimism,anothertermcoinedbyJaneMcGonigal18,wheretheuserfeelsoptimisticthattheycanaccomplishthetask,butalsotheurgenytoactimmediately.Whenyouset-upaleaderboard,thereareacouplevariationsthathaveshowntoperformmoreeffectively.

First,youalwayswanttopositiontheuserinthemiddleoftheleaderboarddisplay,soalltheyseeistheplayerrankedrightabovethem,andtheplayerrankedjustbelow.It’snotverymotivatinginseeinghowhightheTop10playersare,butit’sincrediblymotivatingwhenoneseessomeonewhousedtobebelowthemsuddenlyexcelling.

AnothervariationthathasprovedsuccessfulistosetupGroupLeaderboardswheretherankingisbasedonthecombinedeffortsofateam.Inthiscase,eventhoughnoteveryoneiscompetitiveandneedstobeatthetop,mostpeopledon’twanttobethelaggardthatdragstheteamdown.Asaresult,everyoneworksharderbecauseofSocialInfluence&Relatedness(CoreDrive5).

Thenextvariationistosetupconstantlyrefreshingleaderboards,whereeveryweekthedatawouldrefreshandtheleaderboardwillstarttrackingprogressanew;hencenoonefallstoofarbehindandalwayshasarenewedsenseofhope,leadingtowardsthatUrgentOptimism.Finally,it’sagoodideatoimplementmicro-leaderboards,whereonlytheusers’friendsorverysimilarpeoplearecompared.Insteadofseeingyourselfranked95,253outof1millionusers,youseehowyouaretopfiveamongtwenty-twofriends.

Thekeywaytoeffectivelyintegratealeaderboardistoensurethattheusercanquicklyrecognizetheactionitemsthatdrivesthemtoreachthewin-state.Ifthere’snochanceofachievement,thereisnoaction.

CoreDrive2:TheBiggerPictureSinceDevelopment&AccomplishmentistheeasiestCoreDrivetodesignfor,manycompaniesfocusonthisCoreDrive-sometimesalmostexclusively.Consequently,manyoftheGamificationPlatformsouttherearespecializedinappealingtothisCoreDrivetoo.However,ifyoudoplantoimplementthesegameelementsintoyourproduct,makesureyoudothiscarefullyandelegantly.Alwaysfocusonhowyouwantyouruserstofeel,notwhatgameelementsyouwanttouse.

CoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentisoftenanaturalresultaftergoodimplementationofotherCoreDrives,suchasCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,CoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,aswellasCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.Often,italsoleadstoCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness,wheretheuserwantstosharewiththeirfriendsthatsenseofachievementandaccomplishment.WewillbelearningalotmoreabouttheseCoreDrivesinthenextfewchapters.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:ThinkofanexamplewhereCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishmentmotivatedyouorotherstotakecertainactions.Diditkeeppeopleengagedforlonger?

Medium:Thinkofthelasttimeyousawapointsorachievementsymbolsystem.Werethepointsorachievementsymbolsrepresentingsomethingmeaningful?Orweretheypointless?Whatwouldyouchangetomakethemrepresentasenseoftrueprogressandaccomplishment?

Hard:Foryourownproject,createaStatusPointsandAchievementSymboleconomyviaspreadsheets.DefinewhattheDesiredActionsare,assignpointvaluestotheseactionsbasedonhowmeaningfultheyaretotheuser,andassignAchievementSymbolsbasedonmorecreativefactorsbeyondjust“Woot!Youdidtheactionahundredtimes!”

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandseewhatideasotherpeoplehave.

InvestigatetheExperienceInthischapter,ItalkedabouthowIcompletelyrevampedtheCaptainUpsystemonmyblogtocreatea“gameworthplaying.”GotomyblogatYukaiChou.comandexperiencethemotivationdesignfromtheCaptainUpwidgetontherighthandside.Afterplayingwithit,readuponthefullblogaboutmydesigndecisionsathttp://bit.ly/YukaiCup,orsimplygoonGoogleandsearch,“howyu-kaichoudesignedhisblog.”

TherearestillmanythingsIwouldliketochangeandaddintothegamifiedexperienceifIonlyhadmoretime.Pleasefeelempoweredtocomeupwithwaysitcanbeimprovedandshareyourfindingswithme.

1. JaneMcGonigal.RealityisBroken.P22.PenguinGroup.NewYork,NY.2011.↩

2. Chou,Yu-kai(Hey,that’sme!).YukaiChou.com.“Top10eCommerceGamificationExamplesthatwillRevolutionizeShopping”.Posted7/7/2013.↩

3. Marks,Susan.FindingBettyCrocker:TheSecretLifeofAmerica’sFirstLadyofFood.Fesler-LampertMinnesotaHeritage.p68.03/19/2007.↩

4. Fortune.com.Fortune5002014:eBayInc.↩

5. ChristopherMatthews.Time.“FutureofRetail:HowCompaniesCanEmployBigDatatoCreateaBetterShoppingExperience”.08/31/2012.↩

6. Mangalindan,JP.Fortune.“Amazon’sRecommendationSecret”.07/30/2012.↩

7. YaoWangandJulitaVassileva.UniversityofSaskatchewan.Trustandreputationmodelinpeer-to-peernetworks.2003.↩

8. MinaxiGupta,PaulJudge,andMostafaAmmar.GeorgiaInstituteofTechnology.AReputationSystemforPeer-to-PeerNetworks.2003.↩

9. DavidVise&MarkMalseed.TheGoogleStory.p42.RandomHouse,NewYork,NewYork.2005.↩

10. DavidVise&MarkMalseed.TheGoogleStory.p88.RandomHouse,NewYork,NewYork.2005.↩

11. GarethLlewellyn.Quora.com:“AreFacebookandTwitterthebesttoolsforsocialmediamarketing?”.5/14/2013.↩

12. AlexanderChernev.HarvardBusinessReview.“CanThereEverBeaFairPrice?WhyJcpenney’sStrategyBackfired”.5/29/2012.↩

13. DanAriely.PredictablyIrrational.p2.HarperInternational.NewYork,NY.2008.↩

14. KevinWerbach.UniversityofPennsylvania.CourseraGamificationCourse.2012.↩

15. ProgressWarsWebsite:progresswars.com↩16. JohnD.Sutter.CNN.“AshtonKutcherchallengesCNNtoTwitter

popularitycontest”.04/15/2009.↩17. CaptainUpWebsite:captainup.com↩18. JaneMcGonigal.RealityisBroken.P69.PenguinGroup.NewYork,NY.

2011.↩

Chapter7:TheThirdCoreDrive-EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback

“Themanwhosewholelifeisspentinperformingafewsimpleoperations,ofwhichtheeffectsareperhapsalwaysthesame,orverynearlythesame,hasnooccasiontoexerthisunderstandingortoexercisehisinventioninfindingoutexpedientsforremovingdifficultieswhichneveroccur.Henaturallyloses,therefore,thehabitofsuchexertion,andgenerallybecomesasstupidand

ignorantasitispossibleforahumancreaturetobecome.”-AdamSmith,TheWealthOfNations

ThethirdCoreDriveofOctalysisGamificationisEmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,whichreallyemphasizesonwhatmostpeoplerefertoas“Play.”SomeofmyfondestmemoriesgrowingupareofwhenIgottoplaywithLegosandengageinassembling,dismantling,andrebuildingbasicstructuresinapracticallyinfinitenumberofcombinations.Itgavemeandmillionsofothersaroundtheworldgreatjoyandfulfillmentsimplybecauseitallowedonetobecreativeandseeimmediateresults.Icouldadmiretheoutcomeofmyideas,whileensuringthatIcouldrecalibratemyeffortsoverandoveragaininbringingmyimaginationtolife.Ibelievethathumansarebynaturecreativebeings,andweyearntolearn,imagine,invent,andpartakeincreativeprocesseswherethejourneyinandofitselfbringshappiness.

ThebeautyofthisCoreDriveliesinitsperennialabilitytocontinuallyengageusatallmomentsinourlives.RecallingthestructureofOctalysis,withthetop-downCoreDrivesbeingWhite/BlackHat,andleft-rightCoreDrivesbeingExtrinsic/Intrinsic,youwillnoticethatCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackresidesintheupperright“goldencorner.”ThisimpliesthatitisWhiteHat–meaningithaslong-termpositiveemotions,aswellasRightBrain–emphasizingIntrinsicMotivation.Unfortunately,thisCoreDriveisalsopossiblythehardesttoimplementcorrectly.

TheComputerGamethatBecameaNationalSportInalargestadium,over100,000audiencememberssitearnestlyinfrontofastage.Theseplayersallpaidafinefeetobethereandareexcitedlywaitingfortheirlongtimeidolstocompetewithotherprosintheleague.

Twoprofessionalcommentatorsaresettingthescene,introducingthebackgroundandimportanceofthismatchintheoverallcontextoftheseason,andwhatitwouldmeanforeachopposingplayerandtheircareers.They’respeculatingontheoddsforeachplayerbasedontheirstrengths,weaknesses,styleofplay,andpossibleinnovationsthatwillberevealedduringthispivotalmatch,allwhilepoppinginafewjokeshereandthere.

Simultaneously,overamillionpeoplearewatchingthestageonTVandallovertheInternet,withthelogosofsomeofthebiggestsponsorsintheworldprominentlydisplayed.

Thisisatypicalsettingforanyprofessionalathleticsport.Theonlydifferenceis,onthestage,belowafewenormousscreens,thereareonlytwocomputer“workstations,”eachsurroundedbysoundproofglass.Seatedinfrontoftheworkstations,two“starcompetitors,”botharoundtwentyyearsold,exercisetheirpre-matchritualsbeforethecrucialgame.

Thisisachampionshipmatchwithinthe“eSports”industry,anewlyemergingfieldwherepeoplearoundtheworldwatchfull-timeprofessionalgamerscompeteagainsteachother.1

ThisisanindustrythatwaspioneeredbyBlizzardEntertainment’sbig-hitgame:Starcraft.Starcraftisareal-timestrategy(RTS)gamelaunchedin19982.UponbeginninganRTSgame,playersusuallystartoffwithafewworkersthatcanmineresources.Theresourcescanthenbeusedtocreatemoreworkers,erectbuildingsthathavedifferentfunctions,recruitcombatunits,researchscienceandtechnology,and/orunlockcertainpowers,allforthepurposeofdefendingagainstanddefeatingotherplayerswhoarealsobuildingtheirdominions.

Usersareconstantlymakingquickdecisionsbasedonascarcityoftimeandresources.Shouldtheyrecruitmorecombatunitsandmarchintoenemyterritory,orinvestinslowdevelopingbutdominanttechnologiesattheriskofbeingrundownbyenemieswhoalternativelychosetotraincombatunitsinthemeantime?

EachmatchinStarcraft(andformostRTSgames)lastsaroundtenminutestoanhour,witheachplayerstartingfromscratchwitheveryround.Thismeansnothingisaccumulatedfrompreviousgameeffortsexceptfortheplayers’skills.

Moreover,the“real-time”partofRTSgamesmeansthatthefasteryoucanmakesounddecisionsandexecuteonthem,thestrongerplayeryoucanbecome.GoodStarcraftplayershavetheconceptofAPM–ActionsPerMinute.Thisindicatesthenumberofactionsaplayercanexecuteeveryminute.Actionscouldbeanythingfromorderingasoldiertoguardacertainpost,orselectingabuildingtoinitiatenewscientificresearch.

FornewStarcraftplayers,itiscommontoonlyhave10-20APM,asitnormallytakesafewsecondstodeterminewhatispossibleanddecideonwhattodo.Formoreexperiencedhobbyists,thisratecouldriseto50-60APM,whichisaboutoneactioneverysecond.Themind-blowingthingaboutStarcraft(ormosteSportgames)isthatthetopprofessionalplayersoftenhaveshockingAPMnumbersbetween300-400!Thismeansthateverysecond,theyareliterallyexecutingfivetosixactionsthroughoutthegame.

ThisisveryimportantinanRTSgame,forifeveryactionyouexecuteyouropponentcanexecutetwo,youareboundtobeoutmaneuveredand“pwned,”giventhatbothplayershavesimilarjudgmentsandstrategies.Inthedocumentary“TheHaxLife,”whenaskedhowhetrainstobecomebetter,atopStarcraftplayeransweredthathewouldputheavysandbagsonhiswristswhenhepracticessothatinarealgame,hisuninhibitedhandsandfingerswouldmovemuchfaster3.

Infact,StarcrafthasbecomesopopularinSouthKoreathatforoveradecadenow,therehavebeendedicatedTVChannelsthatbroadcastStarcraftmatchesbetweenprofessionalplayers.TheverybestStarcraftplayerscanmakeover$300,000ayear,especiallywithallthesponsorshipsfrommajorbrands.Iknowtoallmyrichreadersthisisn’tmuch,butforacountrylikeSouthKoreathisisconsideredquiteanachievement,especiallyforsomeoneunder25yearsold.Not

onlyaretheprofessionalStarcraftplayersbecomingfamous,thetopprofessionalStarcraftcommentatorsarealsobecomingquitewellknown.

StarcrafthasalsobeenwildlypopularintheUS.TheUniversityofCalifornia,BerkeleypioneeredoneofthefirstcoursesonStarcraftanditsstrategy,whilemanystudentsatotheracademicinstitutionshaveincorporatedtheeconomicdynamicsanddecisionstrategieswithinStarcraftaskeythemesintheirresearchpapersandtheses4.

In2009,10yearsafterStarcraftwasfirstreleased,studentsfromPrincetonUniversityestablishedtheCollegiateStarleague,aseasonalintercollegiateleagueforcompetitionbetweenthememberinstitutions.Over100NorthAmericanuniversitiesandcollegesparticipate,includingHarvard,Yale,Cornell,MIT,andmanymore5.

WhenStarcraftIIwaslaunchedin2010,thefrenzyonStarcraftIhadnotdiminished,withmanyplayersinsistingthatStarcraftIwasstillbetter.Ofcourse,overafewyears,mostprofessionalplayerstransferredfromStarcraftItoStarcraftII.

ThisactuallyisagreatdemonstrationofhowgreatEndgamedesignandtheuseofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackcanremoveso-called“gamificationfatigue.”

GamificationFatigue?Everyonceinawhile,attendeesatmyspeakingengagementsorworkshopswouldask,“Yu-kai,Iwanttoaddgamificationtomycompany,butaren’tmostgamesshort-lived?Wouldn’twebeshootingourselvesinthefootifweimplementedgamification?”

It’strue,manyfungamesareplayedfortwotoeightmonths,butafterwardsplayersmoveontonewgames.However,itdoesn’tmeanthatgamifyingyoursystemwouldautomaticallyresultinthesamesituationduetotwoimportantreasons.

First,rememberImentionedearlierthatthereisgenerallynorealpurposeforplayingagame;thatis,mostpeopleneverhavetoplayagame.Theinstantagameisnotfun,peoplewillleaveandplayothergamesorgoonYoutube/Facebook/email.Asaresult,aftertwotoeightmonths,thegamewill

oftenfailtoengagepeoplesotheydropout.Hopefullythesystemthatyouaredesigningactuallyhasapurposetoit,andsoevenifitbecomesboring(whichisprobablythecurrentstateanyway),yourusersstillhaveareasontostayon.

Thesecondreasonisbecausemostofthesegameshavenotbeendesignedforcontinuedmotivationinthe“Endgame”,thefourthandfinalphaseofaplayer’sjourney.Iftheexperienceisnolongerengagingintheendgame,yousimplymoveontoothergames.

Manywell-designedgames,likeStarcraft,havemanagedtoengagetheinterestofplayersformorethanadecade.OthergameslikePoker,Golf,Chess,Mahjong,haveallstoodthetestoftimeandarestillpopularaftercenturiesofuse.NowtherearemanywaystodesignanengagingEndgame,butthereasonwhysomanyofthesegamesstandthetestoftimeislargelyduetotheirutilizationofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.

InastudypublishedbyQueenMaryUniversityofLondonandUniversityCollegeLondonin2013,researchedcomparedtheeffectsofdifferentgamesonthebrain.Aftersixtoeightweeks,thestudyrevealedthatstudentswhoplayedStarcraftroughlyanhouradayimprovedtheirmemory,visualsearchandinformationalfilteringabilities,aswellasothercognitiveskills(Trivia:IhappentobequotedintheWallStreetJournalarticleonthisstudy).6

Whenausercancontinuouslytapintotheircreativityandderiveanalmostlimitlessnumberofpossibilities,thegamedesignernolongerneedstoconstantlycreatenewcontenttomakethingsengaging.Theuser’smindbecomestheevergreencontentthatcontinuouslyabsorbstheirattentionintotheexperience.That’sthepowerofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackinretainingusersforthelonghaul.

Tic-Tac-DrawAlmosteveryculturehasthegameTic-Tac-Toe,withsomecallingitbyanothername,suchasXsandOs7.Manyofusenjoyedthegamewhenwewereyoungerbecauseitwaseasytoinitiatewithjustapenandapieceofpaper(orastickwithsand),andcanbefinishedwithinhalfaminute.

However,aswegrewolder,thegamebecamelessinteresting8.Why?Becauseatsomepointitbecametooeasy.Mostgamesendupindraws,andtheonlythrill

istryingtoseeifyoucantrickanewopponentintomakingacarelessmoveduetoreckless/hastyactions(whichisCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity).Withjustalittlebitoflearnedstrategy,itbecameboring9.

BecausethereisalimitontheEmpowermentofCreativityandFeedback,Tic-Tac-Toebecamealotlessengagingforusers.

Ontheotherhand,chessisagamethathasbeenstudiedandplayedrigorouslyforcenturies.Todaytherearestillthrillingmatchesbetweensomeofthestrongestplayersintheworldthatareexcitingtowatch.

WhenIwasafreshmaninhighschool,havingrecentlymovedtotheUnitedStates,IrealizedmyEnglishskillswerequitepoor.(Infact,inthe11thgradeImetafriendwhohadn’tseenmefor2yearsthatopenlyexclaimed,“Wow,youspeakEnglishnow!That’scrazy!”).Makingupformylackofcommunicationskills,IoftenplayedchesswithmyAmericanpeers,asitwasquitesimilartotheChineseChessIplayedinTaiwan.Withafewfriendsandthesponsoringteacher,Mr.RichardGill,weformedtheBlueValleyHighSchoolChessClub.

Duringthistime,Iwasquiteshyandcouldnotimaginemyselfeverspeakinginpublic.(Infact,foralongtime,justseeingsomeoneelsespeakonstagemademypalmssweat.)Myreputationinmyhighschool,(besidesbeingoneofthefewAsiansthere)wasthatIwas“nice.”Mostpeoplewhostudypersuasivepsychologywillagreethathavingareputationof“nice”wasnotverymotivatinginmostscenarios.Descriptionssuchas“sincere,”“passionate,”or“radiant”wouldbepersonalitiesthataresimilarbutmuchmoreengagingforpeople.

ThoughIhadyettobuildupmyconfidenceasanindividual,bymy10thgradeIwaselectedtobetheChessClubPresident.Myspeechtogarnervoteswasliterally,“Mylastnameistheshortesttowritedown.Voteforme!”Afterunexpectedlywinningtheelection(Iguesspeoplelikedthehumor),Isuddenlyfeltasenseofresponsibility–EpicMeaning&Calling!Itwasnolongerjustaboutmebutaboutthegreatergoodoftheorganization!AtthispointIcommittedtobecomeastrongerchessplayer,sothatIwouldbeabletoleadandcoachourteamtogreatervictory.Forovertwoyears,Iabsorbedmyselfintheopenings,strategies,andvariationsofchessforfourhoursaday,tryingtoexpandmyunderstandingofpositionalplayandestablishingmystyleasaplayer.

Inchess,thereareasubstantialnumberofopeningvariations,withpossiblelinesofplayexponentiallyexpandingintofarmorevariationsthanthetotalnumberofatomsintheobservableuniverse(justafter4moveseach,thereareover288billionpossiblepositions).

In1996,thenWorldChessChampionGarryKasparovcompetedagainstIBM’sspecializedchesssupercomputerDeepBlue.DeepBlueatthetimecouldcalculate100millionpositionspersecond.BothDeepBlueandKasparovhadapproximatelythreehourseachtothink,withDeepBluealsocalculatingduringKasparov’smoves.Ifyoumultiply100millionpositionsasecondforthreehours,that’sawholelotofchesspositions.

Whenthecompetitioncommenced,Kasparovlosttheinitialgame,whichseemedtosurprisehim.Subsequently,hecomfortablywonthreegameswhiletyingtwotowinthematch.10

In1997,arematchwascalled.IBMhadafullteamwhoseonlyrolewastoimproveDeepBlue’schessplayingskills.BythenDeepBluecouldexamine200millionpositionsasecond,doublingtheprioryear’scapabilities.ThismatchendedwithKasparovwinningonegame,drawingtwo,andlosingtwo,resultinginhisdefeat.11

Thesecondmatchstunnedthechessworld-forthefirsttimeeverapowerfulcomputercoulddefeattheleadinghumaninagameofchess.Tome,thiswasratherodd.Intuitively-speaking,ofcourseacomputercouldbeatastronghumanplayer.Isn’tchessallaboutmemorizationandcalculations?Computerscouldobviously“remember”andcalculatesubstantiallyfasterthanhumanswithmuchbetterprecision.

Thiswaslikebeingshockedthatamotorizedvehiclewasstartingtotravelfasterthanahumanrunner,orthatahumanlosttoacalculatorinamultiplicationcontest.Ithoughtthat,insteadofbeingamazedthatcomputerswerefinallybeatinghumansatchess,peopleshouldbeamazedthathumansstoodachanceatall!Howcouldacomputerthatisprocessingbillionsofpositionsandoutcomesnotseethelosscomingandpreventit?

Thereasonwhycomputerscan’tsimplydominatehumanplayers,eventoday,isbecausechessismorethanjustcalculationsandmemorization.Chessrequirescreativity,intuition,andunderstanding.Chessissocomplexthatthemost

powerfulcomputersstillcan’tcompletelyfigureoutthegameagainsthumancreativityandintuition.

Chesscomputerscancalculate,buttheycannotunderstand.Eventhoughchesscomputerscanfigureoutwhatapositioncanlooklikeexactlyfifteenmoveslater,unlessthereareobvioushintssuchasacheckmateorasignificantlossinpieces,thecomputerdoesnotknowwhetherthatpositionis“good”or“bad.”Ahuman,ontheotherhand,cannottellexactlywhatthepositionwillbelikefifteenmoveslaterbuttheyhavetheintuitiveunderstandingthat,“Myknightwouldbeestablishedonaverystrongspot.Whatitwilldo,I’mnotcompletelysureyet,butIknowitwillbenefitmeonewayoranother.”Itisthistypeofunderstandingandanalysisthatallowshumanplayerstotriumphoverstrongcomputersfromtimetotime.

EarlierwhenImentionedthattherearefarmorepossiblechessmovesthanatomsintheuniverse,therightfulskepticmaythinkthatI’mjustpullingnumbersoutofmyspleenforexaggeration’ssake.However,ifyouactuallylookintothenumbers,agameofchessthatis40moveslongwouldhave10120

possiblevariations,whichendsupbeing1040timesthenumberofatomsintheknownUniverse.12

ThereasonIbringupthesefactsistoelicitthepointthat:becausetherearesomanypossiblevariationsinchess,thereisanabundanceofstrategiesandstylesofplay.ThisvariabilityisessentialforcreatingagreatgamifiedcampaignutilizingCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.Somechessplayersarefanaticallyaggressive,somearedefensivelypositional;someliketoslowlysqueezetheiropponentstodeath,whileothersstriveforawinningendgame.Youcanalmosttellwhoisplayingthegamebasedonthetypesofmovestheymake.

AtUCLA,IoncewroteapaperonhowthestyleofeachWorldChessChampionreflectsthehistoricaleventsoftheirtime.JoséCapablanca,thethirdWorldChessChampion,livedduringagoldenperiodofpeaceinCuba,andasaresultplayedchessinaharmoniousandelegantway,collectinglittleadvantagesthatwouldeventuallyleadtoawin.ThenextWorldChampionAlexanderAlekhinelivedduringtimesofrevolutioninRussia,oftenescapingpersecutionandfacingdeath.Asaresult,hisstyleisknowntobevigorouslyaggressive,rammingdowntheenemyking’sprotectivefortswithsacrifices.MikhailBotvinnik,anotherworldchampionlivedduringthetimeoftheSovietUnion’s“Ironand

Engineering”prowess.Asaresulthisstylewasaggressivelypositional,similartoassemblingatankandthentramplingtheenemyterritorywithirresistibleforce.

Thegreatthingis,tobeatthetopofthechessworld,youdon’tneedtoplayinone,specific“best”way.Youcancreateyourownstyleofplaythroughmeaningfulchoicesthatreflectyourpersonalityandstyle.Aslongasyouinvesttherigorouswork,maintainthecommitment,andhavepassionforthegame,youwillhaveachanceofbecomingagreatchessplayer.

Thiscapacitytoallowplayerstoexpresstheirunboundedcreativity,seeimmediatefeedback,andofferthemmeaningfulchoicestodemonstratedifferentstylesofplayiswhatmakesCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbacksoappealingtogamers,users,customers,andemployeesalike.Whenyoudesignagreatgamifiedsystem,youwanttomakesurethatthereisn’tonestandardwaytowin.Instead,provideuserswithenoughmeaningfulchoicesthattheycanutilizedrasticallydifferentwaystobetterexpresstheircreativity,whilestillachievingtheWin-State.

Asformychessclub,bythetimeIfinished11thgrade,theBlueValleyHighSchoolhadbecametheKansasStateChampionofKansasforourdivisionandsuccessfullydefendedthepositionforfivestraightyears.Beyondthis,theclubalsofinishedstronginnationaltournaments.ThisexperiencealsotaughtmehowtobealeaderandbuiltmyconfidencewhenIhadverylittle.Ican’tthankchessandtheBVHSChessClubenoughforwhereIamtoday.

TheGeneral’sCarrotinEducationWhenyoudesignforCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,itisimportanttocreateasetupwheretheuserisgivenagoal,aswellasavarietyoftoolsandmethodologiestostrategizetowardsreachingthatgoal.Oftenyourusersarenotmotivatedbecausetheydon’tunderstandthepurposeoftheactivity,donotclearlyidentifythegoaloftheactivity,and/orlackmeaningfultoolstocreateexpressivestrategiestoreachthegoal.

Inthepastdecade,physicalbattlecardgamessuchasPokemonorMagic:theGatheringhavebecomeanewphenomenon,gainingsignificanttractioninmanycountries13.SimilartochessorStarcraft,therearemanydedicatedtournamentswhereplayersyoungandold,dukeitouttobecomethechampionsatthegames.

What’sinterestingaboutthisphenomenonisthatthereisactuallyagreatdealofinformationtomemorizeinordertoplaythegamewell.Therearehundredsofcards,eachhavingitsownuniquestatsandnumbers(suchashp,attack,etc.).Childrenwhoaregoodatthesecardgamesnotonlyrememberallthecardsandstats,theyevenrememberwhichcardscounterwhich,andwhichothercardscounterthoseinreturn.

Ifyourunthenumbers,thatisactuallymoreinformationtomemorizethanthecontentsontheperiodictable.It’sasthoughthechildnotonlymemorizedeverysingleelementontheperiodictable,butalsotheexactweightandplacementofeachelement,aswellasexactlyhoweveryelementinteractswitheveryotherelement.

That’sprettymind-blowing.

Butifyouaskthesamebrilliantchildwhat’sthefifthelementontheperiodictable,youwilllikelygetaresponsealongwiththelinesof,“Umm…Oxygen?”Whyisthat?Clearlythechilddidnotsuddenlytransformfromageniusintoanidiot.Thisgapingdifferenceisnotatransitioninintelligencebutsimplyachangeinmotivation.

Whenthechildismemorizingtheperiodictable,theydonotseethepurposeofdoingso.Itisonlytopassatest,getagoodgrade,andpleasetheirparents.Asaresult,thechildstudieshardenoughtopassthetest,andforgetsmostofthesubjectmatterthereafter.Butinthesecardgames,thechildislearningtheinformationinordertocomeupwithawesomestrategies,beattheirfriends,andfeelaccomplished.Also,sincetheypersonallyownmanyofthesecards,theyareanxioustostudythem,understandtheirstrengthsandweaknesses,andresearchwhatothercardsareoutthere(aneffectwithinCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession).

Ifthemeanstothatendistomemorizethousandsandthousandsoftermsandstats,itbecomesworthit,evenfun.Asdesigners,itisimportanttorecognizethattheyunderstandthegoal(beatingtheirfriends),buildownershipandfamiliaritywiththeirtools,andusetheiruniquestrategiesandexperiencetowardsthat.

FoldingintotheCrowd

OneofthebestexamplesofEmpowerment&Creativity&FeedbackisseeninthenewtrendofCrowdsourcing.Crowdsourcingistheactivityofthrowingachallengeoractivityintothepublicandhavingthemassescollaborateorcompetitivelysolvetheproblem.

WellknownexamplessuchastheXPRIZEallowsindividualsandteamstoengineernewsolutionsinadvancedtechnologysuchasaerodynamicsandspacetraveltoadvancethehumanrace;whileKaggleallowsthebrightestmathematicalmindstosolvepredictivemodelingandanalyticsproblems14.

AverypopularexampleintheseriousgamespacehasbeenFoldItintroducedinChapter4.Formanyyears,scientistshavetriedtodecipherthecrystalstructureofanAIDSviruslabelledastheMason-Pfizermonkeyvirus(M-PMV),inordertoadvancetheirunderstandingofAIDStreatmentandprevention.Unfortunately,afterfifteenyearsofresearch,thisproblemremainedunresolved15.

Fortunately,in2008,DavidBakerfromtheUniversityofWashingtonlaunchedtheFoldItproject,wherethroughaninteractivegame-playinterface,playerscouldmodifyvariousproteinstructureswithobjectivessuchas“maximizingthesurfaceareaofthisprotein.”

Surprisingly,thisproblem,whichhadbaffledresearchersforoverfifteenyears,wassolvedinameretendays.Bytappingtheeffortsofthousandsof“players”aroundtheworld,acreativesolutionwasrevealedthroughtheirvigorousplay.

Tothisday,Folditcontinuestohelpbiochemicalresearchersfindcurestomajordiseasesthatplaguehumans,includingHIV/AIDS,cancer,andAlzheimer’s.

Ifyouareabletoutilizethissortofintrinsicmotivationwherepeoplecanleveragetheircreativityandreceivequickfeedbackwitheitheraproductorwithintheworkplace(especiallyifitistiedtoCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingasinthecaseofFoldIt),youwilllikelyunlocklong-termuserengagementandhighproductivity.

TheElysianStairstoHealth

Youoftenhearthatitisbettertotakethestairsinsteadoftheescalator.However,inpracticeitisconvenienttoforgetthisbitofgoodadviceandtaketheescalatoranyway.Tocombatthis,Volkswagen’sviralcampaign“TheFunTheory”(adatabaseofvideosthatisnowthestapleofmanygamificationworkshops)pilotedacampaigncalledthePianoStaircaseinSweden.

ForthePianoStaircase,engineersintegratedmovement-trackinghardwaretodetectactivityonthestaircase,whichsubsequentlyplaysapianonotewheneveraspecificstepistriggered.Thestaircaseisalsodecoratedaspianopatternstoshowwhichnoteisbeingplayedandtoelicitthecommuters’curiosity(DiscoveryPhasedesignisveryimportant).

Aspeoplewalkedupanddownthestairs,theystartedtohearnotesplaying.Soon,manycommuterswhoheardothersgoupthestairsstartedtakingthestairstoothemselvestoseeifitwouldworkforthem.Eventually,someindividualsattemptedtoplaysomesimpletunes.

Whenyouempowerpeoplebyallowingthemtoeasilyplayaninstrument,youmakethesimpleactivityofwalkingmorefunandengaging.Duringthepilot,thepianostaircaseledtoanincreaseincommuterstakingthestairsby66%.16

FromanEndgamedesignpointofview,thestaircasedoeshaveitslimitations.Theactualtunespeoplecanplayisfairlylimitedsincejumpingupanddownstaircasesinproducingapleasingrhythmisratherchallenging.Pedestrianscouldquicklyloseinterestaftersteppingthroughthesamenotesoverandover.Oncetheinitialsurpriseandnoveltywearsoff,therepetitivetonesmaybecomeboring.However,manypeoplemaystillpreferthisoveraregularstaircase,justtogetsomedelightfulfeedbackoneachstep.

ThisisanexampleofaCoreDrive3implementationthatfocusedwellonthefeedbackitgaveusers,butitdidn’tprovidethemfullcontroltoexpresswiderrangesoftheircreativity.

EmpowermentandCreativityintheCorporateSpaceCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackalsoappliestotheworkplaceandemployeemotivation.

Occasionally,myfriendswithcorporatepositionsreachouttomeaboutmakingtheswitchtowardsacareerinentrepreneurship.Moreoftenthannot,thereasontheywanttostarttheirowncompaniesissimplyduetothefrustrationofnotseeingfeedbackontheircreativeideasinthecorporateenvironment.Frequently,monthswillpassaftertheyhaveproposedaplanorconceptbeforethereisanyresponseorfeedbackthroughthecorporation’sbureaucraticchannels.Moreoftenthannot,theemployeeneverhearsbackonthatcreativeidea.

Inabureaucraticorganization,thougheveryonelikestotalkaboutinnovation,innovationrequiresrisk,andthecorporateladdertrainspeopletoberiskaverse.Ifanythingnewishappening,itisonlyafterauthorizationthroughmanysignatures-tothepointwherenoonecouldclaimfullresponsibilityifthingswentwrong.Managersoftenpusheveryonetocomeupwithinnovativeideas,butwhentheyactuallyhearsomethingnew,theyimmediatelyrespondwith,“Hmm,hasanyothercompanydonethatbefore?”

Thisisincrediblyfrustratingforthosewhohavecreativeideaswhichmaypositivelyimpactthestatusquo,especiallywhentheirideasareimmediatelyshotdownortheapprovalprocessisdraggedoutindefinitely.Itisasadscenario-ascompaniesgrowlargerandmorebureaucratic,theybecomelessagile,lessadaptivetochangingbusinessconditions.Asaresult,youngerandmorenimblecompaniesadapttochangingbusinessmodelsmoreswiftlythantheircumbersomecounterpartsandquicklytakeadvantageofnewopportunities.All

toooftenmanygreatcompaniesfromthepastcenturyeventuallyfallintoextinction.

IntheMotivationalPsychologyBestsellerDrive,DanielPinkexplainsthatallowingemployeestohavefullautonomyoverwhattheyworkon,howtheywork,whotheyworkwith,andwhentheyworkoftenbecomesgreatermotivatorsthangivingthemaraise.17Convincingly,researchersfromCornellUniversitystudied320smallbusinesses,halfofwhichempoweredemployeestoworkthroughautonomy,whiletheotherhalfhadatop-downmanagementstructure.Forthegroupofcompanieswhichgavetheiremployeesmorecontrolinusingtheirowncreativeprocessestoperformtheirwork,businessgrowthwasfourtimestherateoftheothergroup,withonlyonethirdoftheturnoverrate.18

AnexampleofacompanywhoattemptedtoembedEmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackintotheirworkplacewasGoogle.Theyimplementedaprogramcalled20%Time–whereonedayintheweek,employeescanworkonanyprojecttheywouldlike,aslongastheIntellectualPropertybelongedtoGoogle.

Manyemployeeswhowantedtobecomeanentrepreneurmostlydidsobecausetheyhadgreatideasandwantedtoseeitbecomereality.Butmostofthemstilldon’tenjoytheriskandthehassleofstartingacompany.With20%Time,employeesnolongerfeltaneedtostarttheirowncompaniesbecausetheycouldsimplybuildtheirideasinthesafeandcomfortablehavenofGoogle.

Asaresult,someofthemostsuccessfulproductlinessuchasGmailwerespawnedfromanemphasisonthisCoreDriveofCreativity.Unfortunately,20%TimewasshutdownasGooglebecamelargerandwantedto“putmorewoodbehindfewerarrows.”19

DrawaGunforBadEndgameDesignWhilewetalkedabouthowCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackcanoftencreateEndgameEvergreenContent,ifitisnotthoughtfullydesignedfortheEndgame,itmaystillfailinthelongrun.

Forexample,DrawSomething(essentiallyPictionary,whereonesidedrawssomethingwithapenandtheothersideguesses)wasanextremelypopularandfunmobilegameforashortwhilein2012.Theyamassed35milliondownloads

withinsevenweeksoflaunch,andlaterthatyearwassoldtoZyngaforcloseto$200M.20

Thegamewasfunbecauseitallowedpeopletoutilizetheircreativityindetermininghowtobestdrawapictureofthechallengeword,sothattheotherpersoncanunderstandandguessthecorrectanswer.Thegameevenmonetizedbyhavingpeopleunlockcertaincolorsanddrawingtools,sothattheywouldhavearichervarietyofwaystoexpresstheircreativityinhelpingtheotherpersonguessbetter(thisiswhatIcallabooster,whichwewillcoverlaterinthischapter).

Furthermore,DrawSomethingbroughtinanaddictiveSocialInfluence&Relatednesselement(CoreDrive#5)thatmadepeoplecurioustoseeiftheirfriendscouldguessthemeaningoftheirdrawings(whichaddsCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity).AlltheseelementscontributedtothehugesuccessofDrawSomethingduringitstime.

21

TheDownfallofDrawSomethingDespitetappingintotheseCoreDrives,onceZyngapurchasedtheexcitinggame,thenumbersstartedtodecline.Manyusersstartedtodropoutasthegamefailedtoprovidefreshcontentandchallengesthatwouldgivepeopleasenseofcontinuedimprovementandnovelconditionsforfurthermastery.

PerhapstheDrawSomethingmakersOMGPOPweretoobusyintegratingwithZynga’steamtoaddmorewordstothepool,forthesamewordchallengesstartedtorepeatagainandagain.Theelementofcreativitybecamenullaspeopledrewthesamepictureoverandover.

HereweseesomethingthatisnotconsideredEvergreenContent–eventhoughtherearemanywaystodrawsomething.Ifthecompanydoesnotaddmorewordchallengesforitsplayers,thecreativityaspectdiminishesandthegamebecomesdull.

Anotherissueis,whenyouarejugglingtoomanyongoinggamesatonce(asthedesignmakesitnaturalforyoutoplayanewgameaftereachmatch,aswellasinvitemorefriendstoplaynewgames),itmaystarttofeellikeabigburdentoansweralloftheminsteadoffeelingexcitedabouttheactualgameplay.Asweknow,playshouldbevoluntary,andonceyoufeellikeyouarenotincontrolofyourgameplay,youfallintoBlackHatmotivation,leadingtoalong-termfalloutofaplayer’sengagement.

Finally,thegamealsolostitsappealbecausemanyuserssimplybypassedthecreativeelementsandbeganto“game”thesystembydrawingtheactuallettersoftheanswerinsteadofapicture.Asaresult,manyofthepeoplewhohadreallyhighscoresweretheoneswhowerecheating.Peoplewillexerttheircreativityinamultitudeofways,includingcomingupwithwaystocheatasystem.

Inmyclientworkshops,Ioftenexplorehowhavingasystemthatis“gameable”isnotnecessarilybadandmayevenhelptheircompanyifitisdesignedproperly.However,ifdoneincorrectly,itcouldseriouslydevaluethegameplayandclearlydemoralizetheexperiencesofthoseseekingtolegitimatelyparticipate.

Ifyoublockusersfromexpressingtheircreativityinwaysthatarebeneficialfortheecosystem,theywillultimatelyusetheircreativitytofindloopholesandgaintheupperhandbyplaying“behindyourback.”

GameTechniqueswithinEmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback

YouhavelearnedmoreaboutthemotivationalandpsychologicalnatureofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.Tomakeitmoreactionable,I’veincludedsomeGameTechniquesbelowthatheavilyutilizethisCoreDrivetoengageusers.

Boosters(GameTechnique#31)HaveyoueverplayedthegameSuperMarioandfeltblissfullyexcitedwhenyoupickedupamushroomorflowerthatmadeyoustronger?TheseareconsideredBoostersinagame,whereaplayerobtainssomethingtohelpthemachievethewin-stateeffectively.

Differentfromsimplylevelinguporacquiringnewskills,Boostersareusuallylimitedtocertainconditions.Youcanenjoythebrick-breakingandfire-throwingaslongasyoustayoutofharmsway.Onceyougethitbyanenemy,youreturnbacktoyour“naturalstate”priortotheboosters.

Boosterssuchasobtaininga“jumpingstar”inSuperMarioarelimitedbytime,andtemporarilygiveusersthepowerofinvincibility.Forthenextdozenseconds(IactuallywentonYoutubeandcountedthesecondsjusttowritethis),aplayerwouldrushasquicklyashecan(sometimesfallingintopits)asheenjoystheadrenalinerushofusinghisevanescentpower(withatouchofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience).

Thatfeelingofbeingempoweredwithnew,butlimitedpower-upsisexhilaratingandisanextremelystrongmotivatortowardsthedesiredaction.VeryfewpeoplearewillingtostopthegamewhiletheStarInvincibilityeffectisstillactive.

IngameslikeCandyCrush,Boostersarealsoverypowerfulmechanics,especiallyforitsmonetization.Aplayercanearn(orbuy)alimitednumberofboostersthatwillhelpovercomesomeofthemostdifficultchallengesataspecificstage;suchasgettingaBubblegumTrolltodefeatthemenacingchocolates,oraDiscoBall-likeColorBombtoremoveallcandiesofacertaincolor.Withoutdifferentboostersandpower-ups,thegamewouldnotbenearlyasengagingasitistoday.

ExampleofBoosterswithinSuperbook.tv

Oneofmyclients,Superbook.tv,runsanincrediblyhigh-qualityComputerGraphics(CG)animationserieswithmillionsoffans,bothonlineandviainternationalTV.Superbook.tvispartofthenon-profitChristianBroadcastNetwork,anditsgoalistoteachchildrenaboutstoriesintheBiblethroughvibrantgraphics,modernrelatedness(CoreDrive5),andquirkyhumor.ItevenhasafunnyredrobotnamedGizmothatsaysgoofythingswhileperformingmind-blowingtricks-suchashavingarobotpetparrotflyoutofitschestwhenitwaspretendingtobearobotpirate.

Ontopofthehigh-qualitymovies,SuperBook.tvalsohasawebsitethataimstoengagechildrentolearnmoreaboutthebackstoriespresentedwithintheepisodes.WhenIworkwithclients,IalwaysfirstaskthemtodefinefiveitemswithintheOctalysisStrategyDashboardthatwewillcoverinChapter17:BusinessMetrics,Users,DesiredActions,FeedbackMechanics,andIncentives.WhilemostofmyclientsdefinerevenuegrowthoractiveusersastheirnumberoneBusinessMetric,Superbook’sDirectorofCreativeMediaGregoryFlickstatedthat,“OurnumberoneBusinessMetricistogetkidsmoreengagedwiththeBible.”

Toattractchildren’sattention,Superbook’sstrategyistoimplementavarietyoffungamesontheirwebsitethatkidscanenjoyplaying.Thesegamesprovideopportunitiestoaccumulate“SuperPoints”thatcanlaterberedeemedformerchandise,giftcards,andotherrewards.

Whilethechildrenareenjoyingtheirgames,someofthemwillstarttoexploreothercontentonthesite,includingthe“EpisodeGuides.”Theseguidesexplainmuchofthebackstoriesofeachepisode,suchasthehistoricalsettingofthetime,characters,andotherinterestingtrivia.

TheultimategoalistousetheEpisodeGuidetodirectchildrentowardstheBibleApp,wheretheycaninteractwiththeBiblemore.Thisisaveryclearfunnelingstrategy:PlayGames–>ExploreEpisodeGuide–>InteractwithBibleApp.

TurningtheFunnelAround

Thedisadvantageoffunnelingstrategies,isthatthebottomofthefunnelisoftenonlyatinyfractionofthetop.ManyKidswillplaythegames,andmaybesomeofthemwillnoticetheEpisodesGuides,butonlyafewofthosekidswilltryout

theBibleApp.ItwouldbeniceifpartofthegameistogointotheEpisodeGuidesandtheBibleApp,asopposedtosimplybeingacuriousdiscover.

ApotentialsolutiontothisissueistoembedBoosterswithinboththeEpisodeGuidesandBibleApp.Let’ssay,bycompletingBible-relatedchallengeswithintheEpisodesGuides(whichrequiresutilizingtheBibleApptodowellon),achildcanincreasetheir“KnowledgeScore”thatwillserveasamultipliertowardsSuperPointswhentheyareplayingthefungamesonthesite.

Aftertheywinagamewiththeboosterson,itwouldshowthema“KnowledgeScoreMultiplier”nexttotheirpoints,allowingthemtoearnSuperPointsmuchfasterthanotherkids.Ofcourse,forScarcity&Impatiencesake,itshouldalsodisplay“KnowledgeScoreMultiplier:0%”ifthechilddoesnothavetheseboostersyet,justtomakethemyearnforit.

What’sinterestinghereisthatinsteadofplayinggamesandmaybegoingtotheepisodeguidesandpossiblygoingintotheBibleApp;itisnowstrategicforthechildtofirstgototheEpisodeGuide,maximizetheirKnowledgeScores,andthengobacktoplaythegames.Nowthechild’sowncreativestrategyprocessmotivatesthemtoengagewiththeBibleAppbeforeplayinggames,andthe“funnelmodel”beforehasbeenturnedupsidedowninfavoroftheirtopBusinessMetrics.

MilestoneUnlock(GameTechnique#19)OneofthemostsuccessfuldesigntechniqueswithingamesissomethingIcalltheMilestoneUnlock.Whenpeopleplaygames,theyoftensetaninternalstoptimeintheformofamilestone–“LetmebeatthisbossandthenI’mdone.”“I’mclosetolevelingup.OnceIlevelupI’llgotobed.”

WhattheMilestoneUnlockdoesisopenupanexcitingpossibilitythatwasn’ttherebeforethatmilestonewasreached.

InsomeRPGs(RolePlayingGames),wheneveryoulevelup,youlearnanewsetofskills.Theseskillsareawesomeandgenerallyhelpyouvanquishmonstersfasterandwithmorestyle.Consequently,theywouldhavemadeyourearliergameplayaloteasier.

Onceplayerslevelup(their“stop-timemilestone”),theynaturallywanttoseewhatthesenewskillsarelike.Theywillwanttotestthemoutabit,thentest

themoutonstrongerenemies,enjoyhowpowerfultheyare,andthenrealizetheyaresoclosetothenextmilestonethattheymightaswellgettherebeforestopping.

Thisiswhenpeopleplantostopplayingat11PMbutendupplayingtill4AMinthemorning.

MilestoneUnlocksinPlantsvsZombies

Plantsvs.Zombiesisadynamic“tower-defense”gamegearedtowardsformingacreativestrategytoutilizeresourcesand“plants”tosolvepuzzlesofzombieattacks.InthespiritofCoreDrive3,thegameembodiesanaspectofallowingpeopletoincorporatetheircreativitytocomeupwithvarioussolutionstowardssolvingthesameproblem.Interestingly,thisistheonly“fighting”gameandtheonly“zombies”gamethatbothmymotherandmywifegotveryinto.

IntermsofGameTechniques,PlantsvsZombiesutilizesMilestoneUnlockstotheextreme.Whenyoucompleteeachlevel,youwillusuallyunlockanewPlanttohelpyoudefendagainstZombies.Notbycoincidence,thatnewplantisoftentheexactplantthatdirectlycountersthetoughestzombieinthestageyoujustdefeated,andwouldhavemadeyourlifealoteasierifyouhaditearlier!

Ofcourse,thisisusuallynotthetimetostopplaying.Ifyoudidn’tstartthenextstageandtryoutthesenewfoundpowers,youwouldbelayinginbed,thinkingaboutitallnightlong!

PoisonPicker/ChoicePerception(GameTechnique#89)

Manystudies22haveshownthatpeoplelikesomethingmorewhentheyaregivenachoice,comparedtosimplyhavingoneoption.Thisholdstrueevenifthemultipleoptionsarenotasappealingcomparedtothesinglechoice.Anyparentwithatwoyearoldwillrecognizetheinfluenceofchoiceperception.

“Doyouwanttoeatyourvegetablesbeforeorafteryourchicken?”

Whenchildrenturntwoyearsold,theyquicklydiscoverthattheypossessaspecialpowercalled“FreeWill.”Andoncetheydiscoverthispower,theystarttoexerciseitwithgreatfluency.

*“Whichonedoyouwant?”

“…”

“DoyouwantA?”

“NO!”

“Okay.DoyouwantBthen?”

“NO!”

“Well,youhavetomakeachoice.AorB?”

“NO!”

“Soyoudon’twantanything.I’lltakethemawayokay?”

“NO!”*

Negotiatingwithchildrenisseriousparentingwork.Youhavetomakethechildthinkthatwhateverhappens,it’saresultoftheirowndecisionandnotsomeoneelse’ssuggestion.(Interestingly,thisaspectofusdoesnotchangeaswegrowolder.)Whenthechilddoesnotknowwhattheywant,it’sthetoughestbecausetheycan’tmakeachoiceontheirown.Buttheystillhateitiftheywentalongwithsomeoneelse’ssuggestion.

WhenIwaslittle,mymotherwouldhavemelearntoplaythepiano.Itwasveryfrustratingforme,andmanytimesIwouldcryoutinanger.Aftertwoyearsofpiano,mymothersawhowmuchmiseryitcausedme,andtoldme,“Okay,ifyouhateitsomuch,youdon’thavetoplaythepianoanymore.Butyouhavetoplayaninstrument.Whatwouldyouliketoplay?”AtthetimeIsawapopularsingerinTaiwannamedLee-HomWangplaytheviolinon-stageatalargeconcert,anditmadeanimpressiononme.IthereforetoldmymotherthatIwantedtoplaytheviolin.

AfterIswitchedfromplayingthepianototheviolin,thingsdidn’tnecessarilybecomeeasier.ButbecauseImadeachoicetoplaytheviolin,Isuckeditupandplayedwithamuchbetterattitude.Afterall,ifIalsohatedplayingtheviolin,itwouldmeanmypreviouschoicewas“wrong.”Andpeoplehatebeingwrong!WhenIwouldstarttowhineandcomplain,mymotherwouldaskme,“Soyouhateplayingtheviolinthen?”Iwouldimmediatelyshootbackwith,“No!Who

saidIhateplayingtheviolin?ILOVEplayingtheviolin!Ijustneed…morepractice.”

Whatawinfortheparent!

ThekeytotheChoicePerceptionisthatthechoiceitselfisnotnecessarilymeaningful,butmerelymakesapersonfeelliketheyareempoweredtochoosebetweendifferentpathsandoptions.Inmycase,Iwasstillforcedtoplayaninstrument–Ididnothavethechoicetostoplearning–butbecauseIfeltthatIcouldchoosewhichinstrumenttoplay,Ifeltempowered.

WhenIsaythechoiceisnotmeaningful,itcouldmeanthateithertheuserispresentedwithagoodoptionandabadoption,invitingtheusertonaturallychoosethebetterone(again,oftentheuserwillfeelhappierwiththissituation,ratherthanbeingforcedtotakethebetteroption);oritcouldmeanthatalltheoptionsaretoolimitingandthereforeundifferentiatedfromoneanother.

JesseSchell,inhisbookTheArtofGameDesign-ABookofLenses,introducestwoLenses:TheLensofFreedomandtheLensofIndirectControl23.Schelldescribesthat,“wedon’talwayshavetogivetheplayertruefreedom-weonlyhavetogivetheplayerthefeelingoffreedom.[…]ifacleverdesignercanmakeaplayerfeelfree,whenreallytheplayerhasveryfewchoices,orevennochoiceatall,thensuddenlywehavethebestofbothworlds-theplayerhasthewonderfulfeelingoffreedom,andthedesignerhasmanagedtoeconomicallycreateanexperiencewithanidealinterestcurveandanidealsetofevents.”

AccordingtoSchell,thiscanbeaccomplishedby1)Addingconstraintstoplayerchoices,2)Incentivizingplayerstotakecertainchoicesthatactuallymeetstheplayergoals,3)CreateanInterfacethatguidestheusertowardstheDesiredActions,4)Addingvisualdesignstoattracttheplayer’ssight,5)Providesocialguidance(oftenthroughcomputergeneratedcharactersinthegame),and6)Musiccontrolthataffectsplayerbehaviors.

ChoicePerceptioninfluencesourdecisionsinmanyothersignificantways,suchaswastingtimeandenergykeepingmeaninglessdoorsoroptionsopen,eventhoughtheywereformerlywrittenoffasbadoptions,simplytomaintainaperceptionofhavingachoice.24

Obviously,sinceChoicePerceptionsuggestsalackofmeaningfulchoices,itoftenisnotidealinanimplementationasitdoesnottrulybringoutthecreativityoftheuser.Youcouldalsooffendusersiftoomanyoptionsareblatantlymeaningless.However,formanybusinesses,itiseasieronthedesignertoimplementchoiceperceptionsintoitssystemsthantoactuallycreateMeaningfulChoices.

PlantPicker/MeaningfulChoices(GameTechnique#11)Beyondchoicesthatallowpeopletofeelliketheyareempowered,therearechoicesthataretrulymeaningfulanddemonstratespreferencesthatarenotobviouslysuperioroverothers.Irefertothesetechniquesas“PlantPickers”because,justlikedecidingwhattoplantinagarden,itisoftenapreferenceonstyleandstrategy,somethingthatfuelsCoreDrive3.

Ifyoucreateagamifiedenvironmentwithahundredplayers,andallhundredoftheseplayersreachtheWin-Stateintheexactsameway(suchas“doactionA,getpoints,doactionB,getbadges,doactionC,win!”),therearenomeaningfulchoicespresent.(Oftentimesthiscouldbeseenifthegamifiedsystemhasano-brainerdominantstrategy25,whichfallsunderChoicePerception.)Ifthirtyplayersplaythegameoneway,thirtyplayitanotherway,andthelastfortyplayityetanotherway,thenyouhavesomelevelofMeaningfulChoices.Ifallhundredplayersplaythegamedifferently,thenyouhaveagreatamountofmeaningfulchoices.

IfyoutellahundredkidstositthereandplaywithasetofLego,itisstatisticallyimpossibleforanytwochildrentobuildthesamethingintheexactsameorder(outsideofcopyingeachother,ofcourse).ThatlevelofmeaningfulchoicesandplayistheultimatestateofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.

PlantsvsZombiesStrategy

ImentionedabovehowtheMilestoneUnlockissuchahugecomponentinPlantsvsZombiesgoodgamedesign.AnotheraspectofitssuccessisthePlantPicker.WhenyoustartastageinPlantsvsZombies,youarefacedwithachallenge–awaveofzombies,eachwithdifferentstrengthsandcapabilities.You,astheplayer,havealimitednumberofplantsyoucan“pre-pick”beforeagametodefendagainstthosezombies.Therearesun-resourcesthatallowyouto

sowaplant,andtherearealimitednumberofsquaresthatyoucanplacethemin.

TodefeatalevelinPlantsvsZombies,thereareavarietyofwaysandstrategiesthateachworkextraordinarilywell,amongmanywaysthatdon’tworkatall.Aplayercanchoosetopoweruptheireconomyfirstwithmanysun-gatheringplantsandfewerdefenseplants;layoutthefieldwithbasicpea-shooters;saveuptousemorepowerfulplantsthatdomassivedamage;completelyfocusonexplosivesandtraps;orusestinkyonionstoherdallthezombiesintoonelanebeforewipingthemalloutwithpenetratingattacks.

Often,onewoulddefeatalevelwithonestrategy,justtoreplayitagaintotestoutanothernewstrategicideathattheplayerconceived.Theprocessofbeingabletoselectmanyoptions,eachwithitsuniquestrengthsandweaknesses,andresultinginavarietyofstyleandcreativity-basedstrategies,isthecoreessenceofthePlantPickertechnique.

Unfortunately,whenPlantsvsZombies2wasfirstlaunched,itcompletelyforgotaboutitsoriginaldesignrootsandturnedPlantPickersintoPoisonPickers,withsomeplantsbeingoverpowered,whilehavingothersbeingcompletelyuselessintheearlyphases.

FarmvilleArt

IbelievethatFarmvilleisactuallynota“fun”gametoplay,becauseitdoesnotusemanyintrinsicmotivators,thoughitstillcreatesacompellingandmind-numbingmachinethatbrilliantlyutilizesalltheblackhatgamemechanicstobringoutourCoreDrives.

Generally,duringtheEndgamePhase,carryingoutyourdailygrindisnotfun.However,someplayershavecreatedtheirownendgameinFarmvillethatIthinkispositiveandfunfortherightreasons–itallowseveryonetocreativelyexpressthemselvesthroughtheirFarms.

AfterFarmvilleplayershaveparticipatedinthegamelongenough,havingunlockedallsortsofplantsandcolors,someofthemevenbecomeFarmvilleArtiststoexpresstheircreativity.ManycreateamazinglybeautifulpiecesofartthroughthedigitalpixelsofFarmville.Ofcourse,usinganactualdrawingtechnologylikeMicrosoftPaintmightstillbemoreefficient,buthey,thecanvasisyourfarm!

Becausetherearesomanythingsyoucandowithyourcrops,thiselementofFarmvillecanbeconsideredanEvergreenMechanic.Userscancontinuouslystayengagedwithoutaddinganyadditionalcontent,justlikepaintandapaintbrushcanbeEvergreenmaterial.Thetrickythinghereisthatplayersmustquicklyplanttheartandthentakeascreenshot,forwithinafewhourstheplantswillallwitheranddie.

Herearesomeprettynoteworthypiecesofart:

26

27

28

BasicComponents;InfiniteCombos

MeaningfulChoicesmakegameslikeLego,Chess,orevenMinecraft29fun.Yourchoicescreateatangibledifferenceinyourgameplay,anditshapeshow

theexperienceevolvesovertime.Often,thereareonlyafewbuildingblockstoselectfrom,butbasedonthecontext,challenges,andconstraints,thesebuildingblockscomeintoplayinvaryingwaysfordifferentscenarios.

InthebookATheoryofFunforGameDesign,gamedesignerRaphKosterintroducesahypotheticalgamewithasinglehammerthatcanonlydoonething,whichlikelyresultsinadullexperience.KostercomparesittothegameofTic-Tac-Toe,whichalsodoesnotrequireameaningfulrangeofabilitiesandstrategy.Incomparison,checkersplayerscanstarttolearntheimportanceofforcingotherplayersintodisadvantageousjumps.“Mostgamesunfoldabilitiesovertime,untilatahighlevelyouhavemanypossiblestratagemstochoosefrom.”30

GamedesignerJesseSchellpointsoutthatoneofthemostexcitingandinterestingwaystoaddMeaningfulChoicesistoallowplayerstochoosebetweenplayingitsafe,andgoforasmallreward,ortakeabigrisk,andtryforabigreward.Thistypeofdynamic,whichhecoinstriangularity,isseeninmanysuccessfulandengaginggames.

Ultimately,therearenoone-size-fits-allsolutionstoimplementingMeaningfulChoicesinyourexperience.Iftherewere,itwouldbeaparadox.Youhavetodecideandcarefullydesignwhichchallengestheusermustresolve,whatplantstheuserscanpick,andhowdifferentplantsoptionswillreshapetheuserexperienceintonewinspiringlushforests.

CoreDrive3:TheBiggerPictureCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackisagreatCoreDriveonmanydifferentlevels.Ittapsintoourinnatedesiretocreate,byprovidingusthetoolsandpowertodirectourowngameplayandgivingustheabilitytoaffecttheenvironmentaroundusthroughourownimaginations.

Unfortunately,CoreDrive3isoftenthemostdifficulttoimplementintoaproductdesign,primarilybecauseitrequiressomuchattentionfromanalreadyattention-deficitsociety.Inanageofinformationoverload,peoplehaveshorterattentionspansinordertofilteroutalltheworthlesscontenttheyarebombardedwithonadailybasis.Sounlessyoudesignyourexperiencewithfinesse,peoplewilllikelyshyawayfromcommittingthetimeandenergyneededtoinvesttheircreativityintosomething.ThatiswhyCoreDrive3ismorecommonlyseen

effectiveintheScaffoldingandEndgamePhases,asopposedtotheDiscoveryandOnboardingPhases.

OnceyouareabletounlockthepowerofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,itoftencreatesarushofotherCoreDrives,suchasDevelopment&Accomplishment,SocialInfluence&Relatednessthroughcollaborativeplay,aswellasUnpredictability&Curiosity.Wheneffectivelyimplemented,thisCoreDrivebecomesakeyevergreenenginethatcanbethedifferencebetweenashort-livedflowerandatimelessRedwood.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:ThinkofanexamplewhereCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativitymotivatedyouorotherstotakecertainactions.Diditkeeppeopleengagedforlonger?

Medium:Thinkofthelasttimeyouwereengagedinanactivitythatreallydrewyouin.Diditinvolvealotofcreativity,strategy,ormeaningfulchoices?Ifyes,describetheprocessinwhichtheseelementswerebroughtout.Ifnot,thinkofwaystoaddthesecomponentsintotheexperience.Wouldthatmaketheactivityevenmoreengaging?

Medium:Foryourownproject,thinkofwaysyoucanimplementMilestoneUnlocksintotheexperience,whilerewardingtheuserswithBoostersoncetheyhitthemilestone.AretheBoosterssomethingthatuserswillseeinafavorablelightbecauseitallowsthemtodowhattheydesiretodo,butmoreefficiently?Orisitsomethingthatuserswillperceiveasacontrollingtooltomakewhatyouwantmoreefficientwithoutcaringabouttheirowninterests?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandseewhatideasotherpeoplehave.

GetYourFeetWetNowthatyouaredivingintothefascinatingworldofOctalysisGamificationandmotivation,tryouttheOctalysisToolonmywebsite.PlaywiththeCoreDrivesliders,addshortnotesoneachCoreDrivetohelpunderstandeachbetter,andreadtheautomaticallygeneratedOctalysisInsightstobetterunderstandthestrengthandweaknessesofthedesign.Usethisasacreativeprocessandseethe

insightsasfeedbackforyouranalysis.TheOctalysisToolcanbeaccessedforfreeatYukaiChou.com/octalysis-tool.

1. MatthewJarvis.MCV.“eSports:Behindthenextbillion-dollarindustry”.08/11/2014.↩

2. BlizzardEntertainment.“StarCraft’s10-YearAnniversary:ARetrospective”.2008.↩

3. ChrisMeans.Gamezone.com.“RazerandteamWeMadeFoxpresents‘TheHaxLife’”.2011.↩

4. BrianCrecente.Kotaku.com.“CompetitiveStarCraftGetsUCBerkeleyClass”.01/28/09.↩

5. PatriciaCohen.NewYorkTimes.“VideoGameBecomesSpectatorSport.”04/01/09.↩

6. RivaGold.WallStreetJournalBlog.“‘StarCraft’GameplayBoostsMentalFlexibility,SaysStudy”.08/25/13.↩

7. JadAbumradandRobertKrulwich.RadiolabPodcast.“MappingTicTacToe-dom”.09/06/2011.↩

8. Note:eventhoughIcameupwiththisexampleindependentlyafewyearsago,IlaterreadthatRaphKosterusedthisexactexampletootodiscussasimilarpoint.↩

9. RaphKoster.ATheoryofFun.2ndEdition.p4.O’ReillyMedia.Sebastopol,CA.10/2013.↩

10. ChessBase.comChessNews.“GarryKasparovbegstodiffer…”.04/12/2002.↩

11. JonathanSchaeffer&AskePlaat.UniversityofAlberta&VrijeUniversiteit.“KasparovversusDeepBlue:TheRe-match”ICCAJournal,vol.20,no.2,pp.95-102.1997.↩

12. AndrewBreslin.AndyRants.“Thenumberofpossibledifferentgamesofchess.”10/12/2009.↩

13. XPRIZEHomepage:xprize.org↩14. KaggleHomepage:kaggle.com↩15. MichaelCoren&FastCompany.ScientificAmerican.“FolditGamers

SolveRiddleofHIVEnzymewithin3Weeks”.09/20/2011.↩16. Volskwagon.TheFunTheory.com.“PianoStaircase”.09/22/2009.↩17. DanielPink.Drive.p84.PenguinGroup,NewYork,NY.2009.↩18. PaulP.Baard,EdwardL.Deci,RichardM.Ryan.JournalofAppliedSocial

Psychology.p34.”IntrinsicNeedSatisfaction:AMotivationalBasisofPerformanceandWell-BeinginTwoWorkSettings”.2004.↩

19. ChristopherMims.Quartz.“Google’s“20%time,”whichbroughtyouGmailandAdSense,isnowasgoodasdead”.08/16/2013.↩

20. DashiellBennett.YahooNews.“TheDeclineandFallof‘DrawSomething’”.05/01/2012.↩

21. IGNDrawsomeGallery:http://www.ign.com/wikis/draw-something/Drawsome_Gallery↩

22. SheenaS.Iyengar&MarkR.Lepper.ColumbiaUniversity&StanfordUniversity.“WhenChoiceisDemotivating:CanOneDesireTooMuchofaGoodThing?”.12/2000.↩

23. JesseSchell.TheArtofGameDesign:ABookofLenses.p284-292.CRCPress.BocaRaton.2008.↩

24. DanAriely.PredictablyIrrational.p188.HarperPerennial.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

25. JesseSchell.TheArtofGameDesign:ABookofLenses.p180.CRCPress.BocaRaton.2008.↩

26. KevinJohnson.WikiaFarmville.URL:http://farmville.wikia.com/wiki/File:Farmville-mona-lisa-by-kevin-johnson-300x186.png↩

27. JennyNg.Games.comBlog.“FarmVillePicoftheDay:EmbraceofSwanLakeatLiveloula46’sfarm.”03/01/2012.↩

28. Amy-MaeElliott.Mashable.com.“15BeautifulandCreativeQRCode”.11/7/23.↩

29. WikipediaEntry“Minecraft”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minecraft↩30. RaphKoster.ATheoryofFun.2ndEdition.p122.O’ReillyMedia.

Sebastopol,CA.10/2013.↩

Chapter8:TheFourthCoreDrive-Ownership&Possession

Ownership&PossessionisthefourthCoreDriveinOctalysisGamification.Itrepresentsthemotivationthatisdrivenbyourfeelingsofowningsomething,andconsequentlythedesiretoimprove,protect,andobtainmoreofit.

ThisCoreDriveinvolvesmanyelementssuchasvirtualgoodsandvirtualcurrencies,butitisalsotheprimarydrivethatcompelsustocollectstampsor

accumulatewealth.Onamoreabstractlevel,CoreDrive4isconnectedtoourinvestmentoftimeorresourcesintocustomizingsomethingtoourownliking.Thiscanalsobefoundinasystemthatconstantlylearnsaboutyourpreferencesinordertomoldanexperiencethatuniquelyfitsyou.

Ownership&PossessionispositionedtothefarleftoftheOctalysisFramework,andthereforerepresentstheCoreDrivethatexhibitsthestrongestinfluenceontheLeftBrain(again,thisisnotscientificallygeographicalbutmoresymbolic)relatingtoanalyticalthinking.Here,decisionsaremostlybasedonlogicandanalysis,reinforcedbythedesireforpossessionastheprimarymotivatingfactor.

Forexample,inFarmville,youareconstantlystrivingtoincreasethevalueofyourassetsbydevelopingyourland,establishinghighercropyields,andimprovingthequantityandqualityofyourlivestock.Youcanfurtherdevelopyourproperty’sinfrastructureanddwellings–establishingthatcountrymanoronyourdreamestate.

Becauseofthis,youfindyourselfconstantlyinvestingmoretimeandenergyinexpandingyourfarm.Accumulatingmorecows,plants,andfruitsaswellaspurchasingstablestohouseyourhorsesorgroomingservicestomakethemlook“prettier.”

Wait,it’smine?Holdon,Idocarethen!Ourbrainsformanaturalassociationwiththethingsthatweown.Pretendforamomentthatyougenerallyprefermostdrinkstobeer(formanyreaders,thisexercisewouldbeaverydifficultone).IfwewereatapartyandIgaveyouabottleofbeer,youmayrespond,“Ohthat’sokay.I’mnotabigfanofbeer.”Ithenrespondwith,“Nah,justtakeit!I’llputitherenexttoyou.”

Atthispoint,youmaystillnotcareaboutthisbottleofbeer.Youmayevenabandonitwhenyoustandupandleave.Butatthatmoment,ifsomeonewalksby,picksupthebeerandbeginstodrinkit,youwilllikelyfeeltheurgetosay,“Hey!Whatareyoudoing?”Theymayrespondwith,“What’sthebigdeal?You’renotdrinkingitanyway!”There’sagoodchanceyouwouldstillbeunhappy.“Still,youshouldhaveaskedbeforetakingit.”

Onceyoufeelasenseofownershipoversomething,itsstatuselevatesanditbeginstomotivateyourbehaviordifferently.Ifabeeryoudidn’tcareabout

couldprovokeyourdispleasuretowardssomeone,imaginehowmuchmoreyouwouldbeinfluencedifitwassomethingyoudeeplycaredabout.

AfriendofminenamedChrisRobinoonceexplainedtomethathewasneveranygoodatmathuntilhestartedrunninghisownbusinessandaddedadollarsigntothenumbers.Themathsuddenlybecameveryengaging,andhequicklymasteredeverythingheneededtoknow.

Withhisnewsenseofmasteryovermoney,hequicklybuilthisbusinessintoasuccessfulandlucrativeconsultingfirm.Chrisjokinglysaid,“Oncethenumbersstartedtorepresentmyownmoney,Iinstantlybecameagenius.”

Similartothebeerexample,thenatureofthemotivationandengagementcompletelyshiftedwhenhismindrealizedthattheseboringnumberswerenowarepresentationofwhatheownedandcaredabout.

StampsofSanityOneofthemostcommonmanifestationsoftheOwnership&PossessionCoreDriveisthedesiretocollectthings,suchasstampsorbaseballcards.Manyofushavehadtheexperienceofcollectingcertainitems,wheretheitemsthemselveshaverelativelylowpracticalfunctionalitybutareonlymeaningfulbecausetheyrepresentedapieceinalargerset.

Initially,somereadersmightfeelthatCoreDrive4onlyentailstheactionsofaccumulatingmorepossessions,butitalsoprovidesemotionalcomforttothosewhosimplydwelluponthosepossessions.Thisisliketheownersofexpensivecarsorpaintingswhospendhoursadmiringandenjoyingtheirprizedpossessionswithoutneedingtodoanythingwiththem.Somepeopleevenhidetheirpaintingssonoonecanstealthem,whilestillenjoyingtheutilitybyjustknowingthatthepaintingsareinthesafe.

InMalcolmGladwell’sbookDavidandGoliath,Gladwelldescribesaphysicianatachildren’shospitalinthe1950’swhowastreatingyoungpatientsthatwereveryillfromchildhoodleukemiaandwerebleedingconstantly.Gladwellwrites:

Thekidsbledfromeverywhere-throughtheirstool,urine-that’stheworstpart.Theypainttheceiling.Theybleedfromoutoftheirears,fromtheirskin.Therewasbloodoneverything.Thenurseswouldcometoworkinthemorningintheirwhiteuniformsandgohomecoveredinblood.[…]TheChildrenwouldbleed

internally,intotheirliversandspleens,puttingtheminextraordinarypain.Theywouldturnoverintheirbedsandgetterriblebruises.Evenanosebleedwasapotentialfatalevent.”1

Inthoseday,therewasaninetypercentfatalityratewherethechildrenwouldbleedtodeathwithinsixweeks.Workinginsuchdemoralizingenvironments,youcouldimaginethatmostdoctorsdidn’tlastverylong.Gladwelldescribeshow,afterreturningfromaemotionallycrushingdayatwork,allthisparticularphysicianwantedtodowastoquietlysitinfrontofhisstampcollectioneachnight.

Thisstruckmeasveryodd.Thismaniswatchingchildrendieinhishandsonadailybasis,andtheonethingthatmakeshimfeelbetterisasetofstamps?Also,itseemsthathewouldsimplysitinfrontofthestampsforanontrivialperiodoftimeeachevening.Whatwasheactuallythinkingashesatthere?Washejustlookingatthem,asifhehadforgottenwhichstampsheowned,orjustfeelinggoodaboutthem?

ThisisthepowerofOwnership&Possession-itnotonlyhastheabilitytoengage,ithastheabilitytocomfortandinstillasenseofwell-being.Youseethesamephenomenonwithbaseballcards,pens,andevenimpressivelookingbooksthatnoonereadsneatlyplacedonashelf(hopefullymybookdoesn’tbecomeoneofthose).Peoplejustliketodisplaythemandmarvelatthecollectionforhours,whileseemingly“havingfun”intheprocess.

HowStonedCanYouBeAfascinatingexampleonthefeelingofownershipisseenonYap,asmallislandintheCarolineIslandsoftheWesternPacificOcean.Besidessoundingcheerfulandcarefree,the“Yapese”areknownforusingacurrencycalledRai.2

Raifunctionslikemostcurrencies,excepttheyareoftenlarge,circularstonediskscarvedoutoflimestonefromaragoniteandcalcitecrystals.TheissuewithsomeRaibeingverylarge,isthatitisalmostimpossibletocarrythemaround,letalonepassthemontoothers.Infact,someRaiaresolargethatitisgenerallyimpracticaltomovethematallandarethereforeleftinthewild.Asaresult,whentheYapesebuysomethingwithRai,theysimplyleaveanoralhistorythattheownershipoftheRaiisnowtransferredtoanotherperson.

ImageofaRaiStonebyEricGuinther

Inthemostextremecase,therewasafamousRaistonethatfelloffashipduringtransportationandsunktothebottomoftheocean.Eventhoughnoonehasseenitforoveracentury,theYapeseassumeitisstillthere,sotherightfulowneroftheRaistoneintheoceancouldstillexchangethatownershipforothergoods.That’sprettywild,withsomepunintended.

WhatifItoldyouthatalargepieceofstonesomewhereintheworldisinmypossession,andIwilltradeittoyouforamilliondollars.However,youwon’tbeabletomoveitanditwillhavetobeleftinitsoriginalplace,justliketheownerbeforemedid.whatwouldyouthinkofthearrangement?

YoumaythinkI’mstonedorcrazy,andelectyourpreferredmethodofinteractingwithsuchpeople.(Popularoptionsinclude:laughingatme,yellingatme,lookingatmestrangely,pretendingtotakemeseriouslyjusttoentertain

yourself,pretendingtotakemeseriouslyjusttobepolite-allreactionsI’vereceivedwhenItalkedaboutgamificationbetween2003-2008).

However,that’swhatweactuallyseeinmodern,developedsocietiesregularly.IfabusinessmantoldyouthatheownsafamousbuildingormonumentinChicago,andwillpasstheownershiprightstoyouifyoupaidhim$100million,suddenlyit’snotascrazy-beyondthefactthatyoumaynothavethemoneyhandy.

