2011 05-26 digtali surrey science of gamification-v03

twitter: mich8elwulinkedin.com/in/MichaelWuPhD

Michael Wu PhDPrincipal Scientist of AnalyticsLithium Technologies

Digital SurreyMay 26th, 2011

The Science of Gamification


agenda

Terminology & basic concepts

Fogg’s behavior model (FBM)MotivationAbilityTrigger

Design process and few case studies


some gamification terminology

Gamification:The use of game mechanics/dynamics to drive game-liked engagement and actions in non-game environments (e.g. work, education, exercise, etc.)



Game MechanicsPrinciples, rules, and/or mechanisms that govern a simple behavior through a system of rewards with predictable outcome.If …[reward]… then …[action]… with high probabilityBuilding blocksInfinite

People adapt game mechanics become ineffective

Common examples:Status: ranks + reputationFeedback: pointsSet completion: collectionCustomization: self expressionExchange: sharing social cohesion + facilitation

Gamification.org compiled a list of known game mechanics

http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&biw=1387&bih=676&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=farmville

http://gamification.org/wiki/Game_Mechanics

http://gamification.org/wiki/Game_Mechanics



Gaming DynamicTemporal evolution and patterns of both the game and the players that make the game (or any gamifiedactivity) more enjoyable.Game play dynamicsPlayer state dynamics: FlowCreated by combining + cascading game mechanics confused with game mechanicsDepend on gaming personality (Bartle): achiever, explorer, socializer, killer

Common examples:Progression vs. status: badge + achievement / rank + reputation / leveling up / unlocks + accessReinforcement schedule vs. points: variable interval/ratio reinforcement

serendipityAppointment + countdowns: IRL happy hour FarmVilleCommunal discovery: IRL voting digg + Facebook likes



Game TheoryHas nothing to do with gamification!An established branch of mathematics that tries to describe the decision process in any strategic situations, including games.

A BEAUTIFULMIND


agenda





behavior model

Fogg Behavior Model (FBM):3 Factors underlying human behavior.Temporal convergence of 3 factors.

Motivation Ability TriggerAction

wants can told to


behavior model

Fogg Behavior Model (FBM):3 Factors underlying human behavior.Temporal convergence of 3 factors.

Action Mot

ivat

ion

Ability

Trigger

activationthreshold


what motivates people

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1943)

deficiencyneeds

being-needs(meta-needs)

food, water, etc

security, money (gambling)

social cohesion, virality & most communal/community dynamics

status, achievements,ranks, reputation, etc.

Game mechanics / dynamics


Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1943)

Dan Pink’s intrinsic motivators

from Maslow’s need to Pink’s drive

being-needs(meta-needs)

Game mechanics / dynamics

Maslow’s meta-motivators:autonomy

mastery

purpose

Dan Pink’s intrinsicmotivators (2009)

ownership, blissful productivity, serendipity, etc.

points, progression, level up, set completion, etc.

epic meaning, quest, discovery, justice, save the world peace, etc.


John Watson & BF Skinner: Learning & Conditioning

Human behaviors are learned through conditioningRadical: disregard innate needs, only use external conditions & reinforcementThe conditioned reinforcers (which are usuallysome kind of points) are learned and theybecome the motivatorHowever, points themselves are not inherentlyrewarding

Proper use of points depends on thereward schedule

When, how many, and at what rate the pointsare given (or taken away)Progression and level up dynamics


John Watson & BF Skinner: Learning & Conditioning

Fixed-interval (FI) scheduleDrives activity near deadline

count down & appointment dynamic

Fix-interval (FI) and fixed-ratio (FR)Learning new behaviors (e.g. training)

Variable-interval (VI)Reinforcing established behaviors

Variable-ratio (VR)Maintaining a behavior Game addiction

Serendipity & surpriseLottery mechanic + anticipatory motivators

Reward Schedules


Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow

Flow: an optimal state of intrinsicmotivation

Forget about physical feelings (e.g. hunger,sleep), passage of time, and their ego

Skill ~ Challenge Flow

Certainty vs. UncertaintyPeople love the control state

b/c it gives them a sense of security & safetyPeople hate the boredom statePeople like arousalPeople dislike worry


Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow

People acquire skills over time move into the relaxation / boredom state

We are motivated by challenges, surprises, and varieties, to avoid boredomNew challenge arousal, anxietyIRL, matching challenge to people’s skills exactly is hardThey are either too easy (boring) or too hard (frustrating)Good gamification must adapt & evolve with the player


agenda





ability: 2 perspectives

User perspective: ability (reality)

Task perspective: simplicity (perceptual)

2 ways to push a user beyond hisactivation threshold

Hard way: Increase his real ability by motivating him to train & practice

Easier way: Increase the task’sperceived simplicity (or user’s perceived ability)

Mot

ivat

ion

Ability

activationthreshold


what is simplicity

Tasks that are truly simple must not require any resources you don’t have

Simplicity is a measure of your access to the following 3 categories of resources at the time when you need to perform the task

