The document discusses gamification and its uses for startups. It defines gamification as incorporating gameplay elements into non-gaming applications to improve customer experience, build engagement, and create loyalty. Popular game mechanics that can be used include social features, customization, tracking experiences and progression, competition through leaderboards, virtual rewards and currencies, and designing interfaces to mimic games. Gamification is aimed at shaping positive behaviors and engaging customers through meaningful experiences. Examples where gamification has been applied include workplaces, schools, healthcare, and communities.

1. Game On!
Gamification for Startups
Sydney Startup Weekend July 2011

2. What is Gamification?
• A process of incorporating gameplay
elements into non-gaming
applications, products and services
• Improve customer experience
• Build engagement
• Create customer loyalty
• Designing the player journey
• Gamification is not the core
experience

3. Games engage
A structured experience
Rules + Goals + Fun
Shape positive behaviours
Create interactive experiences

4. Driven by the games
phenomenon
• 10,000 hours of gameplay by age 21
• 3 billion hours per week online
• Higher order skill development
• Facebook top 25 games = 76m ADU
• World of Warcraft 12m subscribers/mth
• Mass exodus to virtual worlds

5. Social disengagement
is rife
Only 20% of people are
engaged at work
40% enrolled but not
committed
40% disengaged

6. A different way of
thinking
The number one focus of
a game designer is
ENGAGEMENT
Think of your start-up as
a game ...

7. Think like a game designer
Know your player Design the journey Know the destination
Make your profile REAL. Different stages & levels Player goals and
People are emotional of experience & mastery. objectives. What problem
first, rational second Let there be FUN is your start-up solving?

8. Entry level gamification
is mostly extrinsic
• Social
• Experiences
• Progression
• Status & success
• Currency & rewards
• Scarcity
• Design & interface
• Multi dimensional

9. Start-up weekend
challenge:
• IDEA --> LAUNCH
• Don’t forget the fun factor!
• Focus on customer engagement
• Create meaningful experiences
• Don’t let the tech get in the way
• My challenge to you is ...

10. Game Pitch: Imagine if your start-up was a game...
•The name of the game is __________________
•The story is about ________________________
•The target player is _______________________
•Who will be solving the problem of _______________
•Using secret game sauce of _______________,
_________________ and ___________________.
•I know I’m winning when __________________.

11. Resources for your working sessions
are provided in the remaining deck
Good Luck and Have Fun!

12. How do we use
gamification?
• Nine popular mechanics here
• Select combinations wisely
• Selection criteria based on:
• who is your customer?
• what is your objective?
• what is your budget?
• Gamification must be fit for
purpose

13. Social
• Gaming as a social activity
• Friends as part of the shared
experience
• Technique: sense of belonging
• Mechanic: add friends,
sharing, like/dislike, chat

14. Customisation
• Personalizing the experience
• Self expression, social
bonding and social signaling
• Technique: personalisation to
increase commitment and
barriers to exit
• Mechanic: select and/or
customize an avatar or chose
your own photo or drawing

15. Experiences
• Gamify the everyday, the
routine (& the mundane)
• Setting goals
• Giving rewards
• Technique: need for
recognition & accomplishment
• Mechanic: badges, tokens,
trophies

16. Progression
• Progression points, tracking
and feedback
• Feedback loops to prompt
desired or target action
• Technique: stimulus response
to feedback
• Mechanic: progress bar,
points, prompts

17. Status & Success
• Leader boards and points to
acknowledge desired actions
and behaviors
• Stimulate competition and give
recognition
• Technique: build status and
success, appeal to ego
• Mechanics: leaderboards,
points, exclusive membership
levels and privileges, black/
platinum/gold cards

18. Currency & Rewards
• Incentives based on time or
money
• Built on points or tokens to
earn virtual currency
• Redeem virtual currency for
virtual goods (in-game) or real
world goods or services
• Technique: reward seeking
motivation
• Mechanic: gold coins, real/
virtual currency

19. Create Scarcity
• Creating artificial economies
to simulate scarcity in sought
after virtual or real goods
• Technique: encouraging
purchases based on prestige
and feelings on ‘missing out’
on an offer
• Mechanic: creation of a rare/
scarce products, icons,
symbols, sales promotions,
creating perceptions of value

20. Design & Interface
• Creating the look and feel of a
game without inherent
gameplay elements
• Technique: create altered or
renewed perceptions of
existing products or services
• Mechanic: influence
perceptions through look/feel,
imagery and visual
stimulations

21. Multi Dimensional
• Integrating cross-media
functionality and interest
• Experience of the integration of
film, music, games and
merchandise
• Gamified smartphone applications
& web services connected to real
world activities e.g health and
wellness
• Technique: creating utility and
deeper social experiences
• Mechanic: utility, free, status

22. Let’s play:
Spot the Game Mechanic

23. Salesforce aimed to increase sales calls, lead info
and conversion rates

24. SAP Gamification Challenge - Internal Innovation
Event to gamify SAP software systems

25. The email game - to process your emails faster and
more effectively

26. Mint.com is a service that syncs with your bank and
credit card accounts to help you pay off debt and save

28. Gamification Examples

29. Workplaces
• Project management
• Change management
• Email management
• Organization design
• “The Target Game”
• Balance of Hard Fun, Easy
Fun, Serious Fun, People Fun
(Nicole Lazzaro)

30. Schools
• “WOW In Schools Campaign”
USA - Leadership, Teamwork,
Collaboration, Strategy,
Economics
• Mathletics & Spellodrome online
• Handheld Learning initiative UK
• Legacy of the failure of
‘edutainment’
• Kids have high expectations of
gameplay (& education has low
production budgets)

31. Healthcare
• Physical and cognitive therapy
• Exercise and movement - Wii
Fit, Kinect, Nike+, DanceGames
& ExerGames to maintain
motivation & focus
• Assistive technologies and
smart phone apps for
medication tracking
• “Mental Health Game”

32. Communities
• Playful community “street”
experiences
• Community building
• Games4Change Initiative
• Institute for the Future: World
Without Oil
• NYPL Scavenger Hunt
(reconnect with history, library
books)
• “Fun Theory”

33. Keep in mind
• Don’t bolt on - holistic design process
• A poor product/service/environment won’t be improved by gamification
• Game design is emergent - start slowly, carefully. Iterate. (10%design/
90% iteration)
• Beware of unintended consequences
• Design around intrinsic motivators - amplify meaning, autonomy,
mastery
• Focus on positive behaviors by making them more visible
• Simplicity

34. Thank you for playing !
Marigo Raftopoulos
Marigo@strategicgameslab.com
Mobile/Cell: +61 (0)412 183735
Skype: marigo.raftopoulos
Twitter:@Marigo
Blog: http://talesfromthecasbah.blogspot.com
Web: www.strategicgameslab.com