Youmaynothaveevenseentheproperty-it’snotstrictlyrequiredforthepurchase,especiallyifitisalreadywellknown-norwillyoubeabletomoveitanywhere,butnowitisconsideredalegitimatebusinesstransactionthatanyonewilltakeseriously.Ofcourse,inordertomakesureyoucanprovethetransferofownership,youinthiscasewouldprefertohavethisagreementonpaperinsteadofmemorizedorally.Suchisthestrangenatureofownership.

Ownershipisoftenafeelingoragreement,butitcanalsotaketheformofanidea.IowntheOctalysisFramework,andmanypeoplewhowanttoborroworlicenseitaskforpermissionbecausetheyrecognizeandrespectthisownership.MyownershipofOctalysiswillstayintactuntilIagreethattheownershipshouldbetransferredtosomeoneelse.OnceIagreeandsignitovertosomeoneelse,poof,myownershipoftheideaormethodologyinstantlydisappears.

ThePerfectPetAnotherinterestingexampleoftheuniqueaspectofCoreDrive4:OwnershipandPossessionisthePetRock.3ThePetRockwasastrangeandpopularproductexecutedbyCalifornianadvertisingfreelancerGaryDahlin1975.Uponhearinghisfriendscomplainabouttheirpets,heconceptualizedtheperfectpetthatwouldnotneedtobefed,bathed,groomed,toilet-trained,walked,andwouldnotbecomedisobedient,getsick,orevendie.Theperfectpetwastherock.

Forashortperiod,thePetRockbecameapopularsensation.Itcameinaboxwithholes(justincaseitneededtobreathe),andprovidedsomewithsoftstrawforitscomfort.Therewasalsoanowner’smanualwithinstructionsonhowtogivecommandssuchas“sit”and“stay,”aswellasproperhandgesturestogetthePetRockto“rollover,”“jump,”and“attack.”

Finally,therewassomethingthatpeoplecouldlove,hold,andcherish,withoutdealingwithallthephysicalhasslesandemotionaldifficultiesofabiologicalpet.

Towritethisbook,Ipurchasedanoriginal1975PetRockoneBayfor$14.75plustaxesand

shipping.

Thoughthecrazewasshort-lived,between1975and1976,over1.5millionPetRocksweresold.Asoftoday,manyofthemarestillplaying“sit,stay”onadailybasis,thoughIimaginemostarestraysbynow.Thelovedidn’tlast.

Ofcourse,GaryDahlwaslessconcernedaboutwhetherthePetRockswereloved,becausehewalkedawaywithmillionsofdollars.HisonlyregretmaybethattheInternetwasn’taroundduringthe70stomakethePetRocksevenmoreviral.

Whenpeoplefeelliketheyhaveownershipofsomething,theynaturallywanttocareforandprotectit.Unfortunately,thePetRockprovidednoCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.Asaresult,peoplemovedontootherconceptualpetsthatactuallycouldprovidesomefeedbackmechanics.

TheFirstVirtualPetGameWhenIwasinfifthgrade,itwasmythirdyearbackinTaiwanafterlivinginSouthAfricaforsixyears.Thoseyearswereverydifficultforme,both

academicallyandsocially.MylevelofChinesewassignificantlybehindallmypeers,andmygradeswereverypoor.

Backthen,therewouldbeChinesequizzeswhereeachtimeyouwroteacharacterincorrectly,youneededtowriteafullcolumnofthesamecharacteraspunishmentandpractice.Mostofmyclassmatesonlyhadtowritetwoorthreecolumnsof“punishmentpractice”aftereachquiz,butIoftenhadtowritethreetofourpagesofthem.IrememberwhenIwasinthirdgrade,Iwouldbewritingthesepenaltycharactersuntil3AMinthemorningwithmymothernexttome,withconstanttearsonmyface.Tomyknowledge,thiswasnottypicalformostthirdgraders.

Toaddtothedifficulty,IwasalwaystheoddoneoutbecauseIcamefromadifferentculture.Ididn’treallyfitin,andotherchildrenwouldmakefunofme.ItwasduringthisperiodthatIstartedtopaycloseattentiontowhatdifferenttypesofpeopleindifferentenvironmentsthoughtandfelt.IalsospentagreatdealoftimetryingtounderstandhowIcouldgetpeopletoacceptmeastheirpeerorperhaps,evenrespectmeoneday.Thoughpainful,itmayhavehelpedmebecomemoreresilientandinitiatedmyintellectualcuriositytowardshumanmotivation-whichlatermanifesteditselfintothe8CoreDrives.

WhileIwasworkingsohardtobe“cool”amongmyclassmates,IrealizedthatalmostallofthemhadbecomecrazedwiththisnewthingcalledTamagotchi,wherekidswouldcarrythistinyegg-likedevicewithalittledigitaldisplay.Insidethedisplay,youstartedoffwithanegg.Onceyouhavesetthetimeandselectedaname,theeggquicklyturnsintoasmallbabyballthatyouhavetonurtureandraise.Thereareafewsimpleoptionstofeedthebaby,playwithit,disciplineit,cleanupitsboo-boos,andgiveitmedicinewhenitisill.

Underweeksoftendercare,thelittlebabygrowsintoalarger“animal”thatrespondstoallyourlovingactivities.Insomeversions,thepetlaysaneggbeforeitpassesaway,soyoucanstarttoplaythegamealloveragainwithoutfeelingthatyoufailed.BackthenasIwastryingtofitinandbeaccepted,Ireallywantedoneofthese.Luckily,aclassmateandIdiscoveredalittleabandonedpetintheboy’srestroom.Wehadgreatsympathyoverthepoorlittlething,sowedecidedtoraiseitasourown.

Forafewmonths,wetookturnstakingcareofthelittlething,decidingwhattofeedtheanimalonaregularbasiswhenitcriedout,andtookitforwalksinitselectronicworld.Thoughtheactivityitselfwasrathertediousandnotnecessarily“challenging”nor“unpredictable,”wefoughtoverwhoshouldtakecareofthelittlepetbecausewefeltlikeitwasourown.Inthatsense,itwasenjoyableforustodothesechores,even“fun.”

Eventually,theanimalgrewintoabrachiosaurus.ItwasactuallyaneDinosaur!Interestingly,forthisparticulardevice,whattypeofdinosauritbecamewasdeterminedbywhatfoodyouchosetofeedit.Ifyoufeditmorevegetables,itwouldbecomeabrachiosaurus;ifyoufeditmoremeat,itwouldbecomeaTyrannosaurusRex.Iwassadtodiscoveredthistoolate,asIwouldhavereallywantedaT-Rex.(CanyouidentifywhatCoreDrivethisgamemechanicappealsto?)

Manyyearslater,IlearnedthatTamagotchiwasahugecrazethatsweptJapanandthewesternworld.Launchingin1996inJapan,itwasanearlyefforttocreateatoy/gamethattargetedgirlswhodidn’tcareaboutthefightinggamesofthetime.TheappealofTamagotchiobviouslywentwellbeyonditstargetaudience.

ItswepttheworldandwasevenbannedinmanyschoolsbecausekidshadtotaketheirTamagotchitoschooltofeed,asalapseof12hoursnotcaringforyourpetwouldresultinitsdeath-appealingtotheScarcityandAvoidanceCoreDrives.Australiabanneditaswellduetosomeslotmachinemini-gamesdesignedwithin.Thegovernmentdecidedthatitincorrectlytaughtchildrentobecomegamblers(thisistheUnpredictabilityCoreDrive).TheBlackHatGameDesigndiditswork.

Overtheyears,therewere76millionTamagotchi’ssoldworldwide.Itbecameoneoftheearliestprecursorsofpopularsocialgameswherethekeyobjectiveistocareforananimal,aproperty,orabusiness.

ItlookslikethisingrainedsenseofOwnership&Possession,alongwithsomeaddedbenefitsofnovelty(CoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity),madeproductslikePetRocks,Tamagotchi,andlateronFacebookgameslikeFarmvilleorPetSociety4suchbigsuccessesworldwide.

TheEndowmentEffectThereisquiteabitofscientificresearchonhowourpsychologychangeswhenwebelieveweownsomething.MuchofitissummedupinwhatAcademicscalltheEndowmentEffect.

InhisbookThinking:FastandSlow,EconomicsNobelPrizeLaureateDanielKahnemandescribeshowacertainwell-respectedacademicandwineloverbecomesveryreluctanttosellabottleofwinefromhiscollectionfor$100,butwouldalsonotpaymorethan$35forawineofsimilarquality.

Thismadelittleeconomicsensebecausethesameorsimilarwineshouldholdthesamevalueinaperson’smind.Thepurchasingpriceandsellingpriceshouldberoughlythesame,deductingtransactioncosts.Thisillustratesthatwhenapersonstartstoownsomething,theyimmediatelyplacemorevalueonthatitemrelativetootherswhodon’townit.

ResearchersDanArielyandZivCarmontookthisconceptfurtherbytestingitonDukeUniversitystudentswhowereavidbasketballfansandwouldgothroughademandingprocesstoobtainticketsforDukebasketballgames.5Afterasemesterofcampinginsmalltentsandcheckinginregularlywheneveranairhornsounded,studentswhocampedinfrontofthelinewereonlygivenalotterynumbertowardsobtainingtheactualtickets.Afterthelotteryresultswereannounced,somestudentsbecameticketholders,whileothersdidnot.

TheResearcherscalledupthestudentswhowerewinnersinthelotteryandaskedthemwhatwouldbeanacceptablepricethattheywouldselltheirticketsfor.Concurrently,thenon-winnerswerecontactedandaskedhowmuchtheywouldbewillingtopayinordertogetaticket.Itturnedout,thenon-winningstudents(whogavetheexactsameamountofsweatandlabortowardsit)werewillingtopay$170foraticketonaverage.Ontheotherhand,canyouguesswhattheaverageticketownerwaswillingtosellitfor?

Theaverageticketowner,whoseonlymeritwasthattheywereluckyenoughtowinthelottery,demanded$2,400onaveragefortheirtickets.Thatisfourteentimesmorethantheaveragebuyerprice.Clearly,thevalueoftheseticketsinthestudents’mindswentthroughdrasticchangesthemomenttheybecameowners.

Inamorelab-likeexample,ResearcherJackKnetschaskedtwoclassestofilloutsomequestionnaireswhilepromisingareward-prominentlydisplayedinfrontofthestudentsfortheentiredurationofthesession.Onegroupwaspromisedanexpensivepen,whiletheothergroupwaspromisedabarofswisschocolate.Afterbothsideshadearnedtheirrewards,theywereallowedtotradetheirrewardswiththeothergroup.Only10%oftheparticipantswantedtotrade,showingthatmostofthemvaluedtheirownrewardssimplybecausetheyalreadyhadownership.6

JamesHeyman,YesimOrhun,andDanArielyfurthershowedthattheEndowmentEffectisalsorealizedwhenwesimplyimagineourselvesowningsomething.Theyfoundwithinauctionsites,thelongerpeopleremainedthetopbidder(havingimaginedthemselvesastheofficialownerforlonger),themoreaggressivelytheywouldbidwhensomeoneofferedacounterbid7.Theenvisionedownershipactuallymotivatespeopletofightfortheirdivinerightstothatitemtheydon’tyetown.

Thisiswhyadvertisersoftentrytogetconsumerstoimaginethemselvesowningthepromotedproducts;byaskingconsumerstothinkaboutwhattheywoulddowiththoseproducts.Also,trialpromotionsand“money-backguarantees”workthesamewaybylettingconsumersowntheproductfirstwithoutanyfriction.Sincewenowknowthatthevalueofsomethingbecomesmuchgreaterafteritisinourpossession,consumersoftenfeelreluctanttoreturnthatproductandgettheirmoneybackafterwards.

ForSaleNotForUseOnecaveattotheEndowmentEffectis,ifthepersonownssomethingasatoken“forexchange,”theywillnotfeelattachedtotheiteminabiasedmanner.Ifamerchantownshundredsofshoesinthehopesofexchangingthemformoney,heobviouslydoesnotfeelthatsenseofattachmentwhensomeonebuystheproduct.Similarly,whenconsumerspartwayswiththeirmoneytobuytheseshoes,theyalsoarenotpulledbackbytheEndowmentEffect(unlesstheyarealreadyinfinancialdifficulty)8.

Interestingly,whenEconomistJohnListstudiedtradingbehaviorsatBaseballCardConventions,henoticedthatnovicetraderswereheavilyinfluencedbytheEndowmentEffect,inappropriatelyvaluingtheirowncardsmuchhigherthanwhatthemarketwouldbear.However,astheybecamemoreexperiencedtraders,theystartedtoseethebaseballcardsastradablegoods,resultingintheEndowmentEffectgraduallydiminishing9.Thisiswhyweoftenmakemorerational,andhenceconsistent,decisionswhenwearesimplyremindedto“thinklikeatrader.”10

Identity,Consistency,andCommitmentsAnotherinterestingeffectofCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possessionisthatitalsodrivesustovalueourownidentitiesandbecomemoreconsistenttowardsourpast.Afterall,therearerarelythingsweholdmorecloselythanourvalues,characters,andpastcommitments11.

Infact,sciencehasshownthatthelongerwelive,themoreattachedwebecometoourexistingbeliefs,preferences,methodologies,andevenourownnames.12

AsurprisingstudyconductedbysocialpsychologistBrettPelhamrevealedthatpeoplearemuchmorelikelytochoosecareersthatsoundsimilartotheirown

names13.Totestthisidea,Pelhamlookedupnamesthatsoundedliketheword“dentist,”suchasDennis.Accordingtothecensusdata,thenameDenniswasthe40thmostcommonmalefirstnameintheU.S.,whileJerryandWalterwerethe39thand41st,respectively.

PelhamthensearchedthenationaldirectoryoftheAmericanDentalAssociationfordentiststhathavethesethreefirstnames.Itturnsout,257dentistswerenamedWalter,while270dentistswerenamedJerry-fairlyconsistentwiththestatisticalbaserate.However,therewere482dentistsnamedDennis,whichisclosetoeightypercenthigherthanthenormalbaserateofothernames.Thisindicatesthat,ifyouhappentobenamedDennis,youhaveaneightypercenthigherchanceofbecomingadentistcomparedtoifyouwerenamedsomethingdifferent.

Similarly,Pelhamfoundthatnamesstartingwith“Geo”suchas“George”or“Geoffrey”aredisproportionatelymorelikelytobecomeresearchersinthegeosciences.Hardwarestoreownersareeightypercentmorelikelytohavenamesthatstartwiththeletter“H”thantheletter“R,”whileroofersareseventypercentmorelikelytohavenameswiththeletter“R”thantheletterH.”14

Moreover,peopletendtomovetoplacesthataresimilartotheirownnamestoo.PeoplewhomovetoFloridaaredisproportionatelymorelikelytobenamedFlorence,whilepeoplewhomovetoLouisianaareskewedtowardsbeingnamedLouise.Mr.WashingtonisalsomuchmorelikelytoliveonWashingtonStreetthanMr.Jefferson.Onthatnote,I’mgladthatIhaveneverconsideredacareerinthemedicalprofession,orelseImightendupbecominganUrologist!

Thoughnoonewouldrecognizeoradmitthattheirnamesplayanyroleindeterminingtheseimportantlifechoices,ourattachmenttoourownidentitiesbecomesostrongthatanythingconnectedtothatidentitybecomesdesirabletous.Studieshaveevenshownthatwepreferbrandsandevenspousesthatremindusofourownnames1516.Ithastobegoodbecause,well,itremindsmeofme!

Consistency:valuingwhowewereStemmingfromtheattachmenttoourownidentitiesistheneedtobehaveconsistentlywithourpastactions.DanArielydescribesthisasself-herding,wherewebelievesomethingisgood(orbad)onthebasisofourpreviousbehavior.17.Oftenwebuycertainitemsandbrandsjustbecauseweboughtthem

inthepastandwewouldliketostayconsistentwithourownchoices,eventhoughtheparticularproductorbrandmaynolongerbethebestforourcurrentneeds.

Infact,studieshaveshownthatpeopleinstantlybecomemuchmoreconfidentincertainracehorsesthemomenttheyplaceabetonthehorse.18Thisislikeapersonestimatingthatahorsehasa30%chanceofwinning(whichisprettygoodgivenhowmanyhorsesthereareonatrack)priortomakingabet,andthensuddenlybelievingthatthehorsehasa60%chanceofwinningafterplacingthebet.Thisisbecausethehorsesuddenlytransformedfrom“agoodbet”to“mybet,”andwelearnedfromtheEndowmentEffectthatoncesomethingbecomesourown,weimmediateplaceamuchhighervalueonit.

Ourneedtobeconsistentwithourpastcanalsocauseustodounreasonablethingsforothers.In1966,psychologistsJonathanFreedmanandScottFraserdidanexperimentwheretheywentdoor-to-doortoaskCaliforniaresidentswhethertheywouldagreetohaveabigpublic-servicebillboarderectedontheirfrontlawns.

Theresearchersshowedapictureofabeautifulhousealmostcompletelyobscuredbyasix-by-threefeet,andpoorlyletteredbillboardthatread“DRIVECAREFULLY,”andaskedifresidentswouldagreetohaveitinstalled.Understandably,only17percentoftheresidentscomplied.

However,therewasoneparticulargroupofresidentsthatreactedtotheofferpositively,with76percentofthemagreeingtotheinstallation19.Whydidthisparticulargrouprespondsofavorably?Itturnsoutthattwoweekspriortothisintrusiveoffer,another“volunteerworker”wenttothoseresidentsandaskediftheywoulddisplayaharmlessthree-inch-squaresignthatread“BEASAFEDRIVER”intheirwindows.Sincetherequestwasfairlytrivial,nearlyeveryoneagreedtoit.

Whattheresidentsdidn’texpect,wasthatthissmallactofpublicservicewouldcausethemtostartbelievingtheywerepubliclyconsciouspeoplewhocaredaboutdriversintheneighborhood.Asaresult,whentheimposingrequestcametwoweekslater,inordertobeconsistentwiththeirpubliclyconsciousself-images,theywereinclinedtoacceptsuchofferswithlesshesitation.Ofcourse,therewereelementsofCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callinginvolvedtoo,but

asyoucanseeinthecontrolgroupexperiments,theEpicMeaning&Callingalonewasnotenoughtomotivatepeopletogiveuptheirbeautifulhomeviews.

What’sastonishingisthatevenwithathirdgroupofresidents,whomtwoweekspriorwereonlyaskedtosignapetitionthatfavored“keepingCaliforniabeautiful,”compliancerateofthe“DRIVECAREFULLY”billboardstillincreasedto50%-despitethepetitionhadnothingtodowithsafedriving.Thissuggeststhatthecompliancehaslesstodowiththeeffectsofrepetitionpriming20,butmoretodowiththatsenseofownershiptowardsbeingapubliclyresponsibleperson.

AreaderofRobertCialdini’sbookInfluenceoncewrotethatwhenhisinsurancesalesstaffstartedtoask,“Iwaswonderingifyouwouldtellmeexactlywhyyou’vechosentopurchaseyourinsurancewith[ourcompany.]”asopposedtosimplysettingupaphysicalappointmenttosignthepaperwork,salesimmediatelyroseby10%to19%21.Thisworkedbecauseaspeoplerecitedtheirreasoningfortakinganappointment,theywereconvincingthemselvesofcertainvaluesthattheyshouldstayconsistentwithandfollowthroughon.

Commitments:thepowerofwritingsomethingdownOurneedforconsistencybecomesevenstrongerwhenwecreateacommitment,especiallywhenwewriteitdown.SocialPsychologistsMortonDeutschandHaroldGerardoncedidanexperimentwheretheyaskedgroupsofstudentstoestimatethelengthoflinesthatwereshown.

Onegroupofstudentsonlyhadtothinkofanestimateintheirheads,whileanothergrouphadtowriteitdownonaMagicWritingPadbutwoulderaseitbeforeanyonecouldseeit.Athirdgroupwouldnotonlywritedowntheirestimates,butwouldpubliclyannouncetheirfigures.

Afterwards,theresearchersgavenewmisleadinginformationthatsuggestedthestudents’initialestimateswereincorrect,andgavethemachancetochangetheiranswers.Interestingly,thestudentswhojustmadementalnotesoftheirinitialjudgementweretheleastloyaltothejudgementsandchangedtheiranswersquickly,basedonthenewinformation.

Thestudentswhowrotetheirestimatesdownwithoutanyoneseeingwerefarmorereluctanttochangetheiranswerswhenthenewcontradictoryinformationwaspresented.Ofcourse,withalittlehelpfromCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence

&Relatedness,whichwewillcoverinthenextchapter,thegroupthatpubliclysharedtheirestimateswerethemoststubborninchangingtheiranswers;insistingthattheywerecorrecttheallalong22.

Thislevelofconsistencytocommitmentsiswhycarsalespeopleoftentrytopinyoudownbysaying,“Ican’tpromiseanythinguntiladreadfulpleawithmymanager,butifIcouldgetyouthisprice,youwillbuythecartoday,correct?23”Onceyoucommittothisandhesureenoughreturnswiththequotedprice,youwillfeelagreatneedtostayconsistentwithyourearliercommitment,despitehavingfullrighttosay“no.”

Inasimilarmanner,arestaurantowneroncesharedthatafterheswitchedfromusing“Pleasecallifyouhavetocancel”to“Willyoupleasecallifyouhavetocancel?”duringreservationcalls,theno-showratedroppedfrom30percentto10percent.Thisisbecausewhenpeopleanswer“yes”tothequestion(andmostpeoplewouldfeellikeajackaliftheysaid“no”tosuchareasonablerequest),theyemotionallyfeelmorecommittedintakingmoreresponsibilityfortheirreservations.24

Often,askinguserstofillouttheirownformsincreasescommitmenttowardsabehavior.Whendoor-to-doorsalespeoplestartedtoasktheirnewcustomerstofilloutthesalesforminsteadofdoingitforthem,fewerpeopletookadvantageofthe“cooling-off”lawswheretheycouldregretandreturntheproductafterbeingpersuadedbyBlackHatmotivationtechniques.Basedonthis,hospitalswouldlikelyalsodecreasecancelationratesiftheyaskedtheirpatientstofilloutthenext-appointmentsheetsinsteadofdoingitforthem25.

ThisisalsowhycompanieslikeProcter&GambleandGeneralFoodsoftenruncontestswherepeoplewrite“25-,50-,or100-wordsorless”testimonialsforthem,startingwith,“Iliketheproductbecause…”.Aspeopledescribeenthusiasticallyhowamazingtheseproductsare,theystarttoownuptotheirstatementsandseetheproductsmorefavorably.Ofcourse,theyalsostarttoseethemselvesas,“Peoplewholikethecompanyproductprizessomuchthattheyarewillingtoparticipateinatestimonialcontest.”

Thistypeofownershipoveryouridentity,pastdecisions,andcommitmentscanbeoneofthemoresubtleelementsofmotivationwithinCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.Afterall,youalreadyknowthatyouareheavilymotivatedbymakingmoremoney,collectingstamps,orprotectingyour

expensiveassets;butyoulikelywillnotrecognizeitwhenyourdecisionsweresimplybasedonwhatyournameisandwhatyouatelastweek.

GameTechniqueswithinOwnership&PossessionYouhavelearnedmoreaboutthemotivationalandpsychologicalnatureofCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.Tomakeitmoreactionable,I’veincludedsomeGameTechniquesbelowthatheavilyutilizethisCoreDrivetoengageusers.

Build-From-Scratch(GameTechnique#43)Whenyoucreateaproductorservice,itisoftendesirableforyouruserstoincreasetheirvestedownershipintheprocessofitscreation.Thisiswhyitisusefultohavetheminvolvedinthedevelopmentprocessearlyon–to“buildfromscratch.”

Buildingfromscratchmeansthatinsteadofgivingthemtheentiresetup–givingthemthefullyfurnishedhouseandthedevelopedavatarfromthebeginning,youwantthemtostartoffdecoratingthehousefromscratch.Pickandplacethebedsinthehouseforthemselves,chooseahaircolorandstylefortheiravatars,andselecttheirpreferredfashionstatement.Whenpeoplearebuildingsomethingfromscratch,theyfeellike,“Iownthis.Thisismything.”

Butifyoustartoffbygivingthemaperfectlyenchantingcharacterorafullydecoratedhome,theymaynotbecomeasinvolvedotherwise.Evenifyoutellthem,“Hey,youcanredecorateoraddthingstoit,”peoplewilllikelyfeellessownershipandbelessengaged.

Studies26indicatethatpeoplefeelmoreattachedtotheircheapIKEAfurnitureevencomparedtotheirexpensivehigh-endfurniture,primarilybecausetheyspentmoretimebuildingtheIKEAfurniturewiththeirownhands.ThatfeelingofpersonalownershipalsomotivatesthemtotalkabouttheirIKEAfurnituremoreoftenwithfriends.Thesamecanbesaidofsmallcarpentryprojectslikebuildingagardenbox,bench,orbirdhouse.

Infact,behavioralscientistsDanArielyandMikeNortonstartedtotermthisphenomenon“Ikeaeffect.”27

Onethingtonote,iftheBuild-From-ScratchtechniquedistractspeopleawayfromtheFirstMajorWin-State(whereusersfirstexclaim,“Wow!Thisisawesome!”),thenitisnotagooddesign.EitheryoushouldgiveuserstheoptiontoBuild-From-Scratchwithsomequicktemplateoptionsthatwillallowthemtomoveforwardquicklyandcustomizelater,oryouwanttoensurethattheBuild-From-ScratchTechniqueitselfisaFirstMajorWin-Statethatuserswillfeelexcitedabout.

CollectionSets(GameTechnique#16)OneofthemostpowerfulandeffectivewaystoutilizeCoreDrive4:OwnershipandPossessionisthroughCollectionSets.Sayyougivepeopleafewitems,characters,orbadges,andyoutellthemthatthisispartofacollectionsetthatfollowsacertaintheme.Thiscreatesadesireinthemtocollectalltheelementsandcompletetheset.

Nowit’sPersonal,MyDeer

AnexcellentexampleofaCollectionSetisinthegameGeomonbyLokiStudio,agamecompanyIadvisedfrom2010to2012(theywerelateracquiredbyYahoo!andunfortunatelythegamewasdiscontinued).

Geomonwasamonstercaptureandtraininggame,similartoPokemon,exceptthemonstersyoucouldcatchreliedonyourphysicallocationasdeterminedbyyourmobiledevice.Forinstance,ifaplayerwereonthebeach,theycouldcaptureseaGeomons,whileaplayerhikinginthemountainscouldcapturemountainGeomons.

Inthegame,there’sthethemeoftheFour-SeasonDeer,withfouruniquecreatorstocapture.There’saSpringPlantDeer,aSummerFireDeer,aFallWindDeer,andaWinterIceDeer.

Ifaplayerbychancecapturedtwoorthreeofthesefourdeer,theyimmediatelyfeltcompelledtocapturetheentireset.Afterall,itisratherawkwardtoonlyhavetwooftheFourSeasonDeer.Theproblemwasthataplayercouldonlycaptureaparticulardeerduringtheactualcalendarseason.Thismeantthatplayerswouldhavetowaitthreetosixmonthstocompletetheset.Inthegamingworld,thatisatorturouslylongperiod!

Asaresult,manyplayersbecameobsessedwithtradingoffrareandhighvaluedpetsinordertoobtainthemissingdeer-somewouldevenspendrealmoneytoobtainthem.WhatissurprisingisthattheseFourSeasonDeeraren’teventhatpowerful-mostplayerswouldneverusetheminarealbattle.Peoplesimplywantedthembecause…well,theyhadto.

Themind-blowingthingaboutthislevelofownershipisthatpeoplefeltextremelyattachedtotheGeomonsthattheyhadcapturedandtrainedduringthegame.Whenthegameannouncedthatitwasshuttingdown,players(mostlyconsistingofstudents)bandedtogetherandraised$700,000toseeiftheycouldkeepthegamegoing.Thatwasquiteanimpressivefigure,mainlymotivatedbyCoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionaswellasCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.Infact,inhigher-levelOctalysisstudies,youwillseethatbuildingCoreDrive4oftenreinforcesthepowerofCoreDrive8,andthattheEndowmentEffectconnectsdirectlytoourirrationalsenseofLossAversion).

MonopolizingBillions

AnothergreatexampleofCollectionSetsisseeninMcDonald’sMonopolyGame28.McDonald’swantspeopletobuymorefastfoodfromthem-theDesiredAction,soitcreatedtheMcDonald’sMonopolygamewhereeverytimeyouhittheWin-Stateof“buyingmoreburgersandfries”youwillgetapieceofpropertyontheMonopolyBoard.

Onceyouaccumulatealltheproperties,McDonald’swillgiveyougreatcashprizesandrewards.Now,likemostofthesecollectiongames,therewillbeafewpiecesthatareextremelyrare,andasaresult,peoplearewillingtospendrealmoneytoacquiretheseproperties.That’ssomewhatodd,becausepeoplearenotevenpayingrealmoneyinexchangeforthereward.Theyarepayingrealmoneyinexchangefora“part”ofthereward,whichbyitselfistechnicallyworthnothing.Butbecausepeoplearesodesperateincompletingasetthatisalmostfinished,theyarehighlymotivatedtocompleteitasastrongEndgameplay.

WhatmakesCollectionSetssoeffectiveisthatoftenacompanycannotgiveouttangiblerewardstoeveryuser,buteveryuserexpectssometypeofrewardwhentheyperformedtheDesiredActionsandhittheWin-States.Bygivingusersapieceoftherewardinsteadofthefullreward,everyuserfeelsthattheyaremakingprogresstowardstheultimatewin-prizewhilethecompanymaintainscontrolofitsbudget.Whenyougiveusersrewards,don’tjustgivethemphysical

itemsdirectly,forthosegenerallyhavelessmotivationallongevity.Moreoften,givingthemcollectionpieceswillresultinlonger-termengagement.

Onethingtonoteisthat,whenauserexpectsafullrewardeitherduetoyourownadvertisingorbecauseofwhatyourcompetitorsareadvertising,givingthemaCollectionSetpiececansometimesbackfireandendupinsultingthatuser.Alwaysbemindfulthatgamificationisnotacookiecuttersolution;italwaysreliesonthoughtfuldesignbasedoncontextandtheprofileoftheplayerswithinyoursystem.

ExchangeablePoints(GameTechnique#75)AsmentionedinChapter6,therearetwomaintypesofpointsthatagamifiedsystemcangrantitsusers.ThefirsttypeconsistsofStatusPoints(GameTechnique#1),throughwhichuserscanincreaseandkeeptrackoftheirscoresinordertoseehowwellthey’redoing.StatusPointsforthemostpartcanonlygoupastheuserhitsmoreWin-Statesanditcannotbetradedforothervaluables.ThisappealsmoretoCoreDrive#2:Development&Accomplishment.

ThesecondtypeisrepresentedbyExchangeablePoints,whereuserscanutilizetheiraccumulatedpointsinastrategicandscarcemannertoobtainothervaluables.ExchangeablePointscanhavevarioustypesofuses.Therearepointsthatcanonlyberedeemedwithinthegameeconomyforvaluables,orpointsthatcanbetradedwithotherplayersinthesamesystem.Someexchangeablepointsallowuserstotradewithpeopleoutsideofthegamifiedsystemwheretheywereoriginallyearnedin.Eachofthesetypesofpointshasprosandcons,andmanygoodgamifiedsystems(aswellasgames)haveacombinationoftheabovetoensuretheireconomymaintainsitsvalueforitsusers.ManycompaniesthinkthatjustgivingusersExchangeablePoints,whichcanberedeemedforrewardswillmaketheirsystemmotivating.Afterall,nowthereisanin-system“economy!”

Whatcompaniesdon’talwaysrealizeisthatitisverydifficulttorunaneffectiveeconomy.Youhavetocarefullyconsiderthecorrectlabor-to-time-to-tradability-to-rewardratioswhileconstantlyadjustingthebalancetoensurethatpeoplecontinuevaluingyourpointsandcurrencysystem.Ifthesystemnolongerrewardstheappropriatelaborwiththecommensurateperceivedvalue,thentheeconomylosesitslegitimacy.

TheFederalReserveBankorCentralBankofanycountryknowsthataneconomyisextremelysensitiveandrequiresfinesse.Theyunderstandthatachangeininterestratesbyamodest3%mayresultinsubstantial,evendrasticbehavioralchangeswithconsumers,banks,insurancecompanies,realestatedevelopers,andbusinesses.Thiscomplexitymustberespectedwhenattemptingtointroduceamarketeconomyfortradablepoints.Acompanywhichbelievesthatjusthavinganeconomywillnaturallyleadtoengagementwithitsusersisrelyingonaverydangerousassumption.

Withoutwritingaseparatebookonthissubject(afterall,thisbookistitled“beyondpoints,badges,andleaderboards”),oneofthekeypointstopaycloseattentiontoisthescarcitycontroloftheeconomy.Thismeansthatusersshouldneverfeelliketheexchangeablecurrencyorgoodsareexcessivelyabundant.Thisisoftencontrolledbythetruescarcityoftimewherelaborinthesystemisbalancedagainsttheresultingrewards.WewilldivemoreintothistopicinChapter10onCoredrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.

MonitorAttachment(GameTechnique#42)MonitorAttachmentisagametechniquethatallowspeopletodevelopmoreownershiptowardssomething,suchthattheyareconstantlymonitoringorpayingattentiontoit.

Whenusersaremonitoringthestateofsomething,theynaturallywantthatstatetocontinuallyimprove.Ifyouareconstantlylookingattheprogressionofsomenumbers,youautomaticallygrowmoreengagedwiththesuccessandgrowthofthesenumbers.ThiswasdefinitelyadrivingforcebehindwhyIcaredsomuchaboutmyTamagotchi.Bybeingitssteward,theMonitorEffectincreasedovertimeanditbecamemysoleresponsibilitytokeepthelittledinosaurfed,healthy,andsafe.

Thiscanalsobeidentifiedintherelationshipdevelopedovertimewithafavoritelocalcoffeeshop.Youbecomefriendlywiththestaff,learntheentiremenu,andhaveyour“favoritespot”whereyougotoregularlyatsettimes.Youbuildfamiliaritywiththeshop,whichinturnmakesyoufeellikeyoupartially“own”theplaceasacommittedcommunitymemberandcustomer.

ThistendencyoflikingsomethingwefeelfamiliarwithisdescribedinfamedPsychologistRobertZajonc’spaperon“AttitudinalEffectsofMereExposure29.Becauseoursubconsciousmindsarebadatdifferentiatingbetweenthingsthat

aresafe,comfortable,desirable,truthful,easy,orfamiliar,whenwefeellikesomethingisfamiliar,ourbrainautomaticallyassociatesitwithsomethingthatissafeanddesirable.Cognitiveeaseplaysasubstantialparttowardswhatwedecidetocareaboutandspendtimedoing.

GoogleAnalyticsbringsGamification

BuildingonMonitorAttachment,oftenaverygoodwaytogetusersengagedistoconstantlyshowthemstats,charts,andgraphicsofthingstheycareabout.Asanexample,Ipersonallybelievethatthebiggestmotivatorthatfuelstheblogosphereisnotanybloggingplatform,butGoogleAnalytics30.

Theearlydaysofabloggerarelonelyanddiscouraging.Youspendhoursuponhourspouringoutyourheartandinsights,feelingthatyouarecontributingyouruniquenessandvaluetotheworld;butyoualsoknowthatbarelyanyonewillreadyourposts.YoumayshareitwithyourfriendsonFacebook,andsomemightclickthe“Like”button.However,youalsoknowthatitwouldhavebeenmoretimeefficienttojustcallthesepeopleupandtellthemaboutthesameinsights,onebyone.

Duringthistimeitisveryeasytogiveupanddecidetodootherthingswithone’slife.However,whatoftenkeepsabloggergoingistheGoogleAnalyticsdashboardandtheconstantstaringtowardsittoseewhetherthevisitornumbersincreasedfromthreepeopletofour.GoogleAnalyticsallowsanybloggertoseehowmanyvisitorswereontheirblog,howlongeachpersonstayed,andwhatpoststheyread,allwithoutpayingasingledollar.

Becauseofthissimpletool,manybloggerslogintoGoogleAnalyticsoveradozentimesaday,monitoringthebarelyexistingactivitiesfortheirblogs,andpayingattentiontoanypossiblechanges(incorporatingCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity).Whenonespendsalotoftimemonitoringtheoutcomeofsomething,theywilllikelydevelopnewwaystoimprovethoseoutcomes,developingintoevenmoreengagedactivitieswithinEmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback(CoreDrive3).

Peoplestartedtoseehowprovidingmanylinkstootherpostsandothersitesincreasedtrafficbyamodestamount;theysawhowwritingcatchyandcontroversialtitlesattractedmoreclick-throughs;andtheysawhowpostingatcertaintimesofthedaygeneratedmoretraffic.TheMonitorAttachmentopened

upawholenewworldofWhiteHatMotivation,despitethebloggerbeingnowherecloseto“popular.”

Ifyoucoulddesignyourexperiencewhereusersareconstantlymonitoringtheprogressiveoutputofsomething(evenifthenumbersaregoingdownattimes),youhaveagoodshotatabsorbingtheuserintomuchdeeperlevelsofownershipandengagement.

TheAlfredEffect(GameTechnique#83)TheAlfredEffectiswhenusersfeelthataproductorserviceissopersonalizedtotheirownneedsthattheycannotimagineusinganotherservice.

Aswemarchtowardsafast-foodworldofmoreconvenientandoff-the-shelfoptions,peoplestarttolongforadeeperexperiencethatisuniquelytheirown.That’swhysomewealthypeoplewouldspendtentimesmoretocustomizeaproducttouniquelyfittheirstyleandpreferences.

ThroughBigData,wearenowabletoprovideusersthatsenseofpersonalizationbytailoringoptionsbasedonwhatsmartsystemscollectonuserspreferencesandhabits.

Inagame,thesystemisconstantlylearningabouttheuserandcustomizingtheexperiencebasedonpastbehavior.Agamewouldknow,“Thisplayerisonlevel3;hehaslearnedthesefourskills,butnotthesesix,pickedupthesethreeitems,defeatedthesemonsters,talkedtothesetwocharacters,butnottheseotherthreecharacters.Asaresult,thisdoordoesnotopen.”

Agameremembersalmosteverythingaplayerdoesinthegame,andmodifiestheexperienceaccordingly.Gamerstakethislevelofpersonalizationforgranted:ifatlevel3,thegameforgotsomedetailsofwhattheplayerdidinlevel1,theplayerwouldoftenbecomefuriousandquitthegame.

Intherealworld,mostsitesjustgiveyouthesamestaticexperience,nomatterwhatyoudo.Somemoreadvancedsitespresentdifferentexperiencesbasedonregionorgender,butmostprovideaveryshallowexperience.Butwhenauserfeelslikeasystemhasbeenfullycustomizedtofittheirneeds,evenifanotherserviceoutthereofferedbettertechnologies,functions,orprices,theuserhasastrongtendencytostaywiththissystembecauseitnowuniquelyunderstandsthem.

Thesedays,someofthebiggestsitesareimplementingtheAlfredEffectintotheirexperiences,throughmostarestillnotideal.SiteslikeAmazonareknowntounderstandyourpreferencesbasedonallyouractivitiesandrecommenddifferentproductstoyou31,whileGoogleSearchnowshowspersonalizedsearchresultsbasedonyoursearchandbrowsinghistory32.Facebookalsoshowscontentthatyouoryourfriendswouldmostlikelycareabout33,whileNetflixcanpredictwhichmoviesyouwillenjoybetterthanyoufriendscan34.

Beyondautomaticsystemcustomization,somepeoplehavespenttimeadjustingtheirOperatingSystemsorBrowsersmanuallytosuittheirneedsandpreferences.OthershavetheirownsystemsofcustomizedDropboxFoldersinplacethatperfectlyfitstheirworkflowneeds-pictureswitchingtoanentirelydifferentfilemanagementplatformfromtheoneyoucurrentlyhave;adifficultprospectI’msure.Evenaperson’sworkstationisoftencustomizedtomeettheirneedsandhabits,creatingmoreengagementandattachment.

OnegreatexampleisseeninthenavigationappWaze.Beyondallthesavedaddressesandhistoricaldestinationdata(whichstronglycontributestotheAlfredEffect),withsufficientusage,itwillrememberyourfavoritespotsbasedoncontext.IfyouopenWazeat6PM,itwouldimmediatelyknowthat6PMisreturnhometimeandaskyouifyouwanttogohome;ifyouopenitat8PM,itmayrememberthat8PMonWednesdaynightsisgymtime,andaskyouifyouwouldliketogotothegym.Personalizedandcustomizedexperienceslikethesecreatestrongattachmenttowardsanexperience.

CoreDrive4:TheBiggerPictureCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possessionisapowerfulmotivatorthatcanattractustodomanyirrationalthings,butcouldalsogiveusgreatemotionalcomfortandasenseofwell-being.OftenitisacentralfocusthatworkscloselywithmanyoftheotherCoreDrives.

WhenworkingwithCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience,peoplecontinuallybecomedrawninbyacarrot.WhenpairedwithCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,peopledoeverythingtheycantosecurewhattheyhaveobtained.WhenmatchedwithCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity,peoplebecomeobsessedwiththeoutcomeandwhethertheywouldgainthepreciousgood.Ofcourse,thesuccessfulaccumulationofgoodsleadstoCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment,andwhenthesenseofownershipsparksthe

needtobecomebetterandinnovate,CoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackcomesinplay.

Hereyoucanseehowallthe8CoreDrivesworktogetherindynamicflows,eachsupportingtheotherandcreatingaspectrumofhighermotivation.However,youmustalsobewaryofdesignswhereCoreDrivessabotageeachother.AsoneofthemoreExtrinsicMotivationbasedCoreDrives,ifimproperlydesign,itcouldmakepeopleactmoreselfishly,removeintellectualcuriosity,anddestroyanyhopesofhighercreativity.WewillexplorethisinmoredepthinChapter13:LeftBrainvsRightBrainCoreDrives.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:Thinkaboutsomethingyoucollectedorhadauniquesenseofownershipwith.Didyoufeelthatitwas“fun”tospendtimewithit,eventhoughfromanoutsider’sperspectiveitcouldlooklikeyouweren’tdoinganythingwithit?

Easy:ThinkaboutsomethingthathastheAlfredEffectinyourlife.Howdidtheyimplementit,andwhendidyourecognizethateffectwasinplace?Coulditbedesignedtoletusersbecomeawareofitsooner?

MediumThinkabouthowyoucanintroduceaCollectionSetintoaprojectthatyouarecurrentlyworkingonwhichwillmotivateuserstowardstheDesiredActions.Whatkindoftheme(s)canthecollectionsetuse?DoyouwanteachpiecetobegivenasanEarnedLunchwhenevertheusercommitstheDesiredActions,orhaveitasaMysteryBoxwherethepiecescomeoutrandomlyaftertheDesiredActions?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandseewhatideasotherpeoplehave.

StartCollectingI’msureyouhavenoticedalltheGameTechniquehashnumbers(#s)thatfolloweachgametechniquewithinthedifferentchapters.Thisactuallystartedoffascollectionsetdesignedformyblogaudiencetocollectallthegametechniquenumbersthatarepopulatedwithinmyblog,videos,workshops,andothercontentsuchasthisbook.Lateron,thosewhohaveafairlycompletesetofgametechniques#swillbeabletouseitasaguidesheettostudysomeofmy

mostadvancedcontent.ContentsuchasGameTechniqueComboswherewedeterminewhatGameTechniquesworkbestwitheachothertocreatevariousmotivationaleffects,aswellastheorderinwhichtheygo,alongwithotherfascinatingthings.

ThisiscompletelyvoluntaryandonlyforthosewhoreallywanttodigdeepintomycontentandbeabletowieldthepowerofOctalysisoneday.Ofcourse,evenifyoudon’tplantodigthatdeep,suchalistofgametechniqueswouldbecomeausefulcheatsheetinreferringwhatisavailableinyourarsenalwheneveryouaredesigningaproject.

1. MalcolmGladwell.DavidandGoliath.P144.HachetteBookGroup.NewYork,NY.2013.↩

2. EricGuinther.WonderMondo.com.“STONEMONEYOFYAPINGACHPARVILLAGE”.Accessed02/22/2015↩

3. MortalJourney.“PetRocks(1970’s).12/20/2010.↩4. BenParr.Mashable.com.“PetSocietySells90MillionVirtualGoodsPer

Day”.12/7/2010.↩5. ZivCarmonandDanAriely.*JournalofConsumerResearch.“Focusingon

theForgone:HowValueCanAppearSoDifferenttoBuyersandSellers”.2000.↩

6. DanielKahneman.*Thinking,FastandSlow.”P297.Farrar,StrausandGiroux.NewYork,NY.2013.↩

7. JamesHeyman,YesimOrhun,andDanAriely.JournalofInteractiveMarketing.”AuctionFever:TheEffectofOpponentsandQuasi-EndowmentonProductValuations”.2004.↩

8. DanielKahneman.*Thinking,FastandSlow.”P294.Farrar,StrausandGiroux.NewYork,NY.2013.↩

9. JohnA.List,*QuarterlyJournalofEconomics118.“DoesMarketingExperienceEliminateMarketAnomalies?”.P46-71.2003.↩

10. DanielKahneman.*Thinking,FastandSlow.”P339.Farrar,StrausandGiroux.NewYork,NY.2013.↩

11. RobertCialdini.Influence:ScienceandPractice.5thEdition.P64.PearsonEducation.Boston,MA.↩

12. StephanieBrown,TerrileeAsherandRobertCialdini.JournalofResearchinPersonality,39:517-33.“Evidenceofapositiverelationshipbetweenageandpreferenceforconsistency”.2005.↩

13. BrettPelham,MatthewMirenberg,andJohnJones.*JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,82:469-87.“WhySusiesellsseashellsbythe

seashore:Implicitegotismandmajorlifedecisions”.2002.↩14. NoahGoldstein,SteveMartin,andRobertCialdini.Yes!50Scientifically

ProvenWaystoBePersuasive.P129.Simon&Schuster.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

15. JohnJones,BrettPelham,MauricioCarvallo,andMatthewMirenberg.JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,87:665-83.“HowdoIlovethee?LetmecounttheJs:Implicitegotismandinterpersonalattraction”.2004.↩

16. MiguelBrendl,AmitavaChattopadyay,BrettPelham,andMauricioCarvallo.*JournalofConsumerResearch,32:405-15.“Nameletterbranding:Valencetransferwhenproductspecificneedsareactive”.2005.↩

17. DanAriely.PredictablyIrrational.P39.HarperPerennial.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

18. RobertKnoxandJamesInkster.*JournalofExperimentalSocialPsychology,9,551-562.“Postdecisionaldissonanceatposttime”.1968.↩

19. JonathanFreedmanandScottFraser.JournalofpersonalityandSocialPsychology,4,195-203.“Compliancewithoutpressure:Thefoot-in-the-doortechnique”.1966.↩

20. Repetitionprimingreferstotheeffectwhenourbrainsbelievesomethingisdesirablesimplybecauseitwasrepeatedtousmanytimesinthepast,hencecognitivelyeasytoprocess.↩

21. RobertCialdini.Influence:ScienceandPractice.5thEdition.P62.PearsonEducation.Boston,MA.08/08/2008.↩

22. MortonDeutschandHaroldGerard.JournalofAbnormalandSocialPsychology,51,629-636.“Astudyofnormativeandinformationalsocialinfluencesuponindividualjudgement.1955.↩

23. RobertCialdini.Influence:ScienceandPractice.5thEdition.P60.PearsonEducation.Boston,MA.08/08/2008.↩

24. NoahGoldstein,SteveMartin,andRobertCialdini.Yes!50ScientificallyProvenWaystoBePersuasive.P74.Simon&Schuster.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

25. RobertCialdini.Influence:ScienceandPractice.5thEdition.P70.PearsonEducation.Boston,MA.08/08/2008.↩

26. MichaelNorton,DanielMochon,andDanAriely.“TheIKEAeffect:Whenlaborleadstolove”.JournalofConsumerPsychology22(3):453–460.↩

27. DanAriely.PredictablyIrrational.P175.HarperPerennial.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

28. McDonald’sMonopolyWebsite:http://winners.playatmcd.com↩

29. RobertZajonc,*JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology9:1-27.“AttitudinalEffectsofMereExposure”.1968.↩

30. GoogleAnalyticsplatformwebsite:google.com/analytics↩31. AmazonRecommendationCustomizationHelpPage:

http://www.yukaichou.com/AmazonRecommendation↩32. DannySullivan.SearchEngineLand.”GoogleNowPersonalizesEveryones

SearchResults”.12/04/2009.↩33. MarioAguilar.Gizmodo.“Facebooknowshowsyoupersonalizedtrending

topicsinyourNewsFeeds”.01/16/2014.↩34. AnthonyHa.TechCrunch.”Netflix’sNeilHuntSaysPersonalized

RecommendationsWillReplaceTheNavigationGrid”.05/19/2014.↩

Chapter9:TheFifthCoreDrive-SocialInfluence&Relatedness

SocialInfluenceandRelatednessisthefifthcoredrivewithinOctalysisGamificationandinvolvesactivitiesinspiredbywhatotherpeoplethink,do,orsay.ThisCoreDriveistheenginebehindmanythemessuchasmentorship,competition,envy,groupquests,socialtreasure,andcompanionship.

CoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednessisaRightBrainCoreDrivethatbasesitssuccessoffourdesirestoconnectandcomparewithoneanother.Withtheproliferationofnewsocialmediatoolsandplatforms,moreandmorecompaniesareworkingonoptimizingCoreDrive5duringtheDiscoveryandOnboardingProcess.

Almosteveryconsumerappthesedaysurgesyouto“InviteYourFriends”uponjoiningtheirservice.However,justbecausethesocialplatformistheretospreadamessagedoesnotnecessarilymeanthereisengaging,share-worthycontent.TherearemanypitfallsasSocialInfluence&Relatednessisadouble-edgedswordandneedstobewieldedcarefully.

Whenutilizedproperly,itcanserveasoneofthestrongestandlong-lastingmotivationsforpeopletobecomeconnectedandengagedtoyourexperience.

TheMentorthatStoleMyLifeIn2012,Iwasdoingresearchonsomegamesthatdidn’thavegreatgraphics,butwereverysuccessfulfromtheprospectiveofengagementandmonetization(yes,partofmyworkistoresearchandplaygames,amongothergruelingactivitiessuchastalkingaboutgames,travelingtheworld,andcomingupwithrandomcommentswhilefilmingmyvideos).

Duringthistime,agamecalledParallelKingdompoppeduponmyradar1.

ParallelKingdomisamobilelocationbasedMMORPG(MassivelyMultiplayerOnlineRole-PlayingGame)thatallowsplayerstoaccessandgrowinavirtualworldlaidoutontopoftherealworld,basedontheplayer’sGPSlocation.Thegamehasfairlyunrefinedandunimpressivegraphics,butmonetizeshandsomelyandmakesmillionsofdollarsasasmallteam.

WhenIstarteddoingpreliminaryresearchonthegame,Iinitiallyplannedtospendnomorethantwohourstolearnaboutitsgamemechanicsdesignandhowitcouldengageplayerssowell.Afterthat,Iwouldreturntofocusingonmyotherwork.

TheinitialstageoftheOnboardingexperiencewasso-so,withbasictutorialsandexplanationsonthebackstoryofthegame.Isawthatthegamewasinterestingbecauseplayersgettobuildakingdomontopoftheiractualhomelocationsonavirtualmapthatreflectedtherealworld(whichtiesinsomeCoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionandCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity).Theinterfacewasn’tveryintuitiveandthereweremanyinstanceswhereIfeltIneededtomakedecisionswithouthavingenoughinformation.

Likethemajorityoffirst-timeusersonanysite,withinthirtyminutesIfeltthatIlearnedenoughofwhatthegamewasabout,andplannedtoleavethesystem.Iwasbehindonmyworkanyway.

Butfortyminutesintothegame(probablyenoughtimeforthegametodeterminethatIwasaseriousplayer),Ireceivedamessagethatsaid,“Hey,[UserX]hasbeenassignedtobeyourmentor.Hewillcontactyouthenexttimehesigns-in.”Themessageinitselfwasinteresting.Byindicatingthementorcouldnottalktomeimmediately,itwasmoreconvincingthathewasanactualplayer,andnotjustacomputeroracompanyemployee.

Thatbuiltupsomecuriosityandanticipation(CoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityandCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience).Iwantedtoknowwhothisuserwasandwhathewouldhavetosayaboutthegame.Maybehewasanartificialbotorahumanadmin?Ifhewereanactualplayer,perhapsIcouldlearnmoreabouttheScaffoldingandEndgamePhasesfromhim.

Whenmy“mentor”loggedinsometwentyminuteslater,herequestedtoteleporttomylocation.Igrantedhimpermission.Heshowedup,andquicklystartedtosharesometipsabouthowIshouldthinkaboutmy“careerdevelopment”inthegame–whatskillswillbeusefultolearn,whatviabletradesandprofessionstopursueinthegame,andthebestitemstocollect.

Healsostartedgivingmegear-itemsheknewIneededtobecomemorepowerfulsuchasswords,shields,helmets,bootsetc.ThedefaultswordIhadonlygaveme+2damage,butthenewswordhegaveme(whichwashisoldgearthathenolongerneeded)had+7damage.That’sasignificantboosttoanythingIcouldfindonmyown.Withthisnew,morepowerfulgear,Iwasanxioustogobacktothedungeons(orlevels)thatIwasstrugglingatearlierandshowthosemonstersmynewpowers.Iwasn’tgoingtoquitthegameuntilIcoulddemonstratedmynewpowersandcouldfeelaccomplished.

Atthatpoint,athoughtcrossedmymind.ThismentorhadgivenmealltheseamazingitemsthatIcouldn’tgetonmyown;atleastnotwithinthefirstfewhoursofgameplay.IfItookhisitemsandthenquitthegame,Iwouldbewastingallthese“valuables,”andhewouldlikelybeverydisappointedaboutit.Morallyorresponsibly,Icouldn’tquitthegame…notuntilalittlebitlateranyway.

Atthatpoint,heaskedmetofollowhimintosomelowerleveldungeons.Ilistened.Wow.Themonstersinthosedungeonsweretough,evenformynewgear!ItriedtofightthemasskillfullyasIcould,butIstillcameclosetodyingseveraltimes.Mymentorthenstartedattackingthemonsters,andwitheachblowhewouldwipeoutabatchofthem.Itseemedsoeasyandeffortlessforhim.Atthatpoint,asubconsciousfeelingcreptintomymind.

“IwishIcouldbelikethatoneday.”

ThisisaninterestingthoughtbecauseIdidn’treallycareaboutthegameatthatpoint.Butwhenweseesomeoneelseeffortlesslycompletesomethingthatwestrugglehardagainst,ourbrainsautomaticallydevelopafeelingofenvy.Howpeopledealwiththatenvymaybedifferent–somebecomeinspiredwith“Iwanttobelikethatoneday!”,whereasothersenterintodenial,“Well,Icanneverdothat,butthewholethingisstupidanyway.”Thisgamehadcleverlydesignedfortheformer.

Whenyoudesignanenvironmentwherepeoplearepronetobeenviousofothers,youwanttomakesurethereisarealisticpathforthemtofollowtoinachievingwhattheyareenviousabout.OtherwiseyouwillsimplygenerateuserdenialanddisengagementewillexplorethisthememoreinChapterTenonCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.

Afterfollowingmymentorforacouplehourstoconquerafewdungeons,anotherthoughtbegantohitme.“Man…thisguyisahighlevelplayer.Heshouldbefightinginthehighleveldungeons.Hegainsnothinghereandisjustwastinghistime.Heisinvestinginme!OfcourseIcan’tquitnow.Iwouldbethebiggestdisappointmentever!”

Asaresult,insteadofquitting,IjoinedhisKingdom,becameavalidmemberonhisteam,andhelpedtheKingdomcollectresourcessuchaslumber,fruits,stones,andequipment.Insteadofplayingtheintendedtwohours,IendedupplayingthegamefortwomonthsbeforeIforcedmyselftoquitinordertostartresearchingothergames.Sadly,whenIdidquit,oneofthemembersintheKingdomdidbecomefairlyupsetwithmebecausehespentagoodamountoftimehelpingmycharactergrow,inthehopethatIwouldbecomeastrongforcewithintheKingdom.Atthetime,Ifeltquitehorriblebeingsuchabigletdown.

ThisisthepowerofMentorship,oneoftheGameTechniquesinCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednessthatwewillcoverinthischapter.

Howmanytimeshaveyoutriedtowithdrawfromavolunteergroup,team,church,orevenarelationship,buthadanextremelyhardtimebecauseyoudidn’twanttoupsetotherpeople?

Wederivesomeofourmostjoyfulexperienceswhenwearewithfriendsandfamily,andexperiencestressandanxietywhentheserelationshipsaren’tgoingwell.Weareinnatesocialanimals,andnaturallyendowedwithasenseofempathy.Weareinfluencedbywhatotherpeoplefeelandthinkaboutus.

UnderstandingthedynamicsofSocialInfluence&RelatednessissomethingeverygoodOctalysisGamifiershouldbecomefamiliarwith.

We’reallPinocchiosatHeartIn1972,theKeepAmericaBeautifulOrganizationcreatedanadvertisingcampaignwiththetheme,“PeopleStartPollution.Peoplecanstopit.”Itwasconsideredtobeoneofthemostmovingandeffectivepublicserviceannouncementsofalltime.TheadcampaignfeaturedaNativeAmericanreactingtothewidespreadcorruptionoftheenvironment,andsheddingasinglebutpowerfultear.

2

Manyyearslater,theorganizationwantedtorevisitthesametheme,sotheycreatedanewpollutionpreventioncampaignwithaposterofthesameNativeAmericansheddingthatsinglebutpowerfultearwiththeslogan,“BackbyPopularNeglect.”

Unfortunately,thistimearoundtheadcampaignwasnotonlyineffective,itmayhavebackfiredandcausedevenmorepeopletopollutetheenvironment.3Canyoutellwhy?

Letmegiveyouanotherexampleandseeifyoucanhoneinonwhat’swrongwiththesecampaigns.Formanyyears,thePetrifiedForestNationalParkinArizonasufferedheavylossesduetothevandalizingandtheftoftheirpetrifiedwood.Theywantedtocomeupwithamessagethatwoulddecreasesuchtheft.

Asaresult,theyputupasignthatread,“Yourheritageisbeingvandalizedeverydaybytheftlossesofpetrifiedwoodof14tonsayear,mostlyasmallpieceatatime.”

Thismessageseemstomakesense,asittellspeoplehowserioustheselittletransgressionscanbe,hopingtoappealtopeople’sCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingaswellassomeCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.

However,whenthesignwasposted,boththeftandvandalismincreased.Why?

Herewelearnthat,justbecauseoneattemptstoappealtovariousCoreDrivesdoesnotmeanitwillbedoneelegantlyandeffectively(Thisiswhywestudygamestolearnhowtheysuccessfullydoit).Butmoreso,it’sbecausethismessagecreatedanAnti-CoreDrive,orthemotivationtonotdotheDesiredAction.Bothmessagesimply,“Itisthecrushingnormthatpeoplepollute,steal,andvandalize.Pleasedon’tbelikethem.”

Whiletherearesomepeopleintheworldthatgooutoftheirwaytobedifferent,unique,orweird(Imayfitthatbillalittlebit),mostpeoplebenchmarkthemselveswithwhateveryoneelseisdoing.TheupdatedsloganfortheKeepAmericaBeautifulcampaign,“BackbyPopularNeglect”toldpeoplethat,“Hey,it’sactuallypopulartopollute.”Thoughtheirmessagewasthatyoushouldn’tdoit,itactuallyencouragedpeopletobemorelikethenorm.

Don’tbelieveme?AgroupofBehavioralPsychologistsdidfurtherinvestigationstoprovethisconcept4.TheresearchersdecidedtodoasplittestatthesameNationalParkinArizonawithtwodifferentsignsandacontroltesttoseehowbehaviorchangesbasedonthreedifferentmessages.Theyalsothrewmany“easy-to-steal”petrifiedwoodpiecesalongthewaytomeasurehowmanywerestolen.Thesignswereasfollows:

Sign#1—SocialNorm:“Manypastvisitorshaveremovedthepetrifiedwoodfromthepark,destroyingthenaturalstateofthePetrifiedForest.”(Apictureofparkvisitorstakingpiecesofwoodaccompaniedthis.)

Sign#2—NoSocialNorm:“Pleasedon’tremovethepetrifiedwoodfromthepark,inordertopreservethenaturalstateofthePetrifiedForest.”(Thissignshowedalonevisitorstealingapieceofwoodwiththeuniversal“No”symbol,aredcirclewithadiagonalline).

Thefinalconditionwashavingnosignatalltoserveasthecontroltestforthestudy.

Stunningly,theyfoundthathavingnosignatallledtoa3%theftratewhilehavingSign#1(SocialNorm)ledtoa7.9%theftrate.Thismeantthat,theSocialNormsignincreasedtheftby160%comparedtohavingnosignatall!Thesignthatsays“Everyonestealsandhurtstheenvironment”notonlyfailedtodetertheft,itliterallypromotedtheft.

Ontheotherhand,Sign#2(NoSocialNorm)performedasexpectedandloweredthetheftrateto1.67%.

Whatdoweseehere?Whatweperceiveasthesocialnormgreatlyinfluencesourdecisionsandbehavior,oftenmoresothanpersonalgainsorevenmoralstandards.Intheextreme,this“socialnormoverride”canexplainmanyofthedevastatingactsperformeddonebyNazisoldiers,whomayhaveotherwisebeendecentpeoplehadtheylivedinanothercountryatthetime5;ormasssuicideattemptsbythePeoplesTempleAgriculturalProject6).

ThefamousfictionalpuppetPinocchiohadadream–tobeanormalboyjustlikeeveryoneelse.PerhapsweallhavealittlebitofPinocchioinsideofus.

TheAveragePersonisAboveAverage

Therehavebeennumerousstudiesonhow“socialnorming”affectsourbehaviors.Often,whenweseehowotherpeopleareperforming,webegintocompareourselvestothenormandstarttoadjustaccordingly.Oursocialstandingamongourpeersturnsouttobeastrongmotivatorforusregardlessofwhetherwethinkothersrecognizeourstandingsornot.

Interestingly,whenresearchersstudyhowpeopleperceivethemselvesrelativetoothers,themajorityconsiderthemselvestobe“aboveaverage”atalmostanythingyouaskthemabout.Thisofcourse,isstatisticallyimpossible.

InasurveyoffacultyattheUniversityofNebraska,68%ofthefacultiesratedthemselvesinthetop25%percentilefortheirteachingabilities.7Similarly,asurveydoneonStanfordMBAstudentsshowedthat87%ofthembelievedtheiracademicperformancestobeabovethemedium.8Evenamonghighschoolstudents,asurveyattachedtotheSATExamsin1976revealedthat85%ofthestudentsbelievedtheyhadbettersocialskillsthantheaverage,while70%believedthemselvestobeabovethemediuminbeingleaders.Infact,25%ofthestudentsratedthemselvesasthetop1%whenitcametosocialskills9.Manytimes,whenyoushowallthesepeoplewhoare“aboveaverage”thattheyareinfactnotsoaboveaverage,thatiswhentheydecidetochangetheirbehaviors.

Onenotablestudyonthepowerofsocialproofinginvolvedhotelbathroomsmessagesthaturgedgueststoreusetheirtowelsforenvironmentalreasons10.Amongothervariations,asocialproofmessageinthehotelbathroomread,“JoinYourFellowGuestsinHelpingtoSavetheEnvironment”andnotedthat75%ofguestsparticipatedinthetowel-reuseprogram.

Itturnedoutthatpeoplewhosawthat75%ofotherguestsreusedtheirtowels(establishinga“socialnorm”)became25%morelikelytoreusetheirowntowels.Interestingly,analternativesignthatwasspecifictotheguest’sroomwastested,saying,“nearly75%ofguestswhostayedinthisroomreusedtheirtowels.”Thiscreatedevenbetterresultsbecausethe“relatedness”principleindicatesthatthemoreyoucanrelatetoagroup,themorelikelyyouwillcomplywithitssocialnorm.

ThereisalsoaninterestingcombinationofbothCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingandCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednessinthisbehavior.

CoreDrive5isapparent–whenyoubelievethesocialnormistorecycletowels,youhaveastrongertendencytodoso,especiallywhenthereishighrelatedness.However,thereisalsoanoddsenseofEpicMeaning&Callingthat’scalledintoaction.Noonewillnotice,regardlessofwhetheryourecycleyourtowelsornot,sowhyshouldthatsocialinfluenceaffectyou?ThistiesbacktotheElitismThemeofEpicMeaning&Calling.Becauseyoufeelthatyouarepartofalargergroup,youneedtobehavelikepeoplewhoareinthatgroup–it’sacausebeyondyourself,evenifyourgroupwillneverfindoutwhatyouhavedone.Theaction,orinaction,callsyourintegrityintoquestion.

Ofcourse,ifthehoteltellsyouthatyourpictureandyourtowel-recyclingbehaviorswillbebroadcastedtoeveryonewhohasstayedinyourroomandrecycledtheirtowelsinthepast(assumingtherearenoprivacyconcerns),thentherewillsuddenlybeanevenhigherlevelofSocialInfluence&RelatednesstowardstheDesiredAction(mostlyinaBlackHatway,whichwewillcoveronChapter14).

Tofurtherreinforcethisconcept,consideranotherstudythatwasdonetoexaminesocialconformity,featuringpublic-servicemessagesthatwerehungonthedoorknobsofseveralhundredhomesinSanMarcos,California.Themessagesallencouragedresidentstousefansinsteadofairconditioning,butuseddifferentreasoningandmotivationsfordoingso.

Somemessagestoldresidentsthattheycouldsave$54amonthontheirutilitybill.Othersmessagesexplainedthat262poundsofgreenhousegasespermonthwouldbesavedfrombeingreleasedintotheenvironment.Thethirdmessageinformedpeoplethatitwastheirsocialresponsibilitytoprotecttheenvironmentbyswitchingtofans.Afourthmessageinformedtheresidentsthat77%oftheirneighborsalreadyusedfansinsteadofairconditioningandthatitwas“yourcommunity’spopularchoice!”Bynow,youcanlikelyguesswhichonewasthewinner.ComparedtothethreeothermessagesthatutilizedweakerformsofCoreDrive4andCoreDrive1,thestrongCoreDrive5messageon“everyonelikeyouisdoingit”emergedasthewinnerbyalongshot,withresidentsreducingtheirenergyconsumptionby10%comparedwiththecontrolgroup.Allothergroupsreducedconsumptionbylessthan3%.11.Astheresearchsuggests,simplyinformingyourusersonhowtheirfellow“elite”usersarebehavingisasimplewaytosignificantlyboosttheDesiredActionstowardsthatactivity.

SocialInfluencevs.EpicMeaningwithinaTeam

AninterestingdynamicbetweenCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingandCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednesscanfurtherbeseeninteamrelationshipsandleadershippractices.

Withinagroup,theleaderisoftenmotivatedbyEpicMeaning&Calling.Theyaretypicallytheonewiththelong-termvisionforthegroupandunderstandshowitplaysoutwitheachindividualontheirteam.Forthatvisiontosucceed,theyareoftenwillingtosacrificetheirownwell-beinginordertofulfillthathighermeaningwhichtheyarepassionateabout.

Theteammembersofthegroup,however,areoftenmotivatedbySocialInfluence&Relatedness.Theyareperformingthetasksbecausetheirteamleaderwantsthemto,andtheydon’twanttobethoughtofasslackers-anelementofLoss&Avoidance).Theydon’tnecessarilybelieveinthehighermeaningandvisiontotheextentthatitdrivestheirbehavior,butiftheleaderiscompellingorcharismatic,theywillcommittotheDesiredActionstowardthatvision.

Generally,theleader’sgoalistomotivateeachteammatetofeeldrivenbyEpicMeaning&Calling.Theleaderissuccessfulifeveryonebecomespassionateaboutthehighermeaningoftheprojectorcompanymissionandiswillingtomakesomepersonalsacrificestosuccessfullypushtheirsharedagendaforward.

Ontheotherhand,iftheleaderlosesthatEpicMeaning&CallingandbecomessolelymotivatedbySocialInfluence&Relatedness,theteamwillstarttocrumblefromwithin.Nowtheleaderisnolongermotivatedbythehighervisionofthegroup,butonlyworkingtopleasetheirteammates.Theyhavenowbecomeaninsecureleader,andaninsecureleaderisanineffectiveleader.

Whenyouareleadingateam,neverlosesightofthatEpicMeaning&Calling.Ofcourse,youalwayswanttopaycloseattentiontothefeelingsandmotivationsofeachteammate,aswellastheCoreDrivesthatmotivatethem.However,ifmakingthemfeelgoodbecomesthepriorityyouthinkaboutdayinanddayout,thenyoumayendupwithahappygroupthatgoesnowhereandfailsintheend.Theoppositeistruetoo:neglectyourteams’well-beingandyou’llhaveasadgroupthat’sburntoutandstrugglingtofulfillthemission.

CorporateCompetitionasanOxymoron

Alongsidethisthemeofleadershipistheconceptofcompetitionintheworkplace.Whenpotentialclientsreachouttomeforinternalgamificationsupport,manyofthemaskmeaboutcompetitionintheworkplaceandhowtoproperlyimplementittoimproveworkplaceproductivityandofficedynamics.

AlmosteverycompanyItalkwithassumesthatcompetitionalwaysmakesthingsfunandiscriticalforarobustofficeculture.Unfortunately,whilecompetitionintheworkplacecanbeveryusefulindifferentscenarios,itcanoftenbackfireanddemoralizeteammoraleinthelongrun.

Theproblemofcompetitionintheworkplaceisthatitiseasytomeasurethetemporarysurgeinactivities,especiallyamongthetop10percentilethatusuallydriveamajorportionofthemeasuredmetrics.However,itismoredifficulttofollowthegraduallydecreasingmotivationamongtheother90%ofemployees,aswellastheanti-collaborativestressthatcompetitiongeneratesintheworkplace.

Manycompetitiveworkplacescreateanunhealthyenvironmentwhereemployeesputself-interestabovecorporateandevencustomerinterests.Insteadofworkingtowardsawinforthecompanyandawinforthecustomer,theindividualsimplyfocusesonbeatingtheinternalcompetitionandcomingoutaheadoftheircolleagues.

Eventhoughcompetitioningeneralcreatesanadrenalinerushandaddsasenseofurgencytoaneffort,mosthumanbeingsdonotliketobeinaconstantstateofcompetition.Whenourancestorswerefocusedonsurvivinginthewild,thisadrenalinerushwasmeanttobeusedinshortburstsforsurvivalpurposes,notasaprolongedcondition.

MarioHerger,acolleagueandoneoftheleadingexpertsingamifiedcompetitionintheworkplace,pointsoutthatcompetitionisoftencontrarytotheessentialmeaningofthecorporation.Corporationsareformedtobringpeopletogetherandpooltheirdifferentstrengthsinacollaborativeway12.Thefundamentaldesignofaneffectivecorporationtapsintoitscollectivetalenttobuildsomethinggreaterthanitsindividualparts.

Ifmembersofabasketballteamwerecompetingagainsteachotherinsteadoftheiropponentsinanimportantmatch,theywouldplaymoreselfishly,avoidpassingtheball,andtrytofeaturethemselvesasthestarplayer.Infact,inboth

professionalandcollegiatebasketball,besidesstandardstatssuchas2-PointShots,3-PointsShots,Reboundsandotherpersonalperformancemetrics,thereisanimportantstatcalledAssists.Assistsrepresentstheamountofpassestoteammatesthatimmediatelyledtoascore.

Studieshaveshownthatmostsuccessfuloffensiveteamshaveahighpercentageofassistsassociatedwiththeirscoringefforts.Thisisbecauseassistsleadtohigherqualityshots,whichinturn,resultinhighershootingpercentagesandgreatersuccessonthefloor.Infact,ithasbeenshownthatNBAteamswithhigherassistnumberswinabout72%oftheirgames13.Underthepremisethatwhateverismeasuredwillbeimproved,emphasizingonassistswillleadtomorecollaborateplayandteamwork,eveniftheplayerisstilldrivenbyaself-interesttosucceed.

Whenweimplementcompetitionintheworkplace,weneedtothoughtfullyanalyzetherisksaswellasthebenefits,indeterminingwhethertheremightbeanysignificantandlong-termharmtotheemployeesandultimatelytheenterprise.

Addingcompetition-drivenstresstothedailychallengesthatemployeesfacecanoftenincreasetheprobabilityofburnoutandskewedperformance.Employeesmaybecomemoremotivatedtomakeeachotherfailandevenlookfornewopportunitieselsewhere.Inmyownexperiences,whenpeoplearoundmeconstantlytalkaboutquittingtheirjobs,moreoftenthannotitisbecauseofdysfunctionalpeopledynamicsbetweentheirbossesand/orcoworkers,andnotbecausethetasksthemselvesaretoodifficult.

Onewell-knownexampleofadysfunctionalworkplacecompetitionwasGE’s“Rank-and-Yank”system,wherethebottom10%oftheorganization’semployeeswerefiredonaregularlybasis.AnotherwasMicrosoft’s“StackRacking”system,whereanemployee’sexpectationsforpromotionwerebasedonhowtheywererankedamongtheirpeers.

ApersonalfriendofminewhoworkedatGEmanyyearsagostated,“TheRank-and-Yanksystemtheremadesurethateveryonehiredpeopleweakerthanthemselvessotheywereneverindangerofbeingyanked.Whenweinterviewedabrilliantcandidate,wemadesuretheynevergotthejobbecauseitwouldputourselvesinjeopardyorpotentiallyresultinasmallerbonus.”

AVanityFairarticlebyKurtEichenwaldcitesthat“EverycurrentandformerMicrosoftemployeeIinterviewed—everyone—citedstackrankingasthemostdestructiveprocessinsideofMicrosoft.14”PeterCohanfromForbesstatedthat,“[StackRanking]directed[Microsoftemployees]topreventtheirpeersfromgettingoutstandingperformancereviewsandbragabouttheiraccomplishmentstoeachmemberofthemanagementcommitteethatdeterminedtheirrelativeranking.15”

Asyoucansee,workplacecompetitioncanbeextremelydestructivetocompanymorale,especiallyduringweakanduncertaineconomicconditionswherepeoplearepreoccupiedwithgettinglaidoff.Ontheotherhand,collaborativeteamdynamicsaremuchmorecommoninstartupcompaniesbecauseemployeesoftengetpaidwithequity.Inthatcase,employeesonly“win”iftheentirecompanystayscompetitiveagainsttheindustrygiantsthatarestagnantandcompetinginternally.It’sacollaborativeGroupQuestasopposedtoanindividualizedLeaderboardwhichcompelstheemployee’smotivationtofulfilltheircompany’smissionandcreatesubsequentequityvalue.