Effort resources: physical effort + mental effort. Scarce resources: time, money, authority/permission, attention etc.Adaptability resources: capacity to break norms, which may be personal (routines), social, behavioral, cultural, etc.


what is simplicity

Simplicity dependenciesIndividual: different people have access to different resourcesTime & context: resource can be lost and become in accessible or gain

Resource trade offTime + moneySimplicity is a function of your scarcest resource at the time when you need to perform the task

Motivation + Ability can also trade offUsually happens at extreme the ends


perceived simplicity

A task is perceived simple if you can complete it with fewer resources than you expect

You expect the task to be harder

Some game mechanics/dynamics designed to simplifyDivide and conquerCascading information theoryChaining reward schedulesBehavioral momentum (follow personal norm)


agenda





what is a trigger and why is it needed

Something that prompts or tells the users to carry out the target behavior now.

User must aware of the trigger.Must understand what the trigger means.

Why a trigger is necessaryUnaware of his ability (e.g. unaware of options or simplicity of task)Hesitant (e.g. question his motivation)Distracted (e.g. engaged in another routine activity)


trigger depends on behavioral trajectoryHas ability but not motivated

Sparkbuilt-in as part of the motivation mechanism

Motivated, but lack ability (or perceived ability)

Facilitatorsimplifies task by highlighting its simplicityoften used with the progress bar dynamics to create anticipation as user improve towards his goal

Has ability and motivatedSignalshould only serve as a reminder

Mot

ivat

ion

Ability

activationthreshold


trigger depends on gaming personality

Trigger is all about timing!Poorly timed trigger: spam mails + pop ups ads

Bartle type Characteristics Effective triggerKiller (<1%) highly competitive challenge themSocializer~80%

hate confrontation, followers, value relationship

show that their friends are doing it

Achiever ~10% driven by status (i.e. special access, etc.) spark trigger associated

with an status increaseExplorer ~10%

driven by discovery & uniqueness of their contributions, hate spatial & temporal limits

call upon their unique skill, no time pressure


agenda





gamification: design that drives actions

What do game mechanics/dynamics do?Positive feedbacks: progress, accumulation of point, badges, status, customization, serendipity, social facilitation, etc.Negative feedback: theoretically works, but not well in practice

Increase the player’s true ability through training and practice (often used with motivation)Increase his perceived ability by simplifying the actions

Place triggers in the behavioral trajectory of motivated players when they feel the greatest excess in their ability


gamification is an iterative design processWhat happens when a desired behavior is not performed?

Easiest thing to check 1st: are they triggered?Are they aware of the trigger? Do they understand what the trigger meant?

Do they have the ability (i.e. is the action simple enough)?Does it require efforts, scarce resources, or does it require the user to break norms and learn new routines?Reduce the feature complexity so it requires less resources (divide + conquer).

Are they motivated?By positive feedbacks from game mechanics / gaming dynamics?i.e. accumulation of points, badges, status change, progress bar, leader board, customization, serendipity, social facilitation, etc.


beware of the moral hazard of game play

Recall: Skinnerian operant conditioningPoints can be learned and become the motivator instead of the desired behavior

Gamify flossing: reward with points + perksWhat happens when the rewards are gone?They lose all motivation to perform the desired task


Gap gamify store check-in

Desire action:FB Places check-in

Single appointmentNo reward for repeating &maintaining the action

Moral hazard of game play

People want the reward(free jeans) much more than they want to check-in

When 10,000th pair of jean is gone people stop checking in

Trigger: appointment dynamic – time’s up

Motivation

Ability: not everyone uses FB Places. If target demographic use it, then OK. They can check-in


speed camera lottery

Motivation: win $ lottery

Ability: the player is driving, and has the ability to slow down the car

Trigger: lottery sign on camera fixture

Spark trigger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iynzHWwJXaA


gamification of work ≠ mixing games with work

Sales execs fail to assign leads regularly

Create an ipad+iphone golf gamefor lead assignment.

Motivation: new, fun, sales people love golfAbility: this actually reduces ability, more work, inefficient Trigger: leads notification

No convergence of 3 factors bad idea!People may use it for a while due to novelty, but it won’t last long

Don’t take it too literally, or you’re missing the whole point of gamification


gamification summary

It is all about driving the players above the activation threshold by:

1. Motivating them by positive feedback2. Increasing their ability (or perceived ability)3. And then applying the proper trigger at the right time

The temporal convergence of motivation, ability and trigger is why gamification is able to manipulate human behaviors.

Beware of the moral hazard of game playGood games must adapt and evolve with their players to bring them into the state of flow


thank you

Q&A + discussion

Resources:me: mich8elwublog: http://lithosphere.lithium.com/t5/a/bg-p/MikeW

http://lithosphere.lithium.com/t5/a/bg-p/MikeW

2011 05-26 digtali surrey science of gamification-v03

Technology