Simple game dynamics can vastly improve the enjoyment, engagement, and content retention a visitor derives from an interactive media experience, whether it be a website, touchscreen or app. Still, "gamification" is widely misunderstood and misapplied. Employing game dynamics generally isn't about creating a video game; it is about providing a user experience that guides visitors through tasks, provides feedback and incentives, and ultimately provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and reward. It is about delivering an experience that recognizes human impulses towards reward, completion, and collaboration to eectively deliver content.

1. BRAD BAER | BLUECADET
incentives + rewards
urgency & game mechanics in
interactive museum exhibitions
Friday, November 21, 2014
brad@bluecadet.com / @Bluecadet

2. URGENCY

3. FEAR

4. TEN WAYS to
INCENTIVIZE
& REWARD
10 ZYNGA’S

5. GAMES vs.
GAMIFICATION

6. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

7. Challenge is the artful application of
difficulty to games. It’s what makes them fun
and addictive. Don’t be afraid to challenge
your audience but, of course, that’s not the
same as miring them in complexity.

8. SUPER MARIO

9. JFK FOR KIDS APP/ JFK Library & Museum, Boston, MA

10. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

11. Recognition is the reason we have
birthdays and Facebook. They recognize
achievement, scracity, and excellence in a
context that matters. Badges, mayorships,
little gifts - they can all go a long way to
make someone feel special.

12. FOURSQUARE

13. CHEMCRAFTER / Chemical Heritage Foundation
https://vimeo.com/100742273

15. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

16. Delight surprises us when we least expect
it. Once deployed, it can keep us motivated
by looking for other hidden secrets or other
moments of whimsy.

17. MONUMENT VALLEY

18. SAINT JOHN PAU L II SHRINE/ Washington, DC
https://vimeo.com/103344099

19. AUTRY MUSEUM / Los Angeles, CA

20. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle Solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

21. Problem/Puzzle solving emphasizes
deductive thinking and requires multiple
steps to teach new skills. This archetype
works well for education games to
encourage visitors to struggle a bit to figure
something new out.

23. SUE T.REX PUZZLE/ Field Museum, Chicago, IL
https://vimeo.com/52951811

25. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

26. Tracking is the notion of being able to
record or evaluate our life in a quantified
way. Our workflows, diets, and sleep
schedules are all now quantifiable using
technology but games have a long history of
giving players feedback about their
progress before they finally reach the end.

27. NIKE RUN APPP

28. Anyone who’s taken any sort of
medication knows how expensive
specialized drugs for serious diseases,
particular vaccines, can cost thousands
of dollars to transport and distribute,
placing them out of reach

29. MULBERRY ROW APP / Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello

30. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle Solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

31. Cooperation involves throwing “teams”
into a competition and all of a sudden
everything is more intense. As much as
people like to compete, they like to achieve
things together even more, and social
games have taught us lessons about that
fact for several years now.

32. CHARADES

33. INGRESS

34. CENTRAL SPACE / Field Museum
https://vimeo.com/83926689

35. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle Solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

36. Competition thrives on the desire to win
and challenge others. It adds the possibility
of deployability and with social mechanics
can encourage sharing and play between
friends or strangers. This is perfect for quick
bursts and repeated brief engagements.

37. THUMB WRESTLING

38. ARMONICA / Ben Franklin Museum
https://vimeo.com/77151783

39. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle Solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

40. Creation is the emphasis on teaching
visitors to use tools to make something. The
joy of the experience doesn’t come from a
specific plot but rather applying the new
tools. An open structure can allow
outcomes not originally intended as well.

41. SIM CITY / Freeplay concept

42. COLLECTIONS / Field Museum

44. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle Solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

45. Collection captures the feeling of ‘wanting
it all.’ It works well with finite options and
achievements and can be motivated by
social status markers like leaderboards.

47. MAYA BURIAL GROUND / Ben Franklin Museum
https://vimeo.com/44055613

49. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle Solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

50. Altruism is the feeling we get when we
pay-it forward or do something for someone
else. It’s the belief that the well-being of
others can actually improve yourself (even if
it is expected.)

51. ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE

52. CANARY’S CALL/ National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA
https://vimeo.com/76477232

54. 1 Challenge
2 Recognition
3 Delight/Surprise
4 Puzzle Solving
5 Tracking
6 Cooperation
7 Competition
8 Creation
9 Collection
10 Altruism

55. Challenge
Recognition
Delight/Surprise
Puzzle Solving
Tracking
Cooperation
Competition
Creation
Collection
Altruism
+ Reciprocity
+ Scarcity
+ Personalization
+ Authority
+ Social Proof
+ Consistency

56. Challenge
Recognition
Delight/Surprise
Puzzle Solving
Tracking
Cooperation
Competition
Creation
Collection
Altruism
+ Reciprocity
+ Scarcity
+ Personalization
+ Authority
+ Social Proof
+ Consistency

57. 8 MAJOR TAKE-AWAYS
• Not all gamfication means creating a game
• Personalization and ability to relate is key
• Consider the social compact of museums
• Use persuasion to create urgency
• It’s important to extend the story - be it digitally or physically
• Design interactives that provide a variety of experiences
• Use technology as a tool, not as a solution
• Don’t be afraid to look outside of museums

58. Thank you.
BRAD BAER | BLUECADET
@Craftedaction / @Bluecadet
brad@bluecadet.com