Sohowtoimplementcompetitioncorrectly?MarioHergersuggeststoconsiderthefollowingwhendesigningcompetitionintotheworkplace.16

Whencompetitionworks:

InsituationswhereplayersaimtoachievemasteryofthetaskIngain-orientedscenariosandmindsetswhereplayersfocusonbecomingthewinnerWhencontestantsreachtheirIndividualZoneofOptimalFunctioning(IZOF),whichmeanstheiranxietyandarousallevelreachesaheighteneddegreeoffocus17.WhenplayerscareaboutthewelfareoftheteamWhenplayersareprimedtoovercomeobstacles,andnotwhattheywilldoafterreachingthegoalWithsituationalangertoconfrontationsWhenthereisanevenmatchupandplayersfeelthattheyactuallyhaveachanceWhenplayerscareaboutthecompetitors(competingagainstyourfriendsinsteadofeverystrangerintheworld)

Competitiondoesnotwork:

Inlearning-focusedenvironmentsInprevention-orientedsituationsandattitudeswhereplayersfocusonnotbeingtheloserWhenteamsaretooharmoniousandcompetitionbecomesawkwardWhencreativityisrequiredWhenthecompetitionisregardedasskewedandthereislittlechancetowin

Thoughgamemechanicsandelementscanbeusedtomotivateemployeesandpromotethebehaviorsthatthecompanywantstosee,eachcompetitiveinitiativeshouldbewellthoughtoutanddesignedwithconsiderablefinesse.Arbitraryuseofgameelementsmodeledoncompetitionmaybeusefulforshort-termsalescampaigns,butmaybedisruptiveandanti-productiveinthelongterm.

Insteadoftakingthezero-sumapproachtomotivatethebestperformers,weshouldconsiderstrategieswhichbringindividualstrengthstogetherandproduceeffectivecooperation.Inthelongrun,thisformulawillgenerallyoutperformtheindividualisticparadigmofworkplacemotivation.

Cooperativeplaycanhelppreserveandimproveapositivecorporateculture,aswellassupportandencouragethedevelopmentoftalentandskills.Atthesametime,itincreasescompetitivestrengthwhereitreallymatters–outsideinthemarketplace.

GameTechniqueswithinSocialInfluence&RelatednessYouhavelearnedmoreaboutthemotivationalandpsychologicalnatureofCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.Tomakeitmoreactionable,I’veincludedsomeGameTechniquesbelowthatheavilyutilizethisCoreDrivetoengageusers.

Mentorship(GameTechnique#61)Atthebeginningofthechapter,IsharedhowpowerfulmentorshipcouldbeinagamesettingsuchasParallelKingdom,butitisalsoaconsistentlyeffectivetoolineverymediumofactivitythatrequiressustainedmotivation.

Americanuniversitiesarewellknownfortheirstudentsocialgroupsconsistingofhighlyactivefraternitiesandsororities.Manyfraternitieshaveratherlongandinvolvedinitiationritualsfortheirnewmembers.Duringtherigorousprocessofjoiningafraternity,a“BigBro/LittleBro”systemisemployedwhereanexperiencedmemberintheorganizationwillbematchedupwithanewpotentialmembergoingthroughasemester-longtrainingprocessknownas“pledging.”

TheBigBroistheretoserveasamentor,notonlyprovidingdirectionalguidance,butalsoemotionalsupporttomakesurethetime-consumingprocessofpledgingbecomesmorebearable.ThispracticehasenduredforoveracenturyandshowntoimprovetheOnboardingexperienceofmembersjoiningtheorganization.

Havingamentorhelpsemployeesbetterconnectwiththecultureandenvironmentintheworkplace.Thiscaneffectivelyincreaseoverallworksatisfactionandlowerturnoverrates.

Unfortunately,mostorganizationsrequireindividualstobecomeproactiveinfindingtheirownmentors,makingitdifficultforthemtofindagoodmatch.Thatiswhyitisbeneficialforcompaniestocreateasystemizedmentorshipprogramthatworkstomatchtheiremployeesbasedoncompatibilities.Iwouldevenrecommendstartingthementorshiprelationshipasearlyastheinterviewprocess,wheretheinterviewerdoesn’tjustgrindtheintervieweesbutseekstohelpthemimprove.

Sayingthingslike,“Ifyoumanagetogetanofferhere,Iwillbeyourmentorandhelpdevelopyourpotential”wouldmakeyourcompanymuchmoreattractive,whethertheintervieweeishiredornot.Furthermore,thiswouldlikelyincreaseyouracceptanceratesfromprospectsreceivingoffersaspotentialemployees,astheywouldfeelthatyourcompanywouldtakecareofthemfromtheverystart.Thiswouldgoalongwayinacceleratingtheirtransitionintotheofficecultureandenvironment.

TheotherbenefitforMentorshipisthatitalsohelpsveteranplayersstayengagedduringtheEndgamePhase.IntheFourExperiencePhasesofaPlayer’sJourney,welearnthattheEndgameisthemostneglectedandoneofthehardestphasestooptimize.GoodmentorshipdesignintheEndgamealsomakesveteransfeelasifthey’veworkedhardenoughtoprovetheirstatusand

demonstratetheirskillsthroughmentorshipwithanewemployee.(WewillcoverhowtodesignfortheEndgameinmoredetailinChapter20).

WhilethebenefitsofutilizingMentorshipwithinanorganizationareapparent,howcanoneutilizeMentorshiptomotivatepeoplewhoareoutsideoftheorganization?

MentorshipDesignwithinCustomerSupport

Mentorshipcanbeanamazingwaytosuper-chargeaconsumer-facingwebsite,suchaseCommercemarketplacesandtheassociatedonlinecommunities.

OneoftheobservationsIhavemadewhileconsultingforeCommercecompaniesisthatmostonlinecommunitysupportcallsareoftennotabouttechnicalproblemsorbugs,butratherfocuson“howdoIdothis?”questions.Normally,thecustomersupportagentwillpatientlywalkusersthroughaverysimpletrainingprocesstoanswerthesequestions.Thesequencemightstartwithsomethinglike,“Nowclickon‘Settings’ontherighttop.Great!Nowscrolldownuntilyousee‘Privacy.’”

Thismodelisnotveryeffectivebecause:

1. Usersarenotexactlyenthralledwhentalkingto“customerservice”operatorsbecausetheybelievetheserepsdonotreallyempathizewiththeirproblemsorunderstandtheirneeds.Thisisevenmoresowhentherepappearstobefromanothercountry(lackofRelatedness).

2. Costsforcustomerservicecanrunveryhigh,especiallywhenthemajorityofthecostsareonsolvingthese“how-to”interfaceproblems.

3. Newbiestothesitedon’tfeelemotionallyengagedwiththeplatformnortheusercommunity.Theyalsoaren’tmotivatedtobehavewellasstewardsofthecommunity.

4. Theveteransofthewebsitedonotfeelthefulfillmentofreachinghigherstatusandmaystarttofeelemotionallyunengaged.

Thesolution?Havetheveteranssupportthenewbies!Whatifeachtimeaveteranlogsontothewebsite,thereisalittleoverlaywidgetwheretheycanmoveasliderthatsays,“Iamavailableformentorship.”Thisenablesthemtobecomeavailabletoanswerquestionsfromnewbiesthroughanon-sitechatinterface.

Inthiscase,wheneveranewselleronaneCommercemarketplacehasaquestion,theyhavetheoptiontoconnecttoaveteranseller-onewhohas“beenthere,donethat,”andcanhelpmentorthenewbiesreachtheiraspirationalsalesgoals.Theveteranmentorcanprovideusefulinformationsuchas,“Toadjustyourprivacy,youwanttogotothebottomofsettings.Ohalso,makesurewheneveryousellsomething,youuploadatleastfourimages.Thoseusuallysellthebest.InearlydoubledmyratingswhenIfiguredthatoneout.”

Ofcourse,iftheveteranexpertcan’tanswerthequestions,thenewbiecanimmediatelyclickabuttonthatsays,“Talktoanactualcustomerrep.”Butpeopleingeneralwouldlovetohavetheopportunitytoconversewithexperiencedmentorswhocannotonlyhelpsolvetheirinterfaceproblems,butalsoserveasgreatexemplarswhotheycanaspiretobecome.

Needlesstosay,thisiswhattheeCommercecompanywouldlovealso,aseachnewsellerwhoskippedtheboringtutorialscannowlearnhowtobecomegreatsellersinanengagingfashion.

Attheendofeverymonth,theeCommercesitecouldthencalculatehowmany“mentorshiphours”theveteranhadaccumulated,andapplythattosometypeoffeediscountorfreeshippingcreditforthem.Sincesuccessfulveteranstypicallysellinlargevolumes,thesebenefitswouldbecomeattractiveincentives.AsmentionedinChapter7,whenyoucangiveusers“boosters”asrewardstohelpenhancetheircoreactivities,thatisthemostideal.Boosters,suchaswhitescreensforbetterphoto-taking,orshippingservicesthatdeliveritemsdirectlyfromtheseller’shome,acttofurtherincreaseengagementtowardstheDesiredActions.

ThisisstilleconomicallyefficientfortheeCommercesitebecausecomparedtothemassivecostsofexpensivesupportteams,feediscountsorfreeshippingplanswouldbeconsiderednegligible.Thatway,theveteransgettheirstatusperksandbonuses,thenewbiesgettheirquestionsansweredandfeelsliketheyarepartofalargercommunity,andthesitesavesamassiveamountinsupportcostswhilehavingmoreengagedandprofessionalsellersontheirplatform.Whatafantasticwin-win-winsituation.

BragButtons(GameTechnique#57)andTrophyShelves(GameTechnique#64)

Braggingiswhenapersonexplicitlyandvocallyexpressestheiraccomplishmentsandachievements,whereasaTrophyShelfallowsapersontoimplicitlyshowoffwhattheyhaveaccomplishedwithoutreallysayingit.

Intuitivelyencouraginguserstobragaboutandshowofftheirachievementscomesinhandywhenitcomestorecruitingnewplayersandkeepingveteranplayersactive,butthetwotechniquesareappropriatefordifferentscenarios.

ABragButtonisaDesiredActionthatuserscantakeinordertobroadcastwhattheyfeelaccomplishedabout-drivenbyCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.Inotherwords,BragButtonsarelittleactiontoolsandmechanismsforuserstobroadcasthowawesometheyare.TakethegameTempleRunforexample.Wheneveragameisover,thereisaquickandeasywayforuserstotapabuttonandshareascreenshotoftheirhighscoresonFacebook,Instagram,andTwitter.

Asthegamegainedinpopularity,peoplewerecompetingwiththosewhowerescoringinthemillionsandhigh-scoringuserswereproudtoposttheirscoresforeveryonetosee.

Thesedays,manygamesandwebsitesencourageuserstosharemorewiththeirfriendsoneverysingleinterface.MostoftheseBragButtonsareignoredthough,

becausethey’renotfueledbystrongCoreDrive2motivation(thedynamicsandrelationshipsbetweeneachCoreDriveandhowtheypowereachotherwillbestudiedinhigherlevelOctalysis).YouwanttoimplementtheBragButtonsattheMajorWin-Stateswhenusersactuallyfeelawesomeaboutwhattheyhavejustcompleted.

ATrophyShelf,ontheotherhand,isanobviousdisplaythatexhibitstheachievementsoftheuser.Inotherwords,theusersimplyhastoputuptheShelf,andfurtherpromotion,everyonewhocomesbywillseeandacknowledgethesegreatachievements.

TrophyShelvesareseenwhenyouwalkintosomeone’soffice,andontheirwallsyouseealltypesofawards,certificates,andcredentials.Theseprofessionalsdon’tnecessarilywanttobragabouthowtheygraduatedcumlaudefromStanfordUniversityandhaveaLevel4OctalysisCertificatetoeveryoneallthetime,butbyhavingitontheirwalls,theyimplicitlyshowit.

Inthatsense,addingthePh.Dtitleafterone’sownnameintheirbioisusuallyconsideredaTrophyShelf.However,oncetheyverballyintroducethemselvesas“JohnDoe,Ph.D,”they’vepressedthatBragButton.

Ingaming,TrophyShelvescanoftenbeseenascrowns,badges,oravatars.Inmanygames,someavatargearoritemscanonlybeobtainedafterreachingdifficultorexclusivemilestones,suchasbeatingacertainboss,inviting100friendstothegame,orsimplyhavingbeenwiththegamesinceitlaunched.Thisallowseveryonetoclearlyseethatthisuserhasachievedalotwithoutthepersonannoyinglybringingitupallthetime.

KeepinmindthatthereneedstobesomelevelofRelatednesswhensomeonebragsaboutorshowsoffsomething.Whenthereisamutualunderstandingofthedifficultworkrequiredtoreachacertainlevel,peoplearemorelikelytobragaboutorshowofftheirscoresbecausetheyknowothersrecognizehowharditwastoobtainthescores.

TempleRundoesagreatjobgainingnewusersthroughutilizingthemechanismofBragButtons.Thishelpedthembecomeoneofthemostsuccessfulmobilegamesofalltimewithoverabilliondownloadsthroughoutthefranchise’shistory18.Notbadforamonotonousgameofconstantlyrunningforward.

Unfortunately,theinterfaceforTempleRun2dimmeddowntheoptionoftheBragButton,whichIbelievewouldresultinslightlylowerfrequencyofsomeonesharingtheirscoresbasedontheGlowingChoiceandDessertOasisgametechniqueswediscussedinChapter6.

GroupQuests(GameTechnique#22)AnotherGameTechniquethatdrawspowerfromCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednessistheGroupQuest.GroupQuestsareveryeffectiveincollaborativeplayaswellasviralmarketingbecauseitrequiresgroupparticipationbeforeanyindividualcanachievetheWin-State.

AsuccessfulgamethatutilizesthisisWorldofWarcraft(WoW),anotherhugelysuccessfulandaddictivegameproducedbyBlizzardEntertainment19.InWoW,therearemanyqueststhataresochallengingthatitrequiresanentireteamoffortymax-leveledplayerstoworkcollaboratively,eachspecializedintheirownresponsibilities,beforetheyhaveachanceoffulfillingthequest.Inwell-designedinstances,eventhoughthe40-playerrequirementisnotimposedbytheprogram,theuserssimplyfinditdifficulttosucceediftheyonlyhave39players.

Thismotivatedmanyplayerstogrouptogetherintoclansandguildstoorchestrateraidsonaregularlybasis.Becauseofthis,peoplewereencouragedtologinregularlyandnotdropoutduetothesocialpressure.

FarmvillebyZyngaisanothergamethathasGroupQuests.Thesequestsrequireuserstoinviteagroupoffarmingfriendstoproduceacertainyieldofcropswithin24hours.Thegameforcesyoutonotonlyinviteyourfriendstojoin,buttoparticipatewithyou,whichismorepowerfulthanaspammy“Ijuststartedplayingthisgame.Clickonthislink!”

GroupQuestshavebeenexperiencedingamesfordecades,butonlymorerecentlyhavetheybeenadoptedintothebusinessworld.Inlate2008,thenewbornstartupGrouponrealizedthatbusinessesandconsumerswouldbehighlymotivatediftheywereofferedGroupQueststhatensuredconsumerswouldgetdramaticdiscountsprovidedthatenoughofthemsignedupforthediscount20.

Theypromoted60%-offdiscountsif“over200peoplebuythisdeal.”Inessence,ifenoughpeopleinthegrouptakestheDesiredActiontowardstheWinState,

onlythencouldeachgroupindividualobtainthediscount.Naturally,peoplewhowantedthetremendousdiscountinvitedtheirfriendsto“goinonthistogether,”makingthecompanyahugesuccessatthetime.

ThroughlateronGrouponfailedtorealizethefullpotentialthatlateinvestorshopeditwouldobtainduetooperationalissues,during2013itstillgenerated$2.57Billioninrevenuewith$1.48BillioninprofitsjustofftheGroupQuestgametechnique21.SimilarGroupQuestmodelssuchasKickstarterandIndiegogohavealsobecomeverypopularservicesthatcrowdsourcefundstosupportthedevelopmentofinnovativeprojectsthatcannotraisemoneyfrominstitutionalinvestors.

Therearesomanyofthesefascinatingconceptswithingamesthatwearejustbeginningtoextractintotherealworld.Ifwejustunderstoodthesetechniquesandappliedthemeffectivelytomeaningfulprojects,wemightevencreatethenextbilliondollarbusiness.

SocialTreasures(GameTechnique#63)SocialTreasuresaregiftsorrewardsthatcanonlybegiventoyoubyfriendsorotherplayers.

BackinthedaysofFarmville,therewerecertaintypesofvirtualgoodsthatwerenotobtainablethroughregularchannels,includingpurchasingwithrealmoney.Theonlywaytoobtaintheseitemswastohavefriendsclickonthe“GivetoFriend”buttonandhavethemsenttoyou,withoutyourfriendslosinganythingintheprocess.Asaresultofthistypeofdesign,whenpeoplewantedtheseuniqueSocialTreasureitems,theyjustgaveonetoeachother,ensuringawin-winsituation.

Thisofcourse,pushedpeopletogettheirfriendstojointhegame,sotheycouldgetmoreopportunitiestoobtaintheseSocialTreasures.

Soon,peoplewererequestingitemsfromtheirfriendsonFacebooknon-stop,badgeringfriendstogivethemvariousitemsallthetime.Thoughitbecameanuisance,evenanannoyanceformanyFacebookusers,iteffectivelyattractedmoreuserstothegameandmassivelyadvertisedthegameacrossmillionsofpages.

Iremembertherewasatimearound2007wherepeoplekeptpostingonmyFacebookwallandrequestingthatIgivethemaGoatinFarmville.Afterreceivingafewofthose,Ibecameannoyedandsimplyrespondedwith,“Idon’tplayFarmville,”thinkingthatitwouldeffectivelystopthesepeoplefromaskingagain.Unfortunately,theresponseIreceivedwas,“Hey!That’sokay,justcreateaFarmvilleaccount,andIcangiveyouaGoattoo!”ItwasstrikingtomethatthesepersonassumedIwouldalsovalueagoatsomuchthatIwouldbemotivatedtocreateaFarmvilleaccount.

SocialTreasuresarecommonlyfoundthesedaysingamessuchasCandyCrush,toobtainmorelivesorwithAngryBirdsEpicwhereyoucanobtainmore“rerolls”foritsrewardslot/dicemachine.

Intherealworld,themostcommonformofaSocialTreasureisavote.Otherthanyourownvote,youcannot(legally)getyourselfmorevotesinanelectionorpoll,evenifyouwerereadyandabletospendmoney.Theonlywayforyoutoobtainmorevotesisifotherpeoplegivethemtoyou.

Therearemany“popularitycontests”conductedbycompaniesthatutilizeSocialInfluencebyhavingpeoplecompetetogetthemostvotesontheirsubmissions.Toobtainmorevotesfromtheirsocialnetwork,applicantswillblasttheirfriendswithlinkstothesubmissionswhichdirectlypromotethecompanytothousandsofpeople.

SocialProds(GameTechnique#62)AnothergametechniquethatisoftenseenwithinCoreDrive5istheSocialProd.ASocialProdisanactionofminimalefforttocreateasocialinteraction,oftenasimpleclickofabutton.GoodexamplesareFacebookPokes/LikesandGoogle’s+1s.

Intheearlydays,Facebookprovidedasmall“Poke”buttonthatdidn’tdoanythingotherthannotifytheuserthatsomeonehad“poked”them.Atfirst,itseemsprettypointless.Ijustgotpoked?Whatdoesthatmean?TheadvantageofaSocialProdisthattheuserdoesnotneedtospendtimethinkingaboutsomethingwittytosay,orworryaboutsoundingstupidwhentheyjustwanttohaveaquick,basicinteraction.

Whenyougetpoked,youdon’tknowwhatitmeanseitherbutyoudon’tworryaboutit.Youjustpokeback.Nowbothofyouwillfeellikeyouhaveinteracted

sociallywithouthavingtospendnotableeffort.

AlessobviousexampleofaSocialProdistheLinkedinEndorsement.TheprofessionalsocialnetworkgenerallydoesverywellwithLeftBrain(ExtrinsicTendency)CoreDrivessuchasCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession-asyourprofilerepresentsyourlife/career,andCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment-asthesearerealachievementsyou’veaccomplished.

However,formanyyearsLinkedInwasn’tbeenabletosuccessfullyimplementmanyRightBrain(IntrinsicTendency)CoreDrivestokeepusersfrequentlyengagedonLinkedIn.Mostpeoplejustcreateprofilesandthenleaveitsittingthereformonths.SomeengageinexclusivecommunityorprofessionalforumsbutgenerallytheseareonlyutilizedbyarelativelysmallnumberofLinkedInusers.

Thisiswhyinthepastfewyears,LinkedInhasbeenfocusingonCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness,byshowingyouhowmuchyouhaveincommonwithcertainpeople,recommendations,andendorsements.

LinkedInRecommendationsareactuallyconsideredSocialTreasures,astheyaretruevaluablesthatonlyotherpeoplecangiveyou.Unfortunately,theytaketimeandworktogenerate,andsothegrowthrateofRecommendationshaven’tpickedupovertheyears.

Endorsementsontheotherhand,areSocialProds–theyaredesignedtobefairlymeaninglessbuteasytoexecute.Earlyoninthedesign,therewereevenbuttonsthatallowedyoutoendorsepeopleinbatchesoffour,allowingyoutoquicklyendorsedozensofpeoplewithouteventhinkingaboutwhotheywere.

However,mostpeoplehavenoideawhetherornotthisindividualisgoodatalltheactivitieslisted.Butifyoujustwanttoendorseonespecificskillthatyouactuallywanttoacknowledge,youcannotsimplyselectthatskill.Youhavetoclickonthe“x”stoslowlycancelouttheotheroneslistedbeforeyoucanendorsetheoneyouknowabout.Mostpeoplewouldrathernotdothatmuchwork,andasaresultsimplyclickthe“EndorseAll”button.

Thisrevealsthatbydesign,LinkedIndoesnotwantendorsementstobemeaningful.It’sdesignedtobeeasy,thoughtless,andabundant.

Andasaresult,peoplestarttoendorseeachotherleftandright.ThisleadstoLinkedInsendingusersmultiplee-mailseachdaynotifyingthemthatthey’vejustbeenendorsedbyafriend,whichprodsthemtofeelthereciprocalurgeandgoonLinkedIntoendorsetheirfriendsinreturn.

Thoughtheseendorsementsmeanverylittlefromacareerstandpoint,byallowinguserstoaimlesslyendorseeachother,thereisfinallysomethingtodoonLinkedin.

ConformityAnchor(GameTechnique#58)EarlierwelearnedaboutthepowerofSocialNorming.AgamedesigntechniqueIcallConformityAnchorsimplementsthiseffectintoproductsorexperiencesbydisplayinghowcloseusersaretothesocialnormthroughFeedbackMechanics.

TheSaaS(Software-as-a-Service)companyOpower,whichsuppliesservicestopublicutilities,isagreatexampleofusingConformityAnchors.Opower’smissionistoreduceourcollectiveenergyconsumption.TheirmodelisinspiredbyRobertCialdiniwhomwehavementionedafewtimesinthisbookandisoneoftheleadingexpertsonCoreDrives4and5,aswellastheupcomingCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.

Opowerhasdiscoveredthat,thebestwaytomotivatehouseholdstoconsumelessenergyistoshowthemachartcomparingthemtotheirneighbors.

Withthisinterface,Opowerreportedlyreduced2.6terawatthoursofelectricitythrough16millionhouseholdsworldwidebetween2007and2013,theequivalentof$300Million22.TheywerepersonallyendorsedbyPresidentBarrackObama,namedaTechnologyPioneerattheprestigiousWorldEconomicForum,andplacedontheCNBCDisruptor50List23.

WhenoPowerappliedtheConformityAnchorstotheutilitybillingprocess,oneunexpectedobservation.Thetopenergysaversactuallystartedtoconsumemoreenergybecausetheyfelttheycouldrelaxabitandbemorelikethenorm.

Asaresult,thecompanystartedtoapplysmileyfacestothosewhowereaboveaverage,andtwosmileyfacestothosewhowereatthetop,inanefforttoreinforceCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.Thishasreportedlyreducedtheeffectsofnegativesocialnorming,whereusersonthetopdecidetofallclosertowardstheaverage.Ofcourse,there’smuchmorethatOpowercandotoaddtheotherCoreDrivesintotheprocessandmotivatebehavior,butsofarthesmileyfacesseemtodotheirjobs:-).

WaterCoolers(GameTechnique#55)

AnotherwaytoreinforceSocialInfluenceandConformityAnchorsinyoursystemisbyestablishingWaterCoolers.InAmericancorporateofficeculture,thewatercoolerisoftentheplacewherepeopletakeasmallbreakfromworkandchataboutavarietyofnon-workrelatedtopics.Muchoftheconversationsfocusaroundofficegossiporcomplaints,andactivelygetsemployeestobondwithoneanother.

OneexampleofaWaterCoolerisaddingaforumtoyoursite.Forumsareveryhelpfulforgettingacommunitytobondandshareideaswitheachother.Forthispurpose,italsoprovidesanenvironmenttobroadcastasocialnorm,whilealsoconnectingveteranstonewbiesforMentorshipopportunities.

WhenIfirststartedplayingthegameGeomon,Iwasskepticalaboutbuyingvirtualgoodswithrealmoney.Withoutpaying,Icouldonlycapture10monsters.Afterthat,whenIwantedtocapturemoremonsters,Iwouldhaveto“evaporate”anoldone.Thatscarcitydesign(CoreDrive#6)temptedmetospendsomemoney,butIheldonandpainfullycontinuedtoplaywithoutcommittinganycash.

However,whenIvisitedthegame’sforumIfoundmanypeopletalkingabouthowtheywerespendingtheirpurchasedgoldcoinsasifthatwascommonpractice.Afterthat,Iwasinfluencedbythesocialnormestablishedintheforumandhadnoproblemspendingafewdollarstounlockafewslotsrequiredtocapturemoremonsters.

Surprisingly,twoyearsafterthegamehadceasedoperation,IdiscoveredthattheGeomonforumswasstillactivewithsomeloyalistsstillsharingaboutthefunolddayswitheachother.

IntheBattleCamp24,anothermobilegamewhereyoutrainmonstersandteamwithotherplayerstofightbosses,spendingisevenmoreestablishedasasocialnormthanGeomon.Playerswhospendmoneyarereferredtoas“Coiners”andmanytroopswouldpostmessagessuchas,“Weonlyacceptcoiners.”Inresponse,peoplewouldplead,“I’mnotacoiner,butI’mliterallyoneveryhourthatI’mnotsleeping.Pleaseletmejoinyourtroop!”Itisnotuncommonforregularcoinerstospend$50-$100aweekonBattleCamp.

Onethingtotakenoteofisthatwhenyouintroduceaforum-likeWaterCoolerintoyoursystem,itcouldeasilybecomeplaguedbyconstantinactivity.

Generallyforumsarenotverygoodatcreatingacommunity,butaregoodatminglingwithinanalready-establishedcommunity.Ifpeoplevisitanewforumandseethatit’srelativelyempty,itreinforcesanegativesocialproof.Aswehavelearnedinthischapter,thisisabigsinwhichwillonlydemotivatepeopletowardstheDesiredActions.

It’simportanttofirstcreateastrongcommunitythatalreadyhasalottodiscussandthenintroducetheWaterCoolertounleashthesocialenergy.Otherwise,youwillenduphavinganofficewithawatercoolerbutnoemployeesinit.

CoreDrive5:TheBiggerPictureSocialInfluence&RelatednessisoneofthebeststudiedandpracticedRightBrainCoreDrivesingamification,withDevelopment&Accomplishmentbeingthewell-studiedcounterpartLeftBrainCoreDrive.

Mostpeoplerecognizespendingtimewithfriendsasanintrinsicallyfunactivity.SocialInfluence&RelatednessaddsmorefuntoCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackaswellasCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity.ItmakesCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingmoremeaningfulandCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishmentfeelmorelikeanaccomplishment.Also,itgivespeopleabenchmarkonhowtheyaredoingwithCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,aswellascreatesenvywhenothershavewhattheydon’thave(CoreDrive6).

However,thereissuchathingasoversaturation:wheremanyplatformsabusethemechanicsformassfriend-spamming,losingtheoriginalsocialpurposeoffunandcollaboration.IfyourfriendsallfeellikeeverythingyoudoisforLeft-Brainself-gainpurposes,youwillbegintolosetheirtrustandbetreatedlikeanetworkmarketerwhoissimplycashingoutfriendsformoney.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:Thinkofatimewhenyouhadamentor.Didyourbehaviorchangebecauseofthementor?Ifyouhaven’tneverhadamentorbefore,comeupwithaplantoobtainone.

Easy:ThinkaboutaSocialTreasureyoureceived,oraSocialTreasurethatyouwereaskedtogive.Wasitdesignedtoencourageapplicantstospreadthename

ofabrandorproject?

Medium:ThinkaboutanotherexamplethatheavilyutilizedConformityAnchorstochangebehavior.Howwasitutilizedandcanitbeimproved?

Hard:ThinkabouthowyoucanimplementaGroupQuestintotheprojectyouaredoingrightnowthatwillmotivateuserstowardstheDesiredActions.Doesithaveatheme?Coulditutilizecollectionsetsandboosterstobecomeevenmoreengaging?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandseewhatideasotherpeoplehave.

JointheMovement:Ifyouhavereaduptothispoint,youhavebecomeagreatcandidatetojoinourFacebookGroupofOctalysisEnthusiastscalled“OctalysisExplorers25.”GoonFacebookandsearchforthisgroup,thenrequestaninvitationtojointoseewhatotherlearnerssuchasyourselfaredoingwithOctalysis.ManythankstoMikeFinneyforstartingandorchestratingthisgroup.

1. ParallelKingdomWebsite:parallelkingdom.com↩2. “TheCryingIndian,”fromKeepAmericaBeautifulbyAdvertising

Council:http://www.yukaichou.com/KeepAmericaBeautiful↩3. NoahGoldstein,SteveMartin,andRobertCialdini.Yes!50ScientificallyProvenWaystoBePersuasive.P20.Simon&Schuster.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

4. NoahGoldstein,SteveMartin,andRobertCialdini.Yes!50ScientificallyProvenWaystoBePersuasive.P22.Simon&Schuster.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

5. ThefamousStanfordPrisonExperimentsuggeststhatanyonecouldpotentiallybehavelikeaNaziingivencircumstances:http://www.yukaichou.com/StanfordPrison↩

6. ThemasssuicideprojectknownasJonestown:http://www.yukaichou.com/Jonestown↩

7. PatriciaCross.NewDirectionsforHigherEducation.17:1–15.“Notcanbutwillcollegeteachersbeimproved?”.1977.↩

8. EzraZuckerman.StanfordGSBReporter.April24,P14–5.“It’sAcademic.”2000.↩

9. ”Suls,J.;K.Lemos,H.L.Stewart(2002).“Self-esteem,construal,andcomparisonswiththeself,friendsandpeers”.JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology(AmericanPsychologicalAssociation)82(2):252–261↩

10. NoahGoldstein,SteveMartin,andRobertCialdini.Yes!50ScientificallyProvenWaystoBePersuasive.P16.Simon&Schuster.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

11. StephanieSimon.TheWallStreetJournal.”TheSecrettoTurningConsumersGreen”.10/18/2010.↩

12. MarioHerger.EnterpriseGamification.P195.EGCMedia.SanBernardino,CA.07/24/2014.↩

13. TomLyons.Strauss,Factor,Laing&Lyons.“WhatWinsBasketballGamesReviewof‘BasketballonPaper:RulesandToolsforPerformanceAnalysis’ByDeanOliver”.2005.Accessed04/01/2015.↩

14. VanityFair.“Microsoft’sDownfall:InsidetheExecutiveE-mailsandCannibalisticCultureThatFelledaTechGiant”.07/03/2012.↩

15. PeterCohan.Forbes.“WhyStackRankingWorkedBetteratGEThanMicrosoft”.7/13/2012.↩

16. MarioHerger.EnterpriseGamification.P200-201.EGCMedia.SanBernardino,CA.07/24/2014.↩

17. YuriHanin.EuropeanYearbookofSportPsychology,1,29-72.“Emotionsandathleticperformance:Individualzonesofoptimalfunctioningmodel”.1997.↩

18. DeanTakahashi.VentureBeat.“Imangi’sTempleRunsprintsintovirtualrealityontheSamsungGear”.2014/12/23.↩

19. WorldofWarcraftWebsite:http://us.battle.net/wow↩20. GrouponWebsite:groupon.com↩21. MarketWatch.StockProfile:Groupon.Accessed1/18/2015.↩22. oPower.comPressRelease.“OpowerWinsWWFGreenGame-Changes

InnovationoftheYearAward”.07/04/2013.↩23. WikipediaEntry:“oPower”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opower.Accessed

1/18/2015.↩24. BattleCampWebsite:pennypop.com/↩25. OctalysisExplorersFacebookGroup:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/octalysis↩

Chapter10:TheSixthCoreDrive:Scarcity&Impatience

ScarcityandImpatienceisthesixthcoredriveoftheOctalysisFramework.Itisthedrivethatmotivatesussimplybecauseweareeitherunabletohavesomethingimmediately,orbecausethereisgreatdifficultyinobtainingit.

Wehaveanaturaltendencytowantthingswecan’thave.Ifabowlofgrapesweresittingonthetable,youmaynotcareaboutthem;butiftheywereonashelfjustbeyondyourreach,youwouldlikelybethinkingaboutthosegrapes:“Aretheysweet?CanIhavethem?WhencanIhavethem?”

Personally,CoreDrive6wasthelastCoreDriveIlearnedaboutandistheonethatintriguesmethemost,particularlybecausethiscoredrivecanfeelcompletelyunintuitive,irrational,andemotionallydifficulttoutilize.

Inthischapterwe’llexplorethisBlackHat/LeftBrainCoreDrive,understanditspowers,andlearnaboutsomegametechniquesthatharnessitforbehavioralchange.

TheLureofbeingExclusivelyPointlessSouthPark,apopularAmericananimatedsitcomcreatedbyTreyParkerandMattStone,hasmanylessonstoteachusabouthumanbehavior(onceyougetpastthepotty-mouthcursingandgoryscenes).

Inoneoftheepisodes,“Cartmanland”1,thecontroversialmaincharacterEricCartmaninherits$1millionfromhisdeceasedgrandmother.Hedecidestousemostofthefundstobuyastrugglingthemeparkjusttoentertainhimselftherewithoutbeingstuckinlines.

Insteadoftryingtoimprovethebusiness,Cartmanmakesafull38-secondTVcommercialtoshowhowamazinglyfun“Cartmanland”isandemphasizesthatnoonebesideshimselfcanenjoyit.“SomuchfuninCartmanland,butyoucan’tcome!”isthecatchyslogan.

Afterrealizingheneedsmoremoneytohireasecurityguardtokeephisfriendsout,Cartmanstartstoaccepttwocustomersadaytopayforthesecuritycosts.Hesoonrealizesthatheneedstopayforotherthingssuchasmaintenance,utilities,andotheroperationalservices,sohebeginstoopentheparkuptothree,four,tens,andthenhundredsofpeopleeachday.

SincepeopleallsawhowinaccessibleCartmanlandwasforthem,whentheylearnedthatitwasacceptingmorepeople,theyrushedtogetin.

Eventually,everyonewantedtogotoCartmanlandanditwentfrombeinganear-bankruptthemeparktooneofthemostpopularparksintheregion.Experts

withintheepisodeevencalledthe“YouCan’tCome!”campaignabrilliantmarketingploybythegeniusmillionaireEricCartman.

Unfortunately,withmorepeopleinhispreciouspark,Cartmanbecamemiserableandeventuallysolditbacktotheoriginalowner.Subsequently,helosthismoneyduetotaxmismanagement,whichistypicalofCartman.

Whatyouseehereisaclassicexampleofscarcitythroughexclusivity.Thoughthisisanexaggeratedexample,inthischapteryouwillseehowourbrainshaveanaturaltendencytopursuethingsjustbecausetheyareexclusive.

Ontheothersideofpopularmedia,inthemovieUpintheAir2,protagonistRyanBingham,playedbyGeorgeClooney,isacorporate“downsizer”thatfliesallovertheplacetohelpcompanieslayoffemployees.Inaconversationwiththeyoungandambitiousstatus-quodisruptorNatalieKeene,playedbyAnnaKendrick,Binghamgivesusalessonaboutthevalueofscarcity,status,rewards,andexclusivity,asheexplainsabouthisobsessionwithaccumulatingairlinemiles.

RyanBingham:Idon’tspendanickel,ifIcanhelpit,unlessitsomehowprofitsmymileageaccount.

NatalieKeener:So,whatareyousavingupfor?Hawaii?SouthofFrance?

RyanBingham:It’snotlikethat.Themilesarethegoal.

NatalieKeener:That’sit?You’resavingjusttosave?

RyanBingham:Let’sjustsaythatIhaveanumberinmindandIhaven’thitityet.

NatalieKeener:That’salittleabstract.What’sthetarget?

RyanBingham:I’drathernot…

NatalieKeener:Isitasecrettarget?

RyanBingham:It’stenmillionmiles.

NatalieKeener:Okay.Isn’ttenmillionjustanumber?

RyanBingham:Pi’sjustanumber.

NatalieKeener:Well,weallneedahobby.No,I-I-Idon’tmeantobelittleyourcollection.Igetit.Itsoundscool.

RyanBingham:I’dbetheseventhpersontodoit.Morepeoplehavewalkedonthemoon.

NatalieKeener:Dotheythrowyouaparade?

RyanBingham:Yougetlifetimeexecutivestatus.Yougettomeetthechiefpilot,MaynardFinch.

NatalieKeener:Wow.

RyanBingham:Andtheyputyournameonthesideofaplane.

NatalieKeener:Mengetsuchhard-onsfromputtingtheirnamesonthings.Youguysdon’tgrowup.It’slikeyouneedtopeeoneverything.

Beyondthecollection,status,andachievement(CoreDrives4,5,and2),onethingthatwasveryimportantforRyanwasthat“I’dbetheseventhpersontodoit.Morepeoplehavewalkedonthemoon.”Thisshowsthatbecauseit’ssomethingthathe(alongwithbillionsofothers)couldn’tgetrightnow,hevaluedobtainingitmore.Itwassimplymoreappealingbecauseofhowexclusiveitwas.

TheValueofRarePixelsInthepreviouslymentionedgameGeomon,gamerstrytocapturemonstersinordertobattleeachother.ThegameissimilartoPokemon,butinfluencedbytheenvironmentwherethegamersarephysicallylocatedbasedontheirphoneGPS,suchasbeingnexttoariveroradesert.

InGeomon,therearecertainmonstersthatcanonlybefoundinverylimitedorspecialsituations.Becausesomeofthesemonstersareextremelyrare,peoplearewillingtospendrealmoneyinordertoobtainthem.

OnesuchexampleistheMozzy,ablazingfoxmadeoffire.

TheMozzycanonlybecaughtonhotdaysandclosetoanofficerunbytheMozillaOrganization-creatorsoftheMozillaFirefoxbrowser.Thismeans,foragamethathasplayersthroughouttheworld,itisextremelydifficult,sometimesimpossiblefortheaveragepersontocaptureaMozzy.Intheforums,peoplesometimessay,“ThissummermyparentsaretakingmetoSanFrancisco.I’mgoingtorentacaranddrivedowntoMountainView.MaybeI’llcatchaMozzy.Soexcited!”

ThisdriveisfurtherillustratedwiththelivecommentsmadebyGeomonplayers,throughin-gamechat,duringgameplay.InthefollowingscreenshotIrandomlytookwhileplaying,noticehowdesperateusersareinobtainingaMozzy.Emphasizedwithallcaps–“I’LLDOANYTHINGFORAMOZZY.”

Thoughitseemsratherextreme,thedesperatepleaaboveissurpassedbythefollowingconversationbelow:

Here,yousee“Vincent7512”claim(adjustedforcapitalization),“IwishIhadasingleMozzy,then,atthispointinmylife,Icoulddiehappy.”

Nowyouwouldexpectthatwhensomeonesaysthis,otherswouldrespondwith,“Comeon…getalife!It’sjustagame!”Butno.Threelinesdown,yousee“Valeriefox18”echothesamesentiment,“metoovincent:(metoo.”

HereisacommunityofplayerswhoaresodesperateaboutgettingMozzysthatinsteadofplayingthegamemore,theyhangoutonthechatboardjusttomopeaboutitandfeel“connected”tooneanother(CD5Relatedness).Prettyextremeright?

AnotherexampleofthiswithinGeomonistheLaurelix,themagnificentgoldenphoenix.

InordertocatchaLaurelix,youneedtobeatalocationthathasanextremelyhightemperature,possiblyover110Fahrenheitor40Celsius.Theresultofthisdesignwas,atonepointtherewereonly3playersintheentireworldthatownedaLaurelix.Asyoumightimagine,everyonewantedonetoo.Oncethegamestudioevenreceivedacallfromthemotherofaplayer,saying,“Mysonhasbeensickfortwowholeweeks,andhesaidnothingcouldcheerhimupunlesshehadaLaruelix.Idon’tknowwhatthatis,buthesaidyouhadit.I’mwillingtopay$20foraLaurelix.Canyougivethattomyson?”

Interestingly,theMozzyandLauralixarenotthemostpowerfulgeomonsinthegame–thereareplentyofgeomonsthataremorepowerfulthantheyare.Butbecausethesetwoaresodifficulttoobtain,theirperceivedvalueincreasedimmensely,helpingthecompanybettermonetizetheirgame.

What’samazingisthatwhensomethingisthisscarce,ithasatremendousamountofstickinesstoitalso.Asanadvisorforthecompany,Iplayedthegameforawhile(okay,morethanawhile),facilitatedtheonlinecommunities,andhelpedthecompanyredesignandrebalancetheirentireabilityskilltreesandcombatsystems.Afterthat,Ibecameapassiveadvisor,quitthegame,andmovedontomy“otherwork.”

Foranentiresevenmonths,Ihaven’tbeenplaying,northinkingaboutthegame(exceptwhenmeetingtheCEOandadvisingthemonmanagementandmonetizationstrategies).ButonedayIwastravelingforworkandfoundmyself

ataplacethatwasexcruciatinglyhot,tothepointwhereIfeltlikeIwasburningifdirectlyexposedtothesun.

Atthatmoment,insteadofshoutingorcomplainingaboutit,thefirstthingthatcametomymindandmouthwas,“IwonderifIcouldcatchaLaurelixhere…”Thisofcourseconfusedmyclientwhowasgivingmeatourofhisgreatcountry.

Eventhough,again,Ididn’tcareaboutplayingthegameanymoreandhaven’tplayedforoverhalfayear,becauseaLaurelixwassoscarce,Inaturallythoughtthat,“Well,whenIcancaptureone,Iprobablyshouldcaptureit!”

TheLeftoversaren’tallthat’sLeftOverMostofuswouldliketobelievethatwemakepurchasingdecisionsbasedonthepriceandqualityofagood.Apurchaseisseenasaveryrationalexchangeofmoneyforanitemthatwedesire.Ifthepriceweregreaterthanthe“utility,”orhappinessthatwederivefromthevaluable,thenwedon’tmakethepurchase.

However,psychologicalstudieshaveshownagainandagainthatthisisonlypartiallytrue.Webuythingsnotbecauseoftheiractualvalue,butratherbasedontheirperceivedvalue,whichmeansmanytimesourpurchasesaren’tveryrational.

In1975,researchersWorchel,Lee,andAdewoleconductedanexperimenttotestthedesirabilityofcookiesindifferentcookiejars3.Theexperimentfeaturedtwocookiejars,onewithtencookiesinit,andtheotherwithonlytwo.Thoughthecookieswereexactlythesame,theexperimentrevealedthatpeoplevaluedthecookiesmorewhenonlytwowereavailableinthejar.Theyvaluedthosecookiesmore,mainlyfortworeasons:1)SocialProof–everyoneelseseemstopreferthosecookiesforsomereason,and2)Scarcity-peoplefeltthatthecookieswererunningout.

Inasecondexperimentconductedbytheteam,subjectswatchedasthenumberofcookiesinthe“ten-cookie”jarwerereducedtotwocookies,whiletheothergroupsawthe“two-cookie”jargetfilleduptotencookies.Inthiscase,peoplestartedtovaluetheformermoreanddevaluethelatter.Whenpeoplesawthattherewasnowanabundanceinthefirstjarwhichearlierhadonlytwocookies,theyvaluedtheseevenlessthanthosefromthe“ten-cookie”jarofthefirstexperimentwherethereweretencookiestobeginwith.

Hereweseethat,whenthereisaperceivedabundance,motivationstartstodwindle.Theoddthingis,ourperceptionisofteninfluencedbyrelativechangesinsteadofabsolutevalues.Peoplewith$10millionwouldperceivetheirwealthdifferently(andfeeldifferently)iftheyonlyhad$1milliontheyearbefore,versusiftheyhad$1billiontheyearbefore.

PersuasivelyInconvenientAsillustratedintheexamplesabove,ourbrainsintuitivelyseekthingsthatarescarce,unavailable,orfadinginavailability.

OrenKlaffisaprofessionalsalespitcherandfundraiserwhoclaimstoclosedealsthroughasystematicmethodwhichhecallsneuroeconomics,acraftthatcombinesbothneuroscienceandeconomics.Bydiggingdeepintoourpsychologyandappealingtowhathecallsthe“croc”brain,themethodutilizesvariousCoreDrivessuchasSocialInfluence&Relatedness,Scarcity&Impatience,aswellastheupcomingCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityandCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.4

InhisbookPitchAnything5,KlaffexplainstheconceptofPrizing,andhowittiesintothreefundamentalbehaviorsofour“croc”brains:

1. Wechasethatwhichmovesawayfromus2. Wewantwhatwecannothave3. Weonlyplacevalueonthingsthataredifficulttoobtain

Hisworksuggeststhat,insteadofABS–AlwaysBeSelling,salespeopleshouldpracticeABL–AlwaysBeLeaving.Ifyouarealwaysleavingthediscussions,itmeansthatyouarenotdesperate,arehighlysoughtafter,andnotdependentonthisdeal.YouarethePrize.Klaffclaimsthat,whenyoucorrectlydothis,moneywillflowin.

Throughhismethods,Klaffhasraisedover$450millionandclaimstocontinuesoatarateof$2millionaweek.

Itisoddlytruethatasweplacelimitationsonsomething,itbecomesmorevaluableinourminds.InYes!50ScientificallyProvenWaystoBePersuasive,theauthorssharehowColleenSzotrevolutionizedherinfomercialsbysimply

changingthecall-to-actionlinefrom“Operatorsarewaiting,pleasecallnow,”to,“Ifoperatorsarebusy,pleasecallagain.6”

Whywouldthisbe?Inthefirstcase,viewerscanimagineoperatorssittingaround,waitingtoanswercallsandtakeordersforproductsthatmaybeofmarginalvalue.Inthesecondcaseviewerswillperceivethattheoperatorsarestrugglingtoanswerafloodofcallsjusttokeepupwiththedemandonorders.Eventhoughthismessagesuggestsaninconveniencetobuyaproduct,theperceivedscarcityaloneisenoughtomotivatedpeopletocallquicklybeforetheproductpotentiallyrunsout.

MyfatherisadiplomatforTaiwan,andsometimeshewouldtalktoacolleaguewhowasdeployedtoaformercommunistcountryinEasternEurope.Ionceheardthecolleaguesay,“Ifyouseealineonthestreet,don’tevenwastetimefindingoutwhattheyareinlinefor.Justgetinline.Itmustbesomethingessentiallikesoaportoiletpaper.Itdoesn’tmatterifyouhavemoney.Ifthereisnotoiletpaperintheregion,yourmoneyisuseless.”Here,thesheerinconveniencedrivenbyscarcityandsocialproofcancompelacomparablywealthypersontostandinlineforhours.

InPitchAnything,OrenKlaffalsobringsupanotherexamplewhereBMWreleasedaspecial-editionM3thatrequiredthebuyertosignacontractpromisingtokeepitcleanandtakecareofthespecialpaint.Withoutthispromiseinwriting,theywon’tevenallowyoutopurchasethecar!Inthiscase,BMWisinflatingitsvaluesothatthebuyerwillbelieveitisaspecialandexclusiveprivilegetodrivethecar.Maybethat’swhythehard-to-getstrategyindatingcultureissoprevalent.ThroughCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience,youcankeepyourprospectivepartnerontheirtoes.

CurvesarebetterthanCupsinEconomicsWhenIwasstudyingEconomicsatUCLA,theonefundamentallessonthatmyprofessorsregularlytalkedaboutwastheSupplyandDemandcurve.Itbasicallyexplainsthatifthepriceofanitemdrops,thedemandwillincrease.Iftheitembecomescompletelyfree,thecurvewillindicatethemaximumnumberofbuyersthatwillacquireit.

However,ifyoustudybehavioralpsychology,gamification,and/orHuman-FocusedDesign,youwillfindthatthereisanothersidetothestory.Asitturnsout,Scarcityisanotherdrivingforceofconsumerbehavior.Ineconomictheory,scarcityiswellunderstood,butonlyinthesenseofobjectivelimitsmatchedagainsttheconsumer’sutilityderivedfromapurchase.

ThisisdifferentfromtheScarcitywearediscussinginthischapter,whichisrelatedtoPerceivedScarcityinsteadofObjectiveScarcity.Sometimesobjectivescarcityispresentwithoutapersoneverfeelingorknowingit.Atothertimesthereisasenseofperceivedscarcitywithoutatruelimitbeingpresent.

Thedifferencehereisthatneo-classicaleconomictheorystartsoffwiththreekeyassumptions7:

1. Consumersbehaverationally

2. Consumershavefullandrelevantinformation3. Consumerstrytomaximizetheirutility(orhappinessderivedfrom

economicconsumables)

Butintherealworld,thefirsttwoassumptionsalmostneverholdtrue-peopleareoftenirrationalandneverhaveperfectinformation.Sometimestheyreacttopricinginanother,moresurprisingway:themoreexpensivesomethingis,thehigherthevalue(utility)isplacedonit.Thisleadstoincreaseddemand.Asaresult,salesmayactuallyincreasewithpricing.

Normally,ifanitemwerefree(theextremerightofthedemandcurve),everyonewhowouldwantthisproductwouldobtainitforfree.Sayhypothetically,100peoplewantthisproductforfree.Butincertainscenarios,iftheproductisunusuallyexpensive,peoplewhopreviouslydidn’tcaremightsuddenlydesireit.Nowsalesmayexceed150items!Becauseofthisscarcityeffect,amodifieddemandcurveinsomeproductsmightproduceaC-Shapeinsteadofadiagonallinemovingdowntotheright.

Scarcityworksbecausepeopleperceivesomethingtobemorevaluableifitismoreexpensiveorlessattainable.Becausepeopledon’thave“perfectinformation,”theygenerallydonotfullyknowtheirutilityforacertaingood.Therefore,theyrelyoncues-suchashowexpensiveorlimitedsomethingis-todetermineitsvalue.Ifeveryonewantsit,itmustbegood!Thisgoeshand-in-handwiththelastchapteronCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.

Ofcourse,atsomepoint,theC-Curveneedstocurlbacktowardstheleft(zeroinquantity)astheitembecomesexceedinglyexpensivebeyondanyone’swealth,producingareverseS-Shapeonthegraph.ObjectiveScarcity(ofmoney)ultimatelystillwinsoverPerceivedScarcityatlargeextremes.

“Thisguy’snotexpensiveenough.”I’vepersonallyseennumerousexamples,bothfirstandsecondhand,whereincreasingthepriceactuallyallowedpeopletosellmore.

In2013,oneofmyclientswastryingtochoosebetweentwoPublicRelationsserviceproviders,onewhocharged$8,000permonthandtheother$10,000permonth.IinformedhimthatIthoughtthe$8,000/moproviderwoulddeliverbetterservices.However,myclientremaineddoubtful,feelingthatthe$10,000/moprovidermustbemorecompetenttochargethatprice.Itoldhimthatjustbecauseoneserviceproviderhastheaudacity(Iusedamorevulgarterm)tochargemoredoesn’tmeanheisbetter.Butmyclientstillcouldn’tdecide.

Ultimatelymyclientdecidedtousebothoftheservicesforaperiodofthreemonths.Thoughexpensive,thiswasgreatformepersonallybecauseitallowedmetogathervaluabledataontheiractualperformancesanddrawcomparisons.Aftertheperiodwasup,itwasclearthatthe$8,000/moproviderwasexceptional,whiletheproviderat$10,000permonthprovedtobeverydisappointing.Myclientfiredthe$10Kguyandretainedthe$8Kguyafterthat.

What’soddisthatiftheweakerserviceproviderrecognizedthathewaslesssuitablefortheprojectandonlycharged$6000insteadof$10,000,hemightnothavebeengivenasecondthought.Hisaggressivepricingstrategyyieldedhimanewopportunityand$30,000more!Ofcoursetheultimatelessonhereshouldbetofocusoncreatingstrongvalueforyourclient-soyoudon’tloseyourjobafter3months.

Onanotheroccasion,IhadaclientthatneededaCostPerClick(CPC)campaignaudit.IcontactedafriendfromEasternEuropewhowasthebestintheindustry.SinceIhaddonesomefavorsforhiminthepast,Iwasabletopersuadehimtohelpmyclientwithafreeaudit,forwhichhenormallywouldhavechargedthousandsfor.

Thoughmyclientwasexcitedaboutthearrangement,hehesitatedandmovedveryslowly.Ipressedmyclientonthisandhesaid,“Whatworriesmeisthefreeprice…ishereallyasgoodasyousayheis?”Hehadperceivedthatmyfriend’sservicewasnotreallyvaluablebecauseitwasofferedforfree.That’swhyitmighthavebeenmoreadvantageoustochargeasmallerfeesuchas$500fortheaudit,insteadofprovidingitprobono.

“IDon’tFeelGoodWhenMyPocketIsTooFullAfterAPurchase”

Thissituationdoesn’tjusthappenwithhigh-endservices.InthebookInfluence:ScienceandPractice,RobertCialdinialsodescribesastoryofafriendwhorananIndianjewelrystoreinArizonathattriedtosellsomehighqualityturquoisepiecesduringthepeaktouristseason8.

Despiteherconstanteffortstopromote,cross-sell,andemphasizethesepiecestoshopvisitors,nooneseemedinterestedinpurchasingthem.Finally,thenightpriortoanout-of-townbuyingtrip,theownerconcludedthatsheneededtolowerthepricesandmakethepiecesmoreattractivetohercustomers.Asaresult,sheleftanoteforherheadsalespersonwithinstructionstoreducethepricesby“x½.”

However,thesalespersonmisunderstoodthenote,andmistakenlydoubledthepriceinstead.Uponreturningafewdayslater,theownerwaspleasantlysurprisedtolearnthatallthepieceshadbeensold.Doublingthepriceoneachitemhadactuallyallowedhertosellmorebecausetheirperceivedvaluehadincreased.

Sinceyoudon’tdoanythingwithjewelryotherthanshowitofftoothers(oryourself),thevalueisusuallybasedonperceptionasopposedtofunctionality.Youmayquicklydismissthevalueofanuglyandcrackedpotterypieceontheshelf,untilsomeonetoldyouthatitwasmade1,200yearsagoforahistoricallysignificantevent.Thepotteryitselfdidnotfunctionallyoraestheticallybecomemorevaluable,butitsperceivedvalueimmediatelywentupduetotheprinciplesofscarcity.

Uptothispoint,youmayhaveobservedthatthehigh-priceprinciplewithinCoreDrive6workspowerfullyforluxuryitemsthatservelittlefunctionalpurposesuchasjewelry,orexpensiveservicesthatprovideessentialexpertise.Surprisingly,italsoworkswitheverydayfunctionalitems.

Justaweekpriortowritingthischapter,uponrealizingmykneepainsweregettingworse,Idecidedtovisitasportsutilitystore.IwantedpickupsomekneebracesforhikingorwhenI’mwalkingupanddownthestairsduringphonemeetings.WhenIenteredthestore,Isawthatthereweretwotypesofbraces,onefor$24.99oneanotherfor$49.99.

Ithoughttomyself,“Well,mykneesareveryimportanttome.Ibetternotspareafewextrabucksandendupwithbustedkneesdowntheroad.”Asanextension

tothisthought,Ireachedoutforapairof$49.99bracesandboughtthem.

Itdidn’toccurtomeuntilwritingthischapterandsearchingforexamples,thatIautomaticallyassumedthatthemoreexpensivekneebraceswerebetterthanthecheaperones.Ididn’tevenbothertocarefullyreadtheproductdescriptions.Ifyouweretoaskmehowthe$49.99onewasbetterthanthe$24.99one,Iwouldn’tbeabletogiveyouananswer.Iwouldlikelysaysomethingalongthelinesof,“Well,the$49.99oneismoreexpensive,soI’msureitoffersbetterprotectionformykneesorfeelsmorecomfortable.Probablyboth.”

Thiswasverypowerfulbecause,inmyhead,Iwasnotthinkingabouttheactualdifferencesbetweenthetwokneebraces.IwassimplythinkingwhetherIwantedto,“savemoneyandgetlowerquality,”or“notskimpandinvestinqualitygoodsformylong-termhealth.”

DanielKahneman,authorofThinking:FastandSlow,referstoourbrain’sneocortexasour“System2,”whichbroadlycontrolsourconsciousthinking9).Sincetheprocessingcapabilitiesofourbrain’sneocortexarelimited,weregularlyrelyonmentalshortcuts,knownasheuristics,withoutnoticingthem.Inthissituation,thementalshortcutwasthat“expensiveequalsquality”whenitmaynothavenecessarilybeenthecase.

Anothermentalshortcutcanbe,“TheExpertsaiditwithconfidence-Iwillassumeittobetruewithoutlookingtoodeeplyintoit.”Sometimespeopleletpasssomeobviousblundersandoversightssimplybecausetheauthoritativeexpertorscientistsaidso.Theylettheir“System2”becomelazyandsimplybecomemotivatedbyCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.

PerhapsIamaloneinmysillinessandfinancialirresponsibilityinbuyingkneebracessimplybecausetheyweremoreexpensive.Butthechancesare,atsomepointinyourlifeyouhavealsotakenmentalshortcutsbasedonassumptionsthatmaynotalwaysholdtrue.Perhapsyouhavepurchasedabottleofwineordetergentsbasedonverylittleinformationotherthantheprice,anddisdainedsomeselectionssimplybecausethemerchantlabeleditatalowprice.

GameTechniqueswithinScarcity&ImpatienceYouhavelearnedmoreaboutthemotivationalandpsychologicalnatureofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.Tomakeitmoreactionable,I’veincludedsomeGameTechniquesbelowthatheavilyutilizethisCoreDrivetoengageusers.

Dangling(GameTechnique#44)andAnchoredJuxtaposition(GameTechnique#69)

ManysocialandmobilegamesutilizegamedesigntechniqueswithinCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatiencetoheavilymonetizeontheirusers.OneofthemorepopularcombinationsamonggamesarewhatIcallAnchoredJuxtaposition(GameTechnique#69)andDangling(GameTechnique#44).

Forinstance,whenyougoonFarmville,youinitiallymaythink,“Thisgameissomewhatfun,butIwouldneverpayrealmoneyforastupidgamelikethis.”ThenFarmvilledeploystheirDanglingtechniquesandregularlyshowsyouanappealingmansionthatyouwantbutcan’thave.Thefirstfewtimes,youjustdismissit,asyouinherentlyknowitwouldn’tberesource-efficienttogetit.Buteventuallyyoustarttodevelopsomedesireforthemansionthat’sconstantlybeingdangledthere.

Withsomecuriositynowcompellingyou,alittleresearchshowsthatthegamerequires20morehoursofplaybeforeyoucanaffordtogetthemansion.Wow,that’salotoffarming!Butthen,youseethatyoucouldjustspend$5.00andgetthatmansionimmediately.“$5tosave20hoursofmytime?That’sano-brainer!”Nowtheuserisnolongerpaying$5tobuysomepixelsontheirscreen.Theyarespending$5tosavetheirtime,whichbecomesaphenomenaldeal.Canyouseehowgamedesigncaninfluencepeople’ssenseofvaluebyalternatingbetweentimeandmoney?

Thehumorouspartaboutthisphenomenonisthatmostofthesegamescanbeplayedforfree,andyetpeoplearespendingmoney,justsotheycouldplaylessofthegame.Inthissense,itishardtodetermineifthegameitselfistrulyconsidered“enjoyable”or“fun.”AsopposedtoCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,thisBlackHatLeftBrainCoreDriveismoreaboutbeingpersuasiveandobsessive,butusersdon’tnecessarilyenjoytheprocess.

AnimportantfactortoconsiderwhenusingtheDanglingtechniqueisthepathwaytoobtainingthereward.Youhavetoallowtheusertoknowthatit’sverychallengingtogetthereward,butnotimpossible.Ifitisperceivedasimpossible,thenpeopleturnontheirCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancemodesandgointoself-denial.“It’sprobablyforlosersanyway.”

Forexample,ifthebannerofanexclusiveclubisdangledinfrontofyou,butyoufindoutthattheprerequisitetojoinisthatyoumustbeaPrinceorPrincess

throughroyalblood,youmightnotevenlookatwhattheorganizationdoes.Instead,youmaythink,“Whocaresaboutabunchofstuckup,spoiledbrats.”Becausethereisnochanceofqualifying,itactivatesCoreDrive8asanAntiCoreDrive–thedrivetonotexecutetheDesiredAction.

However,ifthebannersaid,“JoiningPrerequisite:Prince/Princessbyroyalblood,ORindividualswhohavepreviouslyranamarathon.”Nowyouaremotivated,andmightevenpondertheeffortrequiredtorunamarathon.Aslongasthereisarealisticchancetogetin,theScarcitythroughexclusivityisenoughtoengageyou.Interestingly,atthispointyoustillhaven’tevendeterminedwhattheorganizationactuallydoes!Withoutanyinformationonitsactualfunction,thehuman-focusedmotivationofscarcityiscompellingenoughforyoutoconsiderrunningamarathon.

ThisleadstoagametechniqueIcallAnchoredJuxtaposition.Withthistechnique,youplacetwooptionssidebyside:onethatcostsmoney,theotherrequiringagreatamountofeffortinaccomplishingtheDesiredActionswhichwillbenefitthesystem.

Forexample,asitecouldgiveyoutwooptionsforobtainingacertainreward:a)Pay$20rightnow,orb)completearidiculousnumberofDesiredActions.TheDesiredActionscouldbeintheformof“Inviteyourfriends,”‘Uploadphotos,”and/or“stayonthesitefor30daysinarow.”

Inthisscenario,youwillfindthatmanyuserswillirrationallychoosetocompletetheDesiredActions.You’llseeusersslavingawayfordozens,evenhundredsofhours,justsotheycansavethe$20toreachtheirgoal.Atonepoint,manyofthemwillrealizethatit’salotoftimeandwork.Atthatmoment,the$20investmentbecomesmoreappealingandtheyenduppurchasingitanyway.Nowyourusershavedoneboth:paidyoumoney,andcommittedagreatdealofDesiredActions.

Itisworthrememberingthatrewardscanbephysical,emotional,orintellectual.Rewardsdon’thavetobefinancialnordotheyneedtocomeintheformofbadges-peoplehardlypayforthose.Infact,basedonCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackprinciples,themosteffectiverewardsareoftenBoostersthatallowtheusertogobackintotheecosystemandplaymoreeffectively,creatingastreamlinedactivityloopintheprocess.

WithAnchoredJuxtapositions,youmusthavetwooptionsfortheuser.Ifyousimplyputapriceontherewardandsay,“Paynow,orgoaway,”manyuserswillgobackintoaCoreDrive8denialmodeandthink,“I’mnevergonnapaythosegreedybastardsasingledollar!”-andthenleave.Conversely,ifyoujustputonyoursite,“Hey!PleasedoalltheseDesiredActions,suchasinviteyourfriendsandcompleteyourprofile!”userswon’tbemotivatedtotaketheactionsbecausetheyclearlyrecognizeitasbeingbeneficialforthesystem,butnotforthemselves.

Onlywhenyouputthosetwooptionstogether-henceJuxtaposition,dopeoplebecomemoreopentobothoptions,andoftencommittodoingbothconsecutivelyastimegoesby.Butdoesthisworkintherealworld,outsideofgames?Youbet.

DropboxisaFileHostingServicebasedinSanFranciscothathasobtainedextraordinarypopularityandsuccess.Whenyoufirstsign-uptoDropbox,ittellsyouthatyoucouldeithera)paytogetalotofstoragespace,orb)inviteyourfriendstogetmorespace.Inthebeginning,mostpeoplestartedwithinvitingtheirfriends.

Eventually,manyofthoseuserswhoarecompletingtheDesiredActionsdecidethatinviting/harassingtheirfriendsisalotofwork,buttheystillneedalotofstoragespace,sotheyendupbecomingpayingusers(justlikeIdid).Again,becauseoftheAnchoredJuxtaposition,userscommitboththeDesiredAction,andpayforthefullproduct.

Dropbox’sviraldesign,alongwithagreatseamlessproductdesign,acceleratedthecompany’sgrowthtoapointwhereitreportedlyraisedover$300million,withavaluationofaround$10billionandrevenuesabove$200millionin2013.Nottooshabbyforacompanythatdidn’texistsevenyearspriortothat.

MagneticCaps(GameTechnique#68)MagneticCapsarelimitationsplacedonhowmanytimesausercancommitcertainDesiredActions,whichthenstimulatesmoremotivationtocommitthem.

WhenIconsultwithmyclients,Ioftenremindthemthattheyshouldrarelycreateafeelingofabundance.Thefeelingofabundancedoesnotmotivateourbrains.Scarcity,ontheotherhand,isincrediblymotivatingtowardsouractions.EveniftheusercommittedtheultimateDesiredActionbypayingalotofmoney,apersuasivesystemdesignershouldonlygivepeopleatemporarysenseofabundance.Afterafewweeksormonths,thefeelingofscarcityshouldcrawlbackagainwithnewtargetsfortheusertoobtain-perhapsaftertheyhaveusedupalloftheirvirtualcurrenciesandneedingtopurchasetheirnextbatch.

Agreatsystemdesignershouldalwayscontroltheflowofscarcity,andmakesureeveryoneinthesystemisstillstrivingforagoalthatisdifficult,butnotimpossible,toattain.Failuretodosowouldcauseagratifyingsystemtoimplodewithusersabandoningitforbettergrounds.

ThisplugsnicelyintoMihalyCsikszentmihalyi’sFlowTheory10,wherethedifficultyofthechallengemustincreasealongwiththeskillsetoftheuser.Toomuchchallengeleadstoanxiety.Toolittlechallengeleadstoboredom.

Therehavebeenmanyinterestingstudiesshowingthatbysimplyplacingalimitonsomething,people’sinterestinitwillincrease.Ifyouintroduceafeaturethatcanbeusedasmuchaspeoplewant,oftenfewwillactuallyuseit.Butonceyouplaceauselimitonthefeature,moreoftenthannot,youwillfindpeopleenthusiasticallytakingadvantageoftheopportunity.

InBrianWansink’sbookMindlessEating:WhyWeEatMoreThanWeThink,hedescribesthatwhenagrocerystorejustdisplaysapromotionalsignthatsays,“NoLimitPerPerson,”peopleoftenjustbuyafewofthepromoteditem11.However,ifthesignweretosay,“Limit12PerPerson,”peoplewillstarttobuymore–infact,30%-105%more,dependingonothervariables.That’sanotheroddcharacteristicofscarcity:bydrawinglimits,we’redrawntowardsthelimit.

Thismeansthatyoushouldplacealimitonanactivityifyouwanttoincreaseacertainbehavior.Ofcourse,youdon’tnecessarilywanttheMagneticCaptolimittheactivitysomuchthatyoulosemorethanyougain.Thebestwaytoseta

limitistofirstfindthecurrent“upperbound”ofthedesiredmetric,andusethatasthecaptocreateaperceivedsenseofscarcitybutdoesn’tnecessarilylimitthebehavior.Abehaviordesignercouldspeculate“Eventhoughwewantuserstoselectanunlimitednumberofhobbies,90%ofouruserschoosefewerthanfivehobbiesonourwebsite.”Inthiscase,itwouldbeappropriatetosetalimitatfiveorsixhobbiesinsteadofhavingnolimits.

Whataboutthe10%ofuserswhogobeyondsixhobbies-the“powerusers”,youask?Aren’ttheyimportant?Yestheyare(andifyouaskedthatquestion,itmeansyouhavebeenthinkingaboutusermotivationandexperiencephases,whichisgreat).Thisiswhenyouletthepowerusersunlockmorecapabilitiesandhavethelimitriseastheycontinuetoprovetheircommitment,asdescribedwiththeEvolvedUItechniquebelow.Again,youstillwanttoletthesepoweruserstoconfrontaMagneticCapatthetop,sothattheyalwaysfeelasenseofScarcity,butnothaveittrulylimittheiractivities.

AppointmentDynamics(GameTechnique#21)AnotherwaytoreinforcethisCoreDriveistoharnessthescarcityoftime.ThebestknowngametechniquethatleveragesthisistheAppointmentDynamic.PopularizedbySethPriebatsch’sTEDxBostontalkonTheGameLayeronTopoftheWorld12,AppointmentDynamicsutilizeaformerlydeclared,orrecurringschedulewhereusershavetotaketheDesiredActionstoeffectivelyreachtheWin-State.

OneofthemostcommonexamplesareHappyHours,wherebyhittingtheWin-Stateofshowingupattherighttime,peoplegettoenjoytherewardof50%offappetizersandbeer.Peopleexpectthescheduleandplanaccordingly.

AppointmentDynamicsarepowerfulbecausetheyformatriggerbuiltaroundtime.Manyproductsdon’thaverecurringusagebecausetheylackatriggertoremindthepersontocomeback.AccordingtoNirEyal,authorofHooked13,ExternalTriggersoftencomeintheformofreminderemails,pop-upmessages,orpeopletellingyoutodosomething.

Ontheotherhand,InternalTriggersarebuiltwithinyournaturalresponsesystemforcertainexperiences.Forinstance,whenyouseesomethingbeautiful,ittriggersthedesiretoopenInstagram.Facebook’strigger,ontheotherhand,isboredom.

AfriendoncetoldmehowonedayhewasusingFacebookandsuddenlyfeltbored.Surprisingly,Heinstinctivelyopenedanewtabonhisbrowserandtypedin“Facebook.com.”Oncethewebsiteloaded,hewasshocked,“Ohmy.IwasalreadyonFacebook.WhydidIopenFacebookagain?”Again,thisisthepowerofanInternalTriggerthatconnectstoafeelingascommonasboredom-forinstance,whatdoyoudowhenyouarewaitinginline?

WithAppointmentDynamics,thetriggeristime.MygarbagetruckcomeseveryTuesdaymorning,soonMondaynights,Iautomaticallyhaveaninternalalarmclockremindingmyselftotakeoutthegarbage.Ifthegarbagetruckcomesouteveryday,Imayprocrastinateuntilmygarbageoverflowsbeforetakingitout.

Oneextremelyinnovativeexample(andIrarelycallthings“innovative”)ofacompanyutilizingtheAppointmentDynamicisalargeKoreanshoppingcenternamedeMart.Thecompanyrealizedthattheirtrafficandsalesareusuallygreatduringmosthoursoftheday,butduringlunchtime,foottrafficandsalesdropssignificantly.Tomotivatepeopletoshowupduringlunchtime(DesiredAction),theymustereduptheprinciplesofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&ImpatienceandabitofCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity.Theyendeduplaunchingacampaigncalled“SunnySale”andbuiltanodd-lookingstatueinfrontoftheirstores.

Onitsown,thisstatuelooksfairlyabstractanddoesn’tseemtoresembleanything.Duringnoontime,however,themagicstartstohappen.Whenthesunreachesitsgreatestheightatnoon,theshadowofthisstatuesuddenlytransformsintoaperfectQRCodewherepeoplecanscanwiththeirmobilephonesandseeuniquecontent.

Isn’tthatcool?BecausetheQRCodecanonlybescannedwithinalimitedwindowbetween12PMto1PM,peoplearenowrushingtogetthereintime.Honestly,atthatpoint,itdoesn’tmatterwhattheQRCodeisabout–thescarcityandintrigue(stemmingfromCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity)isenoughtogetpeopletoshowup.InthecaseofeMart,theQRcodelinkstoacouponthatconsumerscanredeemimmediatelyforapurchaseonline.

ThistacticreportedlyimprovedeMart’snoontimesalesby25%.Notbadwhenyouarealreadythelargestplayerintheindustry.

TortureBreaks(GameTechnique#66)BynowyoumayhavenoticedthatanotherkindofgametechniqueofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatiencecanutilize“Impatience”,whichmeansnotallowingpeopletodosomethingimmediately.Intheolddays,mostconsolegamestriedtogetuserstostayonaslongaspossible.Ifaplayerwere“gluedtothescreen”forfivehoursstraight,itwouldbeabigwinforthegame.Nowadays,socialmobilegamesdosomethingcompletelydifferent.

Manysocialmobilegamesdon’tletyouplayforverylong.Thegamewillletyouplayforthirtyminutes,andthentellyou“Stop!Youcan’tplayanymore.Youneedtocomeback8hourslater-becauseyouhavetowaitforyourcropstogrow/youneedtowaitforyourenergytorecharge/youneedtohealup.”

Forsomeparentswhodon’tunderstandCoreDrive6,thisdesignmakesthemveryhappy.“That’sgreat!Thesegamedesignersaresoresponsible–nowmyson’splaytimewillbelimited!”Butinfact,whattheydon’trecognizeisthatthegameisimplementingwhatIcallTortureBreakstodriveobsessivebehavior.

ATortureBreakisasuddenandoftentriggeredpausetotheDesiredActions.WhereastheAppointmentDynamicismorebasedonabsolutetimesthatpeoplelookforwardto(EveryMondaymorningthegarbagetruckwillcome;onJuly4thwhenyouopentheapp,youwillgetahugebonus),TortureBreaksareoftenunexpectedhardstopsintheuser’spathtowardtheDesiredAction.Itoften

comeswitharelativetimestampbasedonwhenthebreakistriggered,suchas“Return5hoursfromnow.”

MydifferentiationbetweenthetwoGameTechniquesmaydiffersomewhatfromPriebatsch’sdefinition.Thoughtheyoftenworkhandinhandtogether(sometimesafteraTortureBreakistriggered,anAppointmentDynamicfollows),itisimportanttonotethedifferencesoyoucanplanyourgamifiedsystemsaccurately.

Intheexampleofsocialmobilegames,becausetheplayerwasforcedtostopplaying,theywilllikelycontinuetothinkaboutthegamealldaylong.Often,theywilllogbackinafterthreehours,fivehours,sixhours,justtocheckiftheyarefinallyabletoplay-eventhoughtheirbrainknowsasafactthattheallottedeighthourshaven’tpassedyet.

