Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards

by Yu-kai Chou

a lot of people who work in gamification incorrectly think that applying game mechanics like points, badges, ...

a lot of people who work in gamification incorrectly think that applying game mechanics like points, badges, ...

you can also find in boring and unsuccessful games - will automatically make the product or experience fun and engaging. Unfortunately, it’s not just what game elements you put in - it’s how, when,...

you can also find in boring and unsuccessful games - will automatically make the product or experience fun and engaging. Unfortunately, it’s not just what game elements you put in - it’s how, when,...

Learn from the design; don’t copy the shell.

Learn from the design; don’t copy the shell.

Even though gamification has become accepted in the mainstream, poorly designed applications threaten its long-term viability and impact development. I am genuinely afraid that in a few years, companies will look at gamification and say, “Hey, we tried the points stuff

Even though gamification has become accepted in the mainstream, poorly designed applications threaten its long-term viability and impact development. I am genuinely afraid that in a few years, companies will look at gamification and say, “Hey, we tried the points stuff

out. I guess gamification was just a short-term fad.”

out. I guess gamification was just a short-term fad.”

Based on my years of research, observation, and design in gamification, I am a hundred percent certain that good gamification design can unlock tremendous potential and improve many lives in the process. There are hundreds of case studies that illustrate this also. And so it is my job (and hopefully yours one day) to continue protecting and innovating the core essence and the promise of gamification.

Based on my years of research, observation, and design in gamification, I am a hundred percent certain that good gamification design can unlock tremendous potential and improve many lives in the process. There are hundreds of case studies that illustrate this also. And so it is my job (and hopefully yours one day) to continue protecting and innovating the core essence and the promise of gamification.

there are enough good gamification examples that continue to show how thoughtful design can improve core business metrics and inspire

there are enough good gamification examples that continue to show how thoughtful design can improve core business metrics and inspire

There are dozens, if not hundreds of companies that became extremely successful because, regardless of what it was called, they applied great game mechanics and gameplay dynamics to their processes.

There are dozens, if not hundreds of companies that became extremely successful because, regardless of what it was called, they applied great game mechanics and gameplay dynamics to their processes.

I believe that gamification will continue to evolve and meet real needs if practitioners and the general gamification community also evolve in their understanding of its principles and practice.

I believe that gamification will continue to evolve and meet real needs if practitioners and the general gamification community also evolve in their understanding of its principles and practice.

So if “game mechanics” alone are not the true reason why games are so engaging and sometimes addictive, then what is?

So if “game mechanics” alone are not the true reason why games are so engaging and sometimes addictive, then what is?

Once the designer understands how she wants her users to feel, then she begins to think, “Okay, what kind of game elements and mechanics can help me accomplish my goals of ensuring players feel this way.” The solution may lie in swords, plants, or perhaps word puzzles, but the whole point here is that game elements are just a means to an end, instead of an end in itself. Game elements are simply there to push and pull on their users’ behavioral core drives. As a result, in order to further explore, systemize, and scale methods of combining game mechanics with our motivational core drives, in 2012 I decided to share my original gamification design framework called Octalysis to the world. The Octalysis Framework embodies my life’s work, and the majority of this book will be about how to use Octalysis to design experiences that are fun, engaging, and rewarding.

Once the designer understands how she wants her users to feel, then she begins to think, “Okay, what kind of game elements and mechanics can help me accomplish my goals of ensuring players feel this way.” The solution may lie in swords, plants, or perhaps word puzzles, but the whole point here is that game elements are just a means to an end, instead of an end in itself. Game elements are simply there to push and pull on their users’ behavioral core drives. As a result, in order to further explore, systemize, and scale methods of combining game mechanics with our motivational core drives, in 2012 I decided to share my original gamification design framework called Octalysis to the world. The Octalysis Framework embodies my life’s work, and the majority of this book will be about how to use Octalysis to design experiences that are fun, engaging, and rewarding.

Because of the issues discussed in the last chapter, I spent the past decade working to create a complete framework to analyze and build strategies around the various systems that make games engaging. I saw that almost every successful game appeals to certain Core Drives within us and motivates us towards a variety of decisions and activities. I also noticed that different types of game techniques push us forward differently; some through inspiration and empowerment, some through manipulation and obsession. I drilled down to find what differentiates one type of motivation from another. The end result is a gamification design framework called Octalysis, which derives its name from an octagonal shape with 8 Core Drives representing each side.