Iftheplayerwasallowedtoplayforaslongastheywanted–saythreehours,theywouldlikelybecomesatisfied,stopplaying,andnotthinkaboutthegameforadayortwo.Therefore,anomniscientgamedesignerwouldperhapsallowthemtoplayfortwohoursandfifty-nineminutes,andthentriggertheTortureBreak.Atthispoint,theywillbeobsessivelytryingtofigureouthowtoplaythatfinaloneminute.Sometimesthegamemayevenprovideanotheroption–“pay$1toremovetheTortureBreakimmediately!”

Anothergame,CandyCrush,whichbymanymetricsisconsideredtobeoneofthemostsuccessfulgamesintheworld,makingapproximately$3millionperday14,incorporatestheTortureBreakverywell.Afterlosingalife,thegamepausesandforcesyoutowait25minutesbeforeyoucangainanotherlifeandproceedtothenextlevel.

Thisdrawsplayerstoconstantlythinkaboutthoseslow-passing25minuteintervals,andmakesitdifficulttoplanotheractivitieswhilebeingoccupiedbytheobsession.

Ofcourse,thegamealsogivesyoutwooptions:askyourfriendstogiveyoualife(SocialTreasure),orpayrightnow(AnchoredJuxtaposition).SeehowallthesegametechniquesworktogethertobecomeaholisticmotivationalsystemtowardsDesiredActions?

AccidentalFailssometimesbecomeaBlessingAnothergoodexampleoftheTortureBreakisthe“FailWhale”intheearlyyearsofTwitter.TheTwittersitewasoftendownin2007.Thoughthisfrustratedmanyusers,theywaitedmoreeagerlyfortheservicetoreturn,whiletalkingaboutitonFacebook.

Whenthesitewasdown,userswouldonlyseea“404ErrorPage”displayingtheiconicFailWhale–alargewhalebeingpulledoutofthewaterbymanystrugglingbirds.

Twitter’scombinationof“limitations”–youcan’tgoover140characters,can’ttweetoverXtimesaday,can’taccessthesite60%ofthetime–compelledmanytospendcountlesshoursonTwitter,eventhoughtheretruthfullywasn’tmuchtodothereinthoseearlydays.

I’veseenothercaseswherepeoplewereplanningtoretirefromplayingagame,butthenencounteredissuesduetomassiveserverproblems.Insteadofquitting,theycheckedtheappeverydaytoseewhethertheycouldplayitornot.Eventhoughtheyplannedtoquit,theyneededtoquitontheirownterms.Whentheseplayerswerepreventedfromplayingbecausethey“couldn’t,”theirdesiretoplayactuallyincreased.

Whatmadethesituationworsewasthatplayerswouldoccasionallybeabletoplaythegame,onlytoexperienceanothercrash.Ifitweredownindefinitely,peoplewouldloseinterest.Butby“sometimesworking,”thegamewouldtakeonanaddictiveappeal.Remember,forCoreDrive6towork,usershavetoperceivethatobtainingthegoalispossible,orelsetheyfallintoaSelf-DenialModedrivenbyCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.

ThisisalsosimilartosomerelationshipsI’vewitnessed,whereonepersonwantstobreakupwiththeother,plansthebreakupformonths,andsuddenlygetsdumpedbytheotherperson.Eventhoughthepersonwantedtobreakup

fromthestart,whentheygetsdumped,theymaybecomeobsessedwithwantingtogetbacktogetherwiththeotherperson.Theywanttheseparationtobeontheirterms.Butwhenforcedtoseparate,itbecomesaTortureBreakthatmakesthemyearnforareconciliation.

Thisbehaviorismuchlikepeoplepullingonaslotmachinelever,hopingfor,butnotnecessarilyexpecting,goodresults.ThesameeffecthappenedwithTwitter,whereusersbecameobsessedwithcheckingthesiteeachminutetoseeiftheservicehadbeenreestablished,subsequentlybecomingdelightedwhenitultimatelyreturned.

EvolvedUI(GameTechnique#37)OneofthetechniquesthatIoftenrecommendedtomyclients,buthavefacedresistanceon,istheEvolvedUI-shortfor“EvolvedUserInterface”.Theproblemwithmostuserinterfacesisthatthey’retoocomplexduringtheOnboardingstage,whiletoobasicfortheEndgame.

InthepopulargamingphenomenonWorldofWarcraft,ifyoumonitorthetop-levelplayers,theirinterfacecouldmakeyoudizzy.Theremaybeclosetoadozenlittlewindowsopen,allwithdifferentstats,options,andicons.Itdisplaysaplethoraofinformationabouthowyourteammatesaredoing,howthebossisdoing,whereeveryoneis,andyourownresources.Somuchinformationthatyoucanbarelyseetheanimationofyourowncharacterfighting!Ittrulyisoneofthemostcomplexuserinterfacesaround.

15

However,WorldofWarcraft,alongwithmanyotherwell-designedgames,neverstartsoffwiththislevelofcomplexity.Atthebeginningtheyonlyprovideafewoptions,buttons,andicons.ButasyoureachmoreWin-States,youunlockmoreoptions,skills,andcapabilities.WiththehelpofeffectiveStep-by-stepOn-boardingTutorials,Narratives,andGlowingChoices,abeginnernevergetsconfusedaboutwhattodoatthestart.

BasedontheconceptofDecisionParalysis,ifyougiveuserstwentyamazingfeaturesatthebeginning,theyfeelflusteredanddon’tuseasingleone.Butifyougivethemonlytwoorthreeofthosefeatures(notjustone,sinceourCoreDrive3loveschoice),andhavethemslowlyunlockmore,thentheybegintoenjoyandlovethecomplexity.

However,theEvolvedUIconceptisverydifficultforacompanytoimplementemotionally,becauseitfeelsweirdtowithholdgreatfeaturesandfunctionalitiesfromtheuser.Forthedesignerthough,itisimportanttoacknowledgethatwithholdingoptionscandrivemorebehaviortowardstheDesiredAction.Justbecauseitmakesusersfeeluncomfortabledoesn’tmeanit’snecessarilybadforyou,norfortheuser.

OnecompanythatdidimplementtheEvolvedUIconceptwasSony,callingitEvolutionUI16(infact,ImodifiedmygametechniquenametofitSony’s,justtoavoidsemanticalambiguitywithintheindustry).

ThoughtheAndroidsmartphonesystemdevelopedbyGooglewasverypowerful,Sonyrealizedthatithadahighlearningcurvethatcouldflusterbeginningusers.Toaddressthesituation,theylaunchedtheEvolutionUI,whichpresentedaverylimitedsetofcoreoptionsduringtheOnboardingprocess.

OnceusershaveshownthattheyhavemasteredthebasicUI,suchasopening5apps,theyunlockanachievement,whichinturnunleashesnewfeatures.Inthisway,thedifficultyoftheuserexperienceneversurpassestheskillsetsoftheuser,followingtheprinciplesofMihalyCsikszentmihalyi’sFlowTheorymentionedearlier.

Sowhat’stheconsequenceofhavinganUIthatistoocomplexatthebeginning?GooglePlus.Asmentionedearlier,evenwithalotofgreatfeaturesandfunctions,GooglePlusdidnothavestickytractionbecauseofthelearningcurveitrequired.MostmainstreamusersfeelconfusedwhentheyareaccidentallypushedontoGooglePluswhenusingYoutubeorGmail;andthusquicklyleavetheplatform.

Gmail,ontheotherhand,implementsasmallversionofEvolvedUI,whichmanifesteditselfintheformofGmailLabs.InGmail,usersareprovidedabasicsetoffeaturesandfunctionalitiesbydefault.Buttherearemanycoolfeaturesthattheycanbeunlockedthroughthe“Labs”tabunderGmailSettings,openingupcomplexbuthelpfulfeaturesoncetheuserfeelsready.

Great!Sonowwhat?Ofcourse,understandingScarcity&Impatiencedoesn’tmeanthatstartupsshouldshutdowntheirserversonpurpose,orsetupfakeandcornylimitationsintheirsystems.Someusersmaybecomeobsessed,butyoucouldlikelyturnawaymanyotherswhoquicklyjumpintodenialmodeandnevercomeback.

Themostobviousapplicationforstart-upsbasedonCoreDrive6principlesistolaunchwithaconfidentpricingstrategy.Insteadofjustofferingeverythingforfreeormakingthemeasilyavailable,amorepremiumpricingmodelorwell-structuredexclusivitydesigncanincreasetheconfidenceofusers/buyersresultinginincreasedconversionrates.

Ofcourse,ifyoupriceanitembeyondyourtargetmarket’scapabilitytoafford,thiswouldobviouslybackfire.Butmoreoftenthannot,whencustomersdon’tbuyyourproduct,it’snotbecausetheycan’taffordit,it’sbecausetheperceivedvaluetheyhaveforyourproductisnotworththecost.Sometimesthatcostisintheformoftime,energyinvestment,orreputationintheirorganizations.

Beyondpricing,youmaywanttocreateasenseofexclusivityforeachstepduringtheDiscoveryandOnboardingstages.Adesign,wheretheservicemakesthemfeelthatit’suniquelyforthemandthattheyareonlyqualifyingforaccess-similartoFacebook’searlymarketingstrategy.

Everystepoftheway,youwanttoshowuserswhattheymaywantbutcan’thave-justyet.Scarcityonlyexistsasamotivatorwhenpeopleknowtherewardactuallyexists,sowhenindoubt,Dangleabout(butdon’tsayyoulearnedthat

frommybookduringcourt).Foractionsthatleadtorewardsandinvestments,considerusingmorerestrictiveoptions.Placingacaponhowmanyactionsapersoncantake(orinvestmentsthattheycanmake)willcausethemtodesiretheactionsmore.

Byincreasingperceivedvalue,customersandusersaremorelikelytostayengagedandtakegreaterinterestinyourventure.Thiswillhelpinsureyoufromgivingoutallyourhard-earnedworkforclosetonothing.

CoreDrive6:TheBiggerPictureScarcityandImpatienceisconsideredaBlackHatCoreDrive,butifusedcorrectly,itcanbeverypowerfulindrivingmotivation.Often,CoreDrive6isafirstsourceofgeneratingCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackinthesystem.OvercomingscarcitycancauseahighersenseofCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.

WhenfusedwithCoreDrive7:UnpredictabilityandCuriosity,CoreDrive6becomesagreatenginetodriveonlineconsumeraction.Finally,workingalongsideCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,ScarcityandImpatiencebecomesapowerfulforcethatnotonlypushesforaction,butpushesforactionwithextremelystrongurgency.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:Thinkaboutatimewhereyouwantedsomething,mostlybecauseitwasexclusive,orbecauseyoufeltyouwereuniquelyqualified.TrytodescribethenatureofthatfeelingfromScarcity&Impatience.

Medium:ThinkaboutatimewhenacompanyattemptedtoimplementacornyformofScarcity,anditbackfiredbecauseitcausedpeopletogointodenial.WhatcouldthecompanydotoactuallyimplementprinciplesofScarcitycorrectly?

Hard:ThinkabouthowyoucanimplementcombinationsofDangling,TortureBreaks,EvolvedUI,andAnchoredJuxtapositionintooneofyourownprojects.DoesitautomaticallyincreasethedesireforotherCoreDrives?Ordoesithamperit?Doesitdrivelong-termengagement,orshort-termobsession?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandcheckoutwhatideasotherpeoplehave.

ShareyourKnowledge!Beyondsharingmyownresearchandinterests,Iregularlyhaveguestbloggerspostingtheirresearchongamification,motivationalpsychology,behavioraldesignandmuchmoreonmyblogYukaiChou.com17.Ifyouhaveinterestingknowledgetosharethroughyourownexperiencesandresearch,considersendingamessagethroughthesiteandofferaguestpiecetopromoteyourwork.I’vedoneallthisworksoyoucouldlearnalittlebitfromme.Iwouldlovetogettheopportunitytolearnfromyoutoo!

1. WikipediaEntry“Cartmanland”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartmanland.Accessed1/19/2015.↩

2. UpintheAirOfficialWebsite:theupintheairmovie.com↩3. StephenWorchel,JerryLee,andAkanbiAdewole.JournalofPersonality

andSocialPsychology,Vol32(5),906-914.“Effectsofsupplyanddemandonratingsofobjectvalue”.11/1975.↩

4. ThediscerningOctalystmayidentifythatthereisaheavyfocusofBlackHatCoreDriveshere.WewillreturntowhysalesandclosingdealsmostlyappealstoBlackHatCoreDrives,whileworkplacemotivationmostlyappealstoWhiteHatCoreDrivesinChapter14.↩

5. OrenKlaff.PitchAnything.P64.1edition.McGraw-Hill.02/16/2011.↩6. NoahGoldstein,SteveMartin,andRobertCialdini.Yes!50ScientificallyProvenWaystoBePersuasive.P9.Simon&Schuster.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

7. E.RoyWeintraub.TheConciseEncyclopediaOfEconomics.NeoclassicalEconomics.2007.↩

8. RobertCialdini.Influence:ScienceandPractice.5thEdition.P2.PearsonEducation.Boston,MA.08/08/2008.↩

9. DanielKahneman.*Thinking,FastandSlow.”P41.Farrar,StrausandGiroux.NewYork,NY.2013.↩

10. WikipediaEntry,“MihalyCsikszentmihalyi”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihaly_Csikszentmihalyi.Accessed1/20/2015.↩

11. BrianWansink.MindlessEating:WhyWeEatMoreThanWeThink.Bantam.10/17/2006.↩

12. SethPriebatsch.TEDxBoston.“GameLayerontopofourworld”.07/2010.↩

13. NirEyal.Hooked.KindleVersionv1.0.Chapter2:Trigger.2014.↩14. MarketWatch.“CandyCrushMakerReportsLowerRevenueEarnings”.

11/06/2014.↩15. ImagebyShamusfromhttp://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?

p=8660.↩16. DanielCooper.Engadget.“Sony’sEvolutionUItriestomakelearning

Androidfun”.04/30/2014.↩17. MyBlog:YukaiChou.com↩

Chapter11:TheSeventhCoreDrive-Unpredictability&Curiosity

Unpredictability&CuriosityistheseventhCoreDriveintheOctalysisGamificationFrameworkandisthemainforcebehindourinfatuationwithexperiencesthatareuncertainandinvolvechance.Asmentionedinearlierchapters,ourintellectualconsciousnessisinherentlylazy,andifthetasksathanddonotdemandimmediateattention,theneocortexdelegatesthemental

legworktooursubconsciousmind,or“System1”accordingtoEconomicsNobelPrizewinnerandpsychologistDanielKahneman1.

Theintellectualconsciousnessonlywantstobedisturbedwhenitisabsolutelynecessary,suchaswhenathreatispresentorwhenthebrainencountersnewinformationithasn’tprocessedbefore.

Indeed,OrenKlaff,authorofPitchAnything,statesthatduringmeetings,peoplepayattentiontowhatyousayuntiltheycanfityouintoapatternthattheyhavepreviouslyrecognized2.Oncetheyfityouintoarecognizedpattern,theyimmediatelyzoneout.Therefore,itisimportanttogiveapitchthatcontinuouslyservesunexpectedandunpredictableinformationtokeeppeopleengaged.

Coupledwiththisisournaturalcuriositytoexplore.Exploringtheunknown,thoughdangerous,helpedourancestorsadapttochangingenvironmentsanddiscovernewresourcestosurviveandthrive.JesseSchell,gamedesignerandauthorofArtofGameDesign:AbookofLenses,evengoesasfarasdefiningtheword“fun”as“pleasurewithsurprises.3”Whyisthe“surprise”elementsoimportantinfun?

Inthischapter,wewillexplorehowthisCoreDriveofUnpredictability&Curiositymotivatesourbehaviorandhowasystemdesignercaneffectivelyincorporatethisintotheirexperiences.

And,Nowit’sFunIfItoldyoutoplayagame,whereyoucontinuouslypressabuttonandeverytentimesyoupressit,yougiveme$5-wouldyouplayit?TherationalreaderwouldnotonlyrejectthisofferbutwouldfeelutterlyinsultedthatItriedtodupethemintoplayinginthefirstplace.Nowwhatifthetermschange,andItoldyouthatoutofahundredpeople,twopeoplewhoplaythisgamewouldwin$10back?Youmayponderforamoment,butstillrejectit.Theofferisnotasinsultingasbeforethough,justnoteconomicallyattractive.

ButwhatifItoldyouthateverytimeyoupressthebutton,youmayperiodicallywinsomemoneyback,andthereisanextremelysmallbutpossiblechanceofwinning$10,000?

Ican’texactlypredictwhatmysmartrationalreaderswoulddointhiscase,butIdoknowthateverysingledaymillionsofpeoplethroughouttheworldplaythegameImentionedabove.Morecommonlyknownasslotmachinegambling,playersareconsistentlylosingmoneyeverytimetheypullaleverorpressabutton,butareengaged,evenaddicted,totheunpredictablechanceofwinningalotofmoneyback.Withtherightrisk/rewardincentive,thegamesuddenlybecomessomuchfun!

Studieshaveshownthatwearemoreengagedinanexperiencewhenthereisthepossibilityofwinningthanwhenweknowouroddsforcertain4.Ifweknowwewillreceiveareward,ourexcitementonlyreflectstheemotionalvalueoftherewarditself.

However,whenweonlyhaveachancetogaintherewardourbrainsaremoreengagedbythethrillofwhetherwewillwinornot.

TheCoreDriveinaSkinnerBoxThere’sasubstantialamountofresearchonhowtheunknownandtheunpredictableintriguesandengagesourminds.OneofthemostnotablemotivationaldesigncasestudiesthatexploredthisphenomenonistheSkinnerBox5.

6

TheSkinnerBoxwasanexperimentconductedbythescientistB.F.Skinner,whoplacedrodentsandpigeonsinaboxwithaninstalledlever.Inthefirstphase,whenevertheanimalpressedthelever(theDesiredAction),aportionoffoodwasreleased.Aslongastheanimalcontinuouslypressedthelever,foodwouldcontinuetobedispensed.

Theendresultisthatwhentheanimalwasnolongerhungry,itwouldstoppressingthelever.Thismakesalotofsense-theanimalisnolongerhungryanddoesnotneedfoodanymore.

Thesecondphase,however,introducedunpredictabilityintothetestmechanics.Whentheanimalpressedthelever,therewasnoguaranteethatfoodwouldbedispensedasbefore.Sometimesfoodcameout,sometimesnothingcameout,andsometimeseventwopiecesoffoodcameout.

Skinnerobservedthatwiththesemechanicsinplace,theanimalwouldconstantlypressthelever,regardlessofwhetheritwashungryornot.Thesystemwassimply“messing”withitsbrain:“Willitcomeout?Willitcomeout?Willitcomeout?”

Hereweseethatsatisfyingourburningcuriosityisintrinsicallymotivatingtoourprimitivebrain,sometimesmoresothantheextrinsicrewardoffood.Haveyoueverseenapersonsoaddictedtogamblingthatheforgotthathewastired,hungry,oreventhirsty?

IoftenhearcritiquesofhowthePoints,Badges,andLeaderboardsingamificationsimplyturnstheworldintoalargeSkinnerBox,wherepeoplearemanipulatedtomindlesslydoingmeaninglesstasks.IfeelthemoreprofoundlessonfromtheSkinnerBoxisnotthatPointsandBadgesmotivatepeople,butthatunpredictableresultsstemmingfromCoreDrive7candriveobsessivebehavior.

SweepstakesandRafflesInChapter5onEpicMeaning&Calling,ImentionedhowIstartedmyfirstbusinessbecauseofasmallraffleheldataUCLAbarbecue.Rafflesarefairlypopularbecausetheyaddanelementof“fun”toanevent,aspeoplearedrawnbythepossibilityofwinningaprize.Mostofthetime,the“DesiredAction”isforpeopletostayuntiltheendoftheevent,andthereforetheresultsoftheraffleisannouncedtowardstheendoftheschedule.ThoughprimarilydrivenbyCoreDrive7,theseeventsdrawpowerfromCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession(thedesiretowinaprize),andabitofCD8:Loss&Avoidance(ifIleavetooearly,I’lllosemychancetowin…).

AsyourememberwhenIfirstrecountedmystory,upondrawingmyownnameoutofthehat,IwasalsohitbyastrongsenseofCalling(fromCoreDrive1),

feelingthatIwasdestinedtostartmyownbusiness.Myperceivedcallingcompelledmetobepersistentinthefaceofsomedarkdaysanddifficultchallengesthroughoutmyentrepreneurialcareer.Manytimes,onthebrinkoffailure,Ifeltlikegivingup.ButbecauseIbelievedthatIwasmeanttowalkthispath,IpressedonandbecamemoreconvincedthatIcouldpersevereinthestartupworldasayoungentrepreneur.Asyoucansee,being“lucky”inascenarioofchancecaninstallahighersenseofmissionandpurpose.ThesamegoesfortheeffectsofBeginner’sLuck(GameTechnique#23),wherepeoplewhoareextremelyluckythefirsttimetheydosomethingfeelthattheyaresomehowdestinedtodoit.

Asyoucansee,thepoweroftheraffleismorethanthevalueofanyindividualreward.Beyondtheprizeitself(whichisextrinsicinnature,stemmingfromCoreDrive4),theintrinsicmotivationbehindthe“willIbelucky?”thoughtplaysanimportantroleinensuringpeopleremainengagedwiththeprocess.

Onalargerscale,manycompaniesthatutilizesocialmediamarketingarenowsuccessfullydeployingtechniquessuchassweepstakestoengageuserswiththeirbrandandmessage.Often,thesecompanieswillgiveoutaquestwherethosewhocommittheDesiredActionswillhaveachancetowinsomepromotionalprize.Sweepstakescanvaryquiteabit.TheDesiredActionscanbeassimpleas“liking”thecompanywebsiteonFacebook.AnexampleofsuchacampaignisMacy’smarketingcampaignwhere“liking”theirFacebookprofilegavefansachancetowin$500-$1,000ingiftcards7.

TheDesiredActionscanalsobesomethingmorecomplex,suchasKelloggs’“TheGreatEggoWaffleOff!”challenge,whereentrantssubmittedtheirbestwafflerecipesforachancetowin$5,0008.TheyalsoutilizedCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednessbyincorporatingtheSocialTreasuregametechniqueintotheirsweepstakes.Theoddsofanentrantwinningthecompetitioncouldbebasedentirely,oratleastpartiallyaffected,onthecommunityvoting.Inthatway,anaddedDesiredActionof“promotingourbrandtoallyourfriends!”comesintoeffect.ThisworksgreatforachallengelikeTheGreatEggoWaffleOffsinceusersaresendingimagesofguilty-pleasurewafflestotheirfriends,askingthemtovoteuptheirsubmissions.Eyecandyworkslikeacharm.

SomeSweepstakesaretheme-based,tyinginsomeCoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionorevenCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling.Doveappliesatheme-basedsweepstakethatisvisuallyappealingtousers.Intheir“RealBeauty

ShouldBeShared”contest,Doveaskedtheirfanstosharewhytheirfriend“representsRealBeauty.”9Insteadofreceivingmonetaryprizes,thewinnersgottobethenew“FacesofDove”atvariousstoresinthehugelocalShoppersDrugMartCanadianretailchain.

Thiswasagreatdesign,becausethecampaigninvolvedphotosofbeautiful/confidentwomenthatattractedattention.Itpromotedacausethat

contestants’friendscouldallgetbehindandsupportthemon,withaprizethatappealedtostatuswhilegivingusersahighersenseofownership.

Anotherless-effectiveexampleofatheme-basedsweepstakeistheFather’sDayClockGiveawaylaunchedbyTiresPlus,whichusedanessaycontestaskingcontestantstowriteaboutwhotheythoughtqualifiedasthebestdad.ThenparticipantsvotedfortheirfavoritedadtodeterminewhowouldultimatelytakehomeaMichelinManclock10.Thegoodpartaboutthesweepstake’sdesignwasthatitsthemefitTiresPlus’targetdemographic-guyswholikecars.

TheslightdesignflawinitsimplementationwasthattheDesiredActionrequiredsignificanteffort.AlthoughtheyusedthesamegamificationtechniquesasDove,thewritingandreadingofessaysisaDesiredActionthatrequiresalotoftimeandnon-car-relatedeffort-justforasimpleextrinsicprize.CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancepreventedmanypeoplefromparticipating.ThisisknownasanAntiCoreDriveinmyframework,whichwewillcoverinmoredetailwithChapter16.

SomebrandsdecidetodoubledownonCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiositybymakingeverythingaboutthesweepstakesunpredictable.Coca-Colaisoneofthosebrandsthathasbeenattheforefrontofdevelopingcreativeandinnovativeproductpromotions.

YoucanoftenseethatCoca-ColacommercialsattempttoturnsimpleactsofdrinkingcarbonatedsugarwaterintoaCoreDrive1:EpicmeaningandCallingexperiencethroughusingmagicalkingdoms,promotinghappiness,andfriendlypolarbears.

ThecompanylaunchedanespeciallyappealingsweepstakescontestforteenagersinHongKong.Usersareofferedafreeappcalled“Chok.”Duringeachevening,atelevisioncommercialwillrun,askingfanstoopentheappandshaketheirphonestocatchvirtualbottlecapsandearnmobilegames,discounts,andsweepstakesentries11.

Thisprompteduserstoenthusiasticallyshaketheirphonesinfrontofthetelevisionscreen,hopingforprizesthatmayormaynotpopout.Becausethetimeoftheactivity,whetheronewillwinornot,andwhatthewinnerwillgetareallunknown,there’sastrongsenseofexcitement.

Eveninthecampaign’sDiscoveryPhase(whereusersfirstdecidetotryoutaproductorexperience,whichworkshand-in-handthroughmarketingandso-calledgrowthhacking),ifyouarewatchingTVwithagroupandyouseesomeonesuddenlyshaketheirphonewhenacommercialcomeson,yourcuriositywillsurelybepiquedandperhapscompelyoutojoin.

CocaColastrategicallyalignedthiscampaignwithitsbrandstrategyandChokreceived380,000downloadsfromHongKongusersalonewithinamonthoflaunch.ThebeverageconglomerateclaimedthiscampaignwastheirmostsuccessfulmarketingeffortinHongKongfor35years.

ALuckyDaywithLuckyDiemWhenI’mnotunderconfidentialityagreements,Ilovepromotingmyclientsandtheworktheyaredoing.Someofmyclientsworkinmarketingandhustletoimplementgoodgamificationdesigntosignificantlyimprovekeymarketingmetricsforavarietyofbusinesses.OneexampleistheNewYorkBasedcompanyLuckyDiem.

LuckyDiemtakesbrandpromotionmarketingtoawholenewlevelbyutilizingUnpredictabilityandCuriosityinconcertwithotherCoreDrives.Usingaseriesofgamedevicessuchasslots,triviaquestions,andwheelsoffortune,LuckyDiem’smobileplatformallowsanybrandtoengagetheircustomersandturntheirtargetmarketintoloyalevangelists.Soundlikeamarketingcliché?Thenumbersbelowtellacompellingstory.

Ononeproject,LuckyDiemworkedwithLaQuintaInnsandSuites–aninternationalhotelchainconsistingofover700propertiesandfranchises–tosuperchargetheirloyaltyprogramthroughanewgamifiedcampaigncalledPlay&Stay.Inapubliclyavailablecasestudy,LaQuintasentoutemailsto83,600potentialcustomersontheiremaillist,promotingthePlay&Staygame.Outofthetotalnumberofemailrecipients,2000peoplesigneduptotheLuckyDiempromotionsprogram,whichisa2.4%emailconversionrate.Thesewerefairlyaverageemailmarketingnumbers.Noadditionalpromotionaleffortwasconductedafterward.

Theamazingthingis,withinathree-monthperiod,those2000userseventuallyledto10,700newreferralsignups,representingaK-Factor12of5.3K(oraviralcoefficientof530%).34%oftheseusersreturnedeverysingledayandspentan

averageof3.75minutesonthegame,creating23,000uniqueuserinvites,10,000newFacebookLikesand4,500newTwitterFollowersforLaQuinta.Moreimportantly,theseusersturnedintocustomers.14.1%oftheusersendedupbecomingpayingcustomers,withLuckyDiem’splatformgenerating1,784newbookingsforLaQuinta,leadingtoa712%salesliftagainstthecontrolgroup.That’satremendouswinforanyestablishedchainorcompanythatisalreadyextremelysuccessfulintheirownright.

HowdidLuckyDiemdoit?LuckyDiemfirstlaunchedwithageneralslotmachinegamethatmostpeopleareveryfamiliarwith.UsersclickthebigSpinButtonandgetachanceofwinningpointsorcollectables(rememberfromCoreDrive2principlesthatthisbuttoniscalledaDesertOasis–alargeWin-Stateactionthatvisuallyattractstheusertointeractwithit).

Toplay,usersneededvirtualtokens,whichisagoodutilizationofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.Tokensarerechargedregularly,withanadditionalwheel

offortunegamethatcangeneratemoretokensoncetheinitialsupplyrunsout.

Inaddition,thereare“instantgrandprizes”suchasbigas“10FreeNights”thatcanbewonwitheveryspin.Thesmallchanceofwinningthegrandprizedidnotdeterpeopleverymuch,asthehopeofwinningamajorprizewasenoughtomaketheexperiencefunandaddicting.Becausetheprizewassoenticing,peoplewerehighlymotivatedtocontinueplaying,whilebeingassuredthattheirgeneralLaQuintapointswereaccumulatingastheyplayed-acombinationofCoreDrive2andCoreDrive4.ThesetechniquesarecalledLotteriesandRollingRewards,whichwe’lldiscusslaterinthechapter.

Finally,therewardwasdangledinfrontoftheplayers,includinganimageoftherewardaswellasalargeactionbuttontoredeemit.

Ifyouhavebeenstudyingmywork,youwillknowthatmuchoftheaboveismerelythe“shell”ofagame.Thoughafantasticsuccessstory,ifyousimplycopiedtheirgamedevicesandmechanicsforyourownproject,youmaynotexperiencethesamesuccess.Thedepthoftheworkisembeddedwithinmonthsofplanning,hard-gatheredresearch,andmanyhoursofinterfacedesignandbalancetweaking.

Intheend,thoughtfuldesignandimplementationcreatedawonderfulandengaginguserexperiencethatdrovestrongresultsforLaQuinta.ArianaArghandewal,awriterforFrugalTravelGuy.com,wroteaboutLaQuinta’sPlay&Staygameinanarticle:

“Warning:Thisgameisextremelyaddictive.[…]YoucanwinLa[Quinta]points,additionalspins,tokensthatessentiallyincreaseyourspins,freenights,andmore.Iinitiallydismissedthis,asIdon’tanticipatestayingataLaQuintaanytimesoon,butthisgameishighlyaddictiveandI’vealreadyearned3,000pointsbyplayingitforthepasttwodays.”13

Asyoucansee,evenwhenapersonthinksthatshedoesn’tnecessarilycareabouttheprizes,theHuman-FocusedDesignmotivatedhertoplayforalotlongerthansheintended.Asweseefromthenumbersabove,manyuserslikeherendedupbecomingpayingcustomers.

MostofmyclientsliketokeeptheworkIdoforthemconfidential.SowhenIgetanopportunitytoobtainapublicquotewithfantasticmetricsthatarenotinflated,Iquicklyjumponthatopportunity(remembertheBragButtongametechnique?):

“Yu-kai’sInsightswereinstrumentalinhelpingLuckyDiemsuperchargeourclientLaQuinta’sbookingsperuserby206%andincrementalrevenueperuserby$157(132%Lift)againstthecontrolgroup.Beingabletoachieveaviralcoefficientof530%,IwouldrecommendanybusinesstoworkwithYu-kaiandlearnhisOctalysisFramework.”-AndrewLandis,Founder&CEOofLuckyDiem

In2015,LuckyDiemdecidedtousethesepowerfulgamedesigntechniquestofocusonhelpingbrick-and-mortarbusinessesengageandretaincustomers.Soonwewillseewhetherthecompanycantranslatetheprovenmodeltoanewmarketcorrectly.

SuspenseandMysteryinaBlenderManycompaniesalsouseCoreDrive7topromotetheirbrandsbyaddingsuspenseandmysterytotheirmarketingcampaign.OneclassicexampleisBlendtec’sWillItBlend?campaign.Blendtecisoneofthosepowerblendersthatsellforawhooping$300-$400-aboutthepriceofaniPadMini.Notcheapbyanymeans,butsincethevalueitpromisesislong-termhealthandloveforyourfamily,peoplewillpurchaseitiftheybelieveitisnotablybetterthanotherblenders.

Withsomeverycreativemarketing,Blendtec’sFounderTomDicksondecidedtolaunchavideoseriesonYouTubecalledWillItBlend?Inalongseriesofvideos,theCEOdressedupinalabcoatasanscientistandthrowsnovels,golfballs,broomsticks,andhighlyvaluedproductssuchasthelatestiPhoneoriPadintotheblender.Beforeblendingtheitems,Dicksonwouldaskthefamousquestion,“Willitblend?”

Needlesstosay,thisgeneratedagreatdealofsuspenseandcuriosityaspeoplewatchedtoseeifhewouldgosofarastodestroyabrand-newiPhone.Afteravisuallyinterestingandnoisydisplay,theiPhone,sureenough,turnedintoapileofblackdust.Thesevideosweresoentertainingandengagingthattheywereeventuallywatchedbymillions.

Havingthatmanyviewersisgreat,butthequestionremains:didthiscreateahighreturnoninvestment(ROI)?Eventhoughthemillionsofviewerswatchedthevideosforpureentertainment,whentheyeventuallythoughtaboutgettingablender,thefirstnamethatcametomindwasBlendtec:“Well,aBlendtecblendercanshredgolfballsintodust.I’msuremyvegetableswouldn’tbethatbad.”

Asanaddedbonus,thecompanybecamethenaturalrecommendationtoowhenfriendsandfamily’smentionedthattheyneededanewblender.Accordingtoacasestudyreleasedacoupleyearsafterthecampaign,Blendtec’srevenueshotupby700%14.

Asof2014,theBlendtecvideoshadover242millionviewersontheirYoutubechannel-closetothepopulationoftheUnitedStates.Notbadforablender.

FakingyourWaytoViralityAnothergoodmarketingexamplethatutilizesCoreDrive7isAdobe’sRealorFakecampaign.In2008,AdobewantedconsumerstounderstandthepoweroftheirAdobePhotoshopandIllustratorproducts.WiththenewFacebookplatformseenasapotentialmarketingtoolforreachingcollegestudents,acampaignwascreatedonAdobe’sStudentFacebookPagecalledRealorFake.Eachweekfivebizarrelookingimageswerepostedandcollegestudentswerechallengedtodeterminewhethertheimageswererealorfake.

Theparticipatinguserswereextremelymotivatedbythemysteryofwhetherthesephotoswereactuallyrealor“photoshopped.”ThemotivationtoparticipatewasalsoheavilydrivenbyCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.“Thiscan’tbereal.Ithastobefake.Butitlookssoreal…eventheshadowandtexturesareperfect.Ineedtofindout.”

Asaresult,thisdrovestudentstorevisitthepageandregularlyparticipateinthechallenges.Thebeautyofthisdesignwasthatevenifthestudentsgottheanswerwrong,itonlydemonstratedhowpowerfulAdobe’sPhotoshopandIllustratorprogramswere.

Attheendoftheone-monthcampaign,mostuserswereimpressedbyAdobe’sproducts.AccordingtoElisaHaidt,thenSeniorMarketingManagerofAdobe,thegamewasplayed14,000times(keepinmindthatFacebookwasstillayoungplatformwithamuchsmallerreachthantoday),with22%oftheuserscheckingouttheproducttutorials,6%sharingitwiththeirfriends,and6%clickingthe“BuyNow”button.15

NowimagineiftheelementofsuspenseandmysterywasremovedandAdobesimplycreatedacampaignthatsaid,“CheckouttheamazingphotoswecreatedwithAdobeproducts!”I’mquitecertainthattheywouldnothavehadnearlythesuccessoftheirgamifiedmarketingeffort.

Google’sCuriousSecondButtonAnotherinterestingexamplethatutilizessuspenseisGoogle’s“I’mFeelingLuckyButton.”Generally,searchesonGoogle.comleaduserstoaresultspagethatGooglecuratestobestfitwhattheydeemasmostrelevanttothekeywordsentered-alongsidesomeadsthatpayGoogleverywell.Theuserwillusuallylookthroughthetop3to10searchresultsandfindtheonethatseemstobethemostappropriate.

However,onthefrontpagethere’sabuttonthatwasoriginallydesignedtodirectlybypassallofthat.It’scalledthe“I’mFeelingLucky”buttonwhichtookusersdirectlytothewebsiteofthetopsearchresult.

ThisisveryinterestingbecauseGoogleguardsitsfrontpagedesignvery,verycarefully.AstoldbyTheGoogleStory16,Googledecidedasayoungcompany

thattheydidnotwanttocluttertheirfrontpagelikeYahoo.com.Theywereadamantaboutkeepingadsofftheirfrontpage,despitethetremendousamountofadditionalrevenueitwouldbring.Theymaintainedthisdisciplinethroughouttheyears,keepingtheirhomepagecleanbyonlyincludingGoogle’slogo,atextbox,andasearchfunction.IntheearlierdaysoftheWeb,whensiteswerestillloadingveryslowlyoverdial-upconnections,thesimplepagestrategypaidofflikeacharm.

Buthere’swhat’suniqueaboutthe“I’mFeelingLucky”button:ThoughGoogleensuresthatadswouldneverbeshownontheirfrontpage,theymakealotofmoneyeverydayonadsthatareembeddedintheirsearchresultspages.The“I’mFeelingLucky”featurebypassesthesearchresultspage,whichiswhereGooglemakesthemajorityofitsadrevenuefrom.Asearlyas2007,TomChavezfromRaptestimatedthatGooglewaslosing$110millionayearduetopeopleusingthe“I’mFeelingLucky”button.17

SowhywouldGoogleplaceasillyfeaturelikethisontheirhomepagethatcoststhemsignificantrevenue?

Thereareafewreasonswhy:Ononehand,ifyoubelieveinGoogle’ssearchengineintelligence,youwillusethisbuttonregularlyandknowthatit’llgetyoutoyourdestinationfaster.Ontheotherhand,thisbuttonprovidesagreatinternalfeedbackmechanismthatincentivizesGoogletocontinueoptimizingtheirsearchenginealgorithmssothatmorepeoplewouldchoosetoclickthebutton.Afterall,priortoGoogle,searchenginesperformedratherpoorly,evenwhentheybroughtup30resultsonapage.GooglewantedtoboastofitsabilityinfindingTHErightsearchresultfortheirusers.

Fromtheperspectiveofusermotivation,thisbuttoncreatesaplayfulandunpredictableexperiencethatdrivesmoreengagementwithGoogle.Notethatthebuttonwasnamed“I’mFeelingLucky”insteadof“One-ClickSearch.”Thelatterwouldsetupincorrectexpectationsandleaduserstothinkthatthetechnologywasterribleifitdidn’tperfectlycapturethesearchquery.

Google’splayfulculturewasalsofamouslydemonstratedbytheirperiodiclogochanges.Majorholidays,historicdates,ornotablecurrenteventsareperiodicallyrepresentedbylogodoodles,whichinspiresalotofCoreDrive7amongtheirusers.Thefirstdoodlewascreatedin1998tomarkthefirstfullcompanytriptotheweek-longBurningManfestival.

ThedoodlesandtheI’mFeelingLuckyButtonhaveremainedintactwithinthecompanyculturedespitetheirtransformationintosomething“morecorporate-like”intheearly2010’s.

Morerecently,Googlechangedthe“I’mFeelingLucky”buttonsothat,truetoCoreDrive7principles,whenusersmoused-overit,aslotmachinemechanismisrevealed,featuringdifferentsearchoptions.Selecting“I’mFeelingWonderful”ledyoutoGoogle’sWorldWondersProject,highlightingculturalsitesfromaroundtheworld.The“I’mFeelingTrendy”optionledtotheirHotSearchespages,whichshowedyouwhatwastrendingonGoogle.“I’mFeelingStellar”displayedimagesoftheOrionNebula.ThisfeatureallowedGooglefanstosatisfytheircuriositybyexploringtheGoogleuniverseandotherfeatures.MashableJournalistSamLairdwrites:

“Fairwarning,though—youmightgethookedandit’samajortemptationforprocrastination.ButtheDoodle-ypastimeisn’tjustaddictive.It’ssmart,too.Thinkaboutit:Whatbetterwaytopimpthevastarrayofservices,toolsandpurerandomnessGoogleoffersitsonlineusers?Iwasn’tsuperfamiliarwiththeWorldWondersProject,forexample—butmaywellgobackforsomeenlighteningentertainmentlater.”18

UsingtheOctalysisFramework,wecanseethatdespiteGoogle’sweakCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednesseffortsthroughouttheirproducts,theyhavedemonstratedakeeninterestinbringingoutCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosityintheiruserexperiences.

Woot!CreatesMidnightCinderella’sInanearlierchapter,wetalkedabouthoweBayandAmazonaregreatexamplesofgamifiedeCommercesites.Anotherlesserknownwebsitethatheavily

integratedgamificationisWoot.com.Woot!usesaninterestingcombinationofCoreDrive6:ScarcityandImpatienceandCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiositytocreateacompellingexperiencefortheirusers.

Beforedailydealsitesbecamepopular,Woot!woulddisplayoneinterestingproducteverydayatagreatpriceforuserstobuy.TheenticingnatureofWoot!isthatyouneverknowwhattheproductisgoingtobebeforehandandthereisalwaysalimitonthenumberpeoplecouldpurchase.Eachdayanewproductwouldbeintroducedatexactlymidnight,withthepreviousdealbeingremoved.Becauseofthat,Woot!’suserswerecontinuouslycuriousaboutwhatthenextcoolproductwouldbeandwouldoftencheck-indailytoseewhatwasthenewitemonsale.

Asyoucanseefromthemechanics,therearealsoheavyeffectsfromCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.Often,whenyouloggedinat4pmintheafternoon,especiallyintheearlydaysofWoot!,theitemwouldhavealreadybeensoldout.Youthenloginat11amthenextday,andthenewitemisstillsoldout;8amsometimesyieldednosuccesseither.Astheireagernesstogetthenextitemcontinuallyincreased,userswouldconstantlyreturntothewebsite.Eventually,thewebsite’sdefaultmechanicsindirectlytraineduserstologineveryday(theDesiredAction)at11:59pmandrefreshthepageuntilthenewitempoppedup.Buyingthenewproductatthedisplayedpricebecametherewardforhittingthesite’swin-state.

Consistentwiththechapter’stheme,Woot.com’smostcoveteditemwassomethingcalledthe“BagofCrap.”Thiswasliterallyabagofrandomitemsthattheywouldsendusersinthemail.Thebagsusuallyincludedpastdemoproductsthatdidn’tmakethecut,aswellashumorousitems.ThereareactuallyblogpoststalkingaboutthebeststrategiestogettheBagofCrap,asitisquitedifficulttoobtain.Belowisasnippetofsomeimportanttipsfromtheblogger“BiomedGirl”tohelpyougetyourBagofCrap19:

MakeaWoot.comaccountandalwayssigninBEFOREtheanticipatedBagofCrap.Youwillwasteprecioustimeifyouhavetosignintoyouraccountafteryoufinallygetthepagetoload.Onasimilarnote,makesureallyouraccountinformationiscorrectwhenyousigninaswell.Thisincludesshippingandbillingaddresses,andthecreditcardinfo.Anothergoodideaistoeithermemorizethesecuritycodeonthecardorhaveitcopiedtoyourclipboardsoyoucanpasteitinwhenthetimecomes.FuriousF5(refreshing)Method.This

isthemostcommonmethodfortheattemptedBaggrab,becauseitinvolvesnofrills.YouguesstimatewhenthecovetedBagofCrapwillappearbasedonthetipsabove,thenopenyourbrowsertotheWoot!websiteandrefreshthepagecontinuouslyuntilyouseetheBagofCrapappear.YoucantelliftheBagistheitemupforgrabswhenthepageseemstorefusetoload.AtthispointIusuallyhaveacoupletabs/windowsopenandwatchthemuntiloneloads.Assoonasyouseethe‘Iwantone!’buttonappear,clickandwaitforthenextpage.Youwillhavetoconfirmyouraccountinformation(whichyoushouldhavealreadydone)andtypeinyoursecuritycode,thenclick‘thisinfoiscorrect’,thenthefinalpageyouclick‘buyit’andhopeitgoesthrough.

Asyoucansee,thereevenappearstobealotofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackinplayingthisgame.Whenthingsarefunandunpredictable,evenabagofcrapbecomesextremelyvaluable.

GameTechniqueswithinUnpredictability&CuriosityYouhavelearnedmoreaboutthemotivationalandpsychologicalnatureofCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity,buttomakeitmoreactionable,I’veincludedsomeGameTechniquesbelowthatheavilyutilizethisCoreDrivetoengageusers.

GlowingChoice(GameTechnique#28)InChapter6,webrieflytalkedabouthowtheGlowingChoicegametechniquemakesusersfeelsmartandcompetentduringtheOnboardingPhase.Ofcourse,theGlowingChoicegametechniquealsoleadsplayersintherightdirectionbyappealingtotheirCuriosity.

Mostplayersdon’tenjoyreadinghugemanualsorwatchinglongvideosbeforebeginningagame;playerswouldratherhavetheoptiontojumprightinandtestthingsout.ThisiswheretheGlowingChoicecomesintoplay.Inmanyrole-playinggames,theuseristhrownintoamassivevirtualworldwithaplethoraofthingstodoandplacestoexplore.However,theplayerisneverconfusedaboutwhattheyaresupposedtodo,becauseoftenaspecificcomputercharacterishighlightedwithaglowingexclamationpointthatpromptstheplayertoengagewiththem.

GlowingChoiceScreenshotofWorldofWarcraft

Onceengaged,thecharacterwillrevealthefollowingquestorthenextcluetohelptheplayermoveforwardinthegame.TheplayernowknowsthenextDesiredActionandneverfeelsdirectionless.

IncontrasttotheDesertOasisgametechniquementionedinChapter6wherethedesignerhighlightsaDesiredActionbyclearingouteverythingsurroundingit,theGlowingChoicetechniqueisaboutapplyinganoverlayitemthatshineslikeabrightstarinthemidstofacomplexenvironment.YoucanapplythismethodwithappsbyplacingastrongemphasisonakeyfeaturethatrepresentstheDesiredActionthatusersneedtobeguidedtowards.Manyappsdothisbyhavingaquestionmarkontopofthekeyfeature,oranarrowthatpointsdirectlytowhattheywanttheirpotentialcustomerstofocuson.Ialwaystellmyclients,“Neverallowyouruserstoaccidentallystumbleuponabadexperience.”Ifuserscannotfigureoutwhattodowithin4seconds,theywillbecomedisengaged.Ifauserclicksonanybuttonortabandreachesadeadend,theyarepenalizedforexecutingtheDesiredAction.

Thekeytogooddesignistoensurethatusersdon’tneedtothinkaboutcommittingtheDesiredActions.Infact,usersshouldhavetothinkhardanddecidenottotaketheDesiredActioniftheydon’twantto.Iftherewereahugeanimatedarrowindicatingthatyoushouldclickonacertainbuttonwithinanapp,theusercanstillchoosenotto,buttheirbrainhastoworkhardertoavoidit.Onceyourcustomerclicksonthequestionmarkorthearrow,thequestionmarkshoulddisappear.Theplayerscanthenclickonthenexthighlightedfeaturetofindoutwhatitdoesandwhyithelpsthem.

MysteryBoxes/RandomRewards(GameTechnique#72)OneofthemorecommonwaystoutilizeCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosityisthroughrewardstructures.InsteadofgivingusersFixed-ActionsRewardswherethestepstoobtainthemareknown-suchasthe“EarnedLunch”GameTechniqueinCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession-youcanbuildunpredictabilityintotheexperiencebyalteringthecontextofhowtherewardisgivenbythenatureoftherewarditself.

Ingames,thereis“loot”or“drops,”whicharerandomrewardsthatappearoncetheplayerachievesaWin-Statesuchasopeningatreasureboxordefeatinganenemy.Often,thisunpredictableprocessiswhatdrivesplayersintheEndgamePhase.IcallthistechniqueMysteryBoxes(moregameful)orRandomRewards(moretechnical).

Withrandomrewards,theparticipantreceivesanunknownrewardbycompletingarequiredaction.UsingthistechniquerecreatestheexcitementthatchildrenhaveonChristmasEve.Theyseethegiftsunderthetreeandknowthattheywon’tfindoutwhatthegiftsareuntilagiventimehaspassed.Theanticipationofgettingthegift,eventhoughtheyhavenoideawhat’sintheboxes,ispartofwhatmakestheexperiencesoexciting.

OneexampleofthistechniquecanbefoundatholidaypartiesintheformoftheWhiteElephantgiftexchange20.Alsoknownasthe“GiftSwap,”thisgameprovidesanadd-onmechanismfordistributinginexpensiveorundesirablegifts(oftenfrompreviousholidayseasons)amongparticipants.

Theexchangestartswitheachparticipantprovidingawrappedgiftforthegiftpool,andthendrawing(unpredictabilityinitself)anumbertodeterminetheorderinwhichtheywillselectagift.Thefirstpersonselectsandunwrapsagiftfromthepool.

Thenextparticipantcantheneitherselectfromthepoolofunopenedgiftsor“steal”theopenedgiftfromthefirstparticipant,whothenhastoreselectareplacementgiftfromthepool.Thesubsequentparticipantrepeatstheprocess,havingtheoptiontoselectfromthepoolor“steal”eithergiftfromthepreviousplayers.Thisgoesonuntilthelastplayerselectsthelastgiftorstealsfromoneoftheothers,whichcausestheindividualwhosegiftisstolentoopenthelastgift.Again,inthiscase,everyoneknowsthatoncetheycompletethegame,arewardwillbeearned,butwhattherewardiscanonlybedeterminedattheend.WhiteElephantisactuallyareallyfungame,whichIpersonallyenjoygreatly.ItincorporatesalmosteverysingleCoreDriveinOctalysis.Youshouldtryitoutwithfamilyfriendswhenyouhaveachance.

AsecondexampleofRandomRewardscanbeseenwithacompanythatisliterallycalledMysteryBoxShop21.Customersjointheservicethroughsubscriptionwithamonthlyfee.SimilartoWoot’s“BagofCrap,”atthefirstofeachmonthapackagecontaining5to10“fabulouscuriosities,”isshippedouttothecustomer.Thecontentsofeachpackagefollowthethemeforthatmonth.Recentthemesinclude“NeverGrowUp,”“Hallowawesome,”“AnotherWorld,”and“OldSchool.”Promisingtobecool,curious,odd,orevenbizarre,eachMysteryBoxprovidesanelementofcuriosity.Consistingofamixtureofclothing,toys,gadgets,snacks,electronics,andwhoknowswhat,eachdeliveryislikeopeningthepresentsonyourbirthday.Itkeepscustomerscomingbackformore.

EasterEggs/SuddenRewards(GameTechnique#30)DifferentfromMysteryBoxes,EasterEggs(orSuddenRewards)aresurprisesthataregivenoutwithouttheuseracknowledgingitbeforehand.Inotherwords,whereMysteryBoxesareunexpectedrewardsbasedonacertainexpectedtrigger,EasterEggsarerewardsbasedonunexpectedtriggers.

Ourbrainsaredrawntotheelementofsurprise,andbecausetheserewardsaresounexpectedtheaddedfeelingsofexcitementandgoodfortunemaketheexperienceextremelyexciting.Suddenrewardsincentivizecustomerstokeepcomingbackinthehopesthattheycaninadvertentlyfeelthesameblissagain.Inthiscase,ignoranceoftherewardsdoesleadtobliss.

EasterEggsareeffectiveintwoways:Theygetgreatword-of-mouthexposurebecauseeverybodylovestosharesomethingexcitingandunexpectedthat

happenedtothem.Upontellingtheirfriendsaboutthegoodfortune,theirfriendsmayalsobecomeexcitedabouttheexperiencetoo.

EasterEggsalsocreatespeculationonwhatcausedthetriggerinthefirstplace.IftheEasterEggseemedtoberandom,participantswillwonderhowtheycanreplicatetheexperienceinorderto“game”thesystem.Theywillstarttodeveloptheoriesabouthowtheywon,andwillcommittotheassumedDesiredActionsoverandoveragaintoeitherproveordisprovethesetheories.

AgoodexampleofanEasterEggistheChasePicksUpTheTabprogram22.Chasewantedtheircustomerstoswipemorewiththeirdebitcardssincethecompanywouldhavehavebettermarginscomparedtotheircreditcardcounterparts.Asaresult,intheChasePicksUpTheTabprogram,wheneveraChasecustomerswipestheirChasedebitcards(theDesiredAction),thereisaverysmallchancethecustomerwillgetatextfromChasethatsays(paraphrased),“Chasejustpickedupthetab!Your$5willbecreditedbacktoyouraccount.Haveaniceday.”Thoughtherewardeddollaramountisnotgreat,itcompelsconsumerstoregularlyswipewiththeirChasecardsinpreferencetoothercardstoseeiftheycanrepeattheirsuccessand“win”again.Often,userswillalsotelltheirfriendsabouttheirwin,whichmaycompelthefriendstosign-upforthis“game”tootoseeiftheycanalsowin.

AnothergreatexampleofanEasterEggwasimplementedbythepreviousversionofFoursquare(apioneeringappinthegamificationspace,whichhasrecentlypivoted)23.Foursquare(nowSwarm)allowsusersto“check-in”atdifferentlocationstheyvisit,sharewheretheyarewiththeirfriends,andearnbadgesbasedonimpressivecheck-inpatterns.Topcheck-inusersofalocationearnthestatusof“Mayor,”whobesidesbraggingrights,mayevengainalocation-specificrewardsuchasfreedrinksorsnacks(somedesignflawspresentbutthisisbeyondthescopeofthischapter).

MarioHerger,authorofEnterpriseGamification,hadaninterestingexperiencewithFoursquare’sEasterEggsafewyearsback.Infall2011,hewasamoderateFoursquareuser.OnthedayofSteveJobspassing,manypeoplefloodedtheAppleStoreinPaloAltotolaydownflowersandleavecommemorativemessagesonthewalls.MariowasattheApplestoreanddecidedtocheck-inonFoursquare.Unexpectedly,heunlockedanewbadgethatwastitled“Jobs”withthesubtext,“Here’stothecrazyones.#ThankYouSteve“

Asfarasweknow,thisisabadgethatcanonlybeearnedinafewplaces,inaverynarrowwindowoftime.Asyoumayexpect,thiswasahugesurpriseforMario(notdetractingfromthesombereventofSteveJob’spassing)thatmotivatedhimtocheck-inonFoursquareatmoreplacesandfurthercompelledhimtooftentalkaboutthisexperiencetothepointwhereIamnowsharingitinthisbook.

Lottery/RollingRewards(GameTechniques#74)

AnothertypeofrewardcontextthatisfueledbyCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityistheRollingReward,orsometimescalledthe“Lottery.”Thekeyideaofrollingrewardsistherulethatsomebodyhastowinduringeachperiod.Therefore,aslongastheuser“staysinthegame,”thechancesofyouwinningincreaselinearly.

Insmallergroupsettings,RollingRewarddesignsareseeninformssuchas“EmployeeoftheWeek”whereemployeesworkhard,hopingthatonedaytheywillbetheonethatearnsthatstatusandrecognition.(Note:MarioHergerinhisbook,EnterpriseGamification,suggeststhatEmployee-of-the-Weekprogramswon’tworkincountriesandculturesthatfrownuponindividualrecognition24).

AnotherformofRollingRewardsiswhenanemployerorbigclientstates,“Afterthisproject,oneofyouwillreceiveafreetwoweekvacationtoMaui!”Infact,atmostworkplaces,thethoughtofbeingpromotedonedayisinitselfaRollingReward–someonehastobecomethenewVicePresident:Ihopeitwillbeme.

Onalargerscalewherethereareagreatnumberofparticipants,RollingRewardprogramshavelowbarrierstoentryandtherewardsaresubstantial(thinkstateornationallotteries),butthere’saveryslimchancetowin,regardlessofhowlongyouspendplayingthe“game”.Yes,individualscanincreasetheiroddsofwinningbyperformingmoreoftheDesiredAction,suchaspurchasingadditionaltickets,orcollectingadditionalentries.Butagain,thelargertheprogram,themoredauntingtheodds.

Thereasonwhylotteriesworksowellisbecauseourbrainsareincrediblybadatdistinguishingsmallpercentages.Wecan’tconceptuallyunderstandthedifferencebetween“oneintenmillion”and“oneinahundredmillion.”Wejustregisterbothoddsas“averysmallchance”withoutreallycomprehendingthatyoucouldbewinningthe“oneintenmillion”prizetentimesbeforeyoucanwinthe“oneinahundredmillion”prizeonce!

RobertWilliams,aprofessorwhostudieslotteriesattheUniversityofLethbridgestates,“wehavenothinginourevolutionaryhistorythatpreparesusorprimesus,nointellectualarchitecture,totryandgrasptheremotenessofthoseodds.25”Asaresult,aslongasthereissomechance,peoplearewillingtoinvestsmallamountsofmoneytoobtainagiganticreward.

Rollingrewardsworkonanumberoflevels.Forstarters,becausetheyhavemoderatelylowbarrierstoentry,theycaneasilyattractalargenumberofparticipants.Furthermore,ifaparticipantactuallywins,theymayeasilybecomeafanforlife.Thisissimplybecausetheyfeelthattheywerechosentowin,whichdrawspowerfromCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling.

Taiwan’sGovernmentGamifiesTaxCollection

TaiwanismyhomecountryandasIbecamemoreknowledgeableingamification,Icontinuetobemoreimpressedwiththelevelofgamificationthatisimplementedinitssocietyandculture-withouttheseinnovationsactuallybeingcalledgamification.Beyondallthepoint-collectingandlittlerewardstructuresfromsmallbusinessesandpublictransportationeverywhere,oneofthethingsIhavebeenmostimpressedwithishowtheTaiwanesegovernmentusesgamification(specificallyRollingRewards)toensuretaxcompliancefromsmallbusinesses.

Taxevasionisverycommoninmanycountries,wherebusinessesprefertotakecashovercreditcardssotheycouldreportlessontheirearnings.MostcountriesusethepenalizingCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancebycrackingdownandpunishingcompaniesthatarecaughtforevadingtaxes.However,besidesachroniclackofcompleteenforcement,itisalsoextremelycostlytoinvestigateallthebusinessesthataresuspectedoftaxevasion.

Asearlyas1951,theTaiwanesegovernmentsoughttoaddressthisproblembydoingtwothings.First,itunifiedallreceiptandinvoicingplatformsintoacentralsystem,whichmeantthatallbusinesseswhichgaveoutreceiptswouldautomaticallysendtheuniquereceiptnumbersandinvoiceamountstothegovernmentfortaxreporting.(Infact,inTaiwanmostpeopledon’tneedtohireaccountantstodotheirtaxes-thegovernmentcandirectlytellyouhowmuchyouowethemorhowmuchtheyshouldreturntoyou).

Butthesecondstepiswhereweseetrueinnovation.TheTaiwanesegovernmentturnedeachreceiptandinvoicenumberintoalotteryticketforcitizenstoplay.Foreveryodd-numberedmonth,citizenscanseeiftheirreceiptnumbersmatchthewinningprize.Thefirstplacewouldwintheequivalentof$6,200-about6-month’ssalaryforanaveragenewcollegegraduate,whilethesecondplacewouldwin$1,300,andsubordinateprizesscalingallthewaydownto$7.

Becauseofthis“UniformInvoiceLottery”system,consumersarenowdemandingreceiptsandinvoicesfrombusinesses,preventingthebusinessesfromevadingtaxesbyexchangingcashunderthetable(orpossiblypurchasingthingswithBitcoins).Inaddition,consumersaremorelikelytospendmoresinceeachtimetheymakeapurchasetheycanbecomeawinner,boostingtheeconomyintheprocess.

Evenmygrandmotherhaswonmanyofthesmall$7and$31awardsoverthepasttwodecades,justbydoingwhatshealreadydoes–buyinggroceriesandessentials.

AsaresultoftheUniformInvoiceLottery,theFinanceMinistrycollected75%moreintaxrevenuein1951comparedto1950.GreatROI,especiallyforgovernmentefforts26.In2006,theTaiwanesegovernmentstartedtotransitiontheseunifiedinvoicesintoe-invoices,reducingtheinvolvedprocessingcostsby$250millionandsaving80,000treeseveryyear27.

Weshouldseemoreofourgovernmentsimplementinginnovativesolutionsbymotivatingandengagingitsconstituencyinsteadofjustclampingdownharderormakingpunishmentsforinfractionsmoresevere.

CoreDrive7:TheBiggerPictureCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityisapowerfulBlackHatCoreDrivethatisintrinsicallythrilling.Foranyengagementdesign,itisproductivetoaskyourself,“Isthereanywaytoaddalittlebitofrandomnessandchancetotheprocess?”Byusingtechniquesthataredesignedforcuriosityandunpredictability,companiescandrivetheircustomerstoengagewiththeirproductandretainthesecustomersmuchlongerintotheEndgamePhase.

WorkingwithWhiteHatCoreDrives,CoreDrive7isagreatwaytoinspireEpicMeaning&Calling,stirupEmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,andimprovethevalueofOwnership&Possession.WorkingwithotherBlackHatCoreDrives,Unpredictability&CuriositymatchedwithScarcity&Impatience,createsobsessiveandaddictivebehaviors,whilesubstantiallyamplifyingthenegativeemotionsoffearandworrywhenmatchedwithCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:ThinkaboutyourfavoriteTV-series(ifyouhaveone)thatyouareconstantlygluedto.Onceyouwatcheditthroughonce,wouldyougobackandwatchitagainalone?WhathappenstoyourmotivationwhenUnpredictabilitydiminishes?

Medium:Unpredictabilitymagnifiesouremotionstowardsbothgain(CoreDrive4)andLoss(CoreDrive8).Thinkaboutascenariowhereunpredictabilitywasattachedtoagainanditmadetheentireexperiencemoreplayfulandexcitingcomparedtoaguaranteedchanceofgain.Then,thinkaboutascenariowhereitistiedtoalossandhowitparalyzedactivitymore-sothanifthelosshadasurechanceofincurring.CanyouseehowunpredictabilitycanmakeanyeventmoreemotionalengagingthroughaBlackHatIntrinsicway?

Hard:Inyourownproject,trytodesignaGroupQuestMysteryBoxcombo,whereiftheentiregroupcommitsvariousDesiredActions,asurpriserewardwillbegiventoeveryone.EvaluatetheprosandconsofthatcomparedtojustgivingaGroupFix-ActionReward,whereeveryonealreadyknowsexactlywhattherewardisiftheydidtheDesiredActions(EarnedLunch).

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandcheckoutwhatideasotherpeoplehave.

ExploreOctalysisContentinUnpredictableWaysOneofthecreationsIhaveontheInternetisavideotutorialseriescalledBeginner’sGuidetoGamification.ItisbasicallyacombinationoftheOctalysisandgamificationknowledgethatyouarereadingfromthisbook,footagefromallmytravelsacrosstheglobe(U.S.,India,China,Denmark,KingdomofBahrain,U.K.,Germany,Hawaiiandmore),andabunchofgoofyactivitiesthatIdojusttopreventviewersfromleavingthesevideosprematurely.SomeofthethingsIdointhesevideosaresooutrageousthatIstillfeelembarrassedtoshowpeople.Itmayserveasaninterestingwayforyoutoreviewthecontentslearnedfromthisbookinanmoreentertainingway.Thevideoseriescanbeaccessedonmywebsiteathttp://www.yukaichou.com/video-guide28.

1. DanielKahneman.*Thinking,FastandSlow.”P20.Farrar,StrausandGiroux.NewYork,NY.2013.↩

2. OrenKlaff.PitchAnything.1Edition.McGraw-Hill.02/16/2011.↩3. JesseSchell.TheArtofGameDesign.P26.CRCPress.BocaRato,FL.

2008.↩4. MaxSeidman.MostDangerousGameDesign.“ThePsychologyof

RewardsinGames”.Access01/25/2015.↩5. Imagefromhttp://www.mostdangerousgamedesign.com/2013/08/the-

psychology-of-rewards-in-games.html↩6. Imagefromhttp://www.mostdangerousgamedesign.com/2013/08/the-

psychology-of-rewards-in-games.html↩7. KristaBunskoek.WishpondBlog.“10AmazingExamplesofBranded

FacebookContestsDoneRight.Access1/25/2014.↩8. PRNewswire.PressRelease:“EggoSparksKitchenCreativityWithEight

WeeksOfWaffleWednesdays”.09/10/2013.↩9. JenniferPowell.Business2Community.com.“TheArtofCraftingEngaging

SocialMediaContests”.1/13/2014.↩10. KristaBunskoek.WishpondBlog.“10AmazingExamplesofBranded

FacebookContestsDoneRight.Access1/25/2014.↩11. BrandingMagazine.“‘Chok’WithCoca-Cola”.12/12/2011.↩12. Inviralmarketing,theK-factorcanbeusedtodescribethegrowthrateofa

productbasedonhowmanyusersinviteotherusers.Theformulaisk=i*c,whereiisthenumberofinvitessentbyeachcustomer,andcisthepercentconversionofeachinvite.AK-factorofover1indicatesviralgrowth.↩

13. ArianaArghandewal.“AreYouPlayingtheLaQuintaPlay&StayGame?”.12/13/2013.↩

14. ChristianBriggs.SociaLens.“BlendTecWillItBlend?ViralVideoCaseStudy”.01/2009.↩

15. AdamKleinberg.iMediaConnection.“Casestudy:AFacebookcampaignthatconnected”.05/29/2009.↩

16. DavidVise&MarkMalseed.TheGoogleStory.p94.RandomHouse,NewYork,NewYork.2005.↩

17. NicholasCarlson.Gawker.““I’mfeelinglucky”buttoncostsGoogle$110millionperyear”.11/20/2007.↩

18. SamLaird.Mashable.“Google’s‘I’mFeelingLucky’ButtonHasaCoolNewTrick”.8/24/2012.↩

19. BiomedGirlBlog.“WootandtheBagofCrap:HowIgotone”.04/01/2011.↩

20. WikipediaEntry,“WhiteElephantGiftExchange”:http://www.yukaichou.com/WhiteElephant↩

21. MysteryBoxShopWebsite:http://www.mysteryboxshop.com↩22. BobBrooks.PrudmentMoney.com.“ChasePicksUpTheTabBySticking

ItToTheRetailer”.Accessed1/25/2015.↩23. HarrisonWeber.VentureBeat.“HowaRelaunchSavedFoursquarefrom

CertainDeath”.08/10/2014.↩24. MarioHerger.EnterpriseGamification.P94.EGCMedia.SanBernardino,

CA.07/24/2014.↩25. AdamPiore.Nautilus.“Whywekeepplayingthelottery”.08/01/2013.↩26. SeokHwai,Lee.StraitsTimes.p.B1.“Oddsofajackpothitjustgot

better”.08/06/2010.↩27. TaipeiTimes.“Electronicreceiptssettobeginatrialrunatselectstores”.

12/19/2010.↩28. YukaiChou.com/Video-Guide↩

Chapter12:TheEighthCoreDrive-Loss&Avoidance

LossandAvoidanceistheeighthandfinalcoredriveinmyOctalysisFramework.Itmotivatesthroughthefearoflosingsomethingorhavingundesirableeventstranspire.

Aconceptwithinmanypopulargamesistostayaliveinordertoadvancetothenextround.Dependingonthegame’sdesign,dyingorinjuringyourcharacter

meansthatyou’renowforcedtostartoverorlosesomethingsignificant-beitcoins,money,thenumberoflivesyouhave,orothersetbacksthatmakeitmoredifficulttoreachtheWin-State.

Thisaversiontowardslossisobviouslynotlimitedtogames.Therearemanysituationsintherealworldwhereweactbasedonfearoflosingsomethingthatrepresentsourinvestmentoftime,effort,money,orotherresources.Topreserveouregoandsenseofself,CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancesometimesmanifestsitselfthroughourrefusaltogiveupandadmitthateverythingwehavedoneuptothispointhasbeenrendereduseless.

EvennewopportunitiesthatareperceivedasfadingawaycanexhibitaformofLoss&Avoidance.Ifpeopledonotactimmediatelyonthistemporaryopportunity,theyfeelliketheyarelosingthechancetoactforever.

Acommonexamplecanbeseeninthecouponsthatarriveregularlyinthemail.Let’ssayyoureceiveacouponthatgivesyoua10%discounttoapopularchainstorethatyouhavenointerestinvisiting,andthecouponislabeledtoexpireonFebruary12th.

Yourbrainmaybeabsolutelycertainthat,ifyouletthecouponexpire,theverynextmonthyouwillreceivetheexactsamecouponthatexpiresonMarch12th.Butyoumightgetanannoyingfeelingthatyouaresomehowlosingsomethingifyoudon’tusethecouponbeforetheexpirationdate.Rationallyitshouldn’tmatter,butyouarecompelledtothinkabouttheofferalittlemore.Asaresult,youbecomeabitmorelikelytogotothestoreforadiscountthatyoumaynottrulycareabout.

CroppingyourLossesManysocialgameseffectivelyemployCoreDrive8:LossandAvoidancetomotivateplayerstowardstakingtheDesiredActions.InthenowfamiliarexampleofFarmville,ifwelookattheearlypartoftheironboardingstage,wecanseethatavoidancedesignwasalreadyintegratedintothesystem,inducingusersto“login”multipletimeseachday.

ThefirstfewminutesofFarmvilleseemsverypositiveastheplayerspendstimecreatingtheiravatarandstartsworkingontheirfarmwithaninitialpooloffreeFarmCash.However,Farmvillesoondemandsthateachplayermaintaintheir

cropsandlivestockthroughroutinefarmingchores-mostlyintheformofcomingbackandclickingonthecropsandlivestocktoharvesttheirproducts.

Ifyoudon’treturntoreapyourharvestwithinagivennumberofhours,asdeterminedbythecrops’profiles(youcanchoosewhichcroptoplant,whichplaysintoCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback),youwillloseyourinvestedhardworkandbeshowndemoralizingimagesofcropswitheringanddying.Thismildlydepressingincidentupsetstheuser,compellingthemtologbackinfrequentlytokeeptheircropsalive.Theplayerbecomesproactivelyinvolvedinavoidingthisnegativeoutcome.

Whenplayerslosetheircrops,itnotonlycoststhemFarmCashtoreplacebutalsotheirtime,astheyhavetoreplantandmaintainnewcropsagain.Eachtimeyouseethediscouragingimagesofdeadcrops,youarehitwiththetriplewhammyofhavinglostyourtime,effort,andresources.

ManyyearsagoIwasastonishedathoweffectivethisdesigncouldbe,asmytechnologyabhorrentmothersuddenlybecameobsessedwithplayingFarmville.Backthen,mymotherwasthetypeofpersonwhothinksthattechnologyisa

sourceofevilthatispollutingsocietyandcripplingauthenticrelationships;shestillbarelychecksheremail.

Butin2009,duetoherclosefriend’senthusiasticrecommendation-aniceexampleofCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness,mymothersigneduponFacebookandstartedtoplayFarmville.ThebeginningoftheOnboardingphasewassmoothandfun,assheusedthegametorelaxhermindandconnectwithherfriends.

However,afterafewmonthsofplaying,mymotherwouldsometimeswakeupat5:00aminthemorningsimplytoharvesthercropsandpreventthemfromwithering.Itbecamesobadthatwhenmymotherneededtotraveloutoftown,shewouldcallupmycousinandaskifhecouldlogintoherFacebookaccountandhelpmanageherfarm.Sheneededtomakesurehercropsdidn’tdie.(Thoughshealsousedtoaskme,beingasonthatwaslackingin“”asdiscussedinChapter5,IeventuallydeferredtheresponsibilitysoIcouldfocusonmy“other”importantwork).

Atthetime,thisblewmymind.Iinitiallythoughtthereasonformostpeopletoplaygameswasbecausetheyhadtoomanyresponsibilitiesintherealworldandneededtoimmersethemselvesintoafantasyworldtoescapethoseresponsibilities.However,hereyouhaveabrandnewsetofvirtualresponsibilitiesthataddonevenmorestressandanxietytodailylife.Itdidn’tmakeanysense.

Ofcourse,todayIunderstandthenatureandpowerofBlackHatMotivation.Foraperiodoftime,FarmvillewasabletosuccessfullyincreaseitsDailyActiveUsersMetricsandlowershort-termturnoverwiththistypeofLoss&Avoidancedesign.Thatis,untilusershita“BlackHatRebound,”wheretheyeventuallyburnoutandfindthecouragetopursuefreedomoutsideofFarmville.

AffectionHeldHostageInearly2014,IwasinvitedtotheglobalconglomerateHuaweiinShenzhen,Chinatodoafewworkshopsongamification.Duringthistrip,IhadanassignedtourguidethattookmetothebeautifulTeaStreamValleyforafulldaytrip.(Youcanseemuchofthistrip,includingmycamelrideandajaw-droppingliondanceperformance,inmyvideoseries-TheBeginner’sGuidetoGamification.)Betweenallthatexcitement,theeducationalpartofmytripcametowardstheend.

AsIwasleavingTeaStreamValley,Isawpeoplesolicitingforpencildrawnportraits.Mytourguidewasusingtherestroom,soIdecidedtocheckthemoutandiftheywereanygood-that’sthepowerofCoreDrive7:Curiosity.TheysawmeapproachandaskedifIwantedaportraitwhichIpolitelyturneddown.

Iwasabouttoleave,whenIsawanotherartistdrawingaportraitbasedonaniPhonephotoforanothercustomer.Iasked(inMandarinofcourse),“Oh,soifIgiveyouamobilephoto,youcandrawittoo?”Heresponded,“Ofcourse!Doyouwantone?”

IdecidedthatthiswouldbeagreatwayformetobringsomethingbackformywifetoshowthatIwasthinkingaboutherduringmylongtripawayfromhome.Insteadofjustbuyingsomethingexpensiveontheshelfatanairport,ahand-drawnportraitofherwouldbemorepersonalandmoreendearing.ItwouldshowherthatIactuallyspenttimetohavesomethinguniqueandcustom-madeforher.

Iaskedtheartist,“Sohowmuchforone?”Hetoldmeitwasabouttheequivalentof$50USD.Ithought,“Wow,that’sextremelyexpensive,evenbyU.S.standards.”Insteadofnegotiatingwithhim,whichIgenerallydislikedoingbecauseitrequirestoomuchemotionalenergy,Idecidedtousethewalk-awaytacticinCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.

“Sorry,that’swaytooexpensiveforme.”AsIstartedwalkingaway,herushedtosay,“WhatifIcoulddoitfor$35?”Ifelthappythatmyscarcitytacticwasworking,but$35wasstilltooexpensivesoIsaid,“Naw,likeIsaid,it’swaytoomuch.”Ofcourse,Iwasn’tbluffing.Itrulydidnotintendtobuyanythingatthatpoint.

Hethensaid,“Okay…Icandoitfor$25.Sincetheday’sabouttoend,I’lljustdoyouafavorandwrapupwiththisone.”Atthispoint,eventhoughitstillwasn’tverycheap(forcomparison,a90-minutemassageinShenzhenwasonly$25),IthoughtIhaggledwellbycuttinghisoriginalaskingpricedownby50%-feelingasenseofCoreDrive2.HealsojustusedaCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednesstacticof“Ilikeyou,soI’lldoyouafavor,”soIthoughtImightaswellagreetodoit.I’monafuntripanyway.

Afterworkingfortwentyminutes,hewasalmostdonewiththeportrait.Itwasalright.Itwasn’tgreatbutyoucouldtellthatitlookedlikemywife.(Thatwas

mymaingoal-Ididn’twantherthinkingthatIwashavinganotherwomandrawn!)

Ashewaswrappingup,heasked,“Wouldyouliketoaddatransparentprotectivelayertothedrawing?Itwillprotectthepencilleadfrombeingsmudged.”Isaid,“Sure,soundsgood!”Hegavemeaconcernedlookandsaid,“It’sgoingtocostmorethough.”Slightlysurprised,Iasked,“Howmuchmore?”Hetoldmenonchalantlythatfortheprotectivelayer,itwasgoingtocostme$15extra.

Ithenrealizedhissneakytacticandfeltfairlyannoyed.Irespondedinanemotionallydisturbedtone,“Thenforgetaboutit.I’mnotgoingtopay$15justforthatlayer.”

Then,withaveryconcernedandconsideratefacialexpression,heexplained,“Butifyoudon’taddtheprotectivelayer,thepencilleadwilldefinitelysmudgeinyourluggagebagandruinthewholedrawing.Lookhoweasilythepencilleadfallsoff.”Hethenproceededtousehisthumbtorubacorneroftheportrait,andindeedalayerofgraphitecameoffontohisthumb.“Itwouldbesuchashameifthisnicedrawinggotdestroyed!”

Whatwouldyoudointhissituation?

Asyoucanimagine,itwasaveryuncomfortablesituationtobein.Nevertheless,itwasalsoaverycompellingeducationalexperience.ThepowerofCoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidancehadtakenovermybehaviorandIendeduppayinghim$40forarathermediocredrawing.Andifyourecall,justafewminutesearlierIturneddownthesamedrawingfor$35!

Iwalkedaway,remindingmyselfrepeatedly,“I’mnotbuyinghisdrawingskillsfor$40.I’mbuyingmywife’shappinessfor$40.It’stotallyworthit.”

Acoupleofveryimportantobservationsinpersuasivedesignshouldbemadefromthisinteraction.

IwashighlycompelledtotaketheDesiredAction.Iendeduppaying$40for20minutesoftheartist’swork,evenifIrationallyunderstoodthatthepricewasn’tfairnoritsdeliveryhonest.The“artist”madehismoney.Inaddition,IfeltextremelyuncomfortableaftertakingtheDesiredAction,andfromthatpointon,

wouldneverbestronglyinclinedtopurchasesomethingfromstreetvendorsinChinaagain.

Thisisveryimportanttounderstand.UtilizingthisBlackHatCoreDriveisextraordinarilypowerfulingettingsomeonetotaketheDesiredAction,butinthelongrun,itdemoralizestheuser’sexperienceandcreatesburnoutwhichcanleadtohighturnover.OncetheycommittheDesiredActions,peopledon’twanttoeverputthemselvesinthesamesituationagain.

Inthesituationabove,wheretheartistisonlymakingmoneyfromone-offtourists,thistacticonlyharmsotherstreetvendorsinChinasoitmaybeworthit.Atleast,untilafewyearslaterwhenalltouristsknowtoavoidbuyinganythingfromsleazystreetvendors-unfortunately,includingthehonestones.However,inyourownexperiencedesign,I’mguessingyouwouldlikeyouruserstocommitmoreDesiredActionssubsequenttothefirstDesiredAction,astheyenterintotheScaffoldingandEndgamePhases.

Asaresult,whenweutilizedesignelementsinanexperiencethatappealtoCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,itshouldonlybeatcriticalbumpswhereyoureallyneedtheusertotaketheDesiredAction.ThisshouldbefollowedbyaseriesofWhiteHatCoreDrivestoencourageandbalancethemotivationsoftheuser.WewillexplorethisthemefurtherinChapter14onWhiteHatversusBlackHatMotivation.

ThisisthebeautyoftheOctalysisFramework(frommypointofview).Wenotonlycanuseittounderstandhowtoengineeranddesignformotivation,butwecanunderstandandoptimizeforthenatureofthatmotivationtomakesureitfulfillsbothourshort-termgoalsandlong-termgoals.

Andifyoumustknow:uponreturningtoCalifornia,mywiferecognizedherselfintheportraitandwasextremelytouchedbythegesture.Ialsofeltextremelyaccomplished(CoreDrive2)becauseshewassohappyandbecausemyplanworkedlikeacharm.

Perhapsthe$40wasworthitafterall.

“Whydon’tyoutakeallmymoney?”inPokerThesametypeofCoreDrive8behaviorhappensfrequentlyinpsychologicalwageringgamessuchaspoker1.Considerthefollowingsituationinwhichmany

TexasHold’emPokerplayersoftenfindthemselves:

Atthebeginningofamatch,youmaystartoffwithaverystronghand,orsetofcards.Inordertoavoidscarringoffotherplayers,youincreasethebetbyasmallamount,sothatanyonewhohassomehopeofimprovingtheirhandinthecurrentmatchstays.Asmorecommunitycards(centercardsthateveryonecanuseand“share”tobuildtheirhands)areflipped,yourhandremainsstrongandeveryonecontinuestocallyoursmallbetbyaddinglittleincrementstothepot.Thisoftenmeansthattheplayersarenotconfidentwiththeirowncards,buttheydon’twanttofold(giveup)yetinthehopeofgettingabetterhand,sotheykeepputtingintheminimumamountofmoneytostayintheround.

Youcontinuetofeelverygoodaboutyourhand,especiallycomparedtoyouropponents.Finally,whenthelastcentercardisturnedoverandthereisnothingmoretoseeorhopefor,youfeellikeitistimetoreapyourwinnings.Butknowingthateveryoneelselikelyhasweakerhands,youstilldon’twanttoscaretheentiretableoff.Soyoudecidetoput40%ofyourchipsinandseeifanyonewillchallengeyouwiththesameamount.Youhopetogetsomeonewithasemi-decenthandtothinkthatperhapsyouarebluffingandbetagainstyou.

Withsuchashowofstrength,mostpeoplefoldbecausetheyareawarethatyoutrulyhaveastronghandandtheyonlyhavemediocreones.Butoneindividualsuddenlygoes“All-In”andpushesallhischipsintothecenter.

Thisisadifficultmomentforapokerplayer.Youhavealreadydemonstratedfullconfidenceandstrengthinyourhand.Eveniftheotherplayeralsobelievedhehadagreathand,hecouldsimplymatchyourbetinsteadofraisingit.Thatwayhecouldcontroltheamountjustincaseyourhandturnsouttobestrongerthanhis.

Butbygoing“All-In,”thispersonisdemonstratingthatheissoconfidentinbeatingyourhighhand,thathedoesn’tcarewhatyoumighthave.Inpoker,theworsehandaplayercangetisnotthesmallesthandatthetablebutthesecondlargesthand.Whenyouknowyouhaveasmallhand,yousimplyfoldandonlyloseafewchips.Butwhenyoubelieveyouhavethebiggesthandatthetablebutultimatelydon’t,youareatriskoflosingallyourchips.

Inthisscenario,youquicklydosomecalculationsinyourheadandconcludethattherearethreepossiblehandsthat,thoughextremelyunlikely,thisother

personcouldhavetobeatyouwith.Maybehe’sjustbluffing?Youbecomenervousandstarttothinkabouthowheplayedhishandinthelastfewmoves.Yourrationalbrainbecomesfullyconvincedthatthispersonisnotbluffingandhasyourhandbeat.You’velost.

Ifyouwereacomputer,yourcalculationswouldquicklyrecognizethatlosing40%ofyourmoneyisbetterthanlosingmorethan40%ofyourmoney.Andsoyouwouldfoldyourhandandacquiescetheloss.

However,thehumanmindthinksdifferently.Inthismoment,wetendtofocusoureyesonthemoneylayingonthetable.Westartfeelingthepainoflosing40%ofourchipsandthenstarttohavesecondthoughts:“Whatifhehasasmallerhand?Whatifheisbluffing?Whatifheactuallyhasasmallhand,buthethinksit’sbig?”

Weforgetthatourrationalbrainhasalreadydeterminedthatthispersonisnotbluffingandhasourhandbeat.It’souremotionalbrainthat’sdoingthethinkingnow.Youalsodon’twanttolooklikealoserinfrontofothers(CoreDrive5)afterconfidentlyraisingyourbetsandsuddenlybowingoutuponthefirstchallengeyouface.Prideisanexpensivethingtopossess.

Finally,CoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriositykicksintoelevateanotheraspectofLoss&Avoidance.Ifyoufoldnow,youwillneverknowifthepersonhadabetterhand(Inpoker,aplayerdoesnotneedtorevealtheirhandiftheirchallengeisn’tmetbyanequalorhigherbet).Youmightlivetherestofyourlifewonderingifheactuallyhadyourhandbeatornot,andthat’saterriblethingtolivethrough!

Asaresult,youultimatelymaketheirrationaldecision:youpushinallyourmoney,simplybecauseyoudon’twanttogiveuponthe40%youalreadycommitted.Throughthis,youchoosetomeetyouropponent’schallengeandrevealbothofthehandstoseewhoseisbigger.

Finally,asyoualreadyknowinyourheart,thepersonrevealsthatheactuallydoeshaveabetterhandthanyou.Insteadoflosing40%ofyourmoney,youhavelostitall.

Thisiswhyinpoker,theterm“ToughMuck”referstothesituationwhereplayersfoldaverystronghandafterbettingalotofmoney.Anyplayercanwin

moneywhentheytrulyhavethebesthand,butonlytrueprofessionalsknowhowtoexecutetoughmuckswhentheyneedto.

TheGoodChasingtheBadThesamephenomenonhappensininvestingtoo.SayyouarewealthyandinvestedabilliondollarsintoabiotechnologycompanycalledLOSR.Aftermanyyears,theyarerunningoutofmoneybuthaveyettoreachanyconclusivefindings.Theytellyoutheyareveryclose,andjustneedanother$400milliontomakethatmajorbreakthrough.

Nowifyouhadjustbecomeknowledgeableaboutthiscompany,youmightconcludethatbasedonthetractionyouhaveseen,theexecutiveteamiscompletelyincompetentandyouwouldn’teveninvest$20inthem.Whythrowmoneydownthedrain?

Asinthepokerexample,ourinabilitytocopewithsunkcostspushesustotakeirrationalactions–puttingingoodmoneytochaseafterbadmoney.Youendupreluctantlyputtingtheextra$400millionintoLOSRinordertosavethe$1billionyou’vealreadysunkintoit.

Sure,theremightbeaslimchancethatthecompanydoesendupmakingamajorbreakthrough,inwhichcasetheworldwillthinkyouarebrilliantandinsightful.However,youmadetheinvestmentnotbecauseofcleverwit,butsimplybecauseofyourfearandattachmenttowhatwasalreadylost.

Thefinanciallyrationaldecisionhereistocutyourlossesandinvestyour$400millionintoother,morepromisingopportunities.(Unless,ofcourse,youareinvestingfornon-financialreasons-suchaspreventingtheepictragedyofmadscientistsexperimentingonthemselvesduetolackoffunding,andbecomingsuper-villainsthatdestroycivilization).

TruetothenatureofBlackHatmotivation,youarestronglycompelledtotaketheDesiredAction,butdonotnecessarilyfeelcomfortablewiththebehavior.

ZombiesMakeyouSkinnierEventhoughlargedosesofBlackHatmotivationdemoralizesus,alittlebitofBlackHatcanaddthethrillandexcitementtoanexperience.Mildformsof

countdowntimers,smallpenalties,orevenplayfulfeartacticscanfurtherengageuserstowardstheexperience.

Agoodexampleof“playful”LossandAvoidancecanbeseenwiththemobileappZombies,Run!Thisappimmersestheuserinafictionalapocalypticsettingwherezombieshavetakenovertheworld.Theuserassumestheroleof“Runner5”inalittletowncalled“Abel.”Sometimes,Abeltownrunsoutofresources,and“Runner5”mustgooutintothewildernesstoaccomplishmissionsandsavethetown.

Donningapairofheadphonesandlisteningtoaseriesofnarrationswhilephysicallyrunningintherealworld,theuserismotivatedtorunbecausethey“don’twanttogeteatenbyzombies.”Instrategicpartsoftherun,the“Abeltownradiostation”willmotivatetheusertosprintforcertainperiodsoftime,simplybecausetheyseefast-movingzombiesrightbehindtheuserthroughtheirimaginationbinoculars.

WhereasNike+makesusersrunprimarilybecauseofafeelingofAccomplishment(CoreDrive2),Zombies,Run!makesusersrunbecausetheydonotwanttobeeatenbyzombies.

OftenwhenIrunmyquarterlyonlineworkshopsonOctalysisGamification,manypeoplebringupZombies,Run!astheappthatfullyengagedthemtogetbackintorunning.Imyselfhavebeenquiteimpressedwithhowwellitdrivesregularandrepetitiveworkoutsforusers.

Ofcourse,tobeanengagingexperience,Zombies,Run!usesavarietyofbothWhiteHatandBlackHatcoredrivesbeyondLoss&Avoidancetomotivatetheusers.Thegame’sbackstoryhasRunner5settingoutonamissiontohelpsavehisstrandedcommunityfromthezombies,whichintroducesCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callingintothenarrative.EverymissionachievementplaysstronglytoCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.Theresourceshe“collects”whilerunning(thefeedbackmechanicisjusttheaudiofromtheearphonestellingyouthatyouhavepickedupabatterycase)canbeusedtorebuildyourcharacter’scommunity,whichharnessesCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.

Finally,CoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosityisdriventhroughtheplot.Soiftheuserwantstofindoutwhyanotherin-plotcompanionrunnersuddenly

startedcoughingheavilywithoutreason,theywillhavetorunmoretofindoutwhetherthecompanionrunnerisinfectedbyZombies.

FlippingotherCoreDrivesOffCoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidancecomplementsmanyoftheotherCoreDrivesforaninterestingreason:oftenitmanifestsasthereversaloftheotherCoreDrives.Youdon’twantsomethingbiggerthanyourselftofallapart(CoreDrive1),henceyouact;oryoudon’twanttolooklikealoserinfrontofyourfriends(CoreDrive5),henceyoumakeapurchase.

Somemayarguethatthisdoesn’tconstituteaseparateCoreDrive.Asanexample,criticsmightpointoutthatpeoplearedrivenbacktoFarmvillebecausetheywanttofeelasenseofaccomplishmentorownershipandthatthelossofeitherfeelingissimplytheremovalofthesedrives.However,fromadesignstandpoint,itisimportanttoconsiderLoss&AvoidanceasitsownCoreDrive.

Thisisbecausegainingsomethingandpreventingalossisincrediblydifferentfromthestandpointofmotivation.Studies234haveshownoverandoverthatwearemuchmorelikelytochangeourbehaviortoavoidalossthantomakeagain.Itforcesustoactdifferentlyandplaysbydifferentmentalrules.Infact,NobelPrizewinnerDanielKahnemanindicatesthatonaverage,wearetwiceasloss-aversecomparedtoseekingagain5.Thismeansthatwehaveatendencytoonlytakeonariskifwebelievedthepotentialgainwouldbedoublethepotentiallossiftheriskwererealized.

ThroughusingtheOctalysisFramework,thisdifferentiationimprovesbehavioraldesignbyspecificallyidentifyingopportunitiestointegrateproactiveloss-avoidancemechanicsthatgenerateamoresublesetofmotivationaldynamics.

UltimateLossvsExecutableLossCoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidancecanbeatrickyCoreDrivetomanage.Ifdoneimproperlyitcandemoralizetheuserandleadtochurn.

OneimportantthingtokeepinmindisthatLoss&Avoidanceismotivationalinaproportionalmanner.ThewayusersrespondtoLoss&Avoidanceisgenerallyproportionaltohowmuchtheyhavealreadyinvestedintotheexperience.

Ifusershaveplayedagameorusedaproductfortenhours,theywillfeelamoresubstantiallossthaniftheyhadinvestedonlytenminutes.Startingoverafterlosingisdefinitelymoreimpactfulonaplayerthat’sinvestedafewdaysintothegameandisonlevel37,asopposedtoaplayerwhojuststartedandisonlevel2.

Thekeystrategyhereisthattheexperiencedesignershoulddanglethethreatofalargesetback(theUltimateLoss),butshouldonlyimplement(ifatall)smallmarginalsetbacks(theExecutableLoss)toemotionallytraintheuserintakingtheUltimateLossmoreseriously.TheExecutableLossreinforcestheavoidance.

Asageneralrulefrommyownexperience,theExecutableLossshouldneverbegreaterthan30%ofwhattheuserhasalreadyinvestedintimeand/orresources,andideallynevermorethan15%.Generallyasmalllossof2-5%isenoughtomotivateuserstotaketheactivitiesseriously.Iftheusersloseover30%ofwhattheyhaveoriginallyinvested,theoddsofthemfeelingdemoralizedandquittingbecomeextremelyhigh.

Sinceitbenefitsnooneiftheuseractuallysuffersheavylosses,it’sbesttoutilizethe“ultimateloss”asaformofexpectationmanagement,withthesystemcreating“gracesystems”thattheusersappreciatebutdonotabuse.

Forinstance,intheworkplacethemanagermaymakeitclearthatperformancesbelowacertainlevelwillresultinbeingletgo.Soeveryonebecomesmotivated,inasurebutlimitedsense,toavoidthedreadfulloss.ThisCoreDrive8managermayevenexercisesmallloss-eventsrangingfrompeptalks,movingpeopleoffimportantassignments,topubliclyscoldingthem(hint:generallyaterribleidea).Alltomakesuretheemployeesemotionallyacknowledgethissenseofloss,andaremotivatedtoworkharder.

However,whenanemployeehasfailedtheperformancegoalandfullyexpectstobeletgo,themanagermayexecuteanotheroption.Knowingfullwellthatturnoverandretrainingnewtalentistheleastpreferableoutcome,themanagercantelltheemployeethattheorganizationappreciateshiseffortandhardwork,andthattheywillgivehimanotherchancetohitthetarget.

Asyoucansee,theUltimateLosshereisnotactuallyimplemented,butinsteadwieldedasablackhatmotivationaltool.Afterthis,theemployeemayappreciatethesecondchanceandbecomemoremotivatedtodothework.ThisthenbecomesanexampleofCoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidancesettingupforCore

Drive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness,wheretheemployeepotentiallystartstoworkharderbecauseofanewsenseofgratefulnesstowardsthemanager.

Expectationshaveeverythingtodowithhappinessandmotivation.Ahungryteenagerinapoorcountrywillhaveanextremelydifficulttimeunderstandingwhyaperfectioniststudentinadevelopedcountrywouldbedepressedforthreeweekssimplybecauseshereceiveda“B”inschool.Ontheotherhand,astudentwhoexpectstofailtheclasscelebratesforaweekwhentheyobtainaB.

Similarly,abillionairewholostalotofmoneyandbecameamillionairemightendupcommittingsuicide6,whiletheaveragepersonwhoendupwithamilliondollarswouldbecomeecstatic.Frommyownobservations,ourhappinessisalmostexclusivelydeterminedbyourexpectationsmatchedagainstourcircumstances.Basedonthat,theeasiestwaytobecomehappymaybetoadjustourexpectationsandappreciatewhatwedohave,insteadofbecomingupsetbecauseofthethingswedon’t.Evenmanymarriagesfailbecauseofunrealisticexpectationsforeachother,leadingtobuiltupbitternessovertheyearsthatplaguesthesoul.

Whenitcomestointeractionswithpeople,it’salwayseasiertostartoffsternandthenbecomelenient,ratherthanbeingniceandthenexecutingharshpunishmentlater.ThedynamicbetweenCoreDrive8andCoreDrive5oftendeterminestherelationshipbetweenlandlord/tenants,teacher/students,employer/employees,andgovernment/citizens.

Ofcourse,iftheemployeestartstotakethesecond(orthird,fourthetc.)chanceforgranted,thenitiscrucialtomaintainthecredibilityoftheLoss&Avoidancesystemandlettheemployeego.Iftheonesbreakingtherulesaren’tfacinganyrealconsequences,itdemoralizestheexperiencesofthosethatareperformingtheirparts,andoverallmotivationplummets.

Withthatsaid,onethingtoalwaysrememberisthatthissameslackingemployeemayshinelikeastarifthemanageractuallyimplementedmoreWhiteHatmotivation.Motivationaldesignssuchasprovidingmoreautonomy,feedback,andmeaning,asopposedtopurepunishmentsystems.However,sincethescopeofthischapteristoexplorethenatureandeffectsofutilizingCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,wefocusmainlyontheusesandeffectsofthatCoreDrive.

ACaveat:AvoidingtheAvoidanceOnecaveatinusingCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidanceisthattheusermustknowexactlywhattheyshoulddotopreventtheundesirableeventfromhappening.AsmentionedinChapter10onScarcity&Impatience,ifaloss-focusedmessageissimplytherebyitself,butitisnotintuitivelyobviouswhattheuserneedstodo,itoftenbackfires-theCoreDrive8becomesanAntiCoreDriveandtheusergoesintodenialmode.Thebrainirrationallyconcludes,“SinceIdon’tknowhowtodealwithit,it’sprobablynotthatbigofaproblemanyway.”StatusQuoSloth,whichwewilllearnaboutlaterinthischapter,thendominatesoverthemotivationtowardsloss-prevention.

AstudydonebyhealthresearchersHowardLeventhal,RobertSinger,andSusanJonesaskedstudentstoreadpamphletsthatdescribethedangersoftetanusinfection7.Therewerethreegroupsofstudentsintheexperiment:thefirstgroupreceivedthewarningpamphlet,butwithoutclearstepstopreventtetanusinfections.Thesecondgroupreceivedthewarningpamphletalongwithaspecificplantowardsarrangingatetanusinjection(atriggertowardstheDesiredActions).Thelastgroupreceivedthespecificplantowardsarrangingatetanusinjection,butdidnotreceivethehigh-fearwarningpamphlet.

Asyoumightexpect,onlythegroupthatreceivedboththehigh-fearwarningpamphletandtheplantowardstheremedybecamehighlymotivatedtotakeontheDesiredAction.AsmentionedinCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment,weonlywanttoactifitmakesusfeelsmart.Iftheuserfeelsconfused(hencestupid)whenthinkingaboutwhattodoregardingthispotentialthreat,theywouldratherjustdismissitaltogetherinsteadoffeelingincompetentoverit.

AscleverlyputbyNoahGoldstein,SteveMartin,andRobertCialdini,perhapsPresidentFranklinRoosevelt’sfamousquote8shouldbeamendedinto,“theonlythingwehavetofearisfearbyitself”9.

GameTechniquesinLossandAvoidanceYouhavelearnedmoreaboutthemotivationalandpsychologicalnatureofCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,buttomakeitmoreactionable,I’veincludedsomeGameTechniquesbelowthatheavilyutilizethisCoreDrivetoengageusers.

RightfulHeritage(GameTechnique#46)

AcommongametechniquethatutilizesCoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidanceissomethingIcalltheRightfulHeritage.Thisiswhenasystemfirstmakesauserbelievesomethingrightfullybelongstothem(rememberexpectationsmatteralot?),andthenmakesthemfeellikeitwillbetakenawayiftheydon’tcommittheDesiredAction.

TheRightfulHeritagegametechniquecansometimesbeimplementedinasimplewordchange.Haveyoueverbeenonawebsite,whereyouclickaroundbeforeyoustumbleupontheconversionpage(“sign-up”or“purchase”),andthenseesomeofferthatreads,“Purchasenowandinstantlygeta20%discount!”or“Sign-upnowtoreceive3000freecredits”?Often,wedismisstheseoffersasgimmicky,andapoorappealtoCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,soweignorethem.

However,somesitesintegrategametechniquesintotheexperiencebyharnessingourlossaversiontendencies.Imagineasyouclickaroundawebsite,thereisalittlepopupwidgetthatsays,“Great!Youractionshaveearnedyou500credits!”Asyouclickonmoreplaces,itwillcontinuetosay,“Great!Youractionshaveearnedyou1500credits!”Finally,whenyougetontothelandingpage,thetextreads,“Younowhave3000credits.Sign-uptosaveyourcreditsforlater!”

Eventhoughthisistheexactsameresultas“Sign-upnowtoreceive3000freecredits,”theexperiencedesignmakessigningupfeelmorecompelling.Previously,thehassleofsigningupdidnotjustifythe3000credits,butnowitfeelslikeyouhave“earned”thesecreditsfromyour“hardwork”ofclickingaroundthesiteandtheideaoflosingwhatyouhaverightfullyobtainedfeelsabsurd.Asaresult,thereisamuchhigherchanceofyousigningup.

ForeCommercesites,imagineifalittlewidgetshowedyoumessageslike,“Thanksforvisitingoursiteduringworkhours.Youhaveearneda5%discountcode.Clickheretogetthecode.”Asyoudismissthesmall5%discountandcontinuetobrowse,themessagesays,“Thanksforcomparingpricesonoursite!Youhaveearneda10%discountcode!Clickheretogetthecode”andthenfollowedby,“Thanksforcheckingoutourawesomeuserreviews.Youhaveearneda15%discountcode.Clickheretogetthecode.”Finally,aflashymessagereads,“Youhaveearnedthemaximumdiscountof20%!Clickheretogetthecode.”

Atthispoint,youmayfeellikeyour“hardwork”ofbrowsingaroundaneCommercesitehasearnedyouadiscountcode.Evenifyoudidn’twanttomakeapurchase,you’dfeeljustifiedingettingthecodeanyway.Onceyouobtainedthe20%discountcode,anotherpushofLoss&Avoidanceemerges,similartotheexpiringmailcouponmentionedpreviously.Younowfeellikeyouwouldbelosingsomethingifyoudon’tusethiscouponbeforethecodeexpires.Asaresult,theoddsofyoumakingapurchaseinordertousethediscountcodenowincreases.

Inthestartupworld,companiesoftengivetheiremployeesacomfortableamountofequityintheformofstockoptions,butwithacoupleofcaveats.Thefirstisa“vestingschedule,”whereemployeesobtaintheentirepackageonlyiftheystaywiththecompanyforaspecifiedperiod-typically4yearsinlength,obtaining1/48ofthepromisedequityeachmonth.

Theothercaveatisthe“cliff”,aperiod(oftenoneyear)afterwhichemployeesbegintorealizetheirvestedoptions.Thus,ifanemployeeleavesafter3months,theygetnothing.Afterstayingforayear,theywillimmediatelyget1⁄4oftheirentireequitypackage,andthenstartaccumulating1/48everymonthfromthatpointon.Thepurposeofthecliffistomakesurethereisn’taplethoraofex-employeeswhoownequitywhentheyhavebarelycontributedtothecompany.)

Becauseofthisdesign,Ihaveseenmanyemployeeswhowantedtoleaveacompany,staymuchlongerthanintendedbecausetheydidn’twanttolosethemonthsvestedthattheyhaddeservedlyaccrued.Ofcourse,ifthecompanyisn’tabletoturnaroundtheirmotivationtoleave(hint:probablybecauseofabadboss)byinstallingmoreWhiteHatelementssuchaspurpose,autonomyandmastery,theemployeewillleaveimmediatelyafterthecliffisreached.

Ironically,mostcompaniesdon’tgiveemployeestheirdeservedraisesorpromotionsuntiltheytooaremotivatedbyCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,whentheemployeehasalreadyacceptedanofferfromanothercompany.Basedonsoundmotivationaldesign,companiesshouldactuallyrewardtheiremployeeswhentheyexecutetheDesiredActionsofperformingwell;notwhentheemployeesperformundesirableactionsofaskingformoremoneyorfindingotheroffers.Ifyouonlyrewardpeoplewhentheydoundesirableactions,yousimplyencouragethem(andalltheircoworkers)todomoreoftheseactions.10

TheRightfulHeritagegamedesigntechniquecanbeveryusefulinmanyscenariostomotivateusersintakingaction.Similartohowsomesiblingsfightingguilefullyagainsteachotheroveralargeinheritance-whichtheyhavedonelittletodeserve;whenpeoplefeellikesomethingistheirrightfulheritage,theyoftenfightforthatinheritancetotheveryend11.

EvanescentOpportunities(GameTechnique#86)andCountdownTimers(GameTechnique#65)

AnEvanescentOpportunityisanopportunitythatwilldisappeariftheuserdoesnottaketheDesiredActionimmediately.OneofthebiggestsensationsinthegameDiabloIIIisalittlemonstercalledaTreasureGoblin.TheTreasureGoblinisanenemycreaturethatappearsrandomly,butrunsawaywhenbeingattackedinsteadofattackingtheplayer.WithasignificantamountofHitPoints(HP,health,orlife),playerswillallrushtoattacktheTreasureGoblinasitrunsaway.DefeatingtheTreasureGoblinwillsometimes(butnotoften)resultingreattreasures.However,iftheTreasureGoblinisnotdefeatedwithinacertaintimeframe,itwilljumpintoaportalanddisappear.

WhenaTreasureGoblinisspotted,playersoftenignoreothermonstersthatareattackingthemandsolelypursuethegoblinforthechanceofobtainingitstreasure.SomeYoutubegamebroadcastershavebeenknowntosaythingslike,“I’mjustgoingtoshowyouhowtodefeatthisboss,sorightnowI’mgoingtoignoreallthesemonsterstogettothebossassoonaspossible…OHLOOK,ATREASUREGOBLIN!Comeon,don’trunaway!Argh,thesemonstersareinmyway.No,don’tgothatway!Ah!Igotkilled…Iblamethemonstersforthis.”Eveninaliveperformance,theEvanescentOpportunitystealstheshow.

Intherealworld,everylimited-timeofferthatforcesyoutodecidewhethertobuytheproductorlosetheofferforeverusesthisGameTechnique.Usedcarsalespeoplelovetotellyou,“Look,Ijusthadthebiggestargumentwithmybossabouthowifyougotthecaratadeallikethistoday,youwouldbesohappythatyouwouldbecomealifetimeloyalcustomer.Thatfinallyconvincedhim!Icouldn’tbelieveit!Now,ofcoursethere’snorealpressureforyoutoactuallybecomealifetimecustomer,butyouhavetotakethedealtoday.Ifyouwalkaway,Iguaranteeyoumybosswillquicklycometohisrightsensesagainandchangehismind.”

Yousnickerbecauseyouknowthetacticscarsalespeopleuseandautomaticallyputupamentalguardagainstthem.Butwhataboutcharityfundraisers?“We

justgotagenerousdonorthatsaidforeverydollarwecollectinthenexthour,hewillmatchit!Yourdonationdollarwillservedoubletheimpact!”

EvanescentOpportunitiesmotivateustoactquicklyforfearoflosingagreatdeal.MatchingwellwiththistechniqueisthesimplefeedbackmechaniccalledtheCountdownTimer.

ACountdownTimerisavisualdisplaythatcommunicatesthepassageoftimetowardsatangibleevent.SometimestheCountdownTimeristointroducethestartofagreatopportunity,whileatothertimesit’stosignifytheendoftheopportunity.

EarlierwementionedthatactuallyapplyinganUltimateLosstotheuserbenefitsnoone,andthattheExecutableLossissimplytomakeuserstaketheUltimateLossmoreseriously.Thesmallerlossismeanttoreinforceavoidanceofthesignificantloss.However,iftheuserisnotawareoftheloss,theentiremotivationalfactorissquandered.

CountdownTimersensurethatusersrecognizethepresenceoftheEvanescentOpportunitybetterthanasimpleexpirationdatebecausetheuserconstantlyseesthewindowofopportunitynarrowing,establishingasenseofurgencyintheprocess.Intuitivelyforthispurpose,CountdownTimersshoulddisplaythesmallesttimeintervalthatisappropriate(moreoftenthatnot–seconds),insteadofshowinglongerintervalssuchasweeksormonths.

StatusQuoSloth(GameTechnique#85)andtheFOMOPunch(GameTechnique#84)

SometimesCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancecomesintheformofsimplynotwantingtochangeyourbehavior.IcallthislazytendencyofbehavioralinertiaStatusQuoSloth.

Everyonceinawhile,astartupentrepreneurwilltellme,“HeyYu-kai,there’sabsolutelynoreasonwhyacustomerwouldn’tuseourproduct.Wesavethemtime,wesavethemmoney,andwemaketheirlivesbetter!”Onluckyoccasions,eventhecustomerhimselfwouldsay,“Yeah,there’snoreasonwhyIwouldn’tuseyourproduct.Itsavesmetime,itsavesmemoney,anditmakesmylifebetter.I’lldefinitelysignuptomorrow!”

Forthosewhoareexperiencedinlaunchingnewandinnovativeproducts,youmightrecognizethatthekeyphrasehereis“I’lldefinitelysignuptomorrow.”Moreoftenthannot,thetruemeaningof“tomorrow”is“never.”Notbecausethepersonisn’tbeinggenuine,butduetothefactthatwithsomanydistractionsinlife,theresimplywon’tbeenoughmotivationtoperformtheDesiredAction.

Asexperiencedesigners,ourgoalistobuildStatusQuoSlothintotheEndgamephasesofourproductsbydevelopinghighlyengagingactivityloopsthatallowtheusertoturnDesiredActionsintohabits.

NirEyal,anexpertinbuildinghabit-formingproducts,developedtheHookModeltodescribeacycleofTriggers,Actions,Rewards,andInvestmentsthateventuallyattractusersintoperformingdailyactivitieswithoutexertinganymentaleffort12.Infact,onceanactivitybecomesahabit,usersactuallyneedtospendconsistentmentalandemotionalenergybeforetheycanremovethemselvesfromthehabitpermanently.

ThisHookModelfocusesoncreatinginternalandexternaltriggersthatremindtheusertotaketheDesiredActionsonadailybasis.AftertheusercommitstheDesiredAction,avariable(andoftenemotional)rewardisprovided,finallypromptingtheusertoinputaninvestment,wheretheuserwillbuildvalueforthemselveswhentheyreturnagainviathenexttrigger.Investmentsarethingslikeaddingaphoto,taggingfriends,customizingfolders,wheretheuserbuildsvalueintothisprocess(aligningwithCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession).

Ifdonecorrectly,usersbegintofeelmotivatedbyStatusQuoSloth,whichmeanstheymayevenworkhardertopreventachangeinbehavior.

Ontheotherhand,inordertocountertheStatusQuoSloththatisworkingagainstyou,somethingIcallthe“FOMOPunch”mightbeimplemented.FOMOstandsfor“FearofMissingOut”andit’strickistoapplyCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidanceagainstitself.

Inlife,wefearlosingwhatwehave,butwealsofearlosingwhatwecouldhavehad.Thisfearofregret,whenpromptedcorrectly,canpenetratethroughthebehavioralinertiaofStatusQuoSlothandtriggertheDesiredAction.

WhenSteveJobswantedtorecruitPepsiexecutiveJohnSculleyintoAppleasthenewCEO,hefamouslysaid,“Doyouwanttospendtherestofyourlife

sellingsugarwater,ordoyouwantachancetochangetheworld?”

Boom!ThatwasapowerfulFOMOPunchthatpromptedSculleytothinkhewouldmissoutontheopportunityofalifetimeifhe“wasted”therestofhiscareeratPepsi.Helaterremembers,“IjustgulpedbecauseIknewIwouldwonderfortherestofmylifewhatIwouldhavemissed.”13(Ironically,Sculley’slastinglegacywouldlikelybeknownastheguywhofiredSteveJobsandranAppleintotheground-justforSteveJobstoreturnandresurrect).

Asthecontextsuggests,FOMOPunchescanbeveryeffectiveintheDiscoveryPhaseofanexperiencewhenusersaretryingoutanewexperience.Incontrast,theStatusQuoSlothtechniqueplaysabiggerroleintheEndgamephasewhenthedesignerwantstokeeptheveteransinthesystem.

FOMOPunchesinAction

Companiesoftenaskmeiftheirinternalgamificationsystemsshouldbemandatoryfortheiremployees.Wegenerallyknowthatplaymustbevoluntary14.Ifoneisforcedtodosomething,evenifitwasagame,itisnolongerconsidered“play.”

Inthatsense,gamifiedsystemsshouldbevoluntarybynature,andthereforetheDiscoveryPhasedesignbecomesimportantinordertoenticetheemployeeintoplaying.SinceemployeesmustcommittheworkrelatedDesiredActionsregardlessofwhethertherearegamifiedsystemsornot,theymighttryoutthesystemifitofferedthefeelingsofcompetency,socialappreciation,andautonomytheynaturallycrave.

However,becauseofStatusQuoSloth,theemployeeoftendoesnotwanttochangetheirbehaviorstotrysomethingnew.That’swhentheFOMOPunchcancomein.Managementcancommunicatehowtheyaremissingoutonopportunitiestoachievemastery,improvecompanyrecognition,andhavemorefun.

AnotherexampleoftheFOMOPunchisthe“PostcodeLottery”intheNetherlands.Eachweek,thePostcodeLotteryawardsa“StreetPrize”toonerandompostalcode(similartoazipcodebutwithamuchsmallernumberofhouseholds).Everyonewhoplayedthelotterywithinthatcodewillwintheequivalentofaround$12,500.Ofcourse,theoneslivinginthatpostcodethatdid

notbuylotteryticketsgetnothingexcepttheagonyofwatchingtheirneighborscelebratethewin.

In2003astudyshowedthatthePostcodeLotterywasmoresuccessfulthanotherlotteryprogramsbecausetheDutchresidentswereafraidoftheirneighborswinningwithoutthem15.Sincewearemorelikelytochangeourbehaviorbasedonloss-preventionthangain-anticipation,peopleboughtticketsbecausetheyfearedasituationwheretheirneighborswintheprizeandhostabigneighborhoodparty-thennudgingthemwith,“Toobadyoudidn’tparticipateinthisonebuddy.Wantmetobuyyouabeer?”

“Thebrainisverysensitivetoloss—evenlow-probabilitylosses,”explainsGiorgioCoricelli,anassociateprofessorofeconomicsandpsychologyattheUniversityofSouthernCalifornia.“Soifyouframesomethingasaloss,biologicallythereisacompulsiontoavoidit.Wehaveanaversiontoit.”16

WithCoreDrives4,5,6,7,and8allbuiltintothedesign,it’snowonderthePostcodeLotterybecamesuchahugesuccess.

TheSunkCostPrison(GameTechnique#50)PerhapsthemostpowerfulandsometimestreacherousmechanismwithinCoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidanceiswhatIcalltheSunkCostPrison.Thisoccurswhenyouinvestsomuchtimeintosomething,thatevenwhenit’snolongerenjoyable,youcontinuetocommittheDesiredActionsbecauseyoudon’twanttofeelthelossofgivinguponeverything.

Imagineascenariowhereyouplayedagameforalongtimeanditbeginstobecomeboringandmeaningless.Youaskyourselfwhyyoukeepplayingit,butsubconsciouslyyourealizethatifyoudoquitthegame,youwillfeelthepainoflosingallthetime,points,currencies,status,andcustomizationsthatyou’veinvested.Quittingwillresultinthatuglysensationofadmittingthatyoutrulywastedhundredsofhoursthatendedupbecomingnothing.

Asaresult,inordertoavoidthatdepressingfeelingoflossandemptiness,youinsteadconvinceyourselftousethatpowerfulpristineswordtokillevenmoremonsters,ortapintothetwomillioncoinsyou’veearnedwithallyourlaborinanattempttofeelawesomeagain.Eventuallyyouinvestevenmorehoursintothegameandbuildupevenmorethingstolose.Youbecometrappedinadeadlyspiral,anditcanbecomequitedepressing.

Fromadesignstandpoint,ifyoumakesuretheuserisaccumulating–andknowsthattheyareaccumulating–thingsthatwillbegoneandwastediftheyleaveyoursystem,itwillbeverydifficultfortheusertoleaveduringtheEndgame.

SunkCostPrisons,thoughpowerful,adheretotheBlackHatprinciplesofmakingusersfeeluncomfortable.Assuch,theyshouldalwaysbeaccompaniedbyWhiteHatCoreDrives,(suchasallowinguserstorecognizethattheyareactuallyhelpingtheworldandtheyshouldn’tgiveuptheimpactaccumulatedtothatpoint).Thesetechniqueshouldonlybeemployedwhentheuserhasaquickurgetoleavethesystem,suchasbeingattractedtoBlackHatTechniquesusedbyothercompanies.(forinstance,aspecial“limited”promotionthattheusermustsignupfor.)

FacebookisanexcellentexampleofasocialmediawebsitethatperfectlyportraystheSunkCostPrison.IhavemanypersonalfriendsIphysicallyhangoutwithbutdonothavetheirphonenumbersnoremail.TheonlywayformetocontactthesepeopleisthroughFacebook.

IfIweretosuddenlydeactivatemyFacebookaccount,Iwouldfeelthatalltheconnectionswiththesepersonalfriendswouldbelost.Ontopofthat,IspentmanyyearsfeedingmyFacebookaccountwithphotos,conversations,andposts.AllofwhichwouldbedifficulttoaccessorshareifIretiredtheaccount.

Toaddbothsaltandinsulttotheinjury,Iwouldn’tbeabletoaccessanduseallthevirtualgoodsandcurrenciesaccumulatedfromtheFacebookgamesIplayed.Facebookwassmartindesigningaproductthatpeopleusedsofrequentlyandinvestedsomuchintothattheywouldhaveadifficulttimeleaving–asunkcostprisonindeed.

Ontheotherhand,eventhoughGoogle’ssearchengineisextremelypopular,itdoesn’treallybuildupthingstoloseifyouquitusingit.Itjusthappensthatitisthebestsearchengineinthemarket(inmyunwaveringopinion),soeveryonewantstouseitwheneverpossible.

Butitjusttakesonechangeofmind,“hmm,todayIthinkI’mgoingtosearchonBinginsteadofGoogle,”forGoogletolosethatuser.Ifoneday,somehoweveryoneisconvincedthatanothersearchengineisbetter,Googlecouldloseall

ofitstractionovernight-thoughsofaritlookslikethisisnotlikelyinthenearfuture.

Ofcourse,GoogleiscombattingthatbyintroducingtheAlfredEffectfromCoreDrive4throughmorepersonalizedsearchresults–GoogleunderstandsYou,andsoifyoustopusingGoogle,youwillloseallthecustomizedresultsandexperiencesthatnoothersearchenginecanprovideyou.ThisisnotasstrongasFacebook’s“wehaveallyourfriendshostage,”butit’sastepintherightdirection.

Whenyoudesignyourexperience,youshouldthinkregularlyaboutwhatmakesusersreluctanttoletgoandthereforestayinyoursystemforlonger.

CoreDrive8:TheBigPictureCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidanceisapowerfulmotivatorthatisbluntlyutilizedbyallsortsoforganizationsandsystems.CoreDrive8generatesBlackHatresultssuchasahighsenseofurgencyandobsession.However,inthelong-runthisputstheuserinastateofdiscomfort.

Inmanycases,CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidanceworkshand-in-handwithCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatiencebecauseexclusivityandlimitedoffersoftencomepackagedwiththeanticipatedfearoflosingthatexclusivityorhavingthatofferfadeaway.ThesetwoCoreDrivesdon’tnecessarilyhavetocoexistthough.Forinstance,theCoreDrive6gametechniqueofAnchoredJuxtaposition(whereyouprovideuserstwooptionsforcompletingaDesiredAction,acombinationofCoreDrive6and3)doesnotdrawmuchstrengthfromLoss&Avoidance.

MatchedwithCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity,theemotionalfearofCoreDrive8becomesmagnifiedandevenmorecrippling.Interestingly,DanielKahneman’sinsightfulFourfoldPatternshowsthat,inlowprobabilitylossevents,webecomerisk-aversetopreventthatsmallriskfromhappening.However,inhighprobabilitylosseventswhereweareforcedtochooseacertain(100%)loss,ora90%chancetolose$200anda10%chancetolosenothing,webecomerisk-seekingandchoosetheroutewherewecanforeseeaglimmerofhope17.Afterall,feariswhatmotivatesustostayalive,buthopeiswhatmanyofusultimatelylivefor.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:Thinkaboutanyactivitiesthatyouarecurrentlyengagedinthatarenolongerenjoyableormeaningful,butyoucontinuetodoitbecauseofCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.Howdoesthatmakeyoufeel,andwhatwouldittakeforyoutostopthatbehavior?

Medium:Thinkaboutaproductthatyoustillenjoyusing,butarelikelytrappedinaSunkCostPrison,shouldyouonedayliketoquit.Ismuchofyourpersonaldatasuchasphotosorthefruitsofyourlabor,storedintheservice?Areimportantcontactsorrelationshipssiloedwithintheplatform?Areimportantorganizationaldataandinsightsrecordedinthesystemandessentiallyimpossibletoexport?ThinkcarefullyabouthowthecompaniescarefullybuilttheSunkCostPrisonwhileyoustillenjoyedtheirservices,andhowyoucanpossiblyescapeitwhenyouwouldliketoswitch.

Hard:EvanescentOpportunities,CountdownTimers,andFOMOPunchesoftenworktogethertocounterStatusQuoSlothandSunkCostPrisons.Canyoudeviseacombinationofthesethreegametechniquesinanoptimalmannerthatcangetpeopletoleavetheirprevioushabitualcomfortzonesandgiveyourprojectatry?Afteryougrabtheusersintoyourexperience,howwouldyouaddWhiteHatgametechniquestomakethemenjoyitandfeelempowered?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandcheckoutwhatideasotherpeoplehave.

Don’tmissout!WatchYu-kairesearchpopulargamesonTwitch.tvRememberIsaidtheonlywaytofullyunderstandhowagameusesthe8CoreDrivestomotivateustowardsobsessivebehavioristoactuallyplaythegame?I’msurethereareplentyofgamesouttherethatyouheararepopularbutseemstoocomplextotryitoutyourself.Startingin2015,Ibeganbroadcastingmygamedesignresearchfortop-hitgamesonTwitch.tv.Ishowcasemyselfplayingthroughthesepopulargameswhilemakingcommentsontheirgamedesignandhowtheyusevariousgametechniquestoenticemetocomebackeverydayandspendmoremoneybuyingvirtualgoods.

IstartedoutwithBlizzard’snewcard-battlingcomputergameHearthstone,andplantoeventuallymoveontogameslikeMinecraft,LeagueofLegends,and

others.Idothisformyownresearch,butifyougotomychannelhttp://twitch.tv/fdlink,youmaybeabletocatchmebroadcastingactualgameplayresearch.IalsoannouncewhenIplantolivestreamonmyTwitteraccountathttp://www.twitter.com/yukaichousothat’sanotherplacetoexperienceaFOMOPunch.

Okay,timeformetodoanotherresearchsession.I’llseeyouduringgame-streaming.

1. Noteveryoneknowstherulesofpoker,buthopefullythetextwithinisdescriptiveenough.ForthefullrulesofTexasHold’emPoker,visit:http://www.yukaichou.com/PokerRules↩

2. DanielKahnemanandAmosTversky.Econometrica,47:263-91.*“ProspectTheory:ananalysisofdecisionunderrisk”.1979.↩

3. RichardThaler,andCassSunstein.Nudge:ImprovingDecisionsaboutHealth,Wealth,andHappiness.NewHaven,CT:YaleUniversityPress.02/24/2009.↩

4. GaryBelskyandThomasGilovich.WhySmartPeopleMakeBigMoneyMistakes-andHowtoCorrectThem.Simon&Schuster,NewYork.01/12/2010.↩

5. DanielKahneman.*Thinking,FastandSlow.”P284.Farrar,StrausandGiroux.NewYork,NY.2013.↩

6. AnexamplewouldbetheGermanbillionaireAdolfMercklewhocommittedsuicideafterhiswealthdroppedfrom£8.5billionto£6billion.↩

7. HowardLeventhal,RobertSinger,andSusanJones.JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,2:20-29.“Effectsoffearandspecificityofrecommendationuponattitudesandbehavior”.1965.↩

8. Theoriginalquoteis:“Theonlythingwehavetofearisfearitself.”↩9. NoahGoldstein,SteveMartin,andRobertCialdini.Yes!50ScientificallyProvenWaystoBePersuasive.P44.Simon&Schuster.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

10. Aninterestingsidestory:manyyearsago,mywifeworkedatalargefinancialinstitution.Aftercontinuouslyexceedinghertargets,sheaskedhermanagerifshecouldgetaraise.Themanagernonchalantlysaid,“Comebackifyoucanprovethatothercompaniesarewillingtopayyoumore.”Feelingunappreciated,mywifequicklyfoundanofferthatwas40%higherthanherpayatthetime,andasyoumightexpect,neverwentbacktothatmanager.↩

11. DouglasMcIntyre.DailyFinance.com.“The10MostInfamousFamilyInheritanceFeuds”.06/06/2011.↩

12. NirEyal.Hooked.KindleVersionv1.0.2014.↩13. JayElliotandWilliamSimon.TheSteveJobsWay.P90-91.Vanguard

Press.03/08/2011.↩14. JohanHuizinga.HomoLudens;AStudyofthePlay-ElementinCulture.

BeaconPress,Boston,MA.1955.↩15. AdamPiore.Nautil.us.“WhyWeKeepPlayingtheLottery”.08/01/2013.↩16. AdamPiore.Nautil.us.“WhyWeKeepPlayingtheLottery”.08/01/2013.]

(http://nautil.us/issue/4/the-unlikely/why-we-keep-playing-the-lottery)↩17. DanielKahneman.*Thinking,FastandSlow.”P317.Farrar,Strausand

Giroux.NewYork,NY.2013.↩

Chapter13:LeftBrainvsRightBrainCoreDrives

UsingOctalysisintheRealWorldNowthatwehavecompletedourjourneythroughthe8CoreDrives,itisworthrememberingthattheseCoreDrivesdriveeveryactionwetake,whetherit’sinsideoroutsideagame.Ifnoneofthe8CoreDrivesarepresent,thereisnomotivation,andthereforenoactiontakesplace(thatis,withtheexceptionofthehiddenninthCoreDrive:Sensation).

YoumayhavenoticedthatIalwaysincludeaspecificnumberwitheachCoreDrive,andinsomeinstances,I’veonlymentionedtheCoreDrivenumberwithoutthefulltitle.AfterreadingthisbookandcontinuingonyourjourneytounderstandandimplementOctalysisGamification,youwillfindthatknowingtheseCoreDrivenumberswillbecomeextremelyhelpful.

WhenIworkwithmyteamofOctalysisdesignersonaclientproject,Ioftensaythingslike,“OverhereyoucanclearlyseeaCoreDrive6design,whichenforcesCoreDrive3,whichinturnpromotesCoreDrive2,andultimatelyleadstoCoreDrive5.1”

IfyouarenotfamiliarwiththeCoreDrivenumbers,youwouldnaturallyhavedifficultykeepingupwiththeconversation.The8CoreDrivesaredesignedtobe“mutuallyexclusiveandcollectivelyexhaustive”(alsoknownasMECE2).Unfortunately,thefullnameofeachCoreDriveisamouthfull.Byusingtheirnumbers,youcansavetimeandeffortinalongconversationandinsteadfocusoncreatingvaluablesolutions.

Forme,theOctalysisFrameworkhasbeenincrediblyusefulbecauseitnotonlyprovidesavisualunderstandingoftheintricaciesofmotivation,butalsoitsnature:theplacementofeachCoreDriveontheoctagonshapeprovidesvisualcuesthathelpsthedesignerdetermineiftheyhavealong-termorshort-termeffect,orwhethertheseexperiencesareintrinsicallyorextrinsicallydesigned.

TheOctalysisFrameworkalsoenablesustopredicthowmotivationcanevolveoversubsequentphasesandhelpsusidentifytheweaknessesofadesignwhichcanbeaddressedandimprovedupon.

LeftBrainvs.RightBrainCoreDrivesAkeyaspectoftheOctalysisFrameworkisthedifferencebetweenLeftBrainandRightBrainCoreDrives.

TheLeftBrainCoreDrivesinvolvetendenciesrelatedtologic,ownership,andanalyticalthought.TheyareexpressedinthefollowingthreeCoreDrives:

CoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentCoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience

TheRightBrainCoreDrivesarecharacterizedbycreativity,sociality,andcuriosityandasillustratedbythefollowing:

CoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednessCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity

(Note:therewillbeseveralpointslaterinthischapterwhereyoumayfindtheneedtoreferbacktothereferenceabove.)

Again,itisworthnotingthattheterminologyof“LeftBrainCoreDrives”and“RightBrainCoreDrives”doesnotnecessarilymeanthattheyarephysicallylocatedontheleftsideorrightsideofourbrains.ThesereferencesaremerelysymbolicinthatsomeoftheCoreDrivesareinfluencedmorebythe“logicalbrain”,whileotherCoreDrivesareinfluencedmorebythe“emotionalbrain.”

Therehavebeenpastinstanceswheresomeindividualshavetriedtoattackmywork,pinpointinghowthe“leftbrainvs.rightbrain”modelhasbeendebunkedandthereforeisnolongerscientificallyvalid.Frommyperspective,thisissimplyanissueofsemantics,forIcouldverywellnametheemotionalCoreDrives,“RainbowCoreDrives”andthelogicalCoreDrives,“StoneCoreDrives”-whichwouldactuallygiveanice,game-likeringtothem.

However,thecurrentterminologyisidealfordesignpurposes,asthe“left/rightbrain”terminologyispopularlyunderstoodinthesocialsciences.ThereforeIdesignedtheLeftBrainCoreDrivestobeconvenientlylocatedontheleftsideoftheoctagonandtheRightBrainCoreDrivestobesituatedtotheright.I’madesignerbytraderatherthananacademic,soeventhoughIdon’tseeanythingwrongwiththeLeft/RightBrainterminologytobeginwith,Iprefertoolsthatareusefuloveronesthataresimplysemanticallyaccurate.

IbelievethatmyintendedgoaltoorganizetheseCoreDrivesintointuitivepatternswithinavisuallycleardiagramwassuccessful.Thisallowsmeandmystudentstofollowcomplexmotivationalandbehavioraldesignprinciplesinanapproachablemanner.Inturn,thisenablesustodesignexperiencesthatensurelong-termmetricsaresustained.

Conveniently,theLeft/RightBrainframeworkstructurealsoallowsustodifferentiateanddesignforthedifferencesbetweenextrinsicandintrinsicmotivation.

ExtrinsicvsIntrinsicMotivationThegroupingofLeftBrainandRightBrainCoreDriveswithcorrelatedtowhatmanymotivationaltheoristsunderstandasExtrinsicMotivationandIntrinsicMotivation.

ExtrinsicMotivationismotivationthatisderivedfromagoal,purpose,orreward.Thetaskitselfisnotnecessarilyinterestingorappealing,butbecauseofthegoalorreward,peoplebecomedrivenandmotivatedtocompletethetask.Moreoftenthannot,peoplegotoworkeverydaynotbecausetheyactuallylovedoingthework,butbecausetheywanttomakealiving,advancetheircareers,andberecognizedforhigherachievements.

Forexample,letssayyouhaveaterriblejob.Yourjobistodigfecesoutofthegroundforhourseveryday.It’slaborintensive,smellshorrible,andyouhatethejobwithapassion.Butthensomeoneshowsupandsays,“I’llgiveyou$10,000foreverysinglepieceofdungyoudigout.”

Allofasudden,youbecomeexcitedandextremelymotivatedtodig,thinking,“Wow!Thisiseasymoney!Hahaha!”You’renowengaged,joyful,andmotivatedwiththejob.Moraleishigh,andyoustartworkingmuchfasterthanyoudidbefore.

However,itisimportanttorememberthatthetaskitselfisstillnotfun.Youaremotivatedbecausetheextrinsicrewardisextremelyappealing,anditcreatestheillusionthatyouenjoytheactivity.Oncetheextrinsicrewardisgone,youwillgobacktohatingthetask-andpossiblymoresothanbefore,aswewillseesoon.

IntrinsicMotivation,ontheotherhand,issimplythemotivationyougetbyinherentlyenjoyingthetaskitself.Thesearethingsyouwouldevenpaymoneytodobecauseyouenjoydoingthemsomuch.Forinstance,youdon’tneedtoreachanytargettoenjoyutilizingyourcreativity;youdon’tneedaphysicalrewardtoenjoyhangingoutwithyourfriends;andyoudon’tneedanycompensationtobeabsorbedbythesuspenseofunpredictability.

Infact,whenyougotoacasino,youhavetheoppositeofareward.Mostpeopleknowthattheyare“statisticallyscrewed”bythecasino–that’showthecasinosmakesomuchmoney.Buttheystillcomeoutsaying,“Ilost$200,butIhadso

muchfun!”Why?Because,throughoutthosefivehours,theywereconstantlythinking,“MaybeI’llwinthistime!”

Theyarespending$200tobuytheintrinsicjoyof“possibly”winning.Iftheunpredictabilityisremovedandpeopleknowwithabsolutecertaintythattheywillget$40afterpressingthosebuttonsforfivehours,theywillnolongerthinkitisfun.Infact,itwouldbecomeverysimilartothedreadfulworkoflaboringinafactory.

LeftBrainCoreDrivesarebynaturegoal-oriented,whileRightBrainCoreDrivesareexperience-oriented.ExtrinsicMotivationfocusesonresults,whileIntrinsicMotivationfocusesontheprocess.

SlightSemanticDifferenceswiththeSelf-DeterminationTheory

IntrinsicMotivationversusExtrinsicMotivationisapopulartopicwithinthegamificationspaceandwasheavilypopularizedbyDanielPink’sbookDrive3.Thebookexploreshowinsteadofbeingmotivatedbymoney(CoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession)andpunishment(CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance),peoplearemotivatedmorebyPurpose,Autonomy,andMastery.

WhileIbelieveDrive,aswellastheSelf-DeterminationTheoryitadvocates,arefantastic,IshouldpointoutthatmyterminologydiffersslightlyfromPinkonwhatIntrinsicMotivationconsistsof.

Whenabasketballplayerpracticesbyshootinghoopsathousandtimesaday,theirmotivationistoachieveMastery,somethingthatischaracterizedasIntrinsicMotivationwithinPink’stheories4.However,withintheOctalysisFramework,theactivityitselfisstillmonotonousandboring.Itisonlymotivatingbecausetheathletehasagoal-anextrinsicmotivation.Thatsaid,wewilllookathowSelf-DeterminationTheoryconnectswithWhiteHatMotivationwithinmyframeworkinthenextchapter.)

HereisthetestIusuallyapplytodetermineifsomethingisextrinsicallyorintrinsicallymotivated:ifthegoalorobjectivewereremoved,wouldthepersonstillbemotivatedtotaketheDesiredActionornot?

Inotherwords,attheendoftheday,ifthebasketballplayerknowsthatwhatevertheydo,theywillloseall“progress”andeverythingobtainedoraccumulated,wouldtheystillchoosetoshoothoops?

Socialhangoutsandcreativeactivities,suchassolvingfunpuzzles,willpassthetestforintrinsicmotivation.However,accumulatinggoods,earningpoints,orevenprogressingtowardsmasterywouldlikelynot.Whatwouldyouspendtimedoingifyouknewtheworldwassurelygoingtoendtomorrow?Itwouldbeunlikelythatyouwilldecidetopracticeshootingbasketballhoops-thoughyoumaydecidetoplayagameofbasketballwiththoseyouloveandcareabout.

Again,thesearesimplydifferencesinterminologyandgrouping,notafundamentaldifferenceinbeliefsaboutwhatmotivatespeople.DanielPinkonlydifferentiatesbetweenIntrinsicandExtrinsicmotivation,whileIclassifyusingtheextradimensionofWhiteHatversusBlackHatmotivation.(YouwillseethatMasteryfallsintotheWhiteHatcampofmotivation.)Henceourcategorizationandlanguagedifferslightly,whileouroverallbeliefsinthenatureandeffectivenessofthesedrivesdonot.)

Inasimilarfashion,MichaelWu,ChiefScientistoftheengagementplatformLithium,differentiatesbetweenIntrinsic/ExtrinsicMotivationandIntrinsic/ExtrinsicRewards5.

Motivationiswhatdrivesustodoanyaction,andRewardsarewhatweobtainonceweperformtheDesiredAction.

ApersonmayreceiveIntrinsicRewardsafterperformingacertaintask,suchasgainingtheappreciationofothersorfeelingasenseofaccomplishment.However,sinceIntrinsicMotivationisderivedfromtheactivityitselfwithoutconcernforthefutureoutcome,ifapersondoessomethingforanyreward,includinganyIntrinsicReward,itisnotbasedonIntrinsicMotivation.

Thisisslightlytrickytocomprehend,butalongthelinesofMichaelWu’sconcepts,CoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentmayutilizeIntrinsicRewards,butultimatelydoesnotfocusonIntrinsicMotivation.TheLeftBrainCoreDrivesareresult(goal)focused,whiletheRightBrainCoreDrivesareprocess(journey)focused.CoreDrive2focusesonprogressandachievements,andasaresultisbasedonExtrinsicMotivationinmyframework.

MotivationTrapsinGamificationCampaignsMostgamificationcampaignstypicallyemployloyaltyprograms,badges,progressbars,andprizerewards,whichfocusonLeftBrainCoreDrives.Thisisbecauseitismucheasiertoaddanextrinsicrewardtoadesiredactivitythantoactuallymaketheactivityintrinsicallyfunorenjoyable.

However,therearemanymotivationaltrapswhichresultfromusingtoomanyExtrinsicMotivationtechniquesattheexpenseofIntrinsicMotivation6.

Let’spretendforamomentthatIlovetodrawanddrewveryoftenwithoutanycompensation.Researchhasshownthatoneofthebestwaysforyoutomakemestopdrawingistofirstpaymetodoitandthenstoppayingmeafteracertaintimeperiod7.

Infact,frommyownexperience,Ibelievethatamoreeffectivewayisforyoutopaymesuccessivelylessuntilyoureachedaveryinsultingamount-say$0.02perdrawing.Atthatpoint,Iwouldfeelinsultedandnolongerhaveanydesiretocontinuedrawing,eventhoughIhappilydrewforfreepriortomeetingyou.ThisisbecausetheIntrinsicMotivationofdrawingforjoythroughCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,hasnowbeenshiftedtoanExtrinsicMotivationofdrawingformoneythroughCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.

Asthepaydecreased,drawingsimplybecamelessworthymytime.Technicallythisisreferredtoasan“OverjustificationEffect”-IbecomeprimarilyengagedwiththerewardwhichsubsequentlyeradicatesandreplacestheintrinsicmotivationIoriginallyhadinthefirstplace.

What’sworse,ifyoustillpaidanacceptableamountformydrawings,say$20,moreoftenthannot,Iwouldbecomeincentivizedtorenderthequickest,unrefineddrawingspossibleinordertomaximizetheamountofmoneyIwouldmake.Inessence,aslongasIstillgetpaid,Iwouldhavelessfocusonthequalityoftheworkcomparedtothecompletionofthework.Infact,manystudieshaveshownthatExtrinsicMotivation,suchaspayingpeoplemoneytoperformatask,actuallylowersthecreativecapabilitytoperformthetask.

DanAriely,authorofPredictablyIrrational,demonstratedinhisexperimentsthatpeoplewhowerepaidthemost(5monthspay)forperformingsome

relativelyquicktasksperformedfarworsethanpeoplewhowerepaidmuchless(onlyonedayortwoweekspayfordoingthesametasks)8.

Whenpeoplearethinkingaboutthemoney,itdistractstheirfocusfromperformance.EventheLondonSchoolofEconomics,aftermanyexperiments,concludedthat,“’Wefindthatfinancialincentivesmayindeedreduceintrinsicmotivationanddiminishethicalorotherreasonsforcomplyingwithworkplacesocialnormssuchasfairness.Asaconsequence,theprovisionofincentivescanresultinanegativeimpactonoverallperformance.”9

ThisisbecausewhenwearedoingsomethingforExtrinsicMotivators,oureyesaresetonthegoal,andwetrytousethequickestandmosteffortlesspathpossibletoreachit.Asaconsequence,weoftengiveupourabilitiestobecreative,thinkexpansively,andrefineourwork.

DanielPinkstatesthat,“Rewards,bytheirverynature,narrowourfocus.That’shelpfulwhenthere’saclearpathtoasolution.Theyhelpusstareaheadandracefaster.But‘if-then’motivatorsareterribleforchallengeslikethe[creative]candleproblem.”

Ofcourse,inroutineandmundanetasksthatdon’trequireanycreativityandholdlittleIntrinsicMotivationtobeginwith,ExtrinsicMotivationdoesoftenincreaseperformanceandresultsbecauseofthegoal-drivenfocusitgenerates.DanArielypointsoutinhisNewYorkTimesarticle,“What’stheValueofaBigBonus”10,“Aslongasthetaskinvolvedonlymechanicalskill,bonusesworkedastheywouldbeexpected:thehigherthepay,thebettertheperformance,”butifthetaskrequiredany“rudimentarycognitiveskill,”alargerreward“ledtopoorerperformance”withinhisexperiments.

TheProblemwithEducationalSystemsThenegativeshiftfromIntrinsicMotivationtoExtrinsicMotivationisabigissuewithinoureducationalsystems.

Iholdafirmbeliefthatweasaspeciesareendowedwithaninnatedesiretolearn,oftendrivenbyCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity-aRightBrainCoreDrive,andCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback-theRightBraindesiretousethatknowledgeindifferentways.However,whenitcomestoschoolandtraining,thatintrinsicmotivationtolearnquicklyshiftsinto

theextrinsicdesiretoobtaingoodgrades,appeaseparentsandteachers,gainrespectfromclassmates,andsecureprestigious,career-requisitediplomas.AllofwhicharepoweredbyLeftBrainCoreDrivessuchasCoreDrive2and4.)

Becauseofthis,studentsoftenstopcaringaboutthelearningitselfanddotheminimumamountofworktoachievethoseextrinsicresults(whichsometimesinvolvescopyingeachothers’homeworkorcheatingontests).Theymayevenforgetwhytheyarelearningthematerialinthefirstplace.

Inearly2014,Ihadaresearchinterviewwithahighschoolseniorstudentonavarietyofgames.Hewasanoverachievingstudentwhowasfinishinghighschooltwoyearsearlierthanhispeers.Heknewjustabouteverythingtherewastoknowconcerningtheeliteuniversitieshewasapplyingto.Overthecourseofourconversation,hestated(paraphrasingofcourse),“Well,Stanfordisgreatatthesethings,butI’mnotsureaboutthis.Harvardisokayonthissubjectmatter,buttheyhaveanamazingprogramthatcouldhelpmyfuture.”

Then,somewhereintheconversation,Imentionedthatmathisaveryusefulsubjecttoprepareforone’scareer.Tomysurprise,thisteenagerwhowaspoliteandenthusiastictheentiretimesuddenlyrespondedinanalmostdisdainfulway:

“ComeonYu-kai.Whendopeopleeveruseadvancedmathaftergraduatingfromschool?”

IfeltIhadtojustifymyself:“I’mserious.Mathisreallyuseful.Ifyouwanttobeascientist,youneedtousealotofadvancedmath.”

Hiseyeswidenedup.“Really?”

“Yeah,ofcourse.Youneedmathtocalculatesoundwaves,gravity,satellitepositioninginformationandsuch.Also,youneedmathifyouwanttobecomeanengineer,economist,orevenanaccountant.HowelsewouldyoutellthePresidentthattheeconomywoulddryupifhedoesn’tbailoutcertainbanksforninebilliondollars,orcalculatehowmanydaysittakesforanasteroidthesizeofTexastohitearth?”Isaid.

Heexclaimed,“Wow,Ineverthoughtaboutthat,butitmakesalotofsense!”

Sohereisateenagerwhoisdoingeverythingheissupposedtodo–getgoodgrades,getgoodSATscores,participateinextracurricularactivities,writestrong

essaysonhiscollegeapplications,andresearchtheschoolshewantstoattend.Andyet,hedoesnotknowwhyheisstudyingmathbeyondthegoalsofgettingintoagoodcollegeandperhapssecuringagoodjob.

Itwaseye-openingformetoseehowbadtheimpactofgoal-orientededucationwasonourlearning.Icansaythisfrommyownexperience:manystudentswhoneglectschoolandgetintroubleallthetime,aren’tlikethatbecausetheyarestupidordislikelearning.Theyjustdon’tseethepurposeoflearningthesubjectsthataretaughtinclass.

Alltoooften,thistendencyispresentatthecollegelevel.Idoafairamountofworkwithuniversitiestoimprovetheireducationalmethodologies.Ioftenaskprofessorsaboutthestudentsthatattendtheirofficehours.Ifhumansweresopassionateaboutlearning,youwouldexpectthatthesestudentsshouldbethrilledthatthere’saprofessorwhoisbrilliant,hasspentdecadesresearchingasubject,andisdedicatingtheirtimejusttotransferthatknowledge!

Withthisinmind,everystudentshouldbeexcitedabouttheopportunitytovisiteverysingleofficehourandpicktheprofessors’brains.Forsomereason,I’vealwaysfeltthisphrasetoberathergoryinaHannibalLecterkindofway).

Asitturnsout,themajorityoftheirstudentsthatactuallyshowupareonlytherewhentheyhaveproblemswiththeirgrades.Eithertheyareapproachingtheprofessorbecausetheyareabouttofailthecourse,orbecausetheyfeeltheprofessorincorrectlygradedtheirtestsandwanttogettheirpointsback.

Asaresultofthisextrinsicfocus,studentsoftenforgetwhattheylearnedimmediatelyaftertheirexams.

WhenIwasastudent,Ioncetoldafewfriends,“Didyouknowthat,sincemostpeopleforget80%ofwhattheyhavelearnedafterthetest,ifyousimplyremember80%insteadofforget80%,youareimmediatelyfourtimesbetterthaneveryoneelse?That’snotjusta20%or30%improvement.It’sa400%improvement!Whatelsecanyoudotoquicklybecomefourtimesbetterthanothersinthesamemajor?”

Tomysurprise,myfriendsresponded,“Wow,that’strueYu-kai!But…what’sthepoint?We’vealreadyfinishedthetest.”Atthetime,Iwasn’tsurehowtorespondtoastatementlikethat,butI’mguessingthemostappropriateresponse

wouldhavebeen,“You’rewrong.YoustillhavetorememberitfortheFinalExam!”

YoucanseethatExtrinsicMotivationdesignandgoalshasclearlytakenitstollonourdesiretolearnandcuriouslyexploresubjectmattersthatbenefitoursociety.

PaytoNotPlayRememberwhenImentionedthatCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackisthegoldenCoreDrive,wherepeopleusetheircreativityand“play”?Often,ifyoucanestablishastrongCoreDrive3elementinyourexperience,itbecomesanevergreenmechanicthatcontinuouslyengagesthemindofuserswithoutneedingtoaddmorecontent.

Unfortunately,therearemanyexampleswhereCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession(intheformoffinancialrewards)overtakeCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.

Therearestudiesthatillustratehowourcreativeproblemsolvingskillsdiminishwhenweareofferedfinancialrewards.Oneofthemorefamousandeffectivedemonstrationsisthe“CandleProblem”quotedearlier.

ManyofmyreadersmayhaveseentheCandleProbleminotherliterature,butifyouhavenot(andthankyouforchoosingmybookovertheotherliteraturefirst!),firsttakealookattheimagebelow:

11

KarlDunckerwasthenotablepsychologistwhocreatedtheCandleProbleminthe1930s.Thegoaloftheproblemwastofigureouthowtoattachalitcandletoawallusingonlythetoolsgiven,sothatthemeltingwaxwouldnotdriponthetable.

Laterinthe1960s,apsychologistnamedSamGlucksbergdividedparticipantsintotwogroupstosolvethisproblem.Onegroupwaspromised$5to$20iftheycouldsolvetheproblemquickly-notbadforafewminutesofwork.Theothergroupwassimplytoldthathewassimplyhavingthemestablishthenormsforhowlongittypicallytookpeopletosolvetheproblem.

I’lldemonstratethesolutiontotheproblemsoon,buttheoriginallyfindingswerequiteastonishing.Itturnsoutthatthepeoplewhowereofferedmoneytosolvetheproblemtookonaverage,threeandahalfminuteslongerthanthosewhoweren’tofferedmoney.12

GettingpaidresultedintheLeftBrainCoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionovertakingtheRightBrainCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,inproducinginferiorresults.

BeforeIpresentthesolution,here’sanotherimageofthesameproblem,justin

anothersetting.

13

RememberthatwetalkedabouthowExtrinsicRewardsenhancefocusandincreaseperformancetowardsstraightforwardtasksthatrequirelesscreativity?IftheproblemisdescribedusingtheIllustrationabove,thesolutionbecomesmoreobvious.Withthisversion,thepeoplewhowereofferedrewardsdidsolvetheproblemslightlyfasterthanthosewhoweren’t.

Ifyouhaven’tsolvedtheproblemyet,don’tworry-sinceyouareina“bookreading”modeandlesslikelytobeintensivelyfocusedonproblem-solving.Thesolutionisbelow:

14

Asyoucansee,thewaytosolvetheproblemistothink“outsidethebox”andactuallyusetheunassumingboxitself.

Whenapersonistryingtosolvetheproblemforfree,theactivityresemblesplay.Themindsearchesfornew,creativewaystodothings.Thismakestherightsolutioneasiertofindbecausethemindisflexibleanddynamic.

Incontrast,whenapersonisofferedareward,thesituationimmediatelybecomesonedevoidofplay.Unlessclear,simpledirectionsarelaidoutfortheperson,performancewillactuallydecreasebecausethemindisfixatedoncompletingtheassignment.

HowMarketSettingsReverseSocialSettingsGivingpeoplefinancialrewardsthroughCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possessiondoesn’tsimplyreduceourintellectualcuriosity(CoreDrive7)andourcreativeproblem-solvingskills(CoreDrive3),italsoshiftsthefocusawayfromoursocialbrain(CoreDrive5)tooureconomicalbrain.Dependingontheactual

goalsofthegamificationdesigner,thiscouldbecomedetrimentaltotheintendedoutcome.

InPredictablyIrrational,DanArielymakesitclearthatthesearen’tjusttwodifferentwaysofthinking;theyarecompletelydifferentbehavioralmodesthatmakeusactdifferentlyineverythingwedo.ArielydefinesthesedifferencesasSocialNormsversusMarketNormstoshowthesignificantcontrastbetweentheseparadigms15.

Forexample,Arielydemonstratedthatpeoplewereoftenverywillingtoperformmundanetasks,leavecandyforothers,performfreelegalwork,teachmartialarts,solvedifficultpuzzles,movelargepiecesoffurniture,andworkonopensourceprojects,allwithoutanymaterialreward16.Thiswasbecausetheirbrainswerefollowingasocialnormmode,“Iwilldothemafavorasweappreciateeachother.Wetakecareofeachotherwhenwecan.”