Because of the issues discussed in the last chapter, I spent the past decade working to create a complete framework to analyze and build strategies around the various systems that make games engaging. I saw that almost every successful game appeals to certain Core Drives within us and motivates us towards a variety of decisions and activities. I also noticed that different types of game techniques push us forward differently; some through inspiration and empowerment, some through manipulation and obsession. I drilled down to find what differentiates one type of motivation from another. The end result is a gamification design framework called Octalysis, which derives its name from an octagonal shape with 8 Core Drives representing each side.

when I published the Octalysis Framework on my blog YukaiChou.com, it was also extremely well-received by the industry. Many brilliant pieces of work remain unnoticed or unappreciated for most of the creator’s life, let alone a design framework I simply put up on my personal blog. To my delight, within a year the Octalysis Framework was organically translated into over fourteen different languages - I had to stumble upon most of them one at a time. I quickly received many opportunities to speak, teach, and consult globally.

when I published the Octalysis Framework on my blog YukaiChou.com, it was also extremely well-received by the industry. Many brilliant pieces of work remain unnoticed or unappreciated for most of the creator’s life, let alone a design framework I simply put up on my personal blog. To my delight, within a year the Octalysis Framework was organically translated into over fourteen different languages - I had to stumble upon most of them one at a time. I quickly received many opportunities to speak, teach, and consult globally.

Through many years of experiments and adjustments, I realized that everything we do is based on one or more of the 8 Core Drives within Octalysis.

Through many years of experiments and adjustments, I realized that everything we do is based on one or more of the 8 Core Drives within Octalysis.

The 8 Core Drives of Gamification

The 8 Core Drives of Gamification

Core Drive 1: Epic Meaning & Calling

Core Drive 1: Epic Meaning & Calling

Epic Meaning & Calling is the Core Drive that is in play when a person believes they are doing something greater than themselves and/or were “chosen” to take that action. An example of this is when a player devotes a lot of their time to contribute to projects such as Wikipedia. We are familiar with the fact that people don’t contribute to Wikipedia to make money, but they don’t even do it to pad their resumes. People contribute to Wikipedia because they believe they are protecting humanity’s knowledge – something much bigger than themselves. This also comes into play when someone has “Beginner’s Luck” – an effe...

Epic Meaning & Calling is the Core Drive that is in play when a person believes they are doing something greater than themselves and/or were “chosen” to take that action. An example of this is when a player devotes a lot of their time to contribute to projects such as Wikipedia. We are familiar with the fact that people don’t contribute to Wikipedia to make money, but they don’t even do it to pad their resumes. People contribute to Wikipedia because they believe they are protecting humanity’s knowledge – something much bigger than themselves. This also comes into play when someone has “Beginner’s Luck” – an effe...

Core Drive 2: Development & Accomplishment Development & Accomplishment is our internal drive for making progress, developing skills, achieving mastery, and eventually overcoming challenges. The word “challenge” here is very important, as a badge or trophy without a challenge is not meaningful at all. This is also the core drive that is the easiest to design for and, coincidently, is where the majority of the PBLs: points, badges, leaderboards mostly focus on. Core Drive 3: Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback is expressed when users are engaged in a creative process where they repeatedly figure new things out and try different combinations. People not only need ways to express their creativity, but they need to see the results of their creativity, receive feedback, and adjust in turn. This is why playing with Legos and making art is intrinsically fun. If these techniques are properly designed and integrated to empower users to be creative, they often become Evergreen Mechanics: where a game designer no longer needs to continuously add additional content to keep the activity fresh and engaging. The brain simply entertains itself. Core Drive 4...