Butonceweoffermoneyfortheservice,thebrainimmediatelyshiftsintoamarketmodenorm.Ifweofferaslittleas1¢fortheservice,peoplewillfeelinsultedwiththeamountofmoneyandnotonlyrefusetoperformtheactivity,butquestionthesocialrelationshipitself.Thesocialtiesweakenandbreak,witheverythingboilingdownto:“Areyoupayingmemyworthtodothisforyou?”

Supposeyouwerewillingtodomeafavorforfreebecauseyougenuinelytakepleasureinhelpingmeimprovemysituation.ButthenIaskedyou,“Canyoudothisforme?Icanpayyou$5.”Youarenotlikelytothinkthatyouaregettingthepleasureofhelpingmeoutasinitiallyintended,andmakinganextra$5bonusontopofit.OurbrainsareeitherusingtheSocialNorms,ortheMarketNorms.OnceIoffertopayyou,youbegintothink,“Mytimeisworthmuchmorethan$5.Thisisinsulting.”

Arielyaddsanotherhypotheticalscenariotodrivethispointhome17:whatwouldhappenifyouoffertopayyourmother-in-lawafewhundreddollarsforhostingagreatThanksgivingmealandawonderfulevening?Immediately,youtransitionthesituationfromSocialNormstoMarketNorms,anditisnotdifficulttopredictthatshewouldrespondquitepoorlytothisgenerousoffer.

Afterconductingafewexperiments,ArielyfoundthatwhenthepriceofdeliciousLindtchocolatetrufflesshiftsfrom10¢to5¢to1¢,demandfrom

universitystudentsincreasedby240percentandthenby400percent,whichfitswellintotraditionaleconomicmodels.

However,whenthepricewentfrom1¢tofree,insteadofamassiveincreaseindemand,asbasiceconomictheorywouldpredict,thenumberoftrufflestaken(withoutcost)byeachstudentwasimmediatelyreducedtoone.Intheendthisledtoanoveralldecreaseindemandby50percent.

Whenthepricewasshiftedfrom1¢tofree,ourbrainsshiftedfromtheMarketNormof“Thisisagreatdeal!Imustgetmore!”totheSocialNormof,“Idon’twanttobeajerkandtaketoomany.Whatifitrunsoutandotherpeopledon’tgettohaveany?”

IntheOctalysisFramework,thisisaperfectexampleofLeftBrainCoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionshiftingtoRightBrainCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.Whenyouincentivizepeoplewithmoney,theylosesomeoftheirsocialaltruismandgenerosity,whichmeansthattheyarenotselflesslycollaboratingandsharingusefulinformationwithoneanotherasmuchastheywouldotherwise.Theybecomemorelikerationaleconomiccalculatorsandtendtoworkmoreonlywhenthepayjustifiesit.(Assumingofcourse,thattherearen’tmuchstrongerRightBrainCoreDriveforceswithintheenvironment.)

Aninterestingcaveatisthatwhenyouoffergiftsinsteadofcash,experimentsrevealthattherulesofSocialNormsstillapply.Yourmother-in-lawwouldunlikelybecomeoffendedifyoubroughtanicewineasagiftfortheThanksgivingDinner.Thisisbecause“Gifting”(orSocialTreasures)isstillmostlyintherealmofCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness,sotheinteractionisstillintrinsicinnature.

However,themomentyoumentionthedollaramountofthegift,theSocialNormshiftstoaMarketNormonceagain.InanotherexperimentbyDanAriely,simplymentioningsomethingalongthelinesof,“Canyouhelpwithsomething?I’llgiveyouthis50¢chocolatebar,”causedapplicantstoimmediatelyswitchedtotheirMarketNormmodeandinterpretedthestatementasaninsult.18

Butwhentheexperimentersimplysaid,“Canyouhelpwithsomething?I’llgiveyouthischocolatebar,”manypeoplewereeagertohelpbecausetheywerestilloperatingwithintheSocialNorm.

Exploringthisfurther,let’slookatadatingscenario.Whenyoubuygiftsforyourdate,onceyoumakestatementssuchas,“Iwouldbehappytobuyyouthis$80steak!”oreven“I’vespentquiteabitofmoneyonourdatesnow.Perhapsweshouldtakethistothenextlevel?”thesituationshiftsdramatically.Thepersonmightbecomeoffended,becauseyouhavetransitionedtheSocialNormtoaMarketNorm.Youlikelywon’taccomplishthegoalsyouintend,sincethepotentialpartnerwilllikelyprefertotreatyourrelationshipasa“social”oneinsteadofa“marketexchange”one.Hereagain,whenapplyingaLeftBrainCoreDrivetechnique,theRightBrainCoreDrivebecomesdiminished.

Ofcourse,ourbrainsarequiteeasytofool.Acleverdevicethatbypassesthisgiftinginconvenienceisknownasthegiftcard.Thoughinrealityitfunctionslikecash,sincethevalueisstoredonacardandcanonlybeusedatacertainplace,peopletreatitasagift.Sometimestheyevenincludethereceiptsothattherecipientscanevenreturnthegiftcardforcash!However,sinceitisstillagift,notarealpayment,peopleacceptitwithoutshiftingtoMarketNorms-unlessyousay,“Hereisagiftcardthatisworth$50.Iwouldlikeyoutohaveit.”

TheChineseandsomeAsianculturesalsodisguisetheircashgiftswith“redenvelopes.”Thoughitisstilljustpurecash,theenveloperepresentsgoodluck,andthereforeitisreceivedasaSocialTreasure.Butoncethepersontakesthecashoutfromtheenvelopeandgivesittoanother,theexchangebecomesaMarketNorm,andisthereforeinsultingagain.Afterall,peopledon’tliketobetreatedasbeggars.Betterputaredenvelopearounditorinvestinagiftcard.

TheAdvantagesofExtrinsicMotivationDesignObviouslydesigningforExtrinsicMotivationisnotallnegative.Besidesenhancingaperson’sfocusoncompletingmonotonousroutinetasks,italsogeneratesinitialinterestanddesirefortheactivity.

Often,withouttherebeingextrinsicmotivationduringtheDiscoveryPhase(beforepeoplefirsttryouttheexperience),peopledonotfindacompellingreasontoengagewiththeexperienceinthefirstplace.Promoting,“Youwillgeta$100giftcardifyousign-up,”usuallysoundsmoreappealingthan“Youwillutilizeyourcreativityandbeinafunstateofunpredictabilitywithyourfriends!”(ThoughbothactuallyutilizeCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.)

Whenpeopleconsiderthemselves“toobusy,”theywon’tjustifyspendingtimetotryoutyourexperience.Butwhenyouofferthemanextrinsicrewardtotryouttheexperience,theywillatleasttestitout,assumingofcoursethattherewardisnotaninsulttothevalueoftheuser’stimeinvestment.

Rewardingusers$2fortryinganewsearchengineforanentiremonthisprettyweak,whilepayingpeople$3tospendweeksgoingtostores,takingpictures,andsharingthemwiththeirfriendsisalsoapathtofailure.Itisbettertonotgivethemarewardatall!

Andofcourse,aswehaveseenearlier,ifpeoplecontinuouslyjustifydoingsomethingforhighextrinsicrewards,theirintrinsicmotivationdwindlesastheOverjustificationEffectsettlesin.

Therefore,asMichaelWuofLithiumpointsout,itisbettertoattractpeopleintoanexperienceusingExtrinsicRewards(giftcards,money,merchandise,discounts),thentransitiontheirinterestthroughIntrinsicRewards(recognition,status,access),andfinallyuseIntrinsicMotivationtoensuretheirlongtermengagement.Throughthisprocess,userswillstarttoenjoytheactivitysomuchthattheywillfocusonrelishingtheexperienceitselfwithoutthinkingaboutwhatcanbegainedfromtheexperience.

HowtoMakeanExperienceMoreIntrinsicSincethisbookisentitledActionableGamification,wewanttomakesureyouhaveasetofstepsandtoolstohelpyoudevelopyourownprojects.Theultimatequestionthatthischapterseekstoansweris:“HowdoImakemyusersmoremotivatedintrinsically?”

Well,we’venotedearlierthatIntrinsicMotivationisoftenderivedfromRightBrainCoreDrives,whichrelatetoCoreDrive3,5,and7.Therefore,theactionablewaytoaddIntrinsicMotivationintoanexperienceistothinkabouthowtoimplementthoseCoreDrivesintotheexperience.

1.MakingtheexperiencemoreSocialOneofthecommonRightBrainCoreDrivesthatthebusinessworldhasbeenusinginrecentyearsisCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.Manycompaniesareseekingwaystomakethingsmoresocialbyincorporatingsocialmedia,andconstantlyspammingtheiruserstospamtheirfriends.

Ofcourse,therearebetterandworsewaystomakeyourexperiencemoresocial.Thefirstprincipletonoteisthatusersareintrinsicallyinterestedininvitingtheirfriendstoanexperienceonlyiftheyarefirstsoldonitsvalue.OftenthishappensduringtheFirstMajorWin-State,whichisatermreferringtothemomentwhentheuserfirstsays,“Wow!Thisisawesome!”

ManycompaniesmakethegiganticmistakeofaskinguserstoinvitealltheirFacebookfriendsatthebeginningoftheOnboardingStage,whichhappensrightaftertheusersignsup.Theusersdon’tevenknowwhethertheywillliketheexperiencethemselves,letalonerisktheirfriendshipsbyspammingothers.Infact,thispromptinginterfaceactuallydelaystheFirstMajorWin-State,whichcouldbedetrimentaltotheentireexperience.

TheexperiencedesignerneedstoidentifyexactlywherethatFirstMajorWin-Stateis,andcountexactlyhowmanyminutesittakesfortheuserstogetthere-becauseeverysecondbeforethatyouwillbeseeingdropout.OncetheuserhitsthefirstmajorWin-State,that’sthebesttimetoaskthemtoinvitetheirfriendsorratetheproduct.(WewillreiteratetheseimportantpointsonFirstMajorWin-StatesinourchapterdiscussingtheExperiencePhasesofaPlayer’sJourney.)

Besidesfindingtherighttimetopromptfriend-invites,itisimportanttodeterminetherighttypeofmessage.I’veseenmanycompaniesrequiretheiruserstoshareadefaulttextsuchas,“IjustusedCompanyA,theleaderinBspace,tosolveallmyproblems!Sign-uprightnowfora30%discount!”Thisisamessagethatisobviouslynotgenuine,andwillleadtousersfeelingliketheyarebeingbaitedtosharecrappypromotionalmessages.

Rather,itisbettertohavesomethinglessinformative,butmorebelievable,suchas,“I’vebeenreadingYu-kai’sbookongamification.It’sworthcheckingout!#OctalysisBook.”Adefaulttweetlikethis(whichstillallowstheusertomodifyitanywaytheywish),producesasocialmessagethattheirfriendswillmorelikelyrecognizeasatrueendorsement.

Withthatallsaid,noneoftheaboveisactuallymakingtheexperienceitselfmoresocial.ItismuchbettertofostercollaborativeplaywithintheDesiredAction,whereuserscanhelpeachotherout,socialize,andgrowtogether.

WhenyoudesignforIntrinsicMotivation,youwanttocreateenvironmentsthatfostersocializing,evenwithareasthatarenon-criticaltotheDesiredActions

(suchastheWaterCoolergametechnique).Also,consideraddinginmoreGroupQuestswhereuserscanworktogether,utilizetheiruniquestrengths,andaccomplishtaskstogether.Thisoftenmakesanexperiencemoreintrinsicallymotivatingandenjoyable.

2.AddmoreUnpredictabilityintotheExperienceAnotherwaytoaddIntrinsicMotivationintotheexperienceistoutilizeCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity.Ifeveryresultisexpectedandtheexperiencepredictable,muchofthefunandexcitementwillfade.Addingsomeunpredictability,thoughBlackHatinnature,increasesthethrilltotheexperienceandpreventstheuserfromlosinginterestanddroppingout.

Whenyoudesignyourexperience,askyourselfifthereisawaytobuildcontrolledrandomnessintotheexperience?IftheuserperformstheDesiredActionagainandagain,doestheresulthavetobeexactlythesameeachtime?Orcansomethingsbealteredfromtimetotime,eveniftheyarejusttrivialthingslikealternatingfeedbackdialogueorrandomlygeneratedtips.

UnpredictabilitymatchedwithCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancewilloftenmakeanundesirableeventevenmorestressful,andsometimesmoremotivatinginaBlackHatway;butunpredictabilityaccompanyingCoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentorCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possessionincreasestheexcitementoftheexperience.

Ifyouimplementavariablereward,eitherintheformofaMysteryBox(usersexpectarewardbutdon’tknowwhatitwillbe)oranEasterEgg(usersdon’texpectarewardatall),youwilllikelybuildpositiveanticipationandunpredictability.InthebookHooked,NirEyalconfirmsthat,“Variablerewardsareoneofthemostpowerfultoolscompaniesimplementtohookusers”19

Obtainingarewardisinandofitselfextrinsic.However,whenyoumaketherewardvariable,youaddalayerofintrinsicexcitement,muchlikehowtheanimalintheSkinnerBoxcontinuestopressthelevertogetmorefood,eventhoughitisnolongerhungry.

Dobecautiousthough,sinceCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityisbynatureaRightBrainandBlackHatCoreDrive,itmayunsettlesomeuserswhofeeluncomfortablebecausetheyarenotincontroloftheirowndestinies.IfItoldanemployee,“Workhardforayear,andyoumayormaynotgeta

surprisingreward!”Imayhavemadetheyearmoreintrinsically“interesting”becauseofthesuspenseandguesswork.However,itmayalsocausetheemployeetoleavemycompanybecauseofhowuncomfortableitfeelswhenapersonisexposedtolong-termBlackHatmotivators.

Beforeyousnickerfortoolong,itisworthnotingthatthisisalsowhatmostcompaniesimplicitlycommunicatetotheiremployeesregardingtheirraisesandpromotions:workhardforafewyears,andperhapsyouwillreceivesometypeofpromotion!Isitawonderthenthatcompaniescomplainabouttheiremployeeslackingloyaltyandjoiningacompetitorassoonastheyareofferedanimmediateandhighercompensationpackage?OnceyouareexposedtoBlackHatMotivationandhavereceivedyourExtrinsicReward,thereisoftenaveryhighchanceyouwillleavethegameformore“empowering”environments.

Likeanything,there’sarightwaytodesignsomething,andawrongwaytodesignsomething.Ideally,ifyouusevariablerewards,youshouldmakesuretheactiontoobtainthemisrelativelyshortandeasy,suchaspullingtheleveronaslotmachineorrefreshingyourFacebookhomefeed.

IfItoldyou,“Canyoupleasebringmemycrystalballthat’slyingonthecouch?There’sachanceImightgiveyouasurprisingrewardwhenyoudo.”SincetheDesiredActionisfast,myvariablerewardoffersoundsintriguing,especiallycomparedtojuststatingwhattherewardwillbe.IfIaskedyoutogetmycrystalballfromtheothersideoftown,theintriguefactorwouldbediminishedandyouwouldbelessinclinedtotakethisprotractedactionforme.Ofcourse,ifyouconsidermeofhighstatusandwanttogainmyliking,CoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednessmightstillbeamotivatingfactorforyoutotaketheDesiredAction.

IfyoumustdragouttheDesiredAction,itwouldbeadvisabletomakesureallofthevariablerewardsareappealingtotheusers,andthattheuserknowsthatupfront.IfIpromisedmyemployeesafreevacationeithertoItaly,France,orDenmarkiftheyworkedhardforayear,thatlikelywouldbemuchmoreappealingthanbeingcompletelyvaguewithwhattherewardmightbe.Inthiscase,thereissufficientinformationfortheemployeestogetexcitedaboutthereward.Perhapstheywouldevenstayinthecompanyforlongerinanticipationoffindingoutwhichofthevacationoptionsarefinallyoffered.

3.AddmoreMeaningfulChoicesandFeedback

SinceImentionedthataddingunpredictabilityintoyourexperienceutilizesBlackHatCoreDrives,youmaywonderabouthowtomakeanexperiencemoreintrinsicthroughWhiteHatmethods.I’vementionedafewtimesthatCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbacksitsatthetoprightoftheOctalysisFramework,representingthe“goldencorner”ofbeingbothWhiteHatandintrinsicinnature.ItistheCoreDrivewheretheprocessbecomes“play”andgeneratesevergreenmechanicsthatkeepauserengaged.Unfortunately,itisalsothemostdifficultCoreDrivetoimplementwell.

Inyourownexperiencedesign,youwanttomakesurethatusersareabletomakeasmanyMeaningfulChoicesaspossibletoreflecttheirstyle,preference,andstrategy(recallthatthisisdonewiththe“PlantPicker”GameTechnique).

IfahundredusersgothroughyourexperienceandallhundredtaketheexactsameactionstoachievetheWin-State,therearenomeaningfulchoicespresentfortheusertoexpresstheircreativity.Ifthirtyofthosehundredtakeonepath,anotherthirtytakeasecondpath,andthelastfortytakeathirdpathtoreachtheWin-State,agreaterfeelingofhavingmeaningfulchoiceswillbepresent.

IfallhundredusersplayedthegamedifferentlyandstillendedupreachingtheWin-State,yourexperiencewillhavebeensuccessfulingeneratinganoptimalmeaningfulchoicedesign.

IfyouaskedahundredchildrentobuildsomethinggreatwithaboxofLegos,itisalmoststatisticallyimpossiblethatanytwowillbuildthesamething(outsideofkidscopyingeachother)intheexactsameorder.ThereisahighsenseofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackwiththistypeofexperience.

Youshouldaskyourself,“Isthereawaytoallowmyuserstotakemultipleroutesbutstillreachthesamegoal?ArethereplacesthatIcouldallowthemtomakemeaningfulchoicestocrafttheirownexperiences?”Theseareoftendifficultquestionstoanswer.Butifyoucanaddressthemwithinsightfuldesignmechanics,youwillseeagreatdealofvalueintheformofenthusiastic,loyal,andengagedusersthataregluedtotheexperience-fromOnboardingallthewayintotheEndgamePhase.Andremember,inordertobesuccessful,thismustgobeyondprovidingashallowperceptionofchoice.

Alsokeepinmind,ourbrainshateitwhenwehavenochoices,butwealsodislikehavingtoomanychoices.Thelatterleadstodecisionparalysisandultimatelymakesusfeelstupid.ThisisanAntiCoreDrivewithinCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment,whichIalsocallthe“Google+Problem.”InGoogle+,thereisanimpressiveamountoftechnologyandengineeringhoursbehindeachfeature,butusersfeellost,powerless,andendupleavingquickly.Youshouldavoidthisbylettinguserschoosebetweentwotothreemeaningfuloptionsatanygivenpointsotheyfeelempoweredwithoutbeingoverwhelmed.

Don’tforgettheBoosters!

Finally,designingmultipleBoostersasyourrewardsincreasesstrategyandcreativeplaywithinanexperience.Ifuserscanchoosedifferentpathstoobtaindifferentpower-upsthatworktogethertowardsdifferentgoals,theycanoptimizeonwhatcombinationstouseandpathstotake.

ThebiggestinnovationintroducedbytheiconicgameMegaman(knownasRockmaninnon-Americancompanies)in1987wasthatitallowedplayerstopickwhichstageandbosstheywanttochallenge.ThiswascontrarytothetraditionallineardesignwhereplayerschallengethroughStage1,Stage2,Stage3sequentially20.

Besidesallowingeachplayertoplaythegamedifferentlyeachtimetheycomeback(thiswasbeforegamescould“save”theirprogress),itallowedplayerstostrategizetheirownoptimalpathtoplaythegamebasedonboosterabilitiesalongtheway.WhenMegamandefeatsaboss,heabsorbstheboss’abilityandisallowedtousethatabilityonotherstagesandbosses.Someabilitiesareperfectsolutionstootherbossesandscenarios,whichincentivizetheplayerstocarefullypickwhichbossestheywanttofightearlyonandwhichbossestofightlater.

Intherealworld,whenyouseepeoplefiguringouthowtotakemultiplelayoverstomaximizetheirAirlineMilespoints,signingupforvariouscreditcardstooptimizespendingandrewards,orcollectingavarietyofcouponstoreducea$20itemto$1,youareseeingstrongimplementationsofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackinmakingExtrinsicRewardsmoreintrinsicallymotivating.Theendrewardisoftennice(CoreDrive2and4),butitisoftentheprocessofstrategizingandoptimizingthatistrulyengagingtheindividuals.

LeftBrainvsRightBrainCoreDrives:theBiggerPictureWhenyouwanttohookusersintotryingyourexperience,extrinsicrewardsviaLeftBrainCoreDrivesworkfairlywell.However,mostgamificationcampaignsseeimmediateresultsfromtheseeffortsandendupstickingwiththesametechniquescontinuously,whichultimatelyleadstoastaleandstagnantexperience.Thisresultsinoverjustification,dwindledmotivation,andevenburnout.ItisveryimportanttoquicklytransitionintoRightBrainCoreDrivesandstartimplementingelementssuchasMeaningfulChoices,SocialBonding,RefreshingContent(GameTechnique#73),andVariableRewardsintotheexperience.Failuretodosowillthreatenthelong-termsuccessofacampaign.

Beyondthat,itisalsocriticaltoconsiderthefullimplicationsofimplementingvariousWhiteHatandBlackHatCoreDrives,whichwewillcoverinmoredepthinthenextchapter.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:TryrecitingtheLeftBrainCoreDrivesandRightBrainCoreDriveswithoutlookingatanycheatsheets.

Medium:ThinkabouthowacompanyhasengagedyouthroughLeftBrainCoreDrivesinthepastbyofferingyouareward,andcontemplatewhetheritaffectedyouroverallenthusiasmaboutthecompanyitselfaftertherewardcampaignwasfinished.

Medium:ThinkabouthowyoucanaddatleastoneoftheRightBrainCoreDrivesintoaprojectyouhavedoneinthepastorarecurrentlydoing.Wouldthathaveimprovedmotivationandengagementforthetasksthemselves?

Hard:TrytodesignafullengagementcampaignthatluresusersinwiththeLeftBrainCoreDriveofgivingthemareward(CoreDrive4),andthenstartmakingusersfeelaccomplished(CoreDrive2)whiledanglingnewunlockableswithintheexperience(CoreDrive6).ThentransitionintotheRightBrainCoreDrivesbygivingusersGroupQuests(CoreDrive5)thatutilizeplentyofcreativity,meaningfulchoices,andboosters(CoreDrive3).UponeachDesiredAction,servethemunpredictablerewardsorcontent(CoreDrive7).Aftergoingthroughthisdesignpractice,doyoufeelabettergraspofallthethingsyoucandowhenmasteringthe8CoreDrives?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandcheckoutwhatideasotherpeoplehave.

PracticewithaBuddyNowthatyouhaveacquiredagreatdealofOctalysisknowledge(andIassumeyoustillfeelverypositiveaboutitsinceyouhavereadallthewayuptothischapter),it’stimetopracticeexplainingittoothers.Partofusinganyknowledgeishowwellyoucanpersuadeandexplainittoothers.I’velearnedearlyoninmyconsultingcareerthatitdoesn’tmatterifbecomethebestatwhatyoudoandifyoucanhelppeopleincreaseclientmetrics-ifyoucan’temotionallypersuadeyourvalue,allthatknowledgebecomesworthless.Ifyouwantyourmanager,youruniversityDean,yourengineers,oryoursignificantothertounderstandandcooperatewithyournewdesignskills(whetheryoucallitGamificationornot),youbetterknowhowtocommunicateitwellandconvincingly.

Findsomeonewhoyoutrust(andwon’tlookdownonyouifyoumessupandsoundunorganized)andpracticetellingthemabouttheconceptofHuman-FocusedDesign(asopposedtoFunction-FocusedDesign),the8CoreDrives,anddifferencesinthenatureofvariousCoreDrives.ThinkaboutwhichCoreDrivesyoushouldusetocommunicatetheseconcepts(maybesomeUnpredictability?Scarcity?SocialInfluence?EpicMeaning?).Observeifthepersonbecomestrulyemotionallyexcitedaboutit,interestedbutmostlybecauseyouareafriend,orboredbutstillbeingpoliteaboutit.

AnothergreatplacetofindanOctalysisBuddyistheOctalysisExplorersFacebookGroup.Ifyouhaven’tjoinedthegroupyet,considerdoingsoandfindoneotherpersontolearn/practicetogether.AswehavelearnedinCoreDrive5,collaborativeplaymakeseverythingevenmoreintrinsicallymeaningful.

1. Thisisanactualexampleofadesignedexperience.ForthosehardcoreOctalysisLearnersoutthere,seeifyoucanenvisionhowtheseeffectsmighttakeplacefromaspecificsetofevents↩

2. ArnaudChevallier.Powerful-Problem-Solving.com.“BeMECE(mutuallyexclusiveandcollectivelyexhaustive)”.07/02/2010.↩

3. DanielPink.Drive.PenguinGroup,NewYork,NY.2009.↩4. DanielPink.Drive.Pages107-128.PenguinGroup,NewYork,NY.

2009.↩5. MichaelWu.LithiumScienceofSocialBlog.“Intrinsicvs.Extrinsic

Rewards(andTheirDifferencesfromMotivations)”2/18/2014.↩

6. DewardL.Deci.JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology18:114.“EffectsofExternallyMediatedRewardsonIntrinsicMotivation.”1971.↩

7. MarkLepper,DavidGreene,andRobertNisbett.JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology28,no.1.P129-137.“UnderminingChildren’sIntrinsicInterestwithExtrinsicRewards:ATestofthe‘Overjustification’Hypothesis”.1973.↩

8. DanAriely,UriGneezy,GeorgeLowenstein,andNinaMazar.FederalReserveBankofBostonWorkingPaperNo.05/-11.“LargeStakesandBigMistakes”.07/23/2005.↩

9. BerndIrlenbusch.LondonSchoolofEconomicsandPoliticalScience.“LSE:WhenPerformance-RelatedPayBackfires.”06/25/2009.↩

10. DanAriely.NewYorkTimes.“What’stheValueofaBigBonus”.11/20/2008.↩

11. CreativityDevelopmentandInnovationforSMEs“Exercise6:TheCandleProblem”.http://icreate-project.eu/index.php?t=245↩

12. SamGlucksberg.JournalofExperimentalPsychology63.P36-41.“TheInfluenceofStrengthofDriveonFunctionalFixednessandPerceptualRecognition”.1962.↩

13. CreativityDevelopmentandInnovationforSMEs“Exercise6:TheCandleProblem”.http://icreate-project.eu/index.php?t=245↩

14. CreativityDevelopmentandInnovationforSMEs“Exercise6:TheCandleProblem”.http://icreate-project.eu/index.php?t=245↩

15. DanAriely.PredictablyIrrational.P76.HarperPerennial.NewYork,NY.2010.↩

16. Ibid.P78-82.↩17. DanAriely.PredictablyIrrational.P75.HarperPerennial.NewYork,NY.

2010.↩18. DanAriely.PredictablyIrrational.P81.HarperPerennial.NewYork,NY.

2010.↩19. NirEyal.Hooked.KindleVersionv1.0.2014.↩20. WikipediaEntry,“MegaMan”:http://www.yukaichou.com/megaman.

Accessed02/09/2015.↩

Chapter14:TheMysteriesofWhiteHatandBlackHatGamification

Inthelastchapter,welookedathowLeftBrainCoreDrivesandRightBrainCoreDrivesdifferinthenatureoftheirmotivationaswellastheirdesignmethodologies,resultinginvariousshort-termandlong-termeffects.

Inthischapter,wewillexaminethefascinatingintricaciesofWhiteHatandBlackHatCoreDrives,andhowtobalancethemwithinadesign.

TheWhiteHatCoreDrivesarerepresentedbytheCoreDrivesattheTopoftheOctalysisdiagram:

CoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingCoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback

TheBlackHatCoreDrivesarerepresentedbytheCoreDrivesattheBottomoftheOctalysisdiagram:

CoreDrive6:Scarcity&ImpatienceCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance

OriginsoftheTheoryUptothispointinthebook,youshouldhaveafairlygoodunderstandingofhowWhiteHatandBlackHatCoreDrivesfunction.Inthischapterwewilldiscusswhenandhowtousethemforoptimalmotivationalsystems.

ThougheverysingleCoreDriveintheOctalysisFrameworkhasbeenresearchedandwrittenaboutindividually(includingthedifferencesbetweenintrinsicandextrinsicmotivation),IbelievemyworkonWhiteHatversusBlackHatGamificationtheoryisfairlyoriginalandprovidesauniquedesignperspective.

IbegandevelopingtheWhite/BlackHatconceptswhileIwasstudyingtheEndgamePhaseofdifferentgames.Ibecamecuriousastowhythemajorityofsuccessfulgameswereobsessivelyaddictiveformanymonths,andthenexperienceahugeuserdropoutwithlargenumbersofplayersmovingonwiththeirlives.

Ontheotherhand,IlookedathowafewgamessuchasPoker,Chess,Mahjong,andevenCrosswordPuzzlesstoodthetestoftimeandnevergotoldfortheirplayers.VideogameslikeStarcraft,WorldofWarcraft,DefenseoftheAncients(abbreviatedasDotA1,eventuallyspinningofftheevenbiggerhit,LeagueofLegends2),andre-skinsofsimilarshootinggameslikeCounterStrike3orCallof

Duty4,continuetobepopularandengagingnomatterhowmanyyearsaplayerplaysthem.

Uponfurtherresearchandobservation,IrealizedthattherewasabigdifferenceinhowthesegamesweredesignedandwhatCoreDrivesmotivatedtheirusersinthelateScaffoldingandEndgamePhases.Itseemedlikethegamesthatgoviralbutthenhaveshortershelf-livesutilizeCoreDrivesthatcreateobsession,urgency,andaddictiveness.PlayerswouldbecomegluedtothegamebutthentowardstheEndgamePhase,thejoyandfunnolongerpersistsasstrongly,yettheplayermechanicallycontinuestogrindthroughmanyhours“laboring”throughthem.DuetotheSunkCostPrisoncoveredinCoreDrive8,playersfeeldemoralized,butareunabletoquit.

Eventually,somepeopledofindthestrengthtofinallyquitandmoveonwiththeirlives.Thisisperhapsduetoimportantresponsibilities,orshifttonewergamesthathitthemhardwithepicDiscoveryPhasemarketing.Oncethathappens,SocialInfluence&Relatednessdictatesabigexodusofpeoplefinallyleavingthegame,inhopesoffindingthatjoyandpassionagain.

Butforthegamesthatarequitetimeless(untiltheirownsequelscomeout),whenplayersareintheEndgamephase,thereseemstobeacontinuoussenseofwellbeingandsatisfaction,justlikethejoyonehaswhenplayinganinstrumentorbeingcalledtoapurpose.Basedonthisresearch,IstartedlabelingafewCoreDrives“WhiteHat”andafewothers“BlackHat,”whichborrowsfrommybackgroundknowledgeinSEO(SearchEngineOptimization5).

InSearchEngineOptimization,“WhiteHatSEO”referstodesigningandpromotingyoursitethewaysearchengineslikeGoogleintendyoutodo.Asaresult,theyrankyoursitehighlywhenuserssearchforrelatedterms.“BlackHatSEO”ontheotherhandreferstomethodologiesthatdishonestlyexploittherules,rigidness,andweaknessesofthesearchenginestogetyoursitehighlyranked.

Needlesstosay,searchengineshateBlackHatSEO,andhavemassiveteamsofengineersthatcontinuouslymaketheenginessmarterandhardertoexploit,whileseverelypenalizinganywebsitethatiscaughtutilizingBlackHatSEOtechniques.Sometimesthesearchenginecompaniesevenbanwebsitescompletelyofftheirsearchresults,defeatingthepurposeoftheBlackHatSEOinthefirstplace.IntherealmofSEO,justdon’tdoBlackHat–it’snotworthit.

Unfortunately,ourbrainscannotcontinuouslyupdatethemselvestobecomehardertoexploitlikeGooglecan.Norcanweasefficientlyblacklistpeoplewhoconstantlyapplyblackhatmotivationtechniquesonus(nordowewantto,sincesomeofthemhavegoodintentionsthatultimatelybenefitus).Theendresultisthatwebecomesubconsciouslymotivatedbythingsthatmakeusstressed,worried,andobsessed,whilefeelingthatwearenotincontrolofourselves.

TheNatureofWhiteHatvsBlackHatCoreDrivesWhiteHatCoreDrivesaremotivationelementsthatmakeusfeelpowerful,fulfilled,andsatisfied.Theymakeusfeelincontrolofourownlivesandactions.

Incontrast,BlackHatCoreDrives,makeusfeelobsessed,anxious,andaddicted.Whiletheyareverystronginmotivatingourbehaviors,inthelongruntheyoftenleaveabadtasteinourmouthsbecausewefeelwe’velostcontrolofourownbehaviors.

TheadvantagesofWhiteHatGamificationareobviousandmostcompanieswholearnmyframeworkimmediatelythink,“Okay,weneedtodoWhiteHat!”Theywouldmostlyberight,exceptthereisacriticalweaknessofWhiteHatMotivation:itdoesnotcreateasenseofurgency.

Forexample:ifIapproachedyouwithgreatenthusiasmandexclaimed,“Gooutandchangetheworldtoday!”YoumaybecomeveryexcitedbythisCoreDrive1triggerandmayecho,“Yes!I’mgoingtogooutandchangetheworld!ButI’mgoingtofirsthaveanicebreakfast,brushmyteeth,andgetpreparedfortheday!”Asyoucansee,thereisnourgencywiththislevelofWhiteHatexcitement.

However,ifItookoutagunandpointeditatyourhead,whilequietlywhispering,“Gooutandchangetheworld,orI’mgoingtokillyou”-youarestilllikelyto“changetheworld,”butyouareprobablynotgoingtoenjoyyournicebreakfastorbrushyourteethwhilebeingpushedbymythreateningCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancemotivation.

Ofcourse,atthatpointyoualsonolongerfeelgoodaboutchangingtheworld.Onceyoucanleavemygrasp,youwilllikelystopcaringanddropthenoblecausealtogether.Thatis,unlesstheEpicMeaning&Callingregeneratesfromwithin.

BlackHatGamificationcreatestheurgencythatsystemdesignersoftenneedtoaccomplishtheirgoalsandchangebehavior.OftenthiscannotbeaccomplishedthroughWhiteHatGamificationalone.

IfacompanysimplyimplementsWhiteHatGamificationwhiletheuserisconstantlyexposedtoBlackHatstimulifromothersourcessuchasemail,appointments,ordistractionsfromFacebook,theywillmostlikelynothavetheopportunitytotestouttheexperience.Ofcourse,thisuserwillfeelterriblealso,becausetheywillcontinuetoprocrastinateinsteadofdoingthethingsthataremoremeaningfulandmakethemfeelgood.Unfortunately,becauseofthenatureofBlackHatmotivation,theywillcontinuebehavingthatwaynevertheless.

ZyngaandBlackHatGamificationMytheoriesonBlackHatvsWhiteHatGamificationcanoftenbeutilizedtoexplainorpredictwhycertaincompaniesaresuccessfulorfailatdifferentstages.

OnesuchexampleisthesocialgamingcompanyZynga6,whichisknownforgamessuchasFarmville,WordswithFriends,andZyngaPoker.

ZyngahasmasteredhowtoimplementallsortsofBlackHatGameTechniques–ofcourse,theydon’thaveaframeworktothinkaboutthetechniquesas“BlackHat.”Instead,theyconsiderit“Data-DrivenDesign7,”whichontheoutsetseemstobeextremelycleverandlegitimate.BecauseoftheBlackHatdesigns,alltheirimmediatemetricslookedgood:Monetization,ViralCoefficients,DailyActiveUsers,UserAddiction,etc.However,becausepeopledon’tfeelgoodplayingZyngagamesafterawhile,whentheycandropoutofthesystem,theywill.

ThisisespeciallytrueforthelateScaffoldingstageaswellastheEndgamephase,sinceallthenovelty,creativity,andtruesenseofdevelopmentrunoutduringthesephases.Thismakesitevenharderforalltheirnewre-skinnedgames-basicallyFarmvilleinacity,inacastle,inkitchen,andsoon,tobecomelong-termsuccesses.Whenthathappens,itisalmostliketheusersarestillplayingthesameEndgame–rightinOnboardingphase!

BecauseoftheseBlackHatmechanics,usersquicklygettirediftheyhavealreadybeenburntoutbythelastZyngagame.Farmville2wasdoomedfrom

thestartunlesstheycouldimplementmuchbetterWhiteHatdesignsintoittoensurelong-termsuccess.

Earlyin2014,ZyngaprovedmyOctalysistheoriesaccuratewhentheydecidedto“double-down”onCasinoSlotMachinegameslikeRichesofOlympus8.Ofcourse,sincetheywerecommittedtostickwithBlackHatgamedesign(whichshowsquickdata-drivenresults),theonlylong-lastingengagementelementtheycouldusewastheRightBrainCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity.Nonetheless,evenifapersonwereaddictedtogambling,theydon’tfeelawesomeaboutthemselvesandtheiractivities.Thiscouldstillleadtolaterburnout.

InaVenturebeatarticlethataccompaniedtheRichesofOlympuslaunch,thejournalistJeffreyGrubbaskedthenHeadofZynga’sCasinofranchise,BarryCottle,whathemeantwhenhesaidZyngawasfocusingon“qualityinexperiencesandexcellenceinexecution.”CottleexplainedthatZyngawantedtomakethingsthatlookandfeelgood.CottlespecificallybroughtupthegameCandyCrushSaga,which“hasasimplepuzzlemechanicthatplayersrespondwelltoduetotheextraanimationsandspecialeffects.”9

IfZyngathinksextraanimationsandspecialeffectsiswhatmadeCandyCrushsuccessful,it’snowondertheyhavetheirowngravesdugoutasa“gamedesigncompany.”Ifextraanimationsandspecialeffectsaresoimportant,whywouldagamelikeMinecraftbecomesosuccessful?ThegraphicsforCandyCrusharen’teventhatstunning,comparedtoothergamesthatlooksimilarbutdon’thaveevenatenthofCandyCrush’ssuccess.

IfyouhavebeenanactivestudentoftheOctalysisFramework,youwillknowthatthereasonwhythesegamesbecamesopopularwasduetotheirabilitytoretainCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackforthelongesttime.MostZyngagamesdonothavelonglastingCoreDrive3,andthereforeengagementwillwane.

Ofcourse,thetwogamesthatareconsistentlytop-rankingwithinZyngaareZyngaPokerandWordswithFriends10.Ifyounotice,sincetheybuildonalreadytimelessgamedesignslikePokerandScrabble11,ZyngaaccidentallycopiedsoundCoreDrive3designwithoutnecessarilyrecognizingit.Bothgameselicitahigherlevelofstrategyandproblem-solvingthatotherZynga

gameslack.Asaresult,theydemonstratelong-termsuccesswellintotheEndgame.

WithagoodunderstandingofWhiteHatandBlackHatgamedesign,youcanbegintoanalyzeandpredictthestrengthsandlongevityofanymotivationalsystem.Iftherearen’tanyBlackHattechniques,itislikelytherewon’tbeanybreakoutsuccess;iftherearen’tanyWhiteHattechniques,userswillquicklyburnoutandleaveforsomethingbetter.

AccordingtotheOctalysisFramework,Zyngawillneverachievelong-termsuccessunlesstheystartbuildinginmoreWhiteHatgametechniquesandcontinuetoempowertheirusers.InsteadofputtingsomuchemphasisonBlackHatmanipulativetechniques,theyshoulddesignformorelongtermengagement.

BlackHatwithaClearConsciousIwanttoclarifyhere,thatjustbecausesomethingiscalled“BlackHatGamification”doesn’tmeanit’snecessarilybadorunethical.SomepeoplevoluntarilyuseBlackHatgamificationtoforcethemselvestolivehealthierandachievetheirshorttermandlongtermgoals.IwouldpersonallylovetobeaddictedtoeatingmorevegetablesorconfrontingthetasksthatItendtoprocrastinateon.ThepointofitbeingcalledBlackHatisthat,oncedesignedwell,wearemorecompelledtotakecertainactionsquicklywithoutfeelingcompletelyincontrol.

However,whetheritis“good”or“bad”dependsontheintentionsandfinaloutcomeofthoseactions.WecoulduseBlackHatdesignstomotivatepeopletowardsgoodbehaviorsorwecoulduseBlackHatdesignstomotivatepeopletowardsevil.Similarly,someofthemostinfamouspeopleinhistorymotivateotherswithCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling(amongotherCoreDrives)towardsevilandgenocide,eventhoughthenatureofthemotivationitselfisWhiteHat.

AnexampleofBlackHatMotivationtowardsgoodbehaviorsistheSnuzNLuz12alarmclockapp.SnuzNLuzautomaticallydonatestheuser’smoneytoanon-profittheyhateiftheyhitthesnoozebutton(the“wakemeup10minuteslater”button-formyforeignreaders).

Amorevisuallycompelling(butillegal)conceptistheShredderClock13,whichphysicallydestroysyourmoneywhenyoupressthesnoozebutton.

14

Intheseproducts,peoplearewakingupbecauseofCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance–theydon’twanttolosetheirmoney,especiallytoanon-profittheyhate!(TheSnuzNLuzalsohasaweirdCoreDrive1angle,asitdoesdonatetoanon-profitforacause)

ButpeopleareokaywiththisBlackHatdesign,becauseit’sforagoaltheywant.Theyarefinewithdesignsthatcompelthemtodothingsthattheyintendtodoalreadybutlackthewillpowertodoso.

Whatpeoplehateiswhencompanies,governments,instructors,ormarketersutilizetheseBlackHattechniquestogetthemtobuythingstheydon’tneed,succumbundertyranny,workovertime,andgetgradestheydon’tcareabout.KeepinmindthatthesepeoplewilloftenstillperformtheDesiredActionsbecause,again,thesetendenciesareobsessiveand/oraddictive.Theyjustwon’tfeelgoodabouttheactionsandwillburnoutorrevoltastimegoeson.

Gamification,Manipulation,andEthicsDuringmyconferencetalks,Iregularlygetquestionsfrompeoplewhoaskmewhethergamificationisaformofmanipulationandthereforeunethicaltouse.

Whilethereisno“correct”answeronthistopic,andwhilethefocusofthisbookisoneffectivelydesigningforbehavioralchangeratherthanethics,Iwillattempttosharemyownthoughtsontheissue.

Myquickanswer:yes,gamificationisaformofmanipulation.However,eventhough“manipulation”isastrongwordwithimmensenegativeconnotations,weregularlyacceptitinourdailylivesandevenexpectit.

Ifyouthinkaboutit,saying“please”isaformofmanipulation.Youweren’tgoingtodosomethingforyourfriend,butyourfriendsaid“please”inasinceremanner(CoreDrive5),andeventhoughnothingtangiblehaschangedaboutthetransaction,younowwillinglyandhappilyagreetodoitforthem.

That’smanipulation.

Andwhenyourfriendsays,“ThankYou,”that’sanemotionalrewardthatmakesyoufeelliketheactionwasworthit.Ifyourfriendofferedyoupayment(somehowpayingsomeonetodotheactivityisoneoftheonlywaysthatpeopledon’tcomplainas“manipulation”thesedays),youmayevenbecomeoffended.

Andinoursociety,wedon’tseemtohaveaproblemwithpeoplesaying“please”and“thankyou.”Infact,weexpectthat,teachthat,andgetmadwhenpeopledon’tdoit.Itmakesourbrainshappyandimprovesourqualityoflife.Weenjoythatsortofmanipulation.

Whenyouwantyouremployeestoworkharderandyoutransformtheworktobecomealotmoreinterestingandengaging(asopposedtopayingthemmore)–isthatexploitingthem?Whataboutprovidingthemastrongersenseofpurpose,accomplishmentorautonomy?

Ihavealitmustesttodeterminewhethergamificationorhuman-focuseddesignisethicalornot:

a)Istherefulltransparencyonitsintendedpurpose?

b)Doestheuserimplicitlyorexplicitlyopt-intothesystem?

Ifyouhaveanextremelycharismaticfriendwhoistryingtopersuadeyoutogotoapartythatyouarenotinterestedin,youmayrejecthimwithasmile.Hewill

thenpourinalotmoreenergy,sayingsomethinglike,“Comeon!Everyone’sdoingit!Yougottoshowup!”

Evenifyoustilldidn’twanttodoit,youarestartingtobepersuaded.Butinnowaydoyouthinkyourfriendisbeingunethicalindoingso.Thereisfulltransparencyinwhatheistryingtogetyoutodo.Youalso“opt-in”byallowingyourfriendtopersuadeyou,especiallywhenyouturnhimdownwithasmile.Youmayormaynotchangeyourmind,butbecausethereistransparencyinhisintentionandyou’veopted-intohiscontinuedpersuasion,youdon’tfeelnegativelymanipulated.

However,Ibelievethatgamificationiscompletelyunethicalwhenthereisahiddenagendathatusersarenotawareof.Forexample,whenusersthinktheyaresigningupforsomething,butinrealitytheyaresigningupforsomethingelse.Falsestatements,lies,andalackofauthentictransparencycreateunethicalinteractions.

Asastunningexampleofwhethertransparentmanipulationisbad,considerthefieldofhypnotism.Hypnosiscanbeconsideredtheultimateformofmanipulationbecause,supposedly,oncehypnotized,apersonisfullycompliantwithwhateverthehypnotizerwantsthemtodo.

However,itisnotgenerallyconsideredunethicalbecausea)thereistransparencyinwhatthehypnotizeristryingtoaccomplish,andb)thepersonfullyopts-intobeinghypnotized.

Attheendoftheday,gamificationisnotmindcontrol.Whenweseeamazingcasestudieswheregamificationincreasedconversionsby100%,it’softenonlywherethesemetricsincreasedfrom8%to16%.Acrushing84%oftheuserscanandstillchoosetonotengagewiththeDesiredActions.Ifanactiondoesnotcreateemotionalorphysicalvalueforsomeone,theystillwon’tdoit.Butgoodgamificationdesignmotivatesthosewhoareonthefence-thosewhoareinterestedwiththeend-resultsbutneedabitmoremotivationtopushthrough.

Thepeoplewhodon’twantaservicetobeginwithwon’tsignup(unlessthemarketingisbeingdishonest).Justasyoudon’thavetoagreewithpeoplewhosay“please”toyou,nordoyouhavetofinallyconsenttoyourcharismaticfriendwhoispersuadingyoutodothingsyouhate.Ifyoutrulydon’twanttogotoyourfriend’sparty,youstillwon’tdoit.

WhentoUseWhiteHatGamificationDesignBecauseoftheirnatures,therearedominantstrategiestodeterminewhenandhowtouseeitherWhiteHatorBlackHatgamification.Sinceemployeemotivationandworkplacegamificationareaboutlong-termengagement,companiesshoulduseWhiteHatdesignstomakesureemployeesfeelgood,growwiththeenterprise,andarethereforthelonghaul.

WorkplacegamificationisoftenaboutthetopthreeCoreDrivesinOctalysis:creatingmeaning,providingapathtomastery,andensuringmeaningfulautonomy.YoumayidentifytheseascomponentsofSelfDeterminationTheory15andtheconceptswithinDrive16,whichwewillcoverinmoredetailinthenextchapter.

Mostlargecorporationsmakethemistakeinbelievingthat,becausetheypaytheiremployees,theiremployeeshavetodotheirworkregardlessofexploitivepolicies,unappreciativebosses,andbadworkplaceculture.Asaresult,employeesonlyworkhardenoughtogetapaycheck(CoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession)andnotlosetheirjobs(CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance).

OnecompanythatchallengedthistrendisGoogle17.Veryearlyon,Googlestartedwiththeassumptionthateveryoneoftheiremployeeswaseitheranentrepreneur,orwantedtobeanentrepreneur.Asaresult,iftheseemployeesdidnotfeel“happy”beingatGoogle,theywouldsimplyleaveandstarttheirownbusinessesinstead,maybeevenbecomingaGooglecompetitor.

RememberItalkedabouthowGamificationisHuman-FocusedDesignandthatgameswerethefirsttomasteritbecausenoonehastoplayagame?Whenyoudesignanexperiencewiththeunderlyingbeliefthat,themomentyourexperienceisnolongerengaging,peoplewillleaveyoursystem-youwilllikelycreatemuchbetterHuman-FocusedDesigns.

InthecaseofGoogle,theyimplementedmanyWhiteHatdesignsintotheircompanyculture.

ThefirstthingGoogledidwasimplementCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling.Googleiswidelyknownforhavingthemissionstatement,“Organizingtheworld’sinformationandmakingituniversallyaccessibleanduseful”aswellasthecatchyslogan,“Don’tbeevil.”Becauseofthat,manytalentedengineersfeltthat,“Icouldearnapaycheckanywhere,butatGoogle,I’mcreatingan

impactintheworld.Notonlythat,I’mpartofthegoodguys,andthat’sreallyvaluableforme!”

InregardstoCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment,besidestheusualraisesandpromotions,Googlerealizesthatnoteveryengineercanbecomeamanager,buteveryengineerneedstofeelasenseofprogressanddevelopment.Asaresult,theyintroducedeightlevelsofengineerssothatengineerswhoeithershouldn’tordon’twanttobecomemanagerscancontinueto“levelup.”In2013,Googleevenintroducedaninthleveltitled“SeniorGoogleFellow,”allegedlybecausetheyneededawaytogivelegendaryengineerJeffDeanapromotion18.

IntermsofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback,wediscussedinChapter7howGoogleintroduced20%time,whichallowedemployeestospend20%oftheirtimetoworkonanythingtheywanted,aslongastheintellectualpropertybelongedtoGoogle.

TheyalsousesomeCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possessionbyallowingemployeestotakefullownershipoftheirprojects(andofcoursetakinghomenicepaycheckstoo).TheyutilizeCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednessbycreatingauniversity-likecampusandaworkplaceculturethatmakeslazinessandstagnationhighlyundesirableanddisparagedwithintheirhealthysocialdynamics.

AlltheseexamplesareWhiteHatinfluencesthathelptheiremployeestobeengagedinthelongrun.Unfortunately,thereseemstobeaweakeningofGoogle’splayfulcultureasGooglebecomesmuchlargerandrestructurestheirpoliciestobemorelikethoseofotherlargecorporationsthataremoreefficientlyfocusedonprofits.19

WhentouseBlackHatGamificationDesignOntheotherhand,whenpeoplearedoingsalesorrunningeCommercesites,theyoftendon’tcareaboutlong-termengagementandmotivation(thoughtheyprobablyshould).Alltheywantisforthecustomertocomein,buysomethingasquicklyaspossible,andthenleave.

Asaresult,theyofteninvolveBlackHatGamificationtechniques:“What’sgoingtobethesurpriselaunchtomorrow?Thechancetogetthisdealwillexpireinfourhours.Ifyoudon’tbuy,youwillendupbeingworseoffthanothers!”

InanearlierchapterwelookedathowWoot.combecameanextremelysuccessfuleCommercesitebasedontwoCoreDrives:Scarcity&Impatience,aswellasUnpredictability&Curiosity.BecauseBlackHatgamificationcreatesurgency,whenyouneedsomeonetotakeimmediateactionoratransaction,BlackHattechniquesoftenbecomethemosteffectivesolutions.

Thisdynamicalsoholdstrueforsalesandfundraising.Oneofmyclients,MorfMedia,providesagamifiedtrainingplatformdesignedtomakeSECcompliancetrainingmoreengagingandfunforemployeesoffinancialinstitutions20.

Bynature,financialinstitutionsarerisk-averse(CoreDrive8),andtheyarenotinclinedtoworkwithnewtechnologycompanies.YoucangivethemagreatdealofWhiteHatmotivation,andtheywillbeinterested,intrigued,evenexcited,buttheywilllikelytakeforevertomakeamovebecausethereisnosenseofurgencytotakeonanyperceivedrisk.

Thekeyhereistoconvincethecompanythat,noneoftheiremployeeslikedoingSECcompliancetraining(hardlyadifficultsell),andeverysingledaytheiremployees’aren’tcompliantincreasestheirrisk.Lawsuitsareliterallylaidoutaheadlikelandmines.Inthatsense,itisriskiertonotworkwithMorfMediathanitistoworkwiththem.We’veturnedthatBlackHatCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancearound.(Note:wewilllikelyexplorethestrategyandprocessofturningAntiCoreDrivesaroundinafuturebook).

BlackHatMotivationwithinFundraisingIntherealmoffundraising,Iregularlygetapproachedbystartupentrepreneurswhoarelookingforsomesupporttohelpthemnavigatefundraisingfromangelinvestorsaswellasventurecapitalists(Ialsogetapproachedbymanyinvestors,butonanentirelydifferentsetofmotivationalchallenges-mostlyWhiteHat).

Thethingaboutinvestorsisthattheyaregenerallymotivatedbytheforcesofgreedandfear.Theforceofgreed-theintensedesiretomakeabilliondollars(CoreDrives2and4);theforceoffear-theapprehensionoflosingalltheirmoney(CoreDrive8).

Atthebeginning,theentrepreneurmaypromotemanygreatattributesaboutthecompany,appealingtotheinvestor’ssenseofCoreDrive1,2,4andeven5ifthereisagoodsocialproof.(HereyouseethevalueofrememberingthenumbersforeachCoreDrive.Don’tworryifyoudon’trememberthesenumbers

now,butjusttakenotethattheyaremostlyontheWhiteHatsideofthings.)Theinvestorstartstoshowalotofexcitement,andtheentrepreneurfeelslikethedealissealed.

However,astheinvestorgetscloserandclosertowritingacheck,thefearoflosingalltheirmoneybeginstopreoccupythem,whichisdrivenbyCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.Theystarttoaskformoremetrics,traction,andfurthersocialproof.Often,sixmonthsgoby,andstillnofundingiscommitted.

Frommypersonalexperience,investorsgenerallyonlyclosedealsquicklywhentheyareconvincedthattheywilllosethedealiftheydon’tcommit.Ifanentrepreneurconvincinglytellstheinvestorthatalotofpeoplearealreadyinonthedeal,andiftheinvestordoesnotactthisweektheroundwillbefull,onlythenwilltheyfinallyreact.BlackHatcreatesurgencyandclosesdeals.

WhenIwastryingtoraise$600,000formygamificationstartupstraightoutofcollege21,Ifoundtheexperiencetobeextremelydifficultandsobering.Wewereaveryyoungteam,andthis“gamification”thingseemedlikeahalf-bakedcrazyidea.

Afterstrugglingforawhiletoraiseamodestamountofmoneytokeepoursmallteamafloat,wewerefinallyabletosecure$650,000fromthreeinvestors.Atthatpoint,Iwroteanemailtoallourpotentialinvestors,whoforoverayearcontinually“wantedtoseemore”and“weren’tsureaboutthisgamificationthing.”Isimplytoldthem,“Wearegoingtoclosetheround,butthankyouforyourcontinuous(andnon-existent)support!”

Atthispoint,manyoftheseinvestorswhodidn’twanttocommitforanentireyearsuddenlyrespondedwithpassion,enthusiasm,andevenanger.“Yu-kai.IthoughtweagreedthatIcouldinvestthismuchmoneyinyourcompany.Whyareyoutellingmethatyouareclosingtheroundwithoutme?”Iwasthinking,“Well,youkindofhadanentireyeartodothat…”buttheyoddlymadeitseemlikeIwasburningbridgesifIdidn’ttaketheirmoney.

Asaresult,wetriedtocaptheroundat$800,000insteadof$600,000,andwecouldn’tdoit.Wetriedtocapitat$900,000andcouldn’t.Wetriedtocapitat$1,000,000andwestillcouldn’t.Finally,Icappedtheroundat$1,050,000,whilerejectingsomeinvestormoney,justtoshowthatwewereseriousaboutthe

cap.(I’vealsoheardthissameexperienceretoldmanytimesbyotherentrepreneurs.)

ThisillustratestheirrationalpowerofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&ImpatienceaswellasCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance(whilealsoservingasafineexampleofthelimitsofWhiteHatmotivation).Allthese“potentialinvestors”clearlylikedwhatIwasdoing.TheywereencouragedwheneverIgavethemgoodnews.Theysawthatitcouldpotentiallymaketheworldabetterplace.Buttheydidn’tacteduntiltheysawthatthedealwasbeingtakenawayfromthem.WithWhiteHatmotivationalone,peoplewillalwaysbeintending,butneveractuallydoing.

Forthecurious,eventuallymystartuplaunchedRewardMe,aproductthatgamifiedtheofflinecommerceexperience.RewardMewasperformingeleventimesbetterthanthenumbersourclosestcompetitorspublished.(Sorry-sincethesecompaniesarestillinexistence,Iwon’tcitesourceshereinrespecttotheircurrentsuccess.)Towardstheendofmytimethere,weevencloseda$1.5millionsalesdealwithanationalchain.

Startupsarerisky,andtheunfortunatethingis,justhavingastunningproductdoesn’tmeanacompanywillbesuccessful.AfewyearsafterRewardMe’slaunch,wehitacombinationofpersonnel,funding,andlegalissues.IsteppeddownastheCEO,andeventuallythecompanyfolded.IfonlyIhadmyOctalysisknowledgebackthen,manythingswouldlikelybedifferent,whichiswhyIamhopingmyreaderslearntheseelementsonmotivationbeforetheyrunintoissuesintheirowncompanies.

Fortunately,bysteppingdownastheCEOofRewardMe,itfreedupalotofmytimetofurtherstudygamification,human-focuseddesign,anddeveloptheOctalysisFramework.

Today,eventhoughmyOctalysisGrouporganizationisbecomingbusierandbusier,I’malothappierthanwhenIwasrunningatechnologystartup.That’sbecauseIamnowmostlymotivatedbyWhiteHatCoreDrives,asopposedtotheBlackHatCoreDrivesofconstantlycountingourrunwaybeforedying22.

BadShiftsfromWhiteHatDesigntoBlackHatDesignWhenyouswitchfromWhiteHatmotivationtoBlackHatMotivation,youneedtomakesureyouunderstandthepotentialnegativeconsequences.Asanexample,therewasadaycarecenterinIsraelthathadaproblemwithparents

beinglatetopickuptheirkids.ResearchersUriGneezyandAldoRustichinidecidedtoconductanexperimentandimplementedatestpolicywhereparentswouldbecharged$3everytimetheywerelate23.

Nowatypicaleconomistwilltellyouthatthispenaltywouldresultinmoreparentspickinguptheirkidsontimebecausetheydon’twanttolosemoney.However,theplanendedupbackfiring-evenmoreparentswerenowarrivinglate.Worseyet,whenthedaycarecenterrealizedthiswasn’tworkinganddecidedtoremovethepenaltyfees,moreparentscontinuedtobelate.

Theplanbackfiredbecausetheytransitionedtheparents’motivationfromCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling(aswellasCoreDrive5)toaweakformofCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.Originallytheparentstriedtopickuptheirkidsinatimelymannerbecausetheyinherentlywantedtobegoodandresponsibleparents.Theyalsodidn’twanttoburdenthedaycarecenteranditsstaff,sotheytriedearnestlytoshowupontime.

Butwhenthedaycarecenterputamonetaryvalueontardiness,itbasicallytoldparentsthatitwasalrighttobetardyaslongastheypaidthemodestfee.Parentswhowereinbusinessmeetingsorwerepreoccupiedwerethereforeabletojustifybeinglatebecauseabusinessmeetingisworthmoretothemthanthe$3.Loss&AvoidanceagainstleavingthatmeetingearlywasmorepowerfulthanLoss&Avoidanceforlosing$3.

Returningtotheconceptofproportionalloss,weseethatdespiteLossandAvoidancetypicallybeingapowerfulmotivator,the$3feewasjusttoolowtoproperlymotivatetheparentsinthissituation.RememberIdiscussedabouthowwhenyouuseLoss&Avoidance,thelossneedstobethreatening?Ifthedaycarecenterchargedalotmorethan$3,theLoss&Avoidancemotivationwouldbecomemorethreateningandmoreparentswouldlikelycomply(begrudginglyofcourse,whichwouldleadtoswitchingday-carecenterssoon).

Currently,therearesomedaycarecentersthatchargea$1latefeeforeveryminutetheparentislate.Thisdesignactivelygetsparentstobeontimemoreoften.Thisisnotonlybecausethelossismorethreatening,butalsoduetotheparentsfeelingacombinationofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience,aswellasabitofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbacksincetheyfeelastrongersenseofagencyoverendresults.

CarefulTransitioningbetweenWhiteHatandBlackHatSonowthatwe’vecoveredthenatureanddifferencesbetweenWhiteHatandBlackHatgamification,howdoweblendthatknowledgetogetherintoourdesignedexperiences?

Ingeneral(withsomeexceptions),itisbettertofirstsetupaWhiteHatenvironmenttomakeusersfeelpowerfulandcomfortable,thenimplementBlackHatdesignsatthemomentwhenyouneeduserstotakethatoneDesiredActionforconversion.Atthatpoint,userswilllikelytaketheDesiredAction,butwon’tfeelverycomfortable.ThisiswhenyoutransitionquicklybacktoWhiteHatmotivationtomakethemfeelgoodabouttheirexperience.

AnexampleofthisisseeninthepreviouslymentionedgameBattleCamp.InBattleCamp,thereareoftenscenarioswhereyouareina“Troop”withtwenty-fourotherplayersandthewholegroupneedstobattleabigboss.Typically,youwouldhaveeighthourstofightthisboss,whereeveryoneneedstocomebackeveryfiftyminuteswhentheirenergyisrecharged(rememberthistechniqueiscalledaTortureBreak),andthenusethatenergytoattacktheboss.

Attimes,aftersevenandahalfhours,thewillbossstillhave20%ofhishealth,andyoubegintorealizethatyourtroopwillnotbeabletodefeathim.Atthispoint,youbasicallyhavetwooptions.Optionone:youlosetotheboss,andtwenty-fiveplayersallwasteeighthoursoftheirtime,nottomentionfallingbehindothertroopsthatwillberankedmuchhigheraftertheydefeattheirboss.Optiontwo:spend$10andpurchasemoreenergyinordertobeattheboss.

Becauseitissuchadevastatingeventwheneveryoneloseseighthoursoftheirprecioustime,thereisafairlyhighchancethatyouwillfeelcompelledtotakeoptiontwo-buytheenergyneededtodefeattheboss,especiallyifyouwerealsotheleaderofthetroop.

Now,weseethatyouweremotivatedbyCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidancewhenmakingthispurchase–again,verycompelling,butyoufeelfairlyterribleafterwards.Afteryoudefeattheboss,ifthatwasallandnothingspecialhappenedafterwards,youwouldfeelprettydemoralizedandperhapssubconsciouslywishedyouweren’tplayingthegameanymore.

However,thisiswhenthegamestartstoshoweryouwithWhiteHatMotivationbyshowingyouhowgreatofanachievementyouaccomplished(CoreDrive2:

Development&Accomplishment),andtherewardsortrophiesyouhaveobtained(CoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession)becauseyouhavebeatentheboss.Ontopofthat,yourteammatewilloftenstartcheeringforyou(CoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness),“Wow!Youspentrealmoneyjusttosaveourtroop.Youareourhero!”Beingsprinkledbyallthisemotionalconfetti,peopleoftenstarttothink,“Hmm,maybethatwas$10wellspentafterall!”Andthiseventuallytrainstheirbrainstobemoreopentospendingthenext$10tobuyenergyanddefeatingthebosswhennecessary.

NoBuyer’sRemorsefromTOMSSimilartotheBattleCampexample,businessesshouldconsidercreatinganenvironmentofWhiteHatmotivations,useBlackHattechniquestoconvertusers,andthenrevertbacktoaWhiteHatstrategytomakeusersfeelmorecomfortableagain.

TheinitialWhiteHatenvironmentisforpeopletotakeinterestandhaveagoodopinionofyoursysteminthefirstplace.Aventurecapitalistwouldn’twanttoinvestinastartupifhedidn’tfirstconsideritworld-changingandasmartinvestment(CoreDrives1and2),eveniftherewasconvincingapprehensionthathemaylosethedeal.(Oddlyenough,someinvestorsstillplungeunderthepressureofScarcityandLoss,eventhoughtheyhavepreviouslydeterminedittobeaworthlessideawithnofuture).

Oncepeoplefeelcomfortableinyoursystembutaren’tnecessarilytakingthestrongDesiredAction,suchasmakingapurchase,youcanthenusetheBlackHattechniqueswithinCoreDrives6and8(andsometimesCoreDrive5),toclosethedeal.Iftheuserendsupbuyingtheproduct,youwanttoreassurethemthat,iftrue,thisisindeedthesmartestpurchasepossible(CoreDrive2),thatlegionsofothersalsomadethesamedecision(CoreDrive5),andthatitpositivelyimprovestheworld(CoreDrive1).Thiswilllikelyensurethatcustomersdon’tfeelbuyer’sremorse.

WhenyoubuyapairofTOMSShoesandbegintofeelalittleregretformakinganexpensivepurchase,theyhityouwithreaffirminginformationonhowyourpurchasehasmadeatremendousdifferencetoapoorchildinAfrica-onewhocouldn’taffordapairofshoesandhadtowalkbarefoottofetchwaterforherfamily.Whenyouseethat,youinstantlyfeelgoodagainaboutyourpurchase.

Subsequently,wheneveryouseeyourshoes,itwillremindyouthatyouareadecenthumanbeingthatbenefitstheworld.

Itisthesamethingwithdonationstochildrenindevelopingcountries.Whenyoumakeacommitment,thenon-profitwillcontinuouslysendyoupictures,thank-youletters,sometimesevensomethingwrittenbythe“adopted”childtomakeyoufeelthatyouhavetrulymadeanimpactintheirlives.Ofcourse,thereisnothingwrongwithsendingdonorsthesepicturesandlettersforsuchanoblecause(unlesstheyarefalselymanufactured)asthesedonorsaretrulymakingabigdifferenceinthelivesofthelessfortunate.Infact,itwouldbeamistakeforanycharitableorganizationtonotshowvisualandsocialinformationontheimpacttheyaremakingintheworld.WewouldallliketoseesomeFeedbackMechanicsaftertakingDesiredActions.

Asyoudesignyourexperiences,neverforgetthatifyouwantgoodEndgamedesign,youmustimmerseyourusersinWhiteHatGamificationtechniques.

WhataboutCoreDrives4and5?YoumayhavenoticedthatImentionedCoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionandCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednessafewtimesinthischapter(inaWhiteHatcontext),andmaywonderwheretheyfitintoallofthis.TheyareinthemiddleoftheOctalysismodel,soaretheyBlackHatorWhiteHat?

Generallyspeaking,CoreDrive4andCoreDrive5havethedualityofbeingabletobeeitherWhiteHatorBlackHat.OftenwithCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,owningthingsmakeusfeellikeweareincontrol,thatthingsareorganized,andourgeneralwell-beingisimproving.Wefeelpowerfulandenriched.

However,sometimesthestuffweownstarttoownusinstead.Youcanimagineapersonwhobuysanextremelyrarevintagecar,andthenbecomesafraidoftakingitanywherebecauseheisafraidtodamageitorrackupmiles.Atthesametime,healsodoesn’twanttoleaveitathomebecausehe’safraiditmightgetstolen.

Therearealsopeoplewhoaresoobsessedaboutbuildingmorewealththattheyneglecteverythingelsethatmatters,suchasfamily,health,andfriendships.Thentherearepeoplewhocompulsivelyneedtoorganizethingstothepointwheretheycan’treallyfocusonmoreimportantthingsthatwouldbringthem

happiness.Atthatpoint,BlackHatstartstotakeoverandtheindividualnolongerfeelsgoodabouttheirbehavior,butsimplydoesitbecausetheyfeelcompelledtodoit.

Ontheotherhand,forCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness,weobviouslyenjoyandhavefunwhenhangingoutwithourfriends,buildingstrongfriendships,andexpressingappreciationforeachother.Evenifwearemakingfriendstonetworkandbuildourcareers(whichaddscertainLeftBrainCoreDrivessuchasCoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentaswellasCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession),wefeelprettypositiveabouttheexperience.

However,sometimespeerpressurecancausesomeoftheworstmomentsinourlives.Whenwefeelpressuredbyourenvironmenttobehaveincertainwaysorgetintofightswithourlovedones,itstartstodriveuscrazyinawaythatfewotherthingscan.

Infact,fromtimetotime,socialpressureissostrongthatpeopleendupcommittingsuicidesimplybecausetheycannotendurethejudgmentofothers.Forthesepeople,choosingtoendtheirownlivesiseasierthanconfrontingthesituation,evenwhenitissomethingastrivialasbeingafraidtogohomeandtellparentsaboutafailedtest.YoucanclearlyseetheBlackHatinfluencesthatcanarisefromCoreDrive5.

Attheendoftheday,eachoftheCoreDriveswieldsatremendousamountofpower,andadesignermustthinkcarefullyaboutdesigningforethicalpurposes-tomakesurethereisfulltransparencytowardstheDesiredBehavior,matchedwiththeusers’freedomtooptinandout.Ifthisisnotcarefullydone,gamificationdesignwillfailthepromiseofmakinglifemoreenjoyableandproductive,anditwouldsimplybecomeasourceofmiseryandbitterness-andthenlikelydroppedaltogethe.Noonewantsthat.

Theclichéphraseisthat,“withgreatpowercomesgreatresponsibility.”Whenyouunderstandhowtomotivateandchangebehavior,youcanimprovetheworldbyhelpingothersachievetheirlife,career,fitness,andrelationshipgoals.Conversely,youcanwieldthisknowledgetogetpeoplemoreaddictedtoharmfulsubstances,createbadhabits,andperpetuatebrokenrelationships24.Ultimately,whenyourexperiencedesignbecomesextremelysuccessful,youmustlookinthemirrorandaskyourself,“IsthistheimpactIwanttohaveintheworld?”

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:TrytorecitethethreeWhiteHatCoreDrivesandthethreeBlackHatCoreDriveswithoutlookingatthem.Areyouabletoexplaintheirdifferences?

Medium:Thinkbackonyourownlifeandallthemajordecisionsthatyoumade:applyingforschools,changingjobs,findingasignificantother,movingtonewlocations.WhatCoreDrivesmotivatedyoutomakethosedecisions?AretheymostlyforWhiteHatreasons,orBlackHat?AreyouhappierwiththedecisionsthatyoumadefromWhiteHatCoreDrives?DoyoufeellesscomfortablewithdecisionsthatweredrivenbyBlackHatCoreDrives,butfeellikeyouhadlittlechoicewhenthedecisionweremade?

Hard:Thinkofacampaignthatyoucandesignforyourownproject.TrytocomeupwithwaystouseWhiteHatGamificationtocreatemotivationanddesire,thenswitchtoBlackHatGamificationtotriggerimportantDesiredActions.Finally,understandhowtotransitionusermotivationbacktoWhiteHatCoreDrivessotheyenjoytheexperiencefullyandfeelemotionallyrewardedaftercommittingtheDesiredActions.

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandcheckoutwhatideasotherpeoplehave.

ShareyourLifereflections.IfyoupickedtheMediumChallengeabove,shareyourlifepathsandchoicesaspartofaselfintroductiontotheOctalysisExplorersFacebookGroup.IdentifytheCoreDrivesthatmotivatedyoualongtheway,andreflectonhowyoufeltduringthoselifechoices.Thatwaythecommunitywillgettoknowyoubetteraswellaslearnabitmoreaboutthe8CoreDrivesthroughyourexperiences.

Asyouknow,acommunitymakesanexperienceengagingandfun,anditwillmakeallthetimeyouhaveinvestedintothisbookmorefulfilling.Chancesare,therewillbeothersinthegroupthatwillalsohavesimilarlifeexperiencesandchoicesasyouandcanhelpyouunderstandyourlifemotivationsmorethroughthe8CoreDrives.

1. WikipediaEntry,“DefenseoftheAncients”:http://www.yukaichou.com/dota↩

2. WikipediaEntry,“LeagueofLegends”:http://www.yukaichou.com/LoL↩3. WikipediaEntry,“CounterStrike”:http://www.yukaichou.com/CS↩4. WikipediaEntry,“CallofDuty”:http://www.yukaichou.com/CD↩5. WikipediaEntry,“SearchEngineOptimization”:

http://www.yukaichou.com/SEO↩6. ZyngaOfficialWebsite:zynga.com↩7. MikeWilliams.Gamesindustry.biz.“Zynga’shigh-speed,data-driven

designvsconsoledevelopment”.08/06/2012.↩8. JeffGrubb.VentureBeat.com.“Zyngastickswithwhatworks:Richesof

Olympusisitsnextmobileslotsgame”.02/06/2014.↩9. Ibid.↩10. WordswithFriendsPage:zynga.com/games/words-friends↩11. WikipediaEntry:“Scrabble”:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrabble↩12. JohnBalz.TheNudgeBlog.“SnūzNLūz:Thealarmclockthatdonatesto

yourleastfavoritecharity”.↩13. CharlieWhite.Mashable.com.“Money-ShreddingAlarmClockIs

CompletelyUnforgiving[PICS]”.05/29/2011.↩14. CharlieWhite.Mashable.com.“Money-ShreddingAlarmClockIs

CompletelyUnforgiving[PICS]”.05/29/2011.↩15. SelfDeterminationTheory.org↩16. DanielPink.Drive.PenguinGroup,NewYork,NY.2009.↩17. DavidVise&MarkMalseed.TheGoogleStory.P93-96.RandomHouse,

NewYork,NewYork.2005.↩18. Quora.comEntry:“Whatarethedifferentlevelsofsoftwareengineersat

Googleandhowdoesthepromotionsystemwork?”↩19. PatrickGoss.TechRadar.com.“Page:‘morewoodbehindfewerarrows’

drivingGooglesuccess”.7/14/2011.↩20. MorfMediaWebsite:morfmedia.com↩21. IfyouarecuriousaboutsomegamificationcompaniesIstartedduringmy

youngeryouth,Idocumentthatinthepost,“HowYu-kaiChoustartedinGamificationin2003andbecameaPioneerintheIndustry”:http://www.yukaichou.com/lifestyle-gamification/started-gamification-2003/↩

22. StartupDefinition.comEntry“Runway”:Theamountoftimeuntilyourstartupgoesoutofbusiness,assumingyourcurrentincomeandexpensesstayconstant.Typicallycalculatedbydividingthecurrentcashpositionbythecurrentmonthlyburnrate.↩

23. UriGneezyandAldoRustichini.JournalofLegalStudiesVol.29,No.1.“AFineisaPrice”.01/2000.↩

24. Imyselfwasonceapproachedbyoneoftheworld’slargesttobaccoandbeerconglomeratestorunafewworkshopswiththem.Afterdiscussingwithmyteam,wedecidedthateventhoughitwouldbeafairlylucrativerelationship-ifwewereextremelysuccessfulatourjobsandmorepeoplebecameaddictedtotobaccoandalcohol,thatwouldn’tbetheimpactwewantedtohaveinthisworld.Weendedupturningthatparticularprojectdown.Ofcourse,wewerealsoonlyabletodothatbecausewewereblessedwithmanygreatclientsthatmoredirectlybenefitssocietysowedidn’tneedtobedrivenbyCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.↩

UnderstandingOtherGamificationandBehavioralFrameworkswithOctalysis

UptothispointwehavecoveredalmosteverythingthereistolearninLevelIOctalysisdesign.Mygoalforthebookistogodeepononemethodologyandframework(namelymyown),andthenoncecompetencyofthatoneframeworkisachieved,useittounderstandotherframeworks.

In2012,whenIattendedtheannualGSummit1,thelargestgamificationconferenceintheworld,Iwasthoroughlyimpressedbytheensembleofknowledgeablepanelistsandspeakers.However,Iimaginedthattheaverageattendeecouldbeflusteredbyallofthevarioustalksandframeworkspresentedattheconference-fromRichardBartles’FourPlayerTypes,MihayiChiksenmihayi’sFlowTheory,NicoleLazzarro’s4Keys2Fun,andaplethoraofothers!

Attheendoftheday,whiletheattendeefeelspumpedandinspiredabouttheworld-changingpotentialofgamification,theymaystillfeelconfusedaboutwhattodonext.Alltheseframeworks,whenpiecedtogether,seemtocommunicateanabstractknowledgeaboutthebrain.Butthequestionofhowweconnectthemtogetherinawaythatholisticallyreflectsourmindsisdifficulttoanswer.Itbecomesevenmorechallengingwhenoneneedstodeterminewhichframeworktouseforvariousprojects.

Becauseofthis,Iwantedtomakesurethatmyreadershaveadeepunderstandingofmyownmodelinsteadofashallowknowledgeofdifferentconcepts.However,Idonotwantmyreaderstobeignorantofotherprominentgamificationtheoriesandkeymodelsinmotivationalpsychologyandbehavioraleconomics,whichareallgreatintheirownrights.Sointhischapterwewilldiscusstheseconceptsandexaminethemusingour“OctalysisGlasses.”

OneofthethingsIenjoyabouttheOctalysisFrameworkisthatithelpsmeunderstandotherexperts’workbetterbyputtingtheirresearchandfindingsintoperspective.Asweallhavethesamebrain,Ibelievethatvariousstudiesonthe

brainandmotivationcanconvergewitheachothertoprovidearicherunderstanding.

HopefullyyourunderstandingofOctalysiswillhelpyoucomprehendtheseotherframeworksquickly.Ofcourse,therearemanyexcellentbooksthatarehighlyrecommended,ifyou’rekeenondivingdeeperintothoseotherframeworks.

ScientificResearchandGameStudiesEveryonceinawhile,someoneasksmewhethermyOctalysisFrameworkwascreatedbasedonadeepstudyofallthetextsandscientificstudiesI’vementionedinthisbook.

Intruth,Octalysiswas100%derivedfrommyexperienceandstudyofgames.Iwishtherewasamoreimpressiveorigin,butinrealityeverythingIneededtocreatetheOctalysisFrameworkwasfoundinmymanyyearsofplayingandanalyzinggames.ThisiswhyIconsideritaGamificationFramework,andnotjustmerepsychologicalandbehavioralstudiesthatareindependentofgames,asviewedbyothers.

OncetheFrameworkwascreated,Ibegantoresearchbehavioraleconomics,motivationalpsychology,andneurobiologytoconfirm(orextend)theprinciplesbehindtheCoreDrives.IknewthattheseCoreDrivesmotivatedus,butIdidn’thavescientificpublicationstobackitupuntilmuchlater.Luckilyforme,mostpeoplewhohearaboutmyworkonOctalysiscanrelatebacktotheirownpersonalexperiencesandobservations.ThispromptedthemtogivemethebenefitofthedoubtbeforeIcouldscientificallyprovewhyitworks.ACoreDrive5victoryonrelatedness.

Onthispoint,letmeexplainwhyIbelievestudyinggamesislegitimateenoughtoobtainafullgraspofmotivationaltheoriesandbehavioralpredictions-feelfreetodisagreewithme;Iwon’tbeoffended.

Asrepeatedinpreviouschapters,animportantaspectofgamesisthatyouneverhavetoplaythem.Again,youhavetogotoworkandyouhavetodoyourtaxes.Theycanbeawfullydreadfulbutyoustilljusthavetogrindthroughthem.Icallthis“taintedmotivation.”

Butwithgames,noonehastoplaythem2.Themomentagameisnolongerfun,peopleleaveittodoorplaysomethingelse.

Inasenseeverygamecanbeconsideredanexperimentinmotivationandbehavior.

Wereceivemostofourunderstandingofbehavioralpsychologyfromexperimentswhereparticipants(oftenfiftytotwohundredundergraduatestudents)areplacedincontrolledenvironmentsandtestedfortheirreactionsbasedoncertainvariables.Theresultofthesepeer-reviewedexperimentsbecomelegitimatescientificresearchthatgivesusinsightintothehumanmind.

Ontheotherhand,everygamecanbethoughtofasaPetridishwherehundredsofthousands(ifnothundredsofmillions)of“testsubjects”voluntarilymodifytheirbehaviorsbasedonchangesintheenvironment.Thesemass“experiments”naturallyshowushowcertainexperiencesandmechanicsareeffectiveorineffectiveatimpactinghumanbehavior.

OneofthethingsIliketodoisstudy“clones”ofgamesinordertounderstandwhysomeclonesareflopswhileothersbecomemoresuccessfulthantheoriginal.Whentwogameslookalmostidentical,butone(sometimesthelessattractiveone)becomesabreakoutsuccesswhiletheotherbecomesafailure,itcreatesagreatopportunitytostudythesubtleelementswithinthedesignthatmakeabigdifference.Sometimesthedifferencesareassmallashowmanysecondspassbeforeamessagepopsup,theorderofchallengesareintroduced,orhowwellscarcityiscontrolledintheeconomy.

Frommyownresearch,thesesubtledifferencesarenotwellcoveredingamificationorevengamedesignliterature.ButIhavefoundthemtobeamongthemostimportantforthesuccessofanexperience-beyondgraphics,animation,oreventheme.Attheendoftheday,itisnotwhethertheyhavecertaingameelements(theme,groupquests,badges,power-ups),butwhetherthosecertaingameelementsaredesignedinawaythatbringoutourCoreDrives.

Now,thechallengeisthatbetweentwo“similar”gamesthereisneverjustonevariableofdifference.Oftentherearehundredsoreventhousandsofdifferencesbetweengames.Assuch,itrequiresasubstantialamountoftimeandpatternrecognitioneffort/analysistoidentifythebehavioralimpactofeachelementtothepointthatitcanbepredictedandreplicated.

Thisrequiresstudyingscoresofgamesandyearsofseriousobservationbeforepatternscanbeeasilyrecognizedandpredictionscanbemadeonhowbehaviorchangeswhengameelementsshift.Youalsoneedtogobeyondthesuperficialchangestofindwhattrulydrivesuserbehavior.Thismeansdiggingintotheexperienceandultimatelyimmersingyourselfinthosegamestofeeltheforcesofmotivationfirsthand-whichImustadmit,consumedmanyjoyfulandsomeagonizinghoursofmylife.

OneofthethingsIliketodowhenplayingfinanciallysuccessfulgamesistotryandplaythemasseriouslyasIcanwhilepurposelyresistingthepressurefromthegamedesigntospendmoney.ThereweremanymomentswhereIhadanextremelystrongurgetospendafewdollarsjusttosavemytime,savemytroop,getthroughfrustration,oreliminatesomeunpredictability.

AndsoIpayspecialattentiontothosemomentsinagamewhenIclearlyfeelapowerfulcompulsiontospendmoneyinordertosolvemyproblems(aswellasboostmyhappybrainchemicalssuchasdopamine,endorphins,andoxytocin3)!

FromtheseyearsofstudyIderivedthe8CoreDrivesandtheaccompanyingconceptsofWhiteHat/BlackHatandLeftBrain/RightBrainCoreDrivestodemonstrateandreflectthetendenciesandtrendsI’veseeningames.

LateronIrealizedthateachCoreDrivehaddozensofbooksdedicatedtoitandsoIstartedreadingmoretounderstandtheirnaturebetter.

Rememberearlierwetalkedabouthowgamesareacombinationofbehavioraleconomics,motivationalpsychology,neurobiology,UX/UI(UserExperience/UserInterface)design,technologyplatforms,andtheobviousgamedesigndynamics?Again,youneedalltheseelementstocreateagreatgame.

Inthischapter,wewillseehowOctalysisappliestoavarietyofbehavioralpsychologyandgamedesigntheories.Forthosenewlylearningaboutgamificationorbehavioraldesign,thischaptermayfeelabitadvanced.Don’tworryifyoudon’trememberorunderstandalltheotherframeworks.Ifyoueverstumbleuponthemagaininfuturesettings,thischapterwouldhavepreparedyoutodigesttheminamostholisticmanner.

OctalysisViewofSelf-DeterminationTheoryUptothispointwehavementionedRyanandDeci’sSelf-DeterminationTheoryseveraltimes.TheSelf-DeterminationTheoryisatheoryonmotivationtounderstandournaturalorintrinsictendenciestobehaveineffectiveandhealthyways4.Thetheorydemonstratesthatpeoplearenotmotivatedpurelythroughrewardsandpunishment,butareactuallymotivatedmorethroughthreeelements:Competence,Relatedness,andAutonomy.

Competenceistheneedtofeelself-efficacyandexperiencemastery.Autonomyistheurgetobecausalagentsofone’sownlifeandcontrolone’sownchoices.Relatednessistheuniversalwanttointeract,beconnectedto,andexperiencecaringforothers.

5

IfyoulookatthetheoryfromanOctalysisperspective,youwillnoticethatCompetenceisinlinewithCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.Followingthesamelineofthought,AutonomylendsitselftoCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativityandFeedback,whileRelatednessnaturallyfallswithinCoreDrive5:SocialInfluenceandRelatedness.

InthebookDrive,DanielPinkdemonstratesafourthcomponenttothistheory,whichisPurpose.(Healsore-termsCompetencewiththemoreappealingexpression-Mastery6.)Again,withourOctalysisGlasseson,PurposecanbeseenasdirectlyconnectingtoCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling

ThediagramaboveillustrateswhichCoreDrivestheSelf-DeterminationTheorycorrespondstoinagraphicalway.WhatbecomesveryclearinthediagramisthattheseelementsarealsoconsideredWhiteHatCoreDrives.ByfocusingonRelatedness,theSelf-DeterminationTheoryalsoincorporatesRightBrain(Intrinsic)MotivationthroughCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.

TheSelf-DeterminationTheoryisaverygoodmodelthatrecognizesthepowerbehindpositive,WhiteHat,andintrinsicmotivation.However,itdoesnotnecessarilyexplainwhypeopleareaddictedtogamblingorwhyexclusivityitselfoftendrivesourbehaviors.Thoughthetheorycoversallthepositiveemotionswithinmotivation,itdoesnotincludethe“darkside”ofbehavior,whichisdemonstratedintheformoftheBlackHatCoreDrives(whicharegenerallyconsidered“nonself-determined”motivations7).

Thisactuallymakesalotofsense,giventhattheSelf-DeterminationTheoryfocusesonmotivatingemployeesandstudents,especiallytowardscreativework.Forthispurpose,thetheoryisapowerfulframeworktohelpguidecompanies

towardscreatinglong-termWhiteHatmotivationalenvironmentsfortheirworkers.

WelearnedfromtheChapter14thatsinceemployeemotivationrequireslong-termengagement,weshouldgenerallyapplyWhiteHatCoredrivestoitsdesign.Thatsaid,therearesomeBlackHatmotivationaltechniquesthatcompaniesalsousetomotivatetheiremployeestowardsshort-termproductivitybursts(e.g.scarcityofopportunities,deadlines,socialpressure,competition).TheSelf-DeterminationTheorydoesnotfocusonthese,asthistypeofmotivationcouldleadtolong-termburnoutifappliedincorrectly.

Withthatsaid,aframeworklikeOctalysisallowsyoutoputtheSelf-DeterminationTheoryintobroaderperspectiveandunderstandwhatitcoversandwhatitdoesn’tcoverinordertoexpandandfine-tuneyourunderstandingofhumanbehavior.

RichardBartle’sFourPlayerTypesAnotherverywellknownstudyintherealmofgamedesignisRichardBartle’sFourPlayerTypes8.RichardBartleisagameresearcherwhoinventedthefirstMUD(Multi-UserDungeon)gameduringthe1970’s,whichevolvedintotherole-playinggames(RPGs)weknowtoday.Herealizedthatwithinavirtualenvironmenttheretendstobefourmaingroupsofplayersdoingfourdistincttypesofactivities.

TherearetheAchieverswhotrytomastereverythingthereistodowithinthegamesystem.TherearetheExplorersthatjustwanttogooutandexploreallthecontentintheworldbutaren’tasfocusedonovercomingchallenges.TherearetheSocializerswhoarereallyinthevirtualworldjusttointeractwitheachother,haveconversations,andbuildcompanionship.AndthentherearetheKillers-playersthatnotonlystrivetoreachthetop,buttakegloryinbeatingdownthecompetitionintheprocess.Furthermore,theyneedtobaskintheirvictoriesandbeadmiredbyall.

9

ManypeoplewhoworkingamificationaswellasgamedesignbuildonRichardBartle’sFourPlayertypes.GamedesignerAmyJoKimisknowntouseRichardBartle’sPlayerTypes,evolvingthemintoKim’sSocialActionMatrix10.Inthismodel,KimassignsverbsandactionstovariousPlayerTypestodeterminehowtodesignafunandengagingenvironmentwithingames.Thoseactionverbsbecame:Explore,Create,Compete,andCollaborate.(TrytoseehowthoseactionverbscorrespondtovariousCoreDrives.)

11

AndrzejMarczewskiisalsoaninfluencerinthegamificationfieldwhohasdoneextensiveresearchtobuilduponRichardBartle’sPlayerTypesfortheenterpriseworkplace.HehasderivedsixUserTypestodesignfor:Disruptors,Philanthropists,FreeSpirits,Socializers,Achievers,andPlayers12.EachoftheseUserTypesaremoremotivatedbydifferentactivitiesandexperiences.

13

Thismodelisoftenrecommendedforworkplaceenvironments,asRichardBartlehimselfhassaidthathisPlayerTypesmaynotbeappropriateforenvironmentsoutsideofvoluntaryvirtualworlds14.

Forsimplicity’ssake,let’stakeanOctalysislookatRichardBartle’sFourPlayerTypestounderstandwhatCoreDrivesmotivateeachplayertype.Thiswillhelpyoudeterminehowtobetterdesignfortheseplayertypes.

AchieversaredrivenheavilybyCoreDrive2:DevelopmentandAccomplishmentaswellasCoreDrive6:ScarcityandImpatience.They’realwaystryingtocompletetheirnextgoal,whichmakesthemfeelaccomplishedwhentheydo.Ofcourse,tosomeextenttheyalsocareaboutusingtheircreativitytoovercomechallenges,aswellasaccumulatingtheresultsoftheirsuccess(CoreDrives3andCoreDrive4).

ExplorersaredominantlymotivatedbyCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity,whichdrivesthemtodiscovernovelcontentthattheyhaven’tseenbefore.TherearealsoseedsofCoreDrive2,3,and6.Theycontinuouslyusetheircreativitytofindnewwaystotesteveryboundarythatconstrainsthem,andwhentheysucceed,theyarefulfilledbyasenseofaccomplishment.

SocializersareprimarilymotivatedbyCoreDrive5:SocialInfluenceandRelatedness.Theyliketominglewithothersandbond.Toasmallerextent,theyarealsodriventothinkupcleverwaystoengageothersmore(CoreDrive3),theyenjoyneworunpredictableinformationorevengossip(CoreDrive7),andsometimesbecomesterritorialwiththeirfriends(CoreDrive4).

Finally,KillersareprimarilymotivatedbyamixofCoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentandCoreDrive5:SocialInfluenceofRelatedness.Theynotonlyneedtostriveforhighgoals,buttheyneedotherstorecognizetheiraccomplishmentsandacknowledgetheirsuperiority.Inasmallersense,theyarealsodriventocomeupwiththebestwaytodefeatthecompetition(CoreDrive3),avoidbeingkilledorseenasweakthemselves(CoreDrive8),andultimately,tocounttheirwinsandvictories(CoreDrive4).

Withthechartabove,wecanbetterunderstandwhatuniquelymotivatestheseplayertypesandcandesignappropriateGameTechniquesforthem.LaterinyourOctalysisjourney,youwillbegintoinvestasignificantamountofeffortindefiningyourownPlayerTypesanddesigningsystemsthatuniquelyappealtothemwithLevel3Octalysis.(Unfortunately,wewon’tbeabletocoverthatwithinthescopeofthisbook.)

SowhatabouttheotherCoreDrivesthatarenotcoveredabove,namelyEpicMeaning&Calling,andtosomeextentLoss&Avoidance?

CoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingcanbeutilizedbyanyofthePlayerTypes:toachievetheirgoalsofreachingahighertarget,becomingmorerespectedbytheirfriends,exploringnewareas,aswellasdefeatingweakerplayers.

CoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingcanbeutilizedbyanyofthePlayerTypes:toachievetheirgoalsofreachingahighertarget,becomingmorerespectedbytheirfriends,exploringnewareas,aswellasdefeatingweakerplayers.Itissimplythecontexttobeinthegameenvironmentinthefirstplace.ButsinceRichardBartlewascreatinganopenvirtualworld,theredoesn’tseemtobeanyrealsenseofhighermissionsbeyondvirtualworldidealism.

SometimesasmallersenseofEpicMeaning&Callingiscreatedwhenuserswithinavirtualworldbandtogetherforahighermissionthattheybelievein.Butthisisindependentoftheplayertypesstudiedhere.

InAndrzejMarczewski’smodel,thereisauniqueusertypewithintheworkplacecalledPhilanthropists,whichareindividualswhoderivejoy,henceplay,fromhelpingothers.TheyaremotivatedbyCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling,andcompaniesshouldencouragebehaviorfromPhilanthropiststoensuremorecollaborativeeffortsandstrongerteamwork.Unfortunately,mostcompanyenvironmentspunishPhilanthropistswhilerewardingthosewhoareexclusivelygoingaftertheirownextrinsicrewards.ThesePlayersinAndrzejMarczewski’smodel,arehighlymotivatedbyCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,wheretheaimistomaximizetheirbonuses,rewards,promotions,andpayraises.

IntermsofCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,therearealwaysthreatsfornotsucceedinginanyendeavor.Especially,asmentionedearlier,whenKillerstrytoavoidbeinghumiliated.However,thereisnorealplayertypethatfocusesonavoidingbadthings.Aswehavelearned,ifyouareonlymotivatedbyBlackHatDrives,youwillnotwanttobeinanopenandvoluntarilyvirtualworldinthefirstplace.That’softenadifferentstoryfortheworkplace.

Attheendoftheday,theseeightCoreDrivesmotivateallofustosomeextent,asweuniversallycravetheseCoreDrivesindifferentmeasuresatdifferenttimes.TheOctalysisFrameworkallowsustounderstandwhethercertainCoreDrivesarestrongerwithcertainpeople,sothatwecanbeawareanddesignforthesedifferencesappropriately.

NicoleLazzaro’s4KeysToFun

The4KeystoFunisanotherdesignframeworkcreatedbygamedesignerandPresidentofXEODesignNicoleLazzaro15.Lazzarospentmanyyearsresearchinganddesigningengaginggames.Basedonherexperience,shehasderivedfourtypesoffunthatengagepeoplewithingames.

The4KeystoFunare:HardFun,EasyFun,PeopleFun,andSeriousFun.

HardFunisjoythatisderivedfromovercomingafrustrationandachievingtheWin-State.ThisputsplayersinastateofFiero,thefeelingoftriumphover

adversity.

EasyFunisthefunfromdoinginterestingactivitieswhereyoudon’tneedtotryveryhardandcansimplyenjoytherelaxingandplayfulexperience.Thisiscommonlyseeningameschildrenenjoywiththeirparents,suchasboardgamesordrawing.

SeriousFunisfunthatisengagingbecauseitmakesrealworlddifferencessuchasimprovingoneself,makingmoremoneyorcreatinganimpactintheenvironment.

Lastly,PeopleFunisfunthatyouhavebecauseyouareinteractingwithotherpeopleandformingrelationships.

IfyouagaintrytounderstandthiswithyourOctalysisGlasseson,youwillseethatHardFunisacombinationofCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment,aswellasCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience–thedifficultyandfrustrationofreachingtheWin-Stateiswhatdriveusermotivationaswellasthesenseofachievementafteraccomplishingit.

EasyFunislikeacombinationofCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackaswellasCoreDrive7:UnpredictabilityandCuriosity.It’slikeplayingwithclayorLegoswhereyoucandoanythingyouwantandcan’treallylose.Whateveryoudoyouarewinningbecauseyouareenjoyingyourtimeandseeingfeedbackfromyourcreativity.

Situationswithinherentrandomnessalsoinspirecuriosityandmakethingsfunandeasy.PlayinggameslikeYahtzeeorwatchingacartoonmakesusenjoyourtimewithoutreallyneedingtoputinalotofeffortandfocus.Infact,inthegamedesignindustryitisknownthatoneofthebestwaystomakeagameeasier(penalizinghardcorecompetitiveplayersbutbenefittingmainstreamcasualplayers)istoaddmorerandomnessandchancetothegame16.Afathercanplayadicegameseriouslywithhisfiveyearolddaughterwithoutalwayswinning,buthelikelyneedstogoeasyonherifheisplayingchessagainsther.

Ontheotherhand,SeriousFuncanbeinterpretedasacombinationofCoreDrive1:EpicMeaningandCallingaswellasCoreDrive4:OwnershipandPossession.

EpicMeaning&Callingisderivedwhenoneisengagedwithanactivitybecausetheyseeitsrealimpactintheworld.Inthecaseofactivitiesthatareexhilaratingbecausetheymakeyoumoneyeverytimeyouengagethem,itistheresultofCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.

PeopleFunisgenerallyacombinationoftheobviousCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednessandtosomeextentCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.

Thisisbecausewhenyouarecollaboratingwithpeople,youareunderabitmorestresswhileyouaretryingtoavoidlookingbad,sayingthewrongthings,beingshunned,orlosingyourpositiononaleaderboard.FuncompetitionalsoextendsoutofPeopleFun,andthethrillofhide-and-seekorcatchisoftenderivedfromamoderatelevelofCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.

Ofcourse,Iwasmotivatedbyasenseof“completeness”(CoreDrive4)tomatchupall8CoreDriveswitheachtypeoffuncorrespondingtothe4KeysToFunmodel.IfyoufeelthatCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidanceisn’tuniquetoPeopleFun,Iamwillingtoacceptthataswell.

MihalyCsikszentmihalyi’sFlowTheoryIthinkitisagoodtimetomoveontoMihalyCsikszentmihalyi’sFlowTheory.Csikszentmihalyiisaworld-renownedscholarinthefieldsofpsychologyandmanagementscience,andisbestknownforcreatingtheFlowTheorywhichcombinesthefactorsofauser’sskillleveltothedifficultyofthechallenge.

TheFlowtheoryillustratesthatwhenthedifficultyofachallengeistoohighcomparedtoauser’sskilllevel,theresultisasenseofanxietywhichmaycompeltheusertodropoutquickly.Similarly,iftheuser’sskilllevelisdramaticallyhigherthanthedifficultyofthechallenge,theuserwillfeelboredandmayalsodropout.

Onlywhentheuser’sskilllevelisbalancedwiththedifficultyofthechallenge,dotheyenterthestateknownasFlow.DuringFlow,usersbecomecompletelyfocused.They“zonein”ontheiractivities,loosingtheirsenseofself,aswellasloosingtrackoftime.Thisisamomentofeuphoria,excitement,andengagement.

Thetrickythinghereisthat,moreoftenthannot,theplayer’sskilllevelincreasesastimegoesby.Ifthedesignergivestheexactsameexperiencethroughoutthe4ExperiencePhases(Discovery,Onboarding,Scaffolding,Endgame)theuserquicklyendsupbeingboredbecausethey’veoutpacedthedifficultylevel.

EventhoughtheFlowtheorybynaturefeelsabitdifferentfromtheothermodelswe’vediscussed,asitislessfocusedonclassifyingtypes,wecanstilluseOctalysistocomprehendwhat’sgoingon.

Asyoucanseehere,thezoneatthetopoftheFlowiswherethechallengeismuchmoredifficultthantheplayercanhandle.ThisisdrivenbyafeelingofCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,whereusersarereallyjuststrugglingtosurvive.Aswealreadyknow,thisputspeopleinastateofextremeanxiety.

Nowifyouslightlydecreasethedifficultyrelativetotheuser’sskilllevel,wenowenterthezoneofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.Atthispointtheuserfeelschallengedandoccasionallyfrustrated.However,thereisalwaysachanceforthemtoovercomethechallengeandachievetheWin-State,aslongastheytakeactionquicklyandsurpassaMoat(GameTechnique#67)throughskillorplanning.

RightbelowCoreDrive6wehaveCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.Thisisthezonewherethechallengeismoderateandtheuserfeelsaccomplishedandcompetent.TheuserisintheFlowandtheyfeelliketheyareachievingtheirgoalsandbuildingtheirconfidence.

AlittlefurtherdownwehaveCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreative&Feedback.ThisisattheheartofFlowwhereusersareagaintappingtheircreativityandadjustingtheirstrategytodiscoverbetterwaystodothings.ThisprocessputsmanypeopleinthestateofFlow,especiallywhenitrotatesquicklybetweenCoreDrive3andCoreDrive2-whentheircreativityleadtoaccomplishments.

MovingdownonelevelfromCoreDrive3,youhaveCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,whichisoftenthemindlessactofcollectingthings,organizingthings,andputtingthingstogether-whatyouoftendoinFarmville-likegames.Thisisusuallyaloteasierintermsofdifficulty,relativetotheuserskillsetandwillrelaxthemind.

MostofthetimetofulfilltheOwnership&PossessionCoreDrive,alltheuserneedstodoistospendmoretimeonit,totakeactionsbasedonmoderateplanning,ortoorganizetheirsystems.Thereisnosenseofanxiety.Ifnotdesignedproperly,thissometimesevencreatesboredom.Thinkaboutemployeeswhododataentryworkjustforapaycheck;thetaskisnotverydifficult,butthereisn’tastronglevelofengagementeither.

BelowCoreDrive4isCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.Thisisbasicallylikegoingtoachatroom.Youdon’tneedtoomuchskill,youjustsaywhateveryouwanttoexpressyourself,andyoucaneventrollothers.ThisisoftenseenintheWaterCoolergametechniquewediscussedinChapter9.Theactivitycouldstillbequitefun,butitismostlyveryeasy.Evenifyoudon’tseefeedbackfromyourwittycomments(CoreDrive3)andimpressothers(CoreDrive2)thefeelingofrelatedness,acceptance,andbondingwithotherswillmaketheexperiencepleasantandrelaxing.

Ifyoulookanotherleveldown,youcouldsaythatCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityisatthelowestlevelofFlow.Wementionedearlierthataddingchanceandrandomnessisagoodwaytomakeagameeasier.Mostgamblinggames,sweepstakes,andlotteriesdon’trequireanyamountofskill.Youbasicallyparticipate,taketheDesiredAction,andwaitfortheresults.That’salsowhyplayinggamesthatinvolverandomnesslikeRiskorMonopoly(includingtheChanceCards)oftenproducemorelaughterthanpureskill-basedgamessuchasChess.

NowyoucouldarguethatpeopleengagedbyCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosityarenotreallyinastateof“boredom,”especiallyifthey’rewatchingamovieortryingtofinishabook.However,whenyoulookatitfromtheperspectiveofskillversuschallenge(theFlowchart),theuserisnotenjoyingtheactivitybecauseofskillusage.Theyareinstead,entertainedinadifferentwaythatdrivespleasure.

InoneofCsikszentmihalyi’scharts,asseenbelow,heincludesastateof“relaxation”asaresultofhavingskillsthatgreatlysurpassthechallenge.CoreDrive7thendoesnotresultinboredombutratherappropriaterelaxation.

17

YoucanseeherethatwithintheFlowmodel,theonlyCoreDrivethatismissingisCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling.That’sbecauseCoreDrive1iscompletelyoutofthecontextofplayerskilllevelcomparedtochallengedifficulty,asthosetwofactorsareirrelevantwhenitcomestocommittingtosomethingthatisbiggerthanoneself.CoreDrive1doesnotreallyfitintotheFlowmodelbutpowersthereasonwhypeoplemayengagewithanyexperienceinthefirstplace.

FoggBehaviorModelBJFogg,aprofessorofhumanbehaviorfromStanford,createdamodelthatboilsdownallbehaviorintothreefactors:motivation,ability,andatrigger18.

Motivationishowmuchtheindividualwantstotaketheactionorobtainthedesiredoutcome.Abilityishowequippedtheindividualisintakingthataction;inotherwords,howeasyorconvenientitisfortheusertoperformtheaction.ThethirdfactorisaTrigger,orsomethingthatremindstheusertotakeaction.

Foggproposesthateveryactionyoutakeisaresultofthesethreecomponentscomingtogether.Ifanyoneofthemisabsent,therecanbenoaction.

Heisanevangelistofwhathecalls“TinyHabits.”Forinstance,Foggexplainedasystemwhereeverytimehegoestourinate,hedoestwopush-upsbeforewashinghishands.Urinatingisthetrigger,andsincedoingtwopush-upsissoeasy,youdon’tneedalotofmotivationtodoit.19

Inthissystem,settingthegoalattwopush-upsinsteadofsomethingmoreambitiouslikeeightortenisveryimportant.Ifyousetyourgoalatten,thenatonepointyourbrainwilllikelythink,“I’mkindofbusyortired.I’mjustgoingtoskipthisonetime,”whichwillthenleadtoanotheroccurrenceofskippingsoonafter.Thisweakensself-confidenceandensuresthatapositivehabitdoesnotform.

Butwhenyoudesignthegoaltobetwopush-upsandyouactuallydothem,youfeelasenseofaccomplishment(CoreDrive2),whichbuildsupyourconfidenceandallowsyoutoeventuallybuildastrongerhabit.

Ingeneral,IlikeFogg’sBehavioralModelandoftenreflectonitwithinmyownstudies.TheoneareaIdifferwithhimonishisclaimthatthemotivationpieceisverydifficultandunpredictable,andthatcompaniesorindividualsshouldn’tstartwithimprovingmotivation.Hisconclusioncallsforcompaniestofocusonmakingsuretheactivityisextremelyeasyandthatthereisanappropriatetriggertodoit.

Fromthisviewpoint,Octalysisputsamuchstrongeremphasisonthemotivationpiece.AsFoggexpressesinhisownmodel,whenthereisnomotivation,itdoesn’tmatterhoweasythetaskis,peoplewon’tdoit.

WesawfromearlierchaptersthatifweadjustthedifficultywithOctalysisdesigncampaigns,itisprimarilybecauseweeitherwantuserstofeelsmartandcompetent(CoreDrive2),orwewanttomakeuserssensethattheopportunityisexclusiveanddifficulttoobtain(CoreDrive6).Inwhateverwayyouadjusttheexperience,Octalysisbringsthefocusbacktomotivation.Gamesdon’tnecessarilymakethingseasy-theymakethingsmotivatingandengaging.Infact,oneofthemostrespecteddefinitionsofagameis“thevoluntaryattempttoovercomeunnecessaryobstacles”20

Fogghimselfsaysthat,asyouaccomplishyourtinyhabits,yourmotivationincreasesbecauseyoufeelaccomplished,which,inturn,becomesapositivecyclethatbuildsonitself.Eventuallydoingmorepush-upsfeelseasierandyoudon’trequireasmuchmotivationtomaintainthathigherlevelofactivity.ThislineofthinkingisalignedwithourunderstandingofCoreDrive2.

FoggsupportshisstrategytofocusonAbilitybysayingthat,insteadof“motivating”peopletodowhattheydon’twantto,companiesshouldfocusonwhatpeoplealreadywanttodo,andjustmakethateasier.

Thatmakesagreatdealofsense.However,frommyowndesignexperience,weseethatevenifauserhasthemotivationtobecomehealthy,theydon’tnecessarilyhavethemotivationtouseyourparticularhealthapp.Evenifpeoplewanttoconnectwiththeirfriends,thereisstillnoincentiveforthemtoshareyourproductwiththeirfriendsunlessyoudesignforit.Andevenifpeoplealreadywanttodogreatwork,theydon’tnecessarilywanttoworkhardforamicromanagingbossthattreatsthembadly.Inthesecases,itismoreproductivetoimprovehowthebossmotivateshisemployees(viamethodsofappreciation,autonomy,clearpurpose,etc.),insteadoftryingtomaketheirdreadfuljobseasier.

TinyHabitsworkgreatforself-improvementgoalsfromtheindividualstandpoint,butitsometimesworkslessideallywithemployeeengagementorviralmarketingsystems.Ifyoujustfocusonmakingthingseasier,usersmayormaynotmusterenoughmotivationtoperformthenewbehaviorsthatyouwanttocreate.

Theflipsideofgeneratingmotivationbymakingthingseasieristomakethingsmoredifficult.FromtheviewpointofCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience,

we’vealreadyseenthroughmanyexamplesthatwhensomethingistooeasy,peopledon’tnecessarilyappreciateit.

Whatifyouusethe“makethingseasy”strategyfordating?Let’ssayyouwantacertainpersontobecomeyoursignificantother(theDesiredAction),soyouaskthepersonout(aTrigger),buttheirmotivationisstillverylowatthispointbecausetheyarejusttryingtofigureoutifyouareadesirablemate.Atthispoint,ifyoudideverythingyoucouldtomakeitextremelyeasyforthepersontogooutwithyou,suchasconstantlybeingfreeattheirconvenienceanydayoftheweekorsendingdozensoftextsadaysothepersoncanrespondeasily(TriggerandAbilityboost)-thiswouldnotworkoutverywellaccordingtomyownexperiences…Imean,myobservations.Shhh.Don’tlaugh.

Sometimesholdingbackincreasestheanticipationandsuspense,andasaresult,createsmotivation.TheoutcomeisthatdespitetheincreaseddifficultyoftheDesiredAction,scarcitycreatesmoreofthedesiredbehavior.Wehaveseeninpreviouschaptersthatinconveniencingyourusersorwalkingawayfromadeal(ifdoneright),canseriouslyboostmotivationandactionstoo.

SowhileFogg’sBehaviorModelitselfisextremelyusefulintermsofunderstandingbehavioranditsimplications,FoggandIhaveslightlydifferentconclusionsontheactionablestepstoimprovetheprocess.Namely,FoggfocusesontheAbilityaspectofhismodel,whileIfocusontheMotivationalaspect.Ofcourse,IalsoworkonimprovingtheeaseofeachDesiredAction,andI’msureFoggalsospendstimeonimprovingmotivation;ourprioritiesjustseemtobedifferent.

Withthatsaid,itistruethatmostproductsaresocomplicatedanddifficulttousetheymakeusersfeelstupidanddemoralized(AntiCoreDrive2).ThisisespeciallyanissueduringtheOnboardingPhasewhenusersdon’thaveenoughmotivationtocommitmuchenergyintofiguringthingsout.Asaresult,makingtheactivitiessoeasythatusersdonotneedtothinkhardaboutcommittingtheactionsisstillahighpriority.

IntermsofMotivation,FoggstatesthatMotivationisderivedfromsixfactors:SeekingPleasure,AvoidingPain,SeekingHope,AvoidingFear,SeekingSocialAcceptance,andAvoidingSocialRejection21.ThisisamixofCoreDrives2,4,5,7,8,andtheHiddenCoreDrive9:Sensation.22

FordriveslikeCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience,aswellaswiththeEndowmentEffectwithinCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,theseareoftennotexplainedinotherbehavioralmodels.Theyarementalshortcutswetakeinourheadsandareacademicallyknownascognitivebiasesanddecision-makingheuristics23.Thereisalistofdozensofheuristics24,includingAnchoring(everythingisrelativeinmymind),Illusorysuperiority(Iamsurelyaboveaverage),IKEAeffect(IvaluewhatIbuilt),andLossAversion(Iwouldn’trisk$10toearn$15)thatwehavediscussedinseveralofthepreviouschapters.

Together,Fogg’ssixcomponentsofmotivationplusalistofbehavioralheuristics,becomeafairlycompleteviewofallourbehaviors;thoughtheymaynotexplainwhywewouldsometimesdieforagreatercause-EpicMeaning&Calling.Formyowndesignwork,IhavepreferredtohaveageneralframeworkthatismoreinclusiveofourpsychologicalCoreDrivesandhowtheyfosterandinteractwitheachother.It’seasiertosimplyutilizeoneframeworkinsteadofthinkingaboutalistofexceptionswhenwedesignforengagingexperiences.

Lastly,ifwelookattheTriggercomponentthroughOctalysis,that’stheroleofFeedbackMechanicswithintheOctalysisStrategyDashboard-somethingwewillcoverinmoredepthinfuturewritings25.FeedbackMechanicsallowuserstopayattentiontowhattheyneedtodo,oftenviaareceivedemailortextmessage,userinterfacesthatshowactionableinformation,orfriendsthat“Like”yournewFacebookphoto,promptingyoutoreturntothesite.TheseareallTriggersdeliveredbyFeedbackMechanics.

AllFeedbackMechanicsalsoincorporatevariousCoreDrivesofmotivationwithinthem,basedonwhatthetriggeritselfis.PointsandBadgesareCoreDrive2Triggers,CountdownTimersareCoreDrive6Triggers,SpinningFortuneWheelsareCoreDrive7Triggers,andFriend-LikesareCoreDrive5Triggers.WhenyoudesignforFeedbackMechanicsorTriggers,youneedtounderstandwhethertheyaremeanttodrivetheusers’curiosity,theirsenseofaccomplishment,theirinternalsocialpressure,orotherCoreDrives.Ifnot,theFeedbackMechanicsbecomeemptysignalsthatdonottriggertowardsanyDesiredActions.

JaneMcGonigal’sTheories

Asthefinaltouchstoneofthischapter,wewilllookatJaneMcGonigal’stheories.McGonigalisagamedesignerandauthorofthebookRealityisBroken26.She’smostknownfortwoTEDtalksonthepowerofgameswithintherealworld.

McGonigaldescribesthefourcomponentsbehindhowgamesmakepeoplebetterandmoreresilient:EpicMeaning,UrgentOptimism,BlissfulProductivity,andSocialFabric.

ThereareafewcomponentsthatwecaneasilymatchwithOctalysis.EpicMeaningofcourseechoesCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling-somethingthatmakesyoufeellikeyou’rechangingtheworld.SocialFabricclearlyalignswithCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness,whichisaboutthetrustingbondbetweenpeopletakingonthesamequests.

UrgentOptimismisslightlytrickiertocomprehendthroughOctalysisGlasses.InRealityisBroken,McGonigaldefinesUrgentOptimismas,“themomentofhopejustbeforeoursuccessisreal,whenwefeelinspiredtotryourhardestanddoourbest.”27Inmyowninterpretation,thisisthesensewhereaslongasyouactimmediately,youcanaccomplishyourobjectiveandachievetheWin-State.Inthissense,agameralwaystruststhegamedesignertoprovideawaytowin,aslongasthegamerisdoingtherightthingintakingpromptactiontowardstheobviouslydesignedobjectives.

NowwithourOctalysisGlasseson,UrgentOptimismisgenerallyacombinationofCoreDrive2:Develop&AccomplishmentaswellasCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.CoreDrive2ispresentbecausetheplayerisoptimisticthattheyarecapableofhittingtheWin-Stateandfeelingaccomplished.Ontheotherhand,CoreDrive6alsocomesintoplaybecausetheplayercan’twaitforevertocommittheDesiredAction-theyhavetodoitnowbecauseitisurgent.Therefore,theWhiteandBlackHatcombinationoftheseLeftBrainCoreDrivesleadstoaplayerwhoistrulyengaged.

ThelastcomponentisBlissfulProductivity28,whichwasoriginallycoinedbyateamofcomputerscientistsattheIndianaUniversitywhowerestudyingtheunusuallyhighstaminaofWorldofWarcraftplayers.McGonigaldefinesBlissfulProductivityas“thesenseofbeingdeeplyimmersedinworkthatproducesimmediateandobviousresults.”

Frommyunderstanding,BlissfulProductivityisthesensethatyouaregrowing,accumulating,orimprovingsomethingasyouspendmoretimeonit.Sometimesthetaskitselfcouldseemabitmonotonous,butaslongastheplayerfeelslikethereisprogress,theprocesswillgenerateasenseofblissanddelightwithin.

OftenthisisacombinationofCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment,CoreDrives3:EmpowermentofCreativity&FeedbackaswellasCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.Theuserisaccumulating,growing,ororganizingsomething(CoreDrive4),andiscontinuouslyshownfeedbackonthoseactivitiesinordertoadjust,optimize,andfeelaccomplished.

Asyoucansee,thesefourCoreDrivepackagesaregreatcombinationsthatallowuserstodeeplyenjoygamesaswellasexperiencesoutsideofgames.AsyouprogressfurtherintoyourOctalysisGamificationlearningjourney,youwillstarttoidentifyanddefinemanymoreoftheseCoreDrivecombinationsbeyondthesefourcomponents,andpioneeryourownworkasanexperiencedesigner.Forinstance,wecanseefromtheaboveanalysisthatCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosityisn’tveryprominent,andwecanthinkabouthowtoaddmoresuspense,surprise,andunpredictabilityintotheexperiencebeyondthefourcomponents.

TheWorldisYourPlaygroundWeallhavethesamebrains,soallthesoundstudiesonourmotivationandbehaviorshouldhaveawaytoconvergewitheachother.ThemainpointofthischapterisnotthatOctalysisissuperiortoanyotherframework,butatleasttome,itcanbeaveryusefultooltohelpcomprehendandnavigatetheothermodelsinbehavioralscience,games,andgamification.Inmyownexperience,itisbothconvenientandrewardingtobeabletouseoneframeworktoanalyzethemallandhelprefineourunderstandingofbehavioraldesign.

Thereareobviouslymanyothersplendidtheoriesandmodelsonhumanbehavioral.Buttomakethisbook’slengthmanageableforthereader,wewon’tbeabletoflushthemallouthere.

IhighlyencourageavidOctalysisLearnerswhoarefilledbyCoreDrive3andCoreDrive7toputonyourOctalysisglassesandstudyNirEyal’sHookModel,AndrzejMarczewski’sUserTypes,orDanielKahnemann’sProspectTheoryandFourFoldPattern.WorksbybehavioralpsychologypioneerssuchasDan

Ariely,MichaelWu,orRobertCialdinidon’tnecessarilyhavegraphicalmodels,butyoucanunderstandtheirresearchthroughthe8CoreDrivesaswell.

WithastronggraspoftheCoreDrives,youcanilluminatetheaspectsofmotivationthatotherworkscoverordon’tcoveranddeterminehowtobestusetheseothermodelsandframeworksforoptimalexperiencedesign.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Medium:Pickanewmodelonhumanbehavior(makesureitisrelatedtoactions,notnecessarilyemotions),andtrytoanalyzeitwithOctalysisGlasses.What8CoreDrivesarepresent,andwhatareabsent?Basedonthat,canyoudrawconclusionsonwhatthatparticularmodelspecializesinandwhenbesttoutilizeit?

Medium:Trytoreciteallthemodelsandframeworkscoveredinthischapter.Youwillneedtotakesometimegoingbackandforthbeforefullymemorizingthem.CanyourememberhoweachisanalyzedthroughOctalysis?DidyourknowledgeonOctalysishelpyouunderstand(henceremember)thesemodelsbetter?

Hard:AnalyzeNirEyal’sHookModelandtrytounderstandhowOctalysisfitsintothecyclesofTrigger,Action,Reward,andInvestment.Doeseachcomponentrelyonafewofthe8CoreDrives?(Forinstance,InvestmentisoftenusingCoreDrive4tobuilduptheEndowmentEffect).ThinkabouthowtheCoreDriveschangeaswegothrougheachHookcyclethroughouttheDiscovery,Onboarding,Scaffolding,andEndgamePhases.(Forinstance,duringtheDiscoveryPhase,theTriggerisoftenanExternalTriggerfrommarketingmaterialsbuiltonCoreDrive7.DuringtheEndgame,theTriggerbecomesanInternalTrigger,wheretheuserismotivatedthroughCoreDrives4and8.)TrytofullyimmerseyourOctalysisunderstandingintotheHookModel.

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandcheckoutwhatideasotherpeoplehave.

StartDesigningYouaregettingclosetotheendofthebook,anditistimetostartdesigningyourownproject.ComeupwithaprojectrelatedtoHuman-Motivationthatyouwant

toimproveon.

ThinkaboutwhataretheQuantifiableMetricsyouwanttoimprove.WhoaretheUsersyouaretargetingandwhatCoreDrivesmotivatethem?WhataretheDesiredActionsyouneedthemtoperform?Whatmediumscanyoucommunicatewiththem,showthemFeedbackMechanics,anddisplayTriggers?Finally,whataretheRewardsandIncentivesyoucanprovideusers?

Together,thisbecomestheOctalysisStrategyDashboardthatwillbeusefulinanygamificationdesigncampaign.ThiswillbeagoodfoundationforChapter17.MoreinformationontheOctalysisStrategyDashboardcanbefoundonmyblogat:

http://www.yukaichou.com/gamification-study/the-strategy-dashboard-for-gamification-design/

1. GSummitWebsite:http://sf14.gsummit.com↩2. Muchofmyworkcanbeunderstoodthroughthedifferencesbetweencan,haveto,wantto,compelledto,inspiredto,andexcitedtowhenitcomestoDesiredActions.↩

3. ThaiNguyen.Huffingtonpost.com.“HackingIntoYourHappyChemicals:Dopamine,Serotonin,EndorphinsandOxytocin”.10/20/2014.↩

4. SelfDeterminationTheoryWebsite:selfdeterminationtheory.org↩5. ImageSource:EdwardL.DeciandRichardM.Ryan.PsychologicalInquiry,Vol.11,No.4,227–268.“The“What”and“Why”ofGoalPursuits:HumanNeedsandtheSelf-DeterminationofBehavior”.2000.↩

6. DanielPink.Drive.P107-128.PenguinGroup,NewYork,NY.2009.↩7. YvesChantalandRobertJ.Vallerand.JournalofGamblingStudies.Volume12,Issue4,Pages407-418.“Skillversusluck:Amotivationalanalysisofgamblinginvolvement”.Winter1996.↩

8. RichardBartle.Mud.co.uk.“Hearts,Clubs,Diamonds,Spades:PlayerswhosuitMUDS”.April1996.↩

9. ImageaccessedfromGamasutra.com.“DesigningComputer-GamesPreemptivelyforEmotionsandPlayerTypes.”06/19/13.↩

10. AmyJoKim.AmyJoKim.com.“BeyondPlayerTypes:Kim’sSocialActionMatrix”.02/28/2014.↩

11. Ibid.↩12. AndrzejMarczewski.Gamified.uk.“UserTypes”.Accessed2/17/2015.↩13. AndrzejMarczewski.Gamified.uk.“UserTypes”.Accessed2/17/2015.↩

14. YoutubeVideo:“GSummitSF2012:RichardBartle-AGameDesigner’sViewofGamification”.9/27/2012.↩

15. NicoleLazzaro.XEODesign.“WhyWePlayGames:FourKeystoMoreEmotionWithoutStory”03/08/2004.↩

16. JesseSchell.TheArtofGameDesign:ABookofLenses.P183-184.CRCPress.BocaRaton.2008.↩

17. ImagefromWikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Challenge_vs_skill.svg↩

18. FoggBehaviorModelWebsite:behaviormodel.org↩19. YoutubeVideo:“Forgetbigchange,startwithatinyhabit:BJFoggat

TEDxFremont”.12/05/2012.↩20. JaneMcGonigal.RealityisBroken.P22.PenguinGroup.NewYork,NY.

2011.↩21. BJFogg.Behaviormodel.org.“3coremotivators,eachwithtwosides”

Accessed2/17/2015.↩22. AsanoptionalexerciseforthediligentOctalysislearner,canyoufigureout

howtheseCoreDrivesmatchwithBJFogg’smotivationcomponents?↩23. WikipediaEntry,“HeuristicsinJudgementandDecision-Making”:

http://www.yukaichou.com/heuristics.Accessed02/17/2015.↩24. WikipediaEntry,“Listofcognitivebiases”:

http://www.yukaichou.com/cognitivebias.Accessed02/17/2015.↩25. Yu-kaiChou.YukaiChou.com.“TheStrategyDashboardforGamification

Design”:http://www.yukaichou.com/strategydashboard.07/14/2014.↩26. JaneMcGonigal.RealityisBroken.PenguinGroup.NewYork,NY.2011.↩27. Ibid.P69.↩28. JaneMcGonigal.RealityisBroken.P53.PenguinGroup.NewYork,NY.

2011.↩

Chapter16:LevelIOctalysisinAction

NowthatwehaveexaminedallthevariouscomponentsofLevelIOctalysis,let’sseehoweverythingcomestogether.TherearegenerallytwomethodstouseOctalysis:

ThefirstmethodistoanalyzeexistingproductstodeterminetheirstrengthsandweaknessesformotivationtowardtheDesiredActions.Itallowsustoidentifywhattypeofmotivationisweaksowecanintroducenewimprovements,oftenintheformofGameDesignTechniques,totheexperience.ThisistypicallycalledanOctalysisAudit.

ThesecondmethodistocreateabrandnewexperiencebasedonOctalysisandthe8CoreDrives.Throughaverysystematicprocess,wecancreateanengagingexperiencethatwillfulfillthegoalsoftheexperiencedesigner.

Let’sfirstlookattheformer.

OctalysisReviewofFacebookThefirststepofutilizingOctalysisasatoolistodecipherallthemotivationCoreDrivesthatarepresentinanexperience.InChapter3,webrieflylookedatFacebookthroughthelensesofOctalysis.Let’stakeaslightlycloserlookusingyournewfamiliaritywiththe8CoreDrives.

Ingeneral,FacebookisfairlystronginmostoftheCoreDrives,hencethemassivesuccessithastoday.AtthecenterofFacebookthereisCoreDrive5:SocialInfluenceandRelatedness.Peopleareconsistentlylookingtostayconnectedwithotherstosharetheirownexperiencesandcheckoutwhatothersaredoing.FacebookdeploysagreatdealofSocialProdding,SocialTreasures,andConformityAnchorstocreateamoreengagingexperience.

OntheotherhandthereisahighamountofCoreDrive7:UnpredictabilityandCuriosityintheexperience.EverytimeausergoesonFacebook,theyarelookingfornewandwondrouscontentthatisworthviewingandsharing.

HookedauthorNirEyalevenimpliesthateverytimewegoontoourFacebook(orTwitter)NewsFeeds,orwhenwe“pulldown”torefreshtheNewsFeedupdates,it’sasifwearepullingtheleveronaslotmachine-somethingheterms“RewardsoftheHunt.”1EverytimewecommittheDesiredAction,wearetryingtoseeifwewillberewardedwithmoremoreinterestingcontent.Ifwe

don’t“win,”wepullthelevertoplayagainandseeifwebecomeluckierthenexttime.

There’salsoastrongsenseofCoreDrive4:Ownership&PossessionwithinFacebook.OneofthecoreactivitiesonFacebookistoaccumulateandorganizemorephotosoffriendsandexperiences.Inaddition,sincemanypeople’sFacebookprofilesrepresenttheirsocialidentity,thereisastrongsenseofownershiptowardstheseprofiles.TruetoCoreDrive4principles,nowthereisanevenstrongerdesiretoorganizeandimprovetheirprofiles.

Forsomepeople,oneofthejoysofusingFacebookistoconstantlycomeupwithcreativeandhumorousthingstosayorcontenttoshareinordertoget“Likes.”ThisoftenutilizesCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.The“Feedback”partofreceivinglikesisessentialinanyexperience,assimplyexpressingcreativitywithoutreceivinganyfeedbackisactuallyatorturousexperience.

Ofcourse,whenapersonsharesphotosoftheirlatesttriptoEuropeorafunnyblogpostthatdozensorevenhundredsoftheirfriendsareliking,theyalsofeelastrongsenseofCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.ThisLeftBrainWhiteHatCoreDrivefurthermakesauserfeelgoodwhentheycontinuetocommittheDesiredActions.

WealsomentionedinChapter12thatthereisatremendousamountofCoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidanceforFacebook,especiallyintheEndgame.ThisisbecausetheSunkCostPrisonpreventspeoplefromquittingduetoallthetime,friends,photos,experiences,messages,andgamepointsaccumulatedonFacebook.Usersaresimplystuckwithinvestingmoreoftheirtimeaccumulatingadditional“valuables”thattheyareafraidtolose.

AsmentionedinChapter3,theonlytwoCoreDrivesthatFacebookislackingonareCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling,aswellasCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.ThereisnorealhigherpurposethatisgreaterthanoneselfwhenusingFacebook.ArareexceptioniswhenpeoplejoinFacebookGroupsbasedonahighermissionorvision,suchassomecharityorcultgroups.Ofcourse,thistypeofmotivationiscertainlynotdominanttowardswhypeopleuseFacebook,butonlyservesasancomplementaryexperiencealongsideofFacebook.

WealsomentionedhowintheearlydaysofFacebook,therewasatremendousamountofscarcityintheformofexclusivityasonlystudentsfromafewselecteduniversitieslikeHarvardwereallowedtojoin.Duringthattime,CoreDrive6:Scarcity&ImpatiencewasextremelyhighintheDiscoveryPhase,whichalsobuiltupastrongsenseofElitismfromCoreDrive1duringtheOnboardingandScaffoldingPhases.

However,sinceFacebookopeneduptoeveryoneandtheirgrandmothers,thereisverylittleCoreDrive6left.Thereisn’tanythingthatyouwantbutcannothaveconstantlybeingdangledinfrontofyourface.PerhapsonlywhenyouarewaitingforyourfriendtorespondtoyourmessageorwhenFacebookhasexclusivenewfeaturesthatareonlyofferedtoasmallpoolofusersdoyoufeelsomesenseofCoreDrive6.Ohyes,andthatpersonyouarestalkingwhorefusestoacceptyourfriendrequestandshowyoumorepictures.IguessthereisCoreDrive6inthattoo,butitprobablyisn’tthemain“gameplay”experienceofFacebook.

Ofcourse,nothavingCoreDrive6inthiscaseisnotanegativething,becausewelearnedthateventhoughCoreDrive6createsobsessionbybeingBlackHatandLeftBrain(ExtrinsicTendency),itisnotidealforlongtermengagement.IfFacebookhasalreadyachievedstrongengagementthroughotherCoreDrives(andearlierCoreDrive6efforts),thereisnoneedtoaddCoreDrive6ifitisn’ttryingtorapidlycapturenewusersbuttoengageexistingones.

SobasedonthequickLevel1Octalysisreviewabove,werecognizethatFacebookwouldbemoresuccessfulifithadagreaterelementofCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callinginit.PeoplewhoareagainstFacebookoftenthinkofitisasawasteoftimeandadistractiontobigger,moreimportantthings.Plentyofpeopleattempttoboycottorgoona“Facebookfast”becausetheydon’twanttowastetheirlifeon“silly”things.IfFacebookcouldutilizeitsplatformtogetindividualstodomoremeaningfulactivitiesthathelptheworldandcontributetosociety,thenitwouldlikelybecomeevenmoreengaging.

Ofcourse,weseethatFacebookalreadyattemptstoaddinathreadofCoreDrive1astheyraiseawarenessandaskfordonationstosupportnaturaldisasterrefugees.Butthoseareusuallyone-offcasestriggeredbylargeworldeventsthatnoonecanignore.ItwouldbemoremeaningfuliftheybuildinmoreregularandstreamlinedexperienceswhereusersfeelthateveryminuteonFacebookactuallycontributestotheworld.Forinstance,atopbarthatcontinuallydisplays

aneffortorgroupinlessfortunatecommunitiesthatisindireneedofhelp.Itcanalsoshowatriggerbuttonthatallowspeopletodonatetheirtimeormoneytothesecauses.

Sincetheeffortorgroupwouldchangedailyandwouldincludedetailsonexactlywhattheyaregoingthrough,attheminimumpeoplewouldfeelmoreeducatedandawareoftheworld’sproblemseachdaytheyvisitFacebook.Throughmassivelyincreasingdonationstogroups,Facebookcantrulysaythattheydon’tonlychangetheworld,buttheyalsosavetheworldasuserslogineveryday.

Finally,itwouldlikelybenefitFacebookifiteasilyallowedpeopletofindandseekhelpfrommentorsorhomeworkbuddies.ThiswouldmakepeoplethinkthatbeingonFacebookisvery“productive”anddecreasetheirresistanceofit.

TheScoreisaSmokeScreenOvertheyears,alotofpeopleliketoaskmewhattheOctalysisScorerepresents.YoumighthavethatquestiontooasyoulookatsomeoftheOctalysischarts.Aswealreadyknow,scorestendtointriguethemind,andeveryonelikestofindoutaboutthem.However,IusuallytrytostrayawayfromspendingtoomuchtimeexplainingtheOctalysisScorebecauseitisactuallytheleastactionableelementintherealmofOctalysis.

What’susefulisusingtheOctalysischarttodeterminewhichCoreDrivesareweakandneedtobeimprovedon,whileunderstandingthenatureofthedominantCoreDrivesintermsofbeingWhite/BlackHatandLeft/RightBrain.TheOctalysisScoreitselfissomewhatjustfunandgimmicky.Butsincepeoplekeepasking,IthoughtIshouldshareabitonhowIarriveatthesenumbers.

Generally,foreachCoreDrive,weassumeanumberbetween0to10basedon“HowstrongdoesthisCoreDrivemotivatetowardstheDesiredAction.”0MeansthattheCoreDrivedoesnotexistasamotivatorwithintheexperience.Atthetopendofthescale,10usuallymeansthatitisimpossibletoimprovetheCoreDrivefurther,andalmostallindividualswhobecomeexposedtotheCoreDrivewilltaketheDesiredAction.

Afterthat,Itakethesquareofalleightnumbersandaddthemtogether.ThismeansthatthehighestpossibleOctalysisScoreis800(Tensquaredmultipliedbyeight),andthelowestis0.Inmyownratings,mostsuccessfulgamesare

above350,andmostnon-gameproductsarebelow150.Infact,mostproductsthataren’tsensitivetoHuman-FocusedDesignfallbelow50.

However,sincethescoringisrelativelysubjective,differentpeoplewillcomeupwithdifferentscoresforthesameproduct.WhenpeopleaskmehowdoIknowtheexactnumbersassignedtoeachmotivation,Ijustsaythatitisbasedonanintuitivefeelafterexperiencingthesystem.However,theexactnumbersaren’treallythatusefulasImentionedearlier,aslongasyouarenotfaroff.Itreallydoesn’tdoanythingtoyourdesignwhetheryougiveaCoreDriveavalueof2or3,aslongasyouknowitisnota7or8.AsIsaid,Octalysisisatoolthatallowspeopletodesignbetterbasedontheirownsoundjudgements.(Afterall,soundjudgementisrequiredinallmodels,beitSWOTAnalysis2,BJFogg’sB=MAT,orBostonConsultingGroup’sBCGMatrix3).

What’sactuallyimportantinmymindisthatyouconceptuallyrecognizethingslike:thereisnounpredictabilityinyourexperience,orthatyouheavilyrelyonBlackHatCoreDrives.Generally,justknowingwhichCoreDrivesarestrongandwhichareweakcanallowyoutodesignappropriatelyfortheexperience,asopposedtospendingprecioustimefussingoverexactvalues.

OneinsightthatcanbederivedoutoftheOctalysisScoreformula,isthatitisgenerallybetterbeingextremelystronginafewCoreDrives,asopposedtohavingalittlebitofeverything.Ascoreof1foralleightCoreDriveswillonlyresultinanOctalysisScoreof8,whereashavingtwoCoreDrivesthathavethevalueof9willresultinanOctalysisScoreof162.ThatiswhyitissoimportanttopicktherightCoreDrivesthathasthedesiredcharacteristicsinyourgamificationdesign.IfyouareonlygoingtopickafewCoreDrives,youwanttomakesurethatyouarepickingthemosteffectiveonesbasedonthespecificscenario.

Withthatsaid,itisusuallyeasiertoimproveonaCoreDriveifitiscompletelylackingcomparedtoonesthatarealreadystrong.Itisusuallyfairlyeasytoaddalittlebitofunpredictability,alittlebitofsocial,oralittlebitofscarcitywhentherearenone.ButifthereisalreadyahighsenseofSocialInfluence,itbecomesmuchmoredifficulttofurtherenhancethatCoreDrive.YouusuallyneedatrueexpertonthatCoreDrivedoingalotofdesign,research,andA/BTestingtopushouttheCoreDrivefromatheoretical8toa9.

Finally,IhavenoticedatendencyforstudentsofOctalysisto“inflate”thevaluesofCoreDriveswithintheirownprojects(aCoreDrive4bias-ha!).Everythingappearstobea7to9intheirprojects,whichisextremelyunlikelyunlessyourprojectisalreadymoreengagingthanFacebook.Notsurprisingly,OctalysisismoreusefulasadesigntoolifyouaremorerealisticonthescaleofmotivationforeachoftheCoreDrives.

Asathinkingexercise,avalueof10forCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callingshouldbesomethingthatissoepicallymeaningfulthatpeoplearewillingtodieforit.Similarly,avalueof10forCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidanceshouldreflectsomethingsothreateningthatpeoplearewillingtokillforit.Withthatinmind,I’mgoingtoimagineyouremployeeengagementcampaignisfarawayfromhavingall8sor9soneachCoreDrive.

MostsystemsinthemarketareFunction-Focused,andthemajorityofproductsIhaveseenhave0onmostCoreDrivesandonly1or2onafewCoreDrives.Successfulproductshave3to4onafewCoreDrivesandafew8to9s.Industry-dominatingproductsmighthaveoneortwo9sandevena10,butthatshouldrarelybeassigned.

Attheendoftheday,ifyouuseOctalysisjusttomakeyourselffeelgoodaboutwhatyouaredoing,thenthereisverylittleroomtofindbetterwaystoimprovetheexperience.

It’sdifficulttoabsorbawaterfallwhenyourcupistoofull.4

OctalysisoftheSpeedCameraLotteryOneofthemostfamousanaloguedesignsinthegamificationworldisTheSpeedCameraLotterybyVolkswagen’sFunTheory5.ThegoalofthecampaignistoencouragedriverstoobeythepostedspeedlimitsbymakingtheDesiredActionmoreengaging.

OriginallyproposedtotheTheFunFactorybyKevinRichardsonfromSanFrancisco,theconceptwasimplementedin2010bytheSwedishNationalSocietyforRoadSafetybasedinStockholm,Sweden.Usingexistingtraffic-cameraandspeed-capturetechnologies,theSpeedCameraLotterydevicewoulddetectthespeedofalldriverspassingthroughitandtakephotographsoftheirlicenseplates.

AnLEDboarddisplayedthespeedstoeachpassingdriver,alongwithathumbsuporthumbsdownsignsignifyingwhethertheywereobeyingthelawornot.Speedersthatarephotographedwereissuedacitation,withtheproceedsgoingintoacashfund.Ontheotherhand,driverswhoobeyedthespeedlawwouldalsoberecordedandthenenteredintoalottery,wheretheywouldbeeligibletowinsomeofthemoneyfromthespeeders.

Thiscasestudyhasbeenseenbymanypeoplewithinthegamificationindustry,andpeopleoftenexclaim,“That’sareallycreativesolution!HowcanIcomeupwithcreativesolutionslikethattosolvemyownproblems?”

Hereweseethat,throughtheOctalysisprocess,onecanpotentiallycomeupwithcreativesolutionsliketheSpeedCameraLotteryandmore.

TheProblem:GetpeopletodriveunderthespeedlimitIneverygamifiedcampaign,onemustfirstdefinetheproblemtosolve,andhowtomeasuresuccess.Ifwetaketheproblemofdecreasingspeedingdriversasanongoingcampaign,wecanthenanalyzeitthroughthe8CoreDrivesofOctalysis.

Generallyspeaking,withoutanyhumanintervention,drivingwithinthespeedlimitisonlymotivatedbyCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling-drivingsafelyandresponsiblyisforacausegreaterthanyourself.Thishasdefinitelycausedmanypeopletoputsomesortoflimitationontheirdrivingspeed,makingtheroadssaferoverall.

Theproblemis,mostpeopledon’talwaysequatefastdrivingto“dangerous”driving.Formany,ignoringthespeedlimitisstillworthitiftherewardistheimmediategratificationofarrivingtotheirdestinationssoonerorfeelingthethrillofgoingfast.Asaconsequence,mostgovernmentsintroducedCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance-finingpeoplewhentheyarecaughtdrivingoverthespeedlimit.Peoplewanttoavoidgettingfinedforfastdriving,sotheylowertheirdrivingspeedstangibly.Thisiswhatdetersmostpeoplefromdrivingdangerously.

However,lawenforcementisaveryexpensivesolution,especiallyifitneedstobeubiquitous.Andbecausetheoddsofgettingcaughtarerelativelylowwhenonespeeds,manypeoplearestillnotdeterredfromtheiroccasionalspeedinghabits.

Subsequently,anothersolutionwasintroducedthatutilizesCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.Youmayhaveseenthosespeeddetectorsthatdon’tgivespeedersafine,butmerelydisplaywhatspeedtheyweredrivingat.Sincethedriverisincontroloftheir“score”andseesimmediatefeedback,thisencouragesmanypeopletoslowdownevenmorewhentheyseethattheirspeedsaretoohigh.

TheissuehereisthattheWin-Stateisstillnotverycleartothedriver.Whatwasthespeedlimitagain?WasIaboveitorbelowit?Rememberthatpeopleoftendonotwanttousetheiractivebrainstothinkifitisnotnecessary.IfpeoplehavetocalculateforthemselveswhethertheyhittheWin-Stateornot,manywillgetlazyandnotbother.Also,itturnsoutthatsomepeoplewillalsodotheoppositeoftheDesiredActionandtrytoseehowhighofaspeedtheycangetrecordedonthefeedbackdevice,whichcompletelydefeatsthepurposeofthedesign.

SpeedCameraLottery’sInnovationAsaresult,incomestheSpeedCameraLottery.TheSpeedCameraLotteryaddsfouradditionalCoreDrivestosolvethisproblem.

CoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.WiththeSpeedCameraLottery,aplayercannowpotentially“earn”moneyiftheyscorewellandachievetheWin-State.Inthiscase,thetangiblerewardofcashisitselfafairlystrongmotivatortogetpeopleinterestedinparticipating.CoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity.Wehavelearnedthat,wheneverthereisalotteryorsweepstakessystem,itinvolvesCoreDrive7.A10%chanceofwinning$100oftenengagespeoplemorethanasurechanceofgetting$10,becausetheywillcontinuouslythinkaboutwhethertheywillwinornot.Thisanticipationmakesthingsmoreexcitingandengaging.CoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.InsteadofbeingambiguousaboutwhetherthedriverhittheWin-Stateornot,theSpeedCameraLotterydisplaysanobviousgreenthumbsupwhendriversachievetheWin-State,andaredthumbsdownwhendriversfailtoachievetheWin-State.Thiswasfurtherreinforcedbydisplayingspeedsatorbelowthelimitingreen,anddisplayingspeedsinexcessofthelimitinred.ThisinstantfeedbackmechanismallowstheusertointuitivelyfeelmoresuccessfulandaccomplishedwhenachievingtheWin-State.CoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.IntheviralYoutubevideothatshowcasestheSpeedCameraLottery6,weseethattheSpeedCamera

Lotteryisimplementedonabusystreetwithlotsofotherdriversandpassengersnearby.Beyondjustthedesiretodowellandwinsomemoney,thedriverwouldrecognizethateveryonearoundcouldseewhethertheygetathumbsuporthumbsdown.Eventhoughthemajorityoftheaudiencearemerestrangers,wenaturallydon’tlikeotherstoseeusas“thumbs-downlosers”thataredisobeyingthelaw.Wewouldmuchpreferotherstoseethatwearelaw-abidingcitizensthataregettinggreenthumbs-ups.

WithfouradditionalCoreDrivesdesignedintotheexperience,theSpeedCameraLotterywasabletoreducetheaveragespeedofpassingdriversbyover20%duringtheirpilotrun.EventhoughtheSpeedCameraLotteryisn’ttheend-allbe-allsolutionduetoalackofEndgamedesign,wecanseethatbyapplyingOctalysisandthe8CoreDrivestoanexistingproblem,weareabletoinnovateanddesignnewexperiencesthatreinforcedesiredbehaviors.

IfthereisonethingIwantmyreaderstogetoutofthisbook,itistoconstantlythinkaboutmotivationandthe8CoreDrivesinsteadoffeatures,functions,andsystems.WhenyoustartoffwithHuman-FocusedDesignasopposedtoFunction-FocusedDesign,I’mconfidentthatwhateveryoudesignwillcomeouttobemoreappealing,moreenjoyable,andmoresuccessful.

OctalysisoftheWazeNavigationAppBeyondjustahighlevelOctalysisoverviewofanexperience,wecanalsoanalyzetheexperienceseparatelythroughoutthe4ExperiencePhasesofaPlayer’sJourney:Discovery,Onboarding,Scaffolding,andEndgame.

SomewhatinlinewiththeSpeedCameraLottery,anothersectorin“gamifieddriving”isthenavigationappWaze.AsmentionedinChapter5,WazeisanimmenselypopularGPSappthatischanginghowwenavigatetrafficthroughcrowdsourcingreal-timetrafficandroadconditiondata.Oftenreceivinganaveragefivestarratingbytensofthousandsofusers,itsfanshavetakenthemundaneexperienceofdrivingandturneditintoanenjoyablyimmersiveadventurewitharewardingsocialexperience.

Let’stakeadeeperlookintohowWazeaccomplishesthisbyapplyingOctalysistoitsdesignandmechanics.

Mostnavigationsystemssimplyprovidedirectionsasameanstoanend(Function-Focused).TheymostlymotivateusthroughtwoCoreDrives:

CoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.UserscontinuetoseeprogresstowardsthedestinationandfeelverycompetentwhentheyreachtheWin-Stateefficiently.CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance.Usersavoidthefrustratingexperienceofgettinglostorfeelingconfused.

ButallnavigationsystemsfulfillthesetwoCoreDrives,withsomedoingitbetterthanothers.Asanewentrantintotheindustry,WazeneededtoincorporatemoreCoreDrivesintotheirexperienceinordertocreatedifferentiatingsuccess.

Wazedoesthisbyenablingsocialcomponentstocreatelocalizedcommunitiesofdrivers.Whilethecompanyownsthemaprights,theactualnavigational

systemisdrivenbycrowdsourceduserdataasdriversconstantlycontributeupdates.Theseupdatesincluderoadconditions,debris,traffic,presenceofcops,andotherspecificdetailsthatarehelpfultodriversusingtheapp.ThisissomewhatakintothespiritbehindWikipedia’scommunityparticipation.

Waze’sobjectiveisn’tjusttoprovidepeopledirections.heywanttocreatepleasantandfundrivingexperiencesthatbringmoreenjoymenttotheirusers’dailycommutes.

Let’sdiveintohowWazeappealstothe8CoreDrivesthroughoutthe4ExperiencePhases.

DiscoveryPhaseexperienceforWazeTheDiscoveryPhaseiswhereusersdecidetostarttryingoutacertainexperience.Manyothergamification/gamedesignframeworksdefinetheirfirstphaseasOnboardingorIdentity7,whichbeginswhenuserssignuptoanexperience.However,Ibelievethattheuserexperienceofaservicedoesnotstartwhenpeoplesignuptotheservice,butwhentheyfirsthearaboutit.Howtheyhearaboutit,inwhatcontext,motivatedbywhatCoreDriveswillallaffecthowusersbehaveduringtheOnboardingandScaffoldingPhase.Asaresult,wewanttocarefullyanalyzeandcrafttheDiscoveryExperienceofanyservicewearedesigning.

ManypeoplediscovertheWazeappbecauseofamildformofCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity.Theyheardaboutitsomewhere,readaboutitthroughonlinemediasites,orjuststumbleduponitintheappstore.Wazeattractsusersbydisplayingcutegraphicsandbringingoutpeople’scuriosityinbeingauser-generatednavigationapp.SincemostGPSappsarecentrallyprogrammedandlookoverlyserious,thispromptsusercuriosity,“Hmm!Auser-generatedGPS?Howdoesthatwork?”Thenovelconceptitselfattractspeopletobecomeinterestedintryingouttheexperience.

Furthermore,WazeutilizesastrongsenseofCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.Becauseofthecommunityethosithasthroughouttheexperience,theappencouragesmanyusersduringScaffoldingandtheEndgametotelltheirfriendsaboutit.Prospectiveusersarealsoheavilyinfluencedbyreviewsandratingsfromotherusers,whichweknowbynow,heavilymotivatesDesiredActionsduetotheConformityAnchordiscussedinChapter9.

AlongthetwoCoreDrivesthateverynavigationsystemhas(2and8),therearen’tmanyotherCoreDrivesthatareembeddedintheDiscoveryPhase,soletsmoveontoexaminingtheOnboardingPhase.

OnboardingPhaseexperienceforWazeOnboardingstartsafterusersdecidetogivetheexperienceatryanddownloadtheapp.

ImentionedinChapter5thatoneoftheveryimpressivethingsWazedoesistobringinCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&CallingduringtheOnboardingExperience.Insteadoftakingupalotoftimewithtextorvideonarratives,earlyversionsofWazesimplyshowanOnboardinggraphicofTraffic-ahugesnakemonsterconsistingofaroadwithcarsstuckonit-combattingmanycuteandbraveknightWazers.Below,itdisplaysthetagline“BeatTraffic,Together.”ThisdemonstratesthatwhenusersaredrivingwithWaze,theyarenotjustcommutingtotheirdestinations,butareactuallyhelpinganentirecommunityofbraveWazersfightTraffic,whichofcourseissomethingeveryonehates.

TheappthenquicklydemonstratesFeedbackMechanicsthatshow“363Wazersnearby”whichisadisplayofCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.Theuserneedstoquicklyknowthatthisappispopularandthereisactivitywithintheapp.Shecanalsoseecuteiconsofotherdrivers,somewithcrowns,otherswithhelmets,andothershavebabysucklers.ThisinstallssomeCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&CuriosityalongwithsomeCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience.“Hmm,IwonderhowIcanmakemycaravatartolookdifferent.”

Ofcourse,theuserisnotlikelytoexplorealltheavatarsettingsthefirsttimeusingtheapp,butinsteadwilllikelytrytogosomewherewithWaze.Withbigandroundbuttonsandaclearnavigation,WazemakessurethereisanelementofCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment.Thismeansthatusersfeelsmartandcompetentwhenevertheyareinteractingwiththeinterfaceandsearchingforanewaddress.Remember:duringtheOnboardingPhase,itiscriticaltomakeusersfeelsmartandnotoverwhelmthemwithtoomanyfeaturesandfunctionalities,amistakebymanylargecorporationsandstartupsalike.