Core Drive 2: Development & Accomplishment Development & Accomplishment is our internal drive for making progress, developing skills, achieving mastery, and eventually overcoming challenges. The word “challenge” here is very important, as a badge or trophy without a challenge is not meaningful at all. This is also the core drive that is the easiest to design for and, coincidently, is where the majority of the PBLs: points, badges, leaderboards mostly focus on. Core Drive 3: Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback is expressed when users are engaged in a creative process where they repeatedly figure new things out and try different combinations. People not only need ways to express their creativity, but they need to see the results of their creativity, receive feedback, and adjust in turn. This is why playing with Legos and making art is intrinsically fun. If these techniques are properly designed and integrated to empower users to be creative, they often become Evergreen Mechanics: where a game designer no longer needs to continuously add additional content to keep the activity fresh and engaging. The brain simply entertains itself. Core Drive 4...

amazing at some skill or owns something extraordinary, you become driven to attain the same. This is further expressed in how we naturally draw closer to people, places, or events that we can relate to. If y...

amazing at some skill or owns something extraordinary, you become driven to attain the same. This is further expressed in how we naturally draw closer to people, places, or events that we can relate to. If y...

sense of nostalgia would likely increase the odds of you ...

sense of nostalgia would likely increase the odds of you ...

Scarcity & Impatience is the Core Drive of wanting something simply because it is extremely rare, exclusive, or immediately unattainable. Many games have Appointment Dynamics or Torture Breaks within them (come back 2 hours later to get your reward) – the fact that people can’t get something right now motivates them to think about it all day long. As a result, they return to the product every chance they get. This drive was well utilized by Facebook when it launched: at first it was just for Harvard students, then it opened up to a few other prestigious schools, and eventually all colleges. When it finally opened up to everyone,

Scarcity & Impatience is the Core Drive of wanting something simply because it is extremely rare, exclusive, or immediately unattainable. Many games have Appointment Dynamics or Torture Breaks within them (come back 2 hours later to get your reward) – the fact that people can’t get something right now motivates them to think about it all day long. As a result, they return to the product every chance they get. This drive was well utilized by Facebook when it launched: at first it was just for Harvard students, then it opened up to a few other prestigious schools, and eventually all colleges. When it finally opened up to everyone,

many people wanted to join simply because they previously couldn’t get in.

many people wanted to join simply because they previously couldn’t get in.

Unpredictability is the Core Drive of constantly being engaged because you don’t know what is going to happen next. When something does not fall into your regular pattern recognition cycles, your brain kicks into high gear and pays attention to the unexpected. This is obviously the primary Core Drive behind gambling addictions, but it is also present in every sweepstake or lottery program that companies run. On a lighter level, many people watch movies or read novels because of this Core Drive. The very controversial Skinner Box experiments, where an animal irrationally presses a lever frequently because of unpredictable results, are exclusively referring to the core drive of Unpredictability & Curiosity - although many have misunderstood it as the driver behind points, badges, and leaderboard mechanics in general.7

Unpredictability is the Core Drive of constantly being engaged because you don’t know what is going to happen next. When something does not fall into your regular pattern recognition cycles, your brain kicks into high gear and pays attention to the unexpected. This is obviously the primary Core Drive behind gambling addictions, but it is also present in every sweepstake or lottery program that companies run. On a lighter level, many people watch movies or read novels because of this Core Drive. The very controversial Skinner Box experiments, where an animal irrationally presses a lever frequently because of unpredictable results, are exclusively referring to the core drive of Unpredictability & Curiosity - although many have misunderstood it as the driver behind points, badges, and leaderboard mechanics in general.7

This Core Drive should come as no surprise – it’s the motivation to avoid something negative from happening. On a small scale, it could be to avoid losing

This Core Drive should come as no surprise – it’s the motivation to avoid something negative from happening. On a small scale, it could be to avoid losing

previous work or changing one’s behavior. On a larger scale, it could be to avoid admitting that everything you did up to this point was useless because you are now quitting. Also, opportunities that are fading away have a strong utilization of this Core Drive, because people feel if they didn’t act immediately, they would lose the opportunity to act forever (e.g. “Special offer for a limited time only!”)

previous work or changing one’s behavior. On a larger scale, it could be to avoid admitting that everything you did up to this point was useless because you are now quitting. Also, opportunities that are fading away have a strong utilization of this Core Drive, because people feel if they didn’t act immediately, they would lose the opportunity to act forever (e.g. “Special offer for a limited time only!”)