WazealsoallowsuserstoaccumulateStatusPointswhiledriving,appealingtoCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,whichisfurtherenhancedbythepersonifiedcaravatars.Eventhoughusersareshownunlockableavatarsastheyaccumulatemorepointsandlevelup(aDanglingelementinCoreDrive6),I

personallydon’tfeelthatitheavilymotivatesuserbehaviorandisabitmoreonthegimmickysideuntillateronintheScaffoldingphase.

Atthispoint,theuserprobablyisn’tinthemoodtocontributedata,modifythemap,andshareroadconditionstoothers.However,theexperiencethusfarhasbeensmoothandintriguingenoughthatmanyuserswouldbeopentomoveforwardandmoveintotheScaffoldingPhase.

ScaffoldingPhaseexperienceforWazeTheScaffoldingPhaseistheregularjourneyoftheuserthroughouttheexperience.Interestingly,thisnormallyinvolvesarepeatedsetofactionsonadailyorweeklybasis.WithinWaze,oncetheuserhasabasicsenseofhowtonavigatethesystem,theyaredriventodiveinfurther,explore,contribute,andachievemoreuntilitbecomesadailyhabit.

AsWazeproperlyfunctions,CoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishmentkicksinevenmoreasitnavigatesdriversthroughheavytrafficandtakesthemonlittlesideroadsthatbypassdozensofcarsstuckonthehighway.Thismakesusersfeelsmartandaccomplishedutilizinginformationthatotherpeopledon’thaveaccesstoinordertomaneuverintrafficbetter.

AnotherkeyCoreDrivethatstartstobuildupmoreduringScaffoldingisCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession.AstheuserdriveswithWaze,itcollectsspecificdataabouttheirhabitsanddrivingbehavior.Thustheappisabletoformadeepandindividualizedunderstandingofauserandcustomizetheirexperience.

AsanexampleoftheAlfredEffectdiscussedinChapter9,Wazemightaskthedriver,“wouldyouliketogotoworknow?”becauseitknowsthatthedrivergoestoworkat8:30AMonweekdays.Butat8PMonaWednesday,Wazemightask,“Wouldyouliketogotothegym?”becauseitknowsthatWednesdaynightsaregymnightsforthisuser.Thepersonalized“AlfredEffect”motivatesuserstostayengagedandloyalwiththeapp,evenifothermoreadvancedtechnologiescomeout.Theuserpreferstosticktothesystemthatknowsthemoveronesthataresmarter.

AnotherpowerfulCoreDrivewithinWazeduringtheScaffoldingPhaseisCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity.Whenauserisalertedaboutadisabledcarstuckontheroadside,theirmindssuddenlybecomeengaged.“Willitbe

there?Willitbethere?”ThisiswhatIcalltheOracleEffect(GameTechnique#71),whereapredictionaboutthefuturecausestheusertobecomefullyengagedtoseewhetherthe“prophecy”willbecometrueornot.Oftenuserswillstayfocuseduntilvoila!,theyseetheincapacitatedcarstuckontheshoulder-theprophecyisfulfilled!Evenwhenthecarisn’tthere,theuserwouldthink,“Bummer.MaybenexttimeI’llgettowitnessthealertedincident.”Whenyoupulltheleveronaslotmachine,sometimesyouwin,andsometimesyoudon’t.ThattypeofcuriosityaddsanextralayeroffunwithintheWaze’sexperience.

Atonepoint,aftercontinuouslyseeingandbenefitingfromreliableinformationcontributedbyothers,usersalsostarttothinkaboutexercisingtheirCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback.Suddenly,theuserisstartingtosharesomeoftheirownroadinformation,tappingonafewlargeiconswhiledrivingtosharethattherewasapolicemanhidingatthebottomofasteepslope.(Note:thisisnotnecessarilysafe.)Thisgivesusersa“senseofagency”astheyfeelempoweredtocontributewhattheywantintothepoolofhelpfuldata.

WeknowthatforCoreDrive3towork,itneedsquick“feedback”also,andfeedbackisoftenevenstrongerifitismixedwithCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.What’semotionallyrewardingaboutWaze,isthatoften,whenyousharedinformationwiththecommunity,youmayreceiveacouplepop-upsthatshowpeoplethankingyouafewsecondslater.(Again,thisisnotnecessarilysafeforeithersharerorthanker;agamificationdesignerneedstothinkheavilyabouttheramificationsoftheirdesigns).Whenusersseeminglygetinstantfeedbackfromother,appreciativeusers,theyfeeldelightedandarepronetosharemoreinthefuture.AftereveryDesiredActionmustcomeadelightfulmoment.

Ofcourse,therearestillsomeCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatiencedesignsinthesystem,astheappstilldanglesapathtomasterytowardsbecoming“WazeRoyalty.”However,sincetheunlockedrewarddoesnotgrantusersmoreusefulpowersoractuallyrepresentanimpressivestatustoothers,frommyobservations,itdoesnotheavilyalteruserbehavior.

WithCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance,peoplehateoverpayingforcommoditiessuchasgas,beer,orgroceries,sonavigationservicescouldreallyhelppeopleavoidoverpayingbyroutingthemtotheleastexpensivelocationsalongtheirway.Inaddition,whenapersonistryingtosearchforarestaurant“ontheway”

toadestination,mostnavigationappsshowlocationsordetoursthatarereallyoutoftheway.

Wazeallowsuserstoavoidthesepainsbyshowingcheapergasstationsandshorterdetoursasusersheadtowardstheirdestinations.Iteventellstheuserhowlongthedetourisfromtheoriginalroutebeforetheusercommitstoanylocation.ThiseventuallyleadstomoreCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishmentaspeoplefeelsmartaboutnotwastingmuchtimeormoneyinfindinggasoraplacetoeat.

TheEndgamePhaseofWazeTheEndgamePhasestartswhentheuserhasbeengoingthroughtheactivityloopsforalongperiodoftimeandhasdoneeverythingthereistodowithintheirownperceptions.ThisiswhenweevaluatewhytheywouldstillwanttoremaininthesystemandcommittomoreDesiredActions.

LuckilyforWaze,thenavigationfunctionalityitselfisausefulpurposethatmanypeopleneedonadailybasis.Assuch,peoplecan’tquiteasilyliketheydowithgames.However,withoutdiligentdesign,theremaystillbenothingthatstopstheuserfrommigratingtoothernavigationservicesthatoffersimilarFunction-Focusedbenefits.ThisiswheregoodEndgamedesignbecomesveryimportant.

DuringtheEndgame,hardcoreuserswhohavebeeninvolvedforalongtimestarttakingmoreprideinbeingpartofthecommunity,whichstrengthenstheCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling.Asweknow,theAlfredEffectwithinCoreDrive4continuestogrow,whichalsobuildsupCoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidanceasusersdon’twanttoleaveandlosetheacquiredsystemintelligenceaswellasthesavedaddressesand“favorites”inthesystem.

Also,atthisstage,someCoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativitycanbeutilizedaspeoplebegintoactuallyusetheavailableonlinemapeditortoupdatethemapandmakeimprovements.Ofcourse,sincethephysicalworldismetaphorically“setinstone,”thereisstillalimitedamountofcreativitythatcanbederivedthisprocess.Furthermore,thereareonlysomanywaystosay“thereisapieceoftrashorapolicecarhere”(anythingbeyondthesimplestwayswouldbetoodangerousfordriving),soCoreDrive3isstillverylimitedforaveteranuser.

Ontheotherhand,AslongasWazecontinuestoofferfasterroutesthanothercompetitors,CoreDrive2:Development&AccomplishmentwilllikelyremainstrongintheEndgame.However,manyothernavigationappsarealltoutingthattheyareequallysmartorsmarteratfindingfasterroutestobeattraffic.Regardlessifthat’saccurateornot,theperceptionofthatpossibilityalongwithsomeBlackHatDiscoveryPhasedesign,couldquicklysnatchusersawayfromWazeiftheydependedonthisalone.

RegardingCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness,eventhoughthelightsocialinteractionswithinWazeremainfunintheendgame,thedepthofinteractivityandrelationshipsdon’tnecessarilyexpand.Aspeoplearedriving,everyfriendshipinteractionisbasedonlighttouches,withpeopleoccasionallysendingyouSocialProdsintheformof“Beep-Beeps”oraquickmessage.TheleveloffriendshipdoesnotnecessarilyexpandorbecomemoremeaningfulthroughWaze.

CoreDrive6:Scarcity&ImpatienceaswellasCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosityarealsodiminished,sincetheuserhasunlockedthehighlevelavatarsandthenoveltyfactor(includingtheOracleEffectsinceithaslittlevariation)wouldlikelyhavebeenreduced.ThismeansthatWazedoesnothavemuchBlackHatmotivationwithintheEndgamePhase.Ofcourse,theavatarlevelsinWazeare“percentile-based,”whichmeansyoucouldloseyouravatarstatusifyoustoppedusingWazewhileothersdiligentlycatchup.Thismeansthatthereisstillmotivationtodriveforwardwhenaveteranuserdropsarankaftersluggishusage.Hereweseethatanotherpotentialside-effectofthisgamifieddesignmaybethatpeoplewoulddrivemorewithWazeonjusttokeeptheirranks,eventhoughitmaynotbenecessarytodriveinthefirstplace.Thismayunintentionallyimpacttheenvironmentinanegativeway.

Fromtheanalysisabove,wecanseethattheEndgameexperienceofWazeismostlyfocusedonCoreDrives1,2,3,4,andsome8.Thisisnotnecessarilybad,asweknowtheWhiteHatCoreDrivesstimulatelongerengagement.Aslongaspeopleareenjoyingtheexperience,itisfinetohavefewerBlackHatCoreDrivedesigns.However,Waze’slongertermsuccesswilldependonhowwelltheyappealtoCoreDrive2-dousersreallyfeelsmarterusingWazecomparedtoothernavigationsapps-andCoreDrive3-aretheremorewaystoutilizecreativityandseefeedbackwithoutjeopardizingsafedriving.Ofcourse,ifWazecanexpandonCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&RelatednesswithintheirEndgamedesign,thatwouldmakeitanevenmorecompellingexperience.

TheNextStep:IdentifyPotentialImprovementsforWazeOncewehaveanalyzedtheprogressiveexperienceofWaze,thenextstepistocomeupwithnewcreativeideastoenhancethose8CoreDrives.Forsimplicitysake,wewilljustgothroughasimpleten-minuteLevelIOctalysisbrainstorm,whichwouldbeveryinstructive,butbynomeansexhaustive.Fordisclaimersake,asofthiswriting,IhaveneverworkedwithWazebeforesothisisnotrealconsultingadvicebutsimplyaformofamusingbrainstormingusingtheOctalysisFramework.

ThefirstthingtoimproveinWazethroughthisquickanalysisistoemphasizetheCoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Callingmore.Imentionedearlierthatthe“TrafficMonster”onboardingimagewasthereintheearlierdays,butsincethenhasbeenreplacedbymoresocial-relatedmessages.Evenifthecompanywantstoemphasizethe“playfulfantasy”partofCoreDrive1,theyshouldcontinuetoprovidetheEpicMeaningof“helpingacommunitybeattraffic”throughoutthe

Scaffolding,andEndgameexperience.Unfortunately,OnboardingistheonlyplacewheremanyFeedbackMechanicselementsarepresent.

ToimproveCoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment,WazeshouldconsidermakingeveryarrivaltothedestinationabiggerWin-State.Playavictorioustune,showapopupthatexcitedlyshows,“Youhavearrivedsafely.Awesome!”Maybeevenshowtheimageofthelocationlikesomeothernavigationappsdosotheuserknowswhattolookoutfor.AllthisismuchbetterthantheblandGPSvoiceof“Youhavereachedyourdestination.”IwouldprobablyuseWazemoreifeverytimeIreachthedestination,thereisa25%chancethemechanicalfemalevoicesays,“Youhavereachedyourdestination.You’reawesome.”Ofcourse,thatalsoaddsablendofCoreDrive7EasterEggdesignintoit.

ForCoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession,wementionedthatoneofthegreatthingsaboutWazeistheAlfredEffectasitstartstoofferpersonalizedsuggestions.Theproblemis,mostusersaren’tawarethatWazeisintelligentlylearningabouttheirpreferencesuntillateronintheScaffoldingPhase.Ifmoreusersknewaboutit,maybefewerofthemwoulddropoutbeforetheyrealizedthefeaturewasthere.Theappcouldconsideraddingan“IntelligentScore”foritself,whereeachtimeyoudrovewithWaze,itsintelligencescoregoesupasitislearningmoreandmoreaboutyourpreferences.Thismayhavemorecontextualmeaningthanjustpointsandbuildssomeanticipationforwhatliesaheadintheexperience.

AnotherideawithCoreDrive4istostartshowingcutegraphicsandchartsthatreflecttheuser’sdrivingbehaviors.Chartsthatreflectthingslike,“Didyouknowthatyouwenttothegym105timesthisyearandstayedthereforatotalof5,775minutes?”Or,“Didyouknowthatyouspent9,422minuteslastyearcommutingtowork?”ThesecouldreallybuildmoreCoreDrive4intotheexperience.

Eventhoughinformationlikethisisnotnecessarilyuseful,peoplelikeitbecauseitreflectswhotheyareandmakesthemunderstandtheirbehaviorsbetter.ThiswillincreasetheirdesiretotouseWazemoreoftentoensurethatthedata,andhenceinsights,havemoreintegrityinthemandbecomemoreinteresting.

CoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackisactuallyratherdifficulttodesignforsincethepointofanavigationappistogetuserstotheir

destinationsasefficientlyaspossible.Thereisn’tmuchroomforcreativityandmeaningfulchoicesthatmaydiverttheuserorwastetheirtime.However,onepotentialideaistointroduceafeaturecalled“Accelerwaze,”whichallowsuserstotrytobeatWaze’spredetermined“EstimatedTimeofArrivals.”

WhenyousetWazeonadestination,itwilltellyouthemostoptimalwaytogetthere,aswellasthe“ETA”ifyoutookthatroute.Userscouldpotentiallychooseto“challenge”Wazebysaying,“IbelieveifItookthisrouteinstead,IwouldgettheremuchfasterthanWaze’sETA.”Thiswouldmakethedrivingexperienceabitmorefunanddynamic,aswellasallowWazetolearnaboutnewdrivingroutesinordertoupgradeitsownsystems.PeoplemayevenwanttouseWazeondestinationsthattheyknowfullwellhowtogetto,suchastheirdailycommutestowork.

Ofcourse,therearepotentialriskswhere,inordertoprovethattheirroutesarefaster,driverswoulddrivemorerecklesslyandrunthroughredlights.Foreverymotivatingfeatureyoudesign,youmustconsidertheunintendedconsequencesandnegativeramificationsbeforeimplementingit.Hopefully,these“Accelerwaze”driverswouldbedrivingpastmanySpeedCameraLotteriesandslowingdowntopotentiallywinprizesinstead.

Octalysisallowsyoutoasktherightquestionsanddesignformotivationwiththe8CoreDrives.Butjustbecauseyouhaveabunchoffunideasdoesn’tmeantheyareallsoundideas.Itisuptothedesigner’sjudgementtodeterminewhichfeaturesaresoundandwhichonesneedmorerefining.

Remember,wementionedearlierthatWaze’sgamificationsystemcouldincentivizepeopletodriveunnecessarilymoreandhurttheenvironment?Luckily,thereareideaswithinCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatednessthatalsohelpreducedriving.SinceWazeknowswhocommuteswhereeveryday,theycanpotentiallyintroduceacarpoolmatchingservicewhereindividualscansaveongas,energyandtheenvironment.Allwhilemakinganewfriend.Wazecouldpotentiallymatchpeoplebydeclaredinterest,industry,oreveninthesamecompany,tocommutetogetheronaregularbasis.

Iftheyreallywantedto,Wazecouldevencreateadatingserviceandsetupfirstdatesascarpools.Ofcourse,thejokehereisthatalmosteveryonewouldbegettingseconddatesbecausethepotentiallovebirdsatleasthavetocarpoolbackfromtheircommutes.Justdon’tbetheonethatissoterriblethattheother

personcallstheirfriendstopickthemup,sotheydon’thavetogothroughtheagonyofbeinginacarwithyouagain.

ForCoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity,theycouldaddinterestinganddelightfulexperiencestoEndgameusers,suchasrandomlytellingusersthataflashmobisineffectandaskthemiftheywanttoparticipate.Iftheusertaps“Yes,”itcouldreroutetheircartoalocationsuchasabeach,wheremanyotherWazerswouldgather.Theycouldthenimplementinterestingthemeslike,“Figureoutwhywebroughtallofyouhere.”

Perhapsafterafewconversations,peoplewillrealizethattheyallgotothegymtwiceadayandarehardcorehealthbuffs.Oncetheyfigureditout,theycouldevenearnanew“HealthBuff”avatarthatonlypeoplewhoshowedupatthisflashmobwouldget.ImagineifyouaredrivingwiththeverylimitedHeathBuffavatarandyousuddenlyseeonthemapanotherHealthBuffisnearby.ThattypeofRelatednessgetspeopleevenmoreconnectedtoeachotherthroughtheWazeapp.

Oneoftheconcernsofmeetingnewpeople,whetheritisfordatingorflashmobs,isthesafetyofit.Afterall,therearepeopleouttherethataresometimesharmful,andWazeshouldn’trisktheirusersgettingabadexperienceifpervertsjustusedtheapptofindvictims.ThisiswhereCoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatiencebecomesuseful.

CurrentlyforWaze(early2015),theonlyreasonwhypeoplewouldlevelupistounlocknewstatusavatars.Formostuserswhoaren’treallyhungupontheiravatars,thereisn’tmuchtolookforwardtowhengainingmoreexperiencepoints.Wazecouldsolvethisproblembybuildinginunlockablefeaturessuchasthecarpoolmatchingandflashmobs,whereonlyuserswithhigherlevelscouldsetupmoreinterestfilters,preferences,andgetbetteraccesstothesefeatures.

Thatway,everyonewho“qualifies”tomeetothermembersareprovenandcontributingmembersofthecommunity.Wazeevenknowstheirdrivinghistoryandwheretheyfrequent,suchaswheretheylive,wheretheywork,andwheretheyspendtheirweekends.ItwouldbeextremelydifficultforshadypeopletosignupforWazejusttofulfilltheirharmfuldesires.

Finally,iftheapphasbeendoingeverythingwell-gettinguserstoaccumulatepoints,theAlfredEffect,coolflashmobrelatedness,carpoolingwithothers,etc.,

CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidanceautomaticallysetsin.Oncepeoplegetusedtoacertainjoyfuldrivingexperience,thethoughtoflosingthatforanotherplainandboringnavigationsystemfeelsdreadful,andpeoplehabituallystickwithWazewhenevertheydrive.

Atthispoint,itisnotnecessarytodesignformoreCoreDrive8:Loss&AvoidancegametechniquessinceBlackHatCoreDrivesmakeusersfeeluncomfortableandtherefore,notidealforEndgamedesign.Sincetheappalreadyhasastrongandvibrantcommunity,itismuchbettertofocusonWhiteHatandRightBrain(intrinsictendency)CoreDrives.

Asyoucansee,withOctalysisyouareabletoanalyzeyourownproductorexperiencethoroughly,aswellasbeingabletouseittobrainstormothercreativeideastoimprovetheexperience.Ofcourse,yourarelywanttoimplementallthefeaturesthatareplanned,butitallowsyourthinkingtohavedepthtowardsdrivingdesiredbehaviorswhileallowinguserstoenjoytheprocess.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:CheckoutFacebook,theSpeedCameraLottery,ortheWazenavigationapp.Reviewtheanalysisdoneinthischapterbyexperiencingthroughthevariousfeatures.DoesseeingtheseexperienceswithnewOctalysisGlasseschangethewayyouunderstandhowtheywork?

Medium:Pickanotherproductorexperiencethatyouhavespentasignificantamountoftimeonandwhichisalsoimmenselypopular.TrytorunaLevelIOctalysisAuditonit.Isitwelldesignedwithinthecontextofthe8CoreDrives?Howcanyoumakeitevenbetter?

Hard:Findanotherprojectthatisusefulbutstrugglingtogettraction.Breakdowntheexperienceintothe4ExperiencePhases:Discovery,Onboarding,Scaffolding,andEndgame.Foreachphase,analyzewhatCoreDrives,ifany,arepresentinthatproject.Then,startbrainstormingthroughhowyoucanincreasethepresenceofeachCoreDriveduringeachphase.Thismeansyouareactivelythinkingthroughthirty-twoCoreDrives.Doyoufeelliketheprojectwouldbecomemoresuccessfuliftheyimplementedyourdesign?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandseewhatideasotherpeoplehave.

ProveyourMastery:GettheLevel1OctalysisCertificateWiththeknowledgeyouhavefromthisbook,youqualifytosendasubmissionforaLevelIOctalysisCertificatefrommycompanytheOctalysisGroup,showingthatyoudemonstrateacompetentknowledgeofOctalysisandthe8CoreDrives.

Despitemanysubmissions,asofthiswritingonlynineteenpeoplehavequalifiedfortheLevelIOctalysisCertificate.Thevalueofoneiswhatyoumakeofit,butIknowofatleastonehiringmanagerthathadinterviewedanapplicantjustbecauseshesawtheLevelIOctalysisCertificateonhisresume.Thepass/no-passversion(withoutfeedback)ofthecertificateisfree.Forinstructionsonhowtoqualifyforone,gotoyukaichou.com/certificate8.

1. NirEyal.Hooked.Chapter4:VariableRewards-“RewardsoftheHunt”.KindleVersionv1.0.2014.↩

2. SWOTAnalysisstandsfor:Strengths,Weaknesses,Opportunities,andThreats.http://www.yukaichou.com/SWOT↩

3. Thewell-knownBCGMatrixisformallytermedGrowthShareMatrixandpioneeredbytheBostonConsultingGroup:http://www.yukaichou.com/bcgmatrix↩

4. RamitSethi’sBrainTrust:iwillteachyoutoberich.com/braintrust↩5. TheFunTheory.com.“TheSpeedCameraLottery.”Accessed03/20/2015.↩6. YoutubeVideo:“TheSpeedCameraLottery-TheFunTheory”.Accessed

03/20/2015.↩7. KevinWerbach.Slideshare.com.“Socialize14keynote”.Uploaded

07/04/2014.↩8. A/BTestingisanexperimentwheretwointerfaceversionswiththesame

goalsarerandomlyshowtodifferentsitevisitors,allowingtheinterfacedesignertounderstandwhichversionhasbettermetricconversions.↩

Chapter17:DesigningaprojectfromscratchwithOctalysis

RedesigningYukaichou.comAsthefinaleofthisbook,IwouldliketogooverabriefshowcaseofusingtheOctalysisFrameworktodesignaprojectexperiencefromscratch.

Asmentionedbefore,mostofmyworkforclientsisconfidential,sooftenitisnotpracticaltoshowcasemydesignprocessindetail.However,IthoughtitwouldbeappropriateandfittingtoworkthroughthedesignprocessformyownsiteYukaiChou.com,especiallythenewPremiumMembershipsectionthatIwouldliketointroducein2016.

Asaquickbackground,afterIpublishedtheOctalysisFrameworkonmyblogYukaiChou.cominlate2012,mysitestartedtoreceiveagreatdealoftrafficthatledtomanyclientworkandspeakerengagements.IthenstartedtomakemyvideoseriesTheBeginner’sGuidetoGamification,whichisplannedtohave90Episodes.However,ithasprogressedveryslowlysinceitisjustanevangelizinghobbyprojectthatistimeconsuming,whilenotgeneratinganyrevenueformeandmystaff.Asofthiswriting,Ihavefinished20episodesonline,thoughIdosomanygoofythingsinthevideosI’malwaysembarrassedtoshowpeople.

IalsostartedpromotingsomeonlineworkshopstofurtherteachtheOctalysisFramework,whilemonetizingmyknowledgetosomeextent.In2014,Ididthreeindependentworkshops:twopurelyonline,andonebothonlineandin-person.ThoseweregreatandallowedmetoconnecttomycommunityaswellasoffermoreadvancedOctalysistrainingtopeople.Hilariously,oneoftherewardsIpromisedduringmyfirstworkshopinJuneof2014wasacopyofmysignedbook.IthoughtIcouldfinishthisbookonthatdatebutitturnedoutthatitwouldbeclosetoafullyearbeforethebookisfinallypublished.

Atthispoint,Ifeelaneedtoredesignmywebsiteagain,primarilybecauseInowhaveamorecomplexsetofDesiredActionsforusersaswellasrewardstogiveout.Besidesjustfocusingonclientsandspeakingengagements,Inowhave

abooktosell(orofferasareward),workshopstopromote,foreignOctalysisLicensingPartnerstoattract,andpremiumsubscriptionplanstosetup.

ThegoalforthePremiumSubscriptionplanisformetofurtherenhancemyresearcheffortsongamificationdesign,behavioraleconomics,motivationalpsychologyandmore,whilestillbeingabletosupportmyteamofawesomeconsultants,programmers,writers,andoperationalfolks.Rightnow,eventhoughIfeellikeIamoneoftheleadingpractitionersingamification,therearesomanythingsIstilllongtoexploreandconductresearchon.

Forinstance,IwouldlovetodivedeeperintoChainCombosofGameTechniques-whatGameTechniquecombinationsfosterothersCoreDrives,andwhichonessuppressotherCoreDrives.OrresearchonhowvariousplayertypesrespondtoWhite/BlackHatandRight/LeftBrainCoreDrives,whetheritispossibletouseOctalysistocreatebettermusic,andhowtheEndowmentEffectbalanceouttheScarcityEffect(inotherwords,dowevaluewhatwehave,ordowecovetwhatwedon’thave-andinwhatcontextisoneeffectmorepowerfulthantheother?).

Theseareallfascinatingtopicsforme,butIamunabletoinvestigatethemfurtherbecauseofalltheclientworkIamcommittedto.Iloveworkingwithclientsandseeingmyknowledgebecomefruitful,butImyselfdon’tnecessarilygrowtowardsahigherlevelduringthatprocess.Asaresult,Iwouldliketocreateawayformetoinvestigatethesewondrousquestions,sharemyfindingswiththeworld,whilestillbeingabletosupportmyteamandfamily.

OnepersonwhohasdonethePremiumSubscriptionmodelbrilliantlyisRamitSethi,authorofIWillTeachYoutoBeRich1.Thousandsofpeoplesubscribetohis“Ramit’sBrainTrust”foraround$50amonthbecausetheybelieveitwilltransformtheirlivesintobecomingwealthy.

Ifullybelievemycontentcanalsotransformpeoples’livesintobecomingmoremeaningful,fulfilling,fun,andenriching.Ithasdefinitelydonethatforme,andIwouldlikethesamethingtohappenforthemembersofmyaudience.Thedifferenceisthatmyaudiencememberscangostraighttothecrystallizedbenefitsofmyworkinsteadofwastingyearsexploringandfumblingwithoutdirection.There’salwaysahugeefficiencylosswhenyou’reapioneer.

Beforewediveintothislastsection,keepinmindthatitisalwaysriskytosharetheactualGameTechniquesyouhavedesignedforyourowntargetmarket.Whenamagiciansharesthesecretsbehindtheirmagictricks,itinstantlybecomeslameandbothsideslose-theaudienceisnolongerentertainedandthemagiciannolongerhasanybusiness.I’msharingthisinaverygenuinemannersinceIsincerelyappreciateyoureadingmybookandhopethatyoucanmaketheworldbetterwiththisknowledge,evenifitmeansIriskhavingalesssuccessfulonlineexperiencebecauseofit.Thisisalmostlikeasalespersonsaying,“IamwalkingawayfromyourightnowbecauseIcalculatethatyouwouldstopmeatthedoorandasktosignthedeal.”Goodluck,Mr.Salesperson.

Withthatsaid,let’scheckouthowIwouldusetheOctalysisFrameworktoredesignmyownsite.

TheOctalysisStrategyDashboardAtthebeginningofeverygamificationcampaign,thefirstthingIdoistodefinefiveitems:

1)BusinessMetrics,whichleadtoGameObjective

2)Users,whichleadtoPlayers

3)DesiredActions,whichleadtoWin-States

4)FeedbackMechanics,whichleadtoTriggers

5)Incentives,whichleadtoRewards

ThesecometogethertoformtheOctalysisStrategyDashboard.Withoutunderstandingthebusinessmetrics,theusers,andthedesiredactions,itisverydifficulttoseehoweffectiveagamifieddesignfulfillsitsobjective.

DefineBusinessMetricsBelowaretheBusinessMetricsformynewsite,inorderoftheimportance:

Increasesign-upstothesubscriptionplanIncreasebookpurchasesWorkshopordersIncreaseconsultingleadsviathewebsiteIncreaseEmailsubscriptionsIncreaseSocialsharesIncreasevideoviewsforTEDxorBeginnersGuidetoGamificationIncreasepageviewsfortheOctalysisFrameworkIncreaseoverallviewsonmywebsite

Noticethatthislistisbasedonquantifiablemetricsforwhatcreatesasuccessfulwebsite,andlessonmysocialandpersonalaspirations.Also,theonesontoparefinalmetricsthatwouldmakeaprojectsuccessful,whiletheonesonthebottomaremoreofa“means-to-an-end”typeofmetrics.

Manyclientswouldaskme,“Well,don’tweneedmanyviewersonthewebsitebeforewecangetpurchases?”That’strue,butoneistoenabletheother,nottheotherwayaround.Thismeansthattheenabledismoreimportantthantheenabler.

Oneveryinterface,youwillrealizethatyoucanimprovemanydifferentBusinessMetrics,butyoucanonlyoptimizeforoneBusinessMetricwiththelimitedreal-estateanduserattentionspan.Asaruleofthumb,thequestiontoaskis,ifmytopthreeBusinessMetricsaredoingamazinglywell,whiletheotherBusinessMetricsaredoingmodestly,wouldthisprojectstillbesuccessful.Sincemygoalistoscalemyknowledgetransferwithoutbeingpinneddownbyclientwork(whilestillgeneratingrevenue),Ithinkmylistisappropriate.

TheBusinessMetricsthenbecometheGameObjective.Ifthesequantifiablenumbersgoup,thenthegamificationcampaignissuccessful.Ifthesemetricsdonotgoup,thenthegamificationcampaignisafailure.Nofluffythingsthatcan’tbeA/BTested2orheldaccountablefor.

DefineUserTypesThenextstepistodefinewhoaremytargetUsers,whichultimatelybecomePlayersinthesystemifthegamifieddesignswork:

CompanyemployeesthatwanttousegamificationorbehavioraldesigntoimprovetheirorganizationsEducators,nonprofits,andgovernmentsthatwanttousetheknowledgetocreateasocialimpactIndividualswhoarepassionateaboutgamification,games,orself-improvement

InLevelIIIOctalysis,wewouldrunseparateOctalysisChartstounderstandwhichCoreDrivesmotivateeachplayertypemore,aswellasdefineseparatetracksofDesiredActions.However,sincethisisjustaquickLevelIOctalysisdisplay,wewillskipthatandmoveahead.

DefineDesiredActionsThenextstepistodefinetheDesiredActionsfortheUsers,whichbecomeWin-Statesoncetheycommittotheactions.Thisiswherewelayoutallthelittle

actionsandstepsthatwewantuserstotakeinchronologicalorderaspartofaplayerjourney.

DiscoveryPhaseDesiredActions:

1)LearnaboutYu-kai’scontentthroughaconference,socialmedia,orfriendreferral

2)LandonaninterestingcontentpagewithinYukaiChou.com

3)ClickontheOctalysislink

OnboardingPhaseDesiredActions:

1)SkimtheOctalysisarticle

2)SharetheOctalysisarticlewithfriends

3)WatchYu-kai’sTEDxtalk

4)ClickonYu-kai’sAboutMePage.

5)Fillintheemailsubscriptionform

ScaffoldingPhaseDesiredActions:

1)Receiveweeklyemailsongreatcontent

2)OpenWeeklyEmails

3)VisitYukaiChou.comandreadarticlesweekly

4)Sharearticleswithfriends

5)ParticipateintheOctalysisExplorersFacebookGroup

6)BuyandreadYu-kai’sbook

7)WatchallFREEepisodesoftheBeginner’sGuidetoGamification

7)SignupforOctalysisWorkshops

8)ObtaintheLevel1OctalysisCertificate

EndgamePhaseDesiredActions:

1)SignupforPremiumSubscription

2)WatchallavailableBeginner’sGuidetoGamificationVideosaswellaspastworkshoprecordings

3)AttendWeeklyOfficeHours

4)LearnanewGameTechniqueandapplyiteveryweek

5)Participateinexclusivediscussiongroups

6)ViewweeklyOctalysiscasestudiesonwebsites,games,orproducts.

7)ExaminecasestudiesandShowcasesofactualmemberprojects

8)BecomeanOctalysisLicenseeintheirregion

9)WorkdirectlywithYu-kaiChouandtheOctalysisGroup

ThesearetheDesiredActionsthatformalogicalplayerjourneythatextendsallthewayintotheEndgame.TheEndgameitselfbecomestheactivitiesinthePremiumSubscription,includingLiveOfficeHours,exclusivediscussiongroupswithinacommunity,andweeklybehavioralpsychologycontentunderthecontextofOctalysis.SoifauserhasinvestedalotoftimeinScaffoldingandwantstotakethenextstepforward,intotheEndgame,itbecomesanaturalsteptosignupforthePremiumSubscriptionmodel.

EverydesignedelementneedstomotivateuserstowardstheseDesiredActions.Ifitdoesnot,theelementisadistractionandshouldbethrownaway.EveryDesiredAction,whencommitted,leadstoaWin-State.

DefineFeedbackMechanicsFeedbackMechanicsareinformationdeliverymechanismsthatcommunicatetotheuserthattheiractionsaremeaningful.ItallowsthemtotracktheirprogresstowardstheWin-State,feeltheurgencyoftime,understandtheunpredictablenatureoftheexperience,andmore.AllFeedbackMechanicsshouldleadtoTriggersthatpromotetheDesiredActionsfurther.

ThefirststeptounderstandpossibleFeedbackMechanicsistodefinemediums

ofinteractionandcommunication.ThesearealltheplacesIamabletoactuallyplanttheseFeedbackMechanicsaswellasTriggers:

YukaiChou.comWebsiteOctalysisGroup.comWebsiteYu-kai’sBookEmailListTwitterandFacebookGroupSpeakerengagementsVideosWorkshops

ThesecondstepistofigureoutwhatFeedbackMechanicsIcaninsertintothesite.Thisiswhatmostpeoplethinkaboutwhentheythink“GamificationDesign.”Thesearetheelementsthatallowcommunicationofthe8CoreDrivesthatmotivatebehavior.

CountdownTimers(CoreDrives6and8)UnlockableContentPage(CoreDrive3and6)VirtualDiceRollOverlays(CoreDrive4and7)LittleTweetBirdonsidebar(CoreDrives5and7)GlowingChoiceOverlay(CoreDrives2,7)EmbeddedVideos(CoreDrives1,5,and7)StatusPointsviaCaptainUporanotherGamificationPlatform(CoreDrives2,4,and6)HelloBarTopDisplay(CoreDrives1,2,6,and7)GameTechniqueCollectionSets(CoreDrives2,4,6,and7)LeaderboardsviaCaptainUp(CoreDrives2,5,6,and8)Certificates(CoreDrives2,4,5,and6)BlogPoststoshowcasemembersandannounceinformation(CoreDrives1,2,5,6,7)AchievementSymbolsviaCaptainUp(CoreDrives2,3,4,6,and7)AnimatedPopupInterfaces(CoreDrives1,2,5,6,8)CharacterGrowthCharts(CoreDrives2,3,4,5,6,8)ExchangeablePointsthatcanbetradedorredeemed(CoreDrives2,3,4,5,6,7,8)

Asmentioned,thislistisbynomeansexhaustive,butgivesyouabasicideaofthevariouselementsIcanusetoinsertgametechniquesaswellasCoreDrives

totriggeruserstowardstheDesiredActions.

IncentivesandRewardsThelastitemtodefineintheOctalysisStrategyDashboardisRewards,whichiswhattheexperiencedesignercangiveuserswhentheycommittheDesiredActionsandarriveattheWin-State.Thelistbelowisintheorderofabundancetoscarcebasedonwhattherewardgivercanissue:

StatusPointsAchievementSymbolsSocialCommunityFeelingofaccomplishmentandprogressionFeaturedontheEmailsEasterEggSurprisesFeaturedonthewebsiteFreeeBookFeaturedonthevideosFreePhysicalBookSignedPhysicalBookDiscountonWorkshopsSpendpersonaltimewithYu-kaiOpportunitytoworkwithYu-kaiOctalysisLicense

Beyondrewards,IalsowanttomakethePremiumSubscriptionitselfrewardingandmeaningful.Basedonthebrainstormingabove,belowaretheprogramsIcanprovideoncesomeonesignsuptothePremiumSubscription:

WeeklyOfficeHoursChapter-by-ChapterTakeawaysforbooksonGameDesign,MotivationalPsychologyandBehavioralEconomics.TheseincludebooksthatwerereferencedalotinthisbookandmanymoreAccesstoallBeginner’sGuidetoGamificationvideosandotherworkshoprecordings.Sincelatervideoswillbelocked,accesstoallvideoswouldbeareward.50%offeveryworkshop,whichcanbehundredsoreventhousandsofdollarsofsavingsoveraperiodWeeklyvideo/postaboutanewgametechnique,andencouragethosetouseitintheirsurroundingenvironment

Accountabilitybuddytodiscusstheweek’sGameTechniqueusagePracticaluse-caseteaching:howtonegotiateahighersalary,howtouseBlackHattoclosedeals,howtodoparentingmoreeffectively,howtodealwithyourcoworkers,etc.ExclusivediscussiongroupsWeeklycasestudiesonOctalysisWeeklyanalysisofawebsite,gameorproduct.AnalysisofrecentpopularproductsandwhytheybecamesuccessfulGametechniquecombinationsteachingThedynamicrelationshipsbetweenCoreDrivesCasestudiesandShowcaseofactualmemberprojectsLiveStreamingandRecordingsofmeresearchingonnewgames

IbelieveifIcanimplementallorasubsetofthefeaturesabove,itwouldbesubstantiallyvaluablefortheuser.

LevelIOctalysisIdeationProcessOncetheOctalysisStrategyDashboardisfullydefined,thenextstepistogothroughthe8CoreDrivesandcomeupwithnewideasthatappealtopeople’s8CoreDrivestowardtheDesiredActions.BelowisaquickLevelIOctalysisIdeationexample:

CoreDrive1:EpicMeaning&Calling

Messages(viaHelloBarandblogposts)thatshowusersthattheycantransformtheirlivesintosomethinggreaterthroughtheOctalysismovement.EarlierwementionedthatforCoreDrive1towork,believabilityisveryimportant.Iwholeheartedlybelieveinmyvalueproposition,andsothekeyistocommunicatethatinabelievablemanner.ShowcaseprobonoprojectswedoforworldchangingcausessuchasourcampaignswithnonprofitstosavetheAmazonRainforest.(Didyouknowatthecurrentrate,theAmazonRainforestwillbecompletelygonewithinfortyyears?That’saprojectIamlightlyhelpingon.)EstablishasenseofElitismthroughtheconceptof“GoodGamification”asopposedtothesubparimplementationsthatcurrentlyexistinthemarket.ThisideajustcametomeasIwaseditingthischapter:forourPremiumSubscriptionoffers,wecouldalsodoa“SavetheWorldWeekly”campaignwhereeachweekwetakeoneglobalproblemandIshowcasehowtouse

Octalysistodesignsomethingthatimprovesorsolvestheissue.Atthispointinmyowndesignprocess,Iwouldgoupandaddthistothe“PremiumSubscriptionProgram.”

CoreDrive2:Development&Accomplishment

CleardesignthatneverletsusersfeelconfusedaboutwhatistheDesiredAction.UseacombinationofGlowingChoicesandDesertOasis.ConstantlyletusersfeelthattheymadethesmartestchoicebeingpartofthePremiumSubscriptionprogram.Alwaysprovidesomuchvaluethateverytimetheylogin,theyhitadelightfulWin-State.RewardCaptainUppointsandbadgeswhenuserscommitlightDesiredActionspriortosigningup.PremiumSubscriptionmemberscanincreasetheirKnowledgeScoresbyviewingmorecontent,andattendingmoresessions.HighKnowledgeScorememberscanearncertificatesthatwillmakeadifferenceontheirresumes.Perhapsextendingbeyondthat,everysubscribedusercanstartoffwithanemptyOctalysisshapeastheirprofile.Astheyincreasetheirknowledgeoractivityincertainfields,thatCoreDrivewillbevisuallyexpanded.Inthiscase,somememberswhochoosetoengagealltheSocialInfluencecontentaswellasparticipateincommunityevents,canbeshownasspecialistsinCoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness.

CoreDrive3:EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback

AnewandupgradedOctalysisToolthatpeoplecanusetodesignandanalyzetheirownprojects.Atthispoint,Iwouldgobackto“DesiredActions”andadd“UseOctalysistoolonownprojects”intotheScaffoldingPhase.AlwayskeepinmindthattheOctalysisStrategyDashboardisalivingdocumentthatgrowsbasedonmorerefinedthinking.MembersubmissionoftheirownworkandreceivefeedbackduringOfficeHours.MembervotingonwhatproductsorcampaignsIanalyzenext.Thisplacesasmallsenseofagencyintotheusers’hands.Remember,CoreDrive3isallaboutturningpassiveobserversintoactiveplayers.ChainCombos:ifuserssignuptoPremiumSubscriptionaswellasobtainedotherAchievementsymbols,they’llobtaingreaterrewardsthatcompound.Duringthedesigningprocess,someideasarevague.That’s

okay.Justknowwhatyouwouldideallyliketoputintotheexperienceandoftenyouwillfindagreatrefinedmodellateron.Eachweek,memberswilllearnanewGameTechniquethattheywillbeencouragedtouseintheirownactualprojectsthatweek.Theycansharetheirexperiencewiththeiraccountabilitybuddiesorthecommunityandgainfeedback.“Specialists”inacertainCoreDrivewillbeallowedtohostsessionsthemselvesandsharetheirexperienceandresearchoncertaintopics.

CoreDrive4:Ownership&Possession&Feedback

CollectionSets:AllowuserstocollectmoreGameTechniques,whichwillbecomethekeytosomehigherlevelOctalysismagiclateron.EarntheLevel1OctalysisCertificateaswellasotherconcretecareer-boostingitems.UseEasterEggpop-upstorandomlygivenon-subscribingbrowsersafreebook,evensigned.Remember,ifyouneedtogiveoutareward,youcanalwaysgobacktotheRewards/IncentivessectionoftheStrategyDashboardandpickfromthelistthere.That’syourarsenaltocreatedelightfulexperiences.ShowusershowtheOctalysisknowledgecanbenefittheirhealth,productivity,happiness,andincome.SometimespeoplemayviewmyworkonOctalysisastooacademicortheoretical,andsoit’sonlyforhardcoreproductmanagersorbehavioraldesigners.However,itisimportanttocommunicatethatthisknowledgequicklytranslatestothingsthatimpacteveryoneintotheirdailylives.APersonalOctalysisReport,wheretheCoreDrivesthatmotivateapersonmorearerevealed-withtipsandadviceonhowtousethisknowledge.ExchangeablePoints.Perhapshavesometypeof“in-gamecurrency,”maybecallthen“ChouCoins.”(Okay,don’tlaugh.Thisisjustabrainstormingname,alright?)UserscanaccumulateChouCoinsandusethemtounlockmorescarcerewardsandexperienceswiththePremiumSubscriptionexperience.

CoreDrive5:SocialInfluence&Relatedness

EntryLevelWatercooler:OctalysisExplorersFacebookGroup.Premium:DiscussionForumforhardcoreusers.

GroupQuest:OnlyafterXusersreceivingthetheOctalysisCertificatewillthenextlevelbeopened.Thiswillincentivizepeopletoinvitetheirfriendstotakeonthechallengetoo.AccountabilityandPracticeBuddyforOctalysisactivities.TopMembersshowcasedisplay.Idon’twantthistobearealcompetitiveleaderboard,soprobablywon’tshowspecificstatsoftheplayersnortheirranks,butmerelyrandomlydisplaymembersinthetop10%.FurtherConformityAnchors,showingregionalgroupscoresmaybeinteresting.Again,thisincentivizespeopletoinvitetheirfriendstoparticipateandimprovethegrouprankings.Whattypeofgrouprewardsaretobegivenwillneedtobeflushedoutlater.UseTwitter#hashtagsforOctalysis(suchas#OctalysisBook)todisplayasenseofrelatednessbetweenusers.ThiscanalsoworkinvolvingInstagramwhereeverytimesomeoneseesanadtheyidentifytheCoreDrivesinitonInstagramwith#Octalysislabels.IfIultimatelydecidetogowiththeChouCoinsidea,thenitopensupanewsetofpotentialrewardsandtheabilitytointroduceSocialTreasures.Perhapseverydayusershaveanopportunityto“tip”ChouCoinstosomeonetheyappreciateinthecommunity,witheachChouCoinbecomingtwowhentipped.Generositytakesapersonfurtherthanself-consumption.

CoreDrive6:Scarcity&Impatience

Wewantsubscriberstofeelcommitted.Thereshouldstillbeanadmissionprocessforsigningup.Butitcan’tbetoodifficult,toavoidcreatinganyprocrastination.PerhapswhentheysignuptothePremiumSubscription,theyhavetoansweraquestionlike,“Infivesentencesorless,sharewhatyouplantodowiththeknowledgeobtainedfromthemembership.”Ofcourse,peoplewhoobviouslyhavemaliciousintentswouldalsoberejected,butthisismostlytosetabarrierofcommitmentforthosethatwanttobepartofthewaragainstboredom.Dangling:ifthereisadditionalcontentthatmembersneedtounlockor“earn,”displaylock-likefeedbackmechanicsandprovideusersinfoonexactlyhowtounlockit.EvenwhenpeoplejointhePremiumSubscription,stillmakeitajourneywherethingsarepacedoutinsteadofoverwhelmingtheuseratonce.Ofcourse,abigpartofCoreDrive6designismakingthingschallengingtothepointwherethereisanactualsenseofaccomplishment(CoreDrive2)whencompleted.ItisimportanttostillmaketheOctalysisCertificatesand

otherhigh-endrewardsverydifficulttoobtain.Thatwaytheyactuallysymbolizesomethingmeaningful.ATortureBreak,AnchoredJuxtapositionandEvanescentOpportunityCombo:therewillalwaysbecontentthatisonlyreservedforpremiummembers,butsomeofthenewcontentIcreateforthePremiumSubscriptionwillbefreeonmyblogforoneorthreedayswithadisplayedcountdowntimer.Afterthreedays,itwillbelockedupforPremiumUsersonly.However,anewTimerwillappear,initiatingaoneyearcountdown.Afterafullyear,thecontentwillbecomepubliclyavailable-indefinitely.ThismeansthatifpeoplewantsomeofthePremiumcontentanddon’tfeellikepaying,theyeitherneedtohaveenoughdiligencetobeonmyblogeveryday(anotherDesiredAction),orhaveenoughpatiencetowaitanentireyearbeforeitcomesout.Asmentionedbefore,mostfree-to-playgamesmonetizebasedonexchangingpeople’stimewithmoney.Asmentionedbefore,sinceIwanttohaveenoughbandwidthtocreateall90Beginner’sGuidetoGamificationvideos,laterepisodeswillbelockedandonlyaccessibletoPremiumMembers.Manyviewershavealsobeencollectingasetofsecretkeywords.Myplanisthatthosewithallthekeywordsfromthefreevideoswillget50%offforthemonthlysubscriptionplan.CreateDaily1-HourGroupQueststogetpeopletoreturnoften.TheideaistoseeifIcouldsomehowpulloffadailyactivity,whereifenoughpeopletakeacertainDesiredActionwithinaonehourperiod,somethingamazinghappens.Thisrequiresfurtherthinkinganddesigning.

CoreDrive7:Unpredictability&Curiosity

GoofyandunpredictablevideosinTheBeginner’sGuidetoGamification.Partofthebasicsetofwhat’salreadyinthecurrentsiteistheCoreDrive7strategyofconstantlychangingbackgroundsforeachsentence.Itisabitshakyforsomepeople,butmanypeoplecommentthatdespitetheirshortattentionspans,theyalwaysfinishmyvideosbecausetheywanttoseewhereIappearnext.Forthenewerpremiumvideos,IplantobestationarywhileIswitchscenessomyviewerswon’tfeeldizzyanymore.EasterEggelementsinthesite,suchastheIcarusBadgeorthesecretFooterLinktoanewsetofnavigationoptions.Currentlyonmyblog,therearesomesecretEasterEggelements,suchasasecretdoorinthefooterthatleadspeopletoanalternativeworldthatunlocksnewnavigationalitems

(alongwithunlockingthe“Portal”badge).Iwouldliketodeploymoreconceptslikethisinmynewsite.SetMysteryBoxeswhenuserscommitlargeDesiredActions.WhenevertheuserdoesasignificantDesiredAction,thedicerollingfeedbackmechanicscanappearandcertainrewardswillbegiven.Thevariabilityoftherewards,assumingtheDesiredActionisnotdrawnout,mayincreasestrongengagementwiththeexperience.

CoreDrive8:Loss&Avoidance

FOMOPunch.Reminduserswhattheywouldloseeverydaywhentheydon’thavethisOctalysisknowledgetoemploywithintheirlives.AddressinganAntiCoreDrive:giveusersaguaranteedfullrefundiftheydidnotobtainjustifiedvaluefromtheservice.ThecharactergrowthchartandChouCoins,ifimplementedwouldmakeitabitharderforpeopletoquitthesystem.However,I’mgenerallynotinterestedindesigningfortheSunkCostPrisonsinceIdon’twantanyonetothinkthattheycan’tquitmysite,justbecausetheywilllosemanythingsthattheyhaveaccumulated.IfIamnotdeliveringawesomevaluetomyusers,Idon’tfeelcomfortablethattheyarepayingforit.

RepeatingtheOctalysisProcessOnceyougothroughthe8CoreDrives,don’tstopthere.Doitagain.Moresophisticatedideaswilloftenflowout.Asarealexample,afterafewcyclesoftheprocessabove,Iderivedanewtypeofplayerprogressjourney.ThisplayerjourneyintricatelyinvolvesmultipleCoreDrivesandcouldbeafunengagingexperiencethroughouttheScaffoldingandEndgamephases.

Ifpossible,eachDesiredActionisassigneddifferentCoreDrivesbasedonwhatausercanlearnfromthoseactions.Forinstance,participatinginthecommunityandhelpingotherswillincreaseauser’sCoreDrive5stats,whileplayingwiththeOctalysisToolandcomingupwithcreativesolutions,willincreasestheirCoreDrive3stats.

Eachplayerwillstartoffwithabasicoctagonshape.TheiroctagonwilleventuallyexpandinthedirectionordirectionswherethecorrespondingCoreDrivesarebeing“leveled-up.”ReadingmyChapter-by-ChapterTakeawaysfromDanielPink’sDrivewillgetexperiencepointsinCoreDrives1,2,and3,while

takingadvantageofapromotionattheverylastminutewillobtainCoreDrive8points.

WheneachCoreDrivelevelsuptoacertaindegree,specificboosters/power-upsandrewardswilltakeplace.

Hereisapreliminarythoughtonhowdifferentleveled-upCoreDrivesmightgrantdifferentbenefits:

CoreDrive1:Yu-kaiChouandhisteamwillhelpworkonanon-profitcausepro-bonobasedonyourrequestandvotes.Or,halfyourmonthlysubscriptionfeeswillgointoanon-profitcause

CoreDrive2:Turnyourprofilepageintogoldthatisnicelytexturedanddisplayedtoeveryoneyouinteractwith.Yourprofilephotowillhavenicegoldframeswhereveryougoonthesitetoshowoffyourstatus

CoreDrive3:Theabilitytostartresearchingandhostingyourownsessionstothecommunity,enablingyoutoexpressagreatdealofcreativityandreceiveimmediatefeedback.Itwillalsoallowyoutobuildyourpersonalbrand.

CoreDrive4:EarnmoreChouCoinsforyourDesiredActions.PerhapseveryDesiredActionscanearnacertainamountofChouCoinstounlockmorecontent.However,ifyourCoreDrive4isleveled-up,youreceivea30%bonusoneachDesiredActionyouperform.

CoreDrive5:Theabilitytomoderateandleadthecommunity.Youwillbeabletomentorpeople,givesupport,perhapsbeabletogiveoutSocialTreasures,andmore.Thiswillimproveyourabilitytogethelpedfromthecommunitywhenyouneedit.

CoreDrive6:Penetratethroughunlockedcontentfaster.Asanexample,perhapsrequirelessChouCoinstounlocknewcontent.

CoreDrive7:UnlockadditionalluckydicerollstoobtainrewardssuchasChouCoins.PerhapseveryusergetsaluckydicerolleverydayorwhentheycompletetheDesiredActions.Butpeoplewhohaveleveled-uptheirCoreDrive7getstwoluckydicerollstoincreasetheiroddsofwinning.

CoreDrive8:EvenifyouhavestoppedpayingforthePremiumSubscription,youwillstillgetaccessforafewmoremonths.Thisallowspeopletocombatthe“fearofmissingout”ortheSunkCostPrison.Iftheyfeelliketheyneedtostoppayingforalittlebit,therewouldn’tbeanynegativeconsequences.

Withthispreliminaryconcept,thereisastrongreasonforalltheuserstoexecutetheDesiredActionswhilefindingtheirownpathstolevelupintheexperience.Socializerswillgetsocializerbenefits,whileAchieverswillgetachieverstatus.Eachcanplaythegamedifferently.

IfpeoplestarttomastermoreCoreDrives,itevenallowsforChainCombos(GameTechnique#40),whichusuallyfeelsamazingwhenapersonpullsitoff.Forinstance,ifaplayerachievedmasteryinCoreDrives4,6,and7:hewillgetmoredicerollstomaximizethechanceofgettingChouCoins;eachtimehewins,hewouldobtainmoreChouCoinscomparedtoothers;andheneedsfewerChouCoinstounlockcontent.Thethreebenefitscompoundedtogetherwouldcreatehyper-poweredgameplaythatpeoplecanfeelproudof.

Ofcourse,IneedtodesignfortheotherCoreDrivestoo,sothatbeingaleaderormoderatorofthecommunitycanalsofacilitatethegainingofrewardsorunlockingnewcontent.Theexperiencedesigngoeson.

SummaryofLevel1OctalysisinActionAsyoucansee,lotsofnewideascancomeoutbythinkingthroughthe8CoreDrives,settingaguidingroadmaptodesignforanengagingexperience.Ofcourse,thedesigningworkisfarfromover.

Whendesigning,it’sgreatwhenlotsofideasgointothetopofabrainstormingfunnel.However,itisusuallyabadsignwhenlotsofideascomeoutofthefunnelforimplementationbecauseitshowsalackoffocus.Mostcompaniescanonlyimplementasubsetofthecreativeideasinatimelymanner.

Thereareothermethodologiesandprocessestonarrowdownallthefeatureswithinmyownworkflow,butthisissomewhatbeyondthescopeofthisbook.Imostlywanttoexplainhowapplyingthe8CoreDrivesallowsustocreativelydesignforengagingexperiences,whenpreviouslyweonlyknewhowtoslaponbadges.Beyondthat,therearealsothingsthatneedtoberefinedsuchasrewardschedules,detailedplanningofactivities,andconceptwireframes.

Attheendoftheday,Octalysisallowsyoutoasktherightquestionsforyourexperiencedesign,butyoustillneedtoanswertheminasophisticatedandempatheticway.IfyoujusttreatOctalysisasachecklist,yourdesignwillonlyhavetheshellbutnottheessencewithin.OnlyifyouutilizeyourcreativeintuitionaswellassensitiveempathyskillsthroughouttheprocesswillyoucomeupwithconceptsthattrulyhelpincreaseallyourBusinessMetricsandallowuserstoenjoytheentireprocess-fromtheDiscoveryPhaseallthewaytotheEndgame.

Togetthemostoutofthebook,ChooseonlyONEofthebelowoptionstodorightnow:

Easy:Reviewthischapteragain.Therearemanycomplexideaswithinthischapterthatassumeastrongknowledgeofthe8CoreDrives.IfthisbookisyourfirstencounterwiththeOctalysisFramework,itwouldlikelybearatherchallengingread.Don’tworry,slowdown,andtakeadeepbreath.Ifyougobackandreaditagain,Ipromiseyouitwillmakealotmoresensethanitdidthelasttime.

Medium:InChapter15,youwereaskedtocomeupwithyourownprojectanddesignforit.IlaiddownthefoundationforyoutocreateyourownOctalysisStrategyDashboard.Nowthatyouhaveseenitinpractice,startrefiningyourOctalysisStrategyDashboardandmakesureeachcomponentisprecise.Thisisessentialfordesigninganygamificationcampaign,andwillbeevenmorecriticalwhenyouonedayutilizethepowerfulbutnebulousLevelIVOctalysis.

Hard:Nowthatyouhaveseenmegothroughthedesignprocessmyself,gothroughtheentireprocessonyourownproject.CreatetheappropriateOctalysisStrategyDashboardandgothrougheachCoreDriveoverandoveragainuntilyouhavecomeupwithafunanddynamicexperience.Didmanymorecreativeideas-onesthatappealtoourCoreDrivesandmotivateustowardsthedeclaredDesiredActions-comeoutduringthisprocess?

SharewhatyoucomeupwithonTwitteroryourpreferredsocialnetworkwiththehashtag#OctalysisBookandcheckoutwhatideasotherpeoplehave.

BecomeanOctalysisHeroAsyoucansee,Iamcompletelypassionateaboutsharingmystudiesandknowledgetotheworldinhopesofmakingitabetterplace.Withthatsaid,I

haveagreatteamthatmakessureIprotectmyselfandmyintellectualpropertyfromthosewhoseektomaliciouslyprofitupontheOctalysisreputationandmethodologies.Myteammateshavehelpedsetupalicensingarrangementcalledthe*OctalysisHero”program,whereindividualsandcompaniescangetproperlytrainedtorepresentOctalysisand“save”theirregionfromdepressingboredom.

AnyonecanuseOctalysisfortheirownpersonalimprovement,educationpurposes,orfornon-profitcauses.However,forthosewhowanttogenerateprofitsbasedonit,theyshouldlookintosigningupasanOctalysisHero.Ifanything,wewanttomakesureeachperson’sworkdoesnotreflect“Second-HandSushiMaking”andhurttheOctalysisreputation.

Asof2015,wealreadyhaveOctalysisHeroesinafewcountriesinEurope,andareexcitedtoexpandthegoodworkfurther.ForinformationonhowtobecomeanOctalysisHero,checkout:octalysisgroup.com/licensing-octalysis-framework.

1. RamitSethi’sBrainTrust:iwillteachyoutoberich.com/braintrust↩2. A/BTestingisanexperimentwheretwointerfaceversionswiththesame

goalsarerandomlyshowtodifferentsitevisitors,allowingtheinterfacedesignertounderstandwhichversionhasbettermetricconversions.↩

Chapter18:TheJourneyGoesOn

We’refinallyhere.

Ithasbeenafunandmeaningfultwo-yearjourneywritingthisbook.Ihopeithasbeenequallyfunandmeaningfulforyoutoreadit.

Thisbookisnotaneasyread.ItispackedwithcomplexpsychologicalprinciplesaswellasdesigninstrumentsthatIhaveacquiredoverthepastdecade.EventhoughIhavetriedtomakethecontentmoreintriguingandrelatablebyfillingitwithmyownpersonalstories,beingabletofinishthisbookisaremarkableachievementforyou,justasmuchasitisanachievementforme.Youshouldgiveyourselfabigcheer.

No,literally.Youshouldputthebookdown,flingyourarmsintheair,andexclaim,“Ifinallydidit!”ThisisactuallyanemotionalrewardwhenhittingthedesiredWin-State,anditdoesallsortsofgoodthingstoyourbrainchemicals,yourhealth,andyourhappiness.Goahead-doit.I’llwaitforyou.Infact,I’mdoingitrightnowasIwritethis.

………

Nowthattherearetwolinebreaksbeforethisparagraphinsteadofjustone,Itrustthattherehasbeenenoughtimeforyoutoactuallydotheself-cheer.Ameaslybadgewouldnotappropriatelyreflecttheepicwinyoujustbestoweduponyourself.

Oneofthebiggestfearsofawriteristhatnoonewillreadhisbookafterpouringouthisheartandmindintothetinyconfinementsofletters,pages,andgrammarrules.Infact,Ievenwonderifmywifeorparentswillevergettoreadthetextinthischapter,eventhoughtheyhaveallenthusiasticallystatedthattheywill“ofcourse”readmybookwhenitcomesout.

ThisremindsmeofastoryintheBible1,whereJesusperformedmiraclesabundantlyeverywherehewent,butwhenhereturnedtohishometowninNazareth(largestcityinthenorthofpresent-dayIsrael),heperformedveryfew

miracles.Peoplethererecognizedhimasthe“Carpenter’sSon”thattheyhadwatchedgrowup.Theycouldn’tmusterenoughfaithforJesustoperformmiraclesthere2.Jesusleftthetownwithanotethatstuckwithme,“Aprophetishonoredeverywhereexceptinhisownhometownandamonghisrelativesandhisownfamily.”3

Regardlessofwhethermyfamilywillhaveenoughstaminatofinishmybook,Iamcompletelyhonoredtohaveparagonreaderslikeyouwhocarefullystudymyworkinordertocreatemoregoodinthisworld.

Whatmightbeexhilaratingtomanybutdiscouragingtoafew,isthatyouareactuallystillattheonsetofthisexcitingjourneyinlearninghowtomakethingsfunandengaging.SofarwehaveonlycoveredLevelIOctalysis,whiletherearemanymorelevelsandperipheralknowledgetomaster,learn,andutilize.

Tobehonest,whenIfirststartedwritingthisbook,IwasconcernedaboutwhetherIhadenoughcontenttowriteafullbook.However,midwaythroughwritingit,IrealizedIactuallyneededtowritethreebooksinsteadofone.OneonpureOctalysisdesign,whichisthisbook.OneonLifestyleGamification,whichwilllikelybetitled10,000HoursofPlay,andwillfocusonhowtoapplygamificationprinciplestoimproveyourlifeandturneverythingintoagame.ThelastoneisabooktentativelytitledSubtleDifferenceswhereIshareallmyresearchbetweentwogames/apps/systemsthatlookalmostidenticaltoeachotherbutwhereoneisaflukeandtheotheragreatsuccess.Iwantmyreaderstoobservethesubtledifferencesthattrulymakesomethingsuccessful.(Hint:theyfocusonappealingtothe8CoreDrivesmore.)

Evenwiththisfirstbook,Iinitiallydesignedittohave29Chapters.ButwhenIstartedtoactuallywritethroughthecontent,mypersonalstories,andotherintriguingexamples,itbecamecleartomethatthebookwasbecomingtoobulkyandIwouldhavetodivideitintotwoseparatevolumes.Insteadof29Chapters,Ireduceditto18.ThishascreatedaneedtowriteanotherfuturebookonmoreadvancedOctalysisDesignviaTheStrategyDashboard,4ExperiencePhases,and8CoreDrives.ThesequelwillallowustoreallylearntoimplementLevelIIorevenLevelIIIOctalysisintoanexperiencefromsteponetocompletion.Thenicethingis,IamalreadyathirdwayintowritingthatbooksinceIoriginallythoughtitwouldbepartofthisone.

Ofcourse,youracquiredknowledgeinLevelIOctalysisisbynomeanstrivial.LevelIOctalysisalonewillallowyoutocreatemuchbetterHuman-Focusedexperiencescomparedtothosewhodonothavethisknowledge.Youwillbegintoseeeverythingdifferently,includingyourownmotives.Youwilllearnmanyotherpsychologicalandbehavioraltheoriesmuchquickerandmoreintuitively.Youwillalsobeabletoclosedealsornegotiateyoursalariesbetterwhenyoucanappealtotherighthumanmotivations.Atthesametime,youcandevelopaninternalredflagresponsewhenanexperienceutilizestoomuchBlackHattechniquewhereuserswilllikelyburnoutsoon-beforeitbecomestoolatetopreventthecrash.

Iregularlygetemailsfromstartups,productdesigners,andeducatorstellingmethatjustreadingmyblogpostshaschangedhowtheydobusinessandthattheyhaveseenimmenseimprovementsintheirdesiredmetrics.Iurgeyoutonotsimplytreatthisbookasafeel-gooditemthatyoujustcheckoffyourto-dolist.IfyoucontinuetopayattentiontoHumanMotivationandthe8CoreDrivesasmuchasIdo,youwilltrulyreapbenefitsfromitonadailybasis.Octalysisisadesigntoolandawayofthinking.Ifyoudon’tusethetoolordon’tfollowtheway,itbecomescompletelyuseless.Justanotherbooktoshowoffonyourtrophyshelf4.

Lastly,ifyoufeelthatthisbookwillbenefityourlifeevenatinybit,itismyhopethatyousharethisknowledgewithothers,especiallytothosedoinggood.Asyouhaveseen,theunderstandingofhumanmotivationandbehaviorisverypowerful,butitcouldbeusedforchangingtheworldforbothpositiveandnegativecauses.Ifdesignedproperly,peopleinthesesystemswillallbeenjoyingtheirtimemorewhileexecutingtheDesiredActions.However,whetherpeoplearejoyfullyperformingtasksthatbenefitsocietyortasksthatharmsocietycompletelydependsontheobjectiveoftheexperiencedesigner.

Itismydesirethatthisknowledgefallsintothehandsofmorepeoplewhoarecreatingpositivechange,meaningfulwork,andinspiringcauses,asopposedtothosewhojusttrytoprofitoffofothers’misfortunes.Aswithanything,immoralpeoplewillusethebesttoolsavailabletofulfilltheirobjectives,andImyselfamunabletostopthat.Butyoucantrulyplayaroleinmakingsuremyworkalsogoesintoverygoodhandsthatmaketheworldabetterplacetocounterbalancethemereprofiteers.Youwouldbemakingatrueimpactifyoupassitforward-ifyouheardaboutthebookfromTwitter,pleaseshareitonTwitter;ifyoufoundthebookonAmazon,pleaseleaveareviewthere.

Attheendoftheday,weknowthatbecauseofCoreDrive1,weashumansprefertobejoyfullydoingworkthatpositivelyimpactstheworld,asopposedtojoyfullydoingworkthatmakestheworldworse-assumingallotherCoreDrivesareequal.IfthereareanequalnumberofbehavioraldesignersusingOctalysisforselfishreasonscomparedtodesignersusingOctalysisforbeneficialreasons,enduserswillnaturallybeinclinedtowardsthegood.

Ihopethatyounotonlyusetheknowledgefromthisbookforgood,butcanalsopassonthetorchtootherswhohavesimilaraspirations.Youwouldbemakingatrueimpactwhenyoupassitforward-ifyouheardaboutthebookfromTwitter,shareitonTwitter;ifyoufoundthebookonAmazon,pleaseleaveareviewthere(IhavemadeiteasywiththecustomURL:http://www.yukaichou.com/octalysisbook).Thatway,myvisionofmakingtheworldabetterplacethroughproductiveplay,exhilaratingwork,andfulfillingcamaraderiewillfinallybecomeareality.

Ithasbeenanhonorwritingforyou,andIhopethiswon’tbethelastchanceIgettocommunicatewithyouinourjourneys.Withorwithoutme,yourjourneyofinteractingwithothersandmotivatingthemwillcontinue.Ihopeatonepointourpathswillconvergeagain,perhapsonmywebsite,myworkshops,orinmynextbook.

I’msureitwilltakeustoevengreaterheightsthaneverbefore.

1. Occasionally,IwouldgetcommentsstatingthatmymentioningoftheBibleisoffensive,asifIweretryingtoimposemyfaithandmybeliefsontoothers.Ihavenosuchintention.Initiallygrowingupasanargumentativeatheist,mycurrentfaithisaveryimportantpartofme,andIhavelearnedmanyvaluablelessonsfromit,whichIjoyfullysharewithothers.Strangely,itseemslikeifIinsteadproclaimedasa“YogaenthusiastandFollowerofBuddha,”thatsomehowismoreacceptabletothosethatareoffended.Weshouldallhavetherighttostandupforwhatwebelieveandnotbejudgedsimplybecauseofit.Forthat,IthankMalcolmGladwellforgivingmethecouragetostandstronginmybeliefsthroughbeingaBestsellingAuthorwhoisnotafraidtoproclaimChrist.↩

2. IntheBible,miraclesseemtobepoweredbyourfaith.Jesusclaimsthatifwejusthadfaiththesizeofatinymustardseed,wewouldbeabletomovemountains.EvenwhenJesushealspeople,hewouldsay,“Yourfaithhashealedyou,”asopposedto“Ihavehealedyou.”Asaresult,inatown

withoutfaith,evenJesusdoesnotperformmiraclesthatheabundantlyperformselsewhere.↩

3. Bible.NewLivingTranslation.Mark6:4.↩4. WelearnedinthisbookthatitislessidealtogiveuserstheStatusrewardof

theTrophyShelfgametechniquefromCoreDrive5.Generally,itismoreengagingwhenutilizingtheCoreDrive3deviceBoosters/Power-upssouserscanusetheirrewardstoachievegreaterheights.↩

WallofGratitude

I’mcompletelyin-debttoagreatdealofpeoplewhomadethisbookpossible.MorepeoplethanIcanname.Regardless,IwouldliketoexpressappreciationforthosewhoshapedmetobecomewhoIam,whichmanifestedintothecontentofthisbook.

ThosewhodirectlycontributedtothebookIwanttothankWendyLim(whopreferstobeknownasAverageJoey),aswellasZenTrenholm,whohaverelentlesslycombedthroughmybookandfixedupmanyofmycarelessmistakes,aswellaspointedoutunclearorinappropriatecontentwithinmyblindspots.IwanttothankJerryFuquaforbringinghisPh.D.disciplineintoeditingmybookandmakingmeabetterwriter.Thisbookwouldhaveembarrassedmewithoutmeknowingitifitwasn’tforyou.ManythankstoPing-HsiangChenfordesigningallthelogosformypersonalbrandaswellasthebookcoverofthisbook.

IwanttothankChristineYeeandMonicaLeonelleforhelpingoutwithresearchandcontent.IalsowanttothankJunLoayza,SergeyZnutin,MichaelJensen,VictoriaPan,SolomonRajput,MorlionThijs,BelalSweileh,MikeFinney,andMarkWelchforprovidingfeedbackastheyreadthroughthebook.IwanttothankMarioHergerforgivingmetheextrapushtowritethisbook.IalsowanttothankDutchDriverforpersistentlyaskingaboutmybookandmotivatingmetofinishitviaCoreDrive5.

ThosewhoimpactedwhoIamtodayInextension,Iwanttothankmyparents–myfatherforbeingmygreatestrolemodelformaintainingintegritydespiteanyhardship,andmymotherforprovidingmeaboundlessflowofloveandempatheticsophistication.IwanttothankmywifeAngelforofferingconstantsupporttowardsmycareer,mylifestyle,andmyspiritualhealth.Eventhoughweareverydifferent,togetherwemakeeachotherstronger,moreresilient,andofcoursecuter.

IwanttothankLwaziMabuzaforbeingmyfirstbestfriendsincemySouthAfricadaysandhelpingmeseedmyuniqueconfidencefromearlyon.Itisatrueblessingthat,aftertwenty-twoyearsofzerocommunication,wegettobecomefriendsagainthroughthewondersoftechnology.IwanttothankmycousinWinstonWangfornotonlyprotectingmyhealthasanacupuncturist,butalsoalwaysbeingthereformeasmyclosestfriendduringmymomentsofemotionalweaknesses.

IwanttothankPing-HsiangChenagainforteachingmemyfirstlessonaboutcharismaticleadershipin5thgrade.Withoutyou,Iprobablywouldhavebeenthetargetofbullyingthroughoutmystudentlife.IwanttothankYiChouforinspiringmewithhisrelentlesspursuitofplayingbetterguitar,aswellasdemonstratingamoreCoreDrive6styleofpersonalcharisma.IwanttothankChrisSchedlerforpersistentlybringingmetoChrist,despitefacingmyawkwardrejectionssixweeksinarow.IwishIonedaywouldhavethesamecourageyouhadwithinme.

IwanttothankTodorGogovformakingbeingaforeignerinKansasnotjustbearable,butenjoyable.IwanttothankCurtisLoforhelpingmepushthroughthelastsemesterinSouthPasadenaHighSchool.Itsurprisinglywasthemostdifficultacademicsemesterinmylife.IwanttothankJunLoayzaforbeingmybestfriendthroughoutUCLAandformostofmyprofessionalcareer.YouhavechangedmylifejustasmuchasIhavechangedyours.IwanttothankStephenJohnsonformakingitpossibleformetobecomeatechentrepreneurandtrulypioneeringsomeoftheearliestgamificationconceptstogether.Someofthebest(andarguablyworst)momentsofmylifewerefondlyspentwithyou.IalsowanttothankJorisBeerda,mystudent-turnedPartnerandManagingDirectorfortheOctalysisGroup,forkeepingmycompanysmoothlyoperatingasIattemptedtofinishthisbook.

IwanttothankFrankJwongforbeingthefirsttobelieveinmeandwritingmemyfirstcheckasanangelinvestor,aswellasVickiYoungfortakingthefirstbigriskonayoungentrepreneurlikeme.IwanttothankDJMartinforbeingmybiggestemotionalsupportasaninvestorduringthedarkesttimesofmylife.Iwilltrytohelpyououtwithanythingwithinmypowersfortherestofmylife.IwanttothankBernieGrohsmanforteachingmehowtobecomeamorepersuasiveconsultantandpickingmyselfupwhenIfirsttransitionedfrombeingatechentrepreneurtoafull-timeconsultant.

IwanttothankWayneSilbyforbeingmyrolemodelandguidingmanyofmymoralchoicesinlife.IhopeonedayIcancreateasmuchpositiveimpactinthisworldasyoudidandstilldotoday.Finally,IwanttogivethankstoJesusChristtheGodofmyfaithforliterallyeverything.

Thereareobviouslysubstantiallymorepeopletothankthroughoutmyjourney,andIamunabletolisteveryoneouthere.However,myheartgoesouttoeveryoneofyouandIhopeIhavealsomadeapositivedifferenceinyourlives.NeverhesitatetoreachouttomeforanythingIcanhelpyouwith.

Lastbutdefinitelynotleast,Iwanttothankyouthereaderforreadingmybookandmakingmytwoyearsofdedicatedgrindingactuallymeaningful.ThankyouforinvestingyourprecioustimeintowhatIhavetosay.Ihopeithasbeenimpactfulandmeaningfulforyoutoo.

Thankyou.