Hidden in the User Types Hexad

For the first time that I can remember, someone has asked a question about a little “hidden” feature of the User Types Hexad. Two secrets actually.

Take a look at it now, what is odd?

Gamification User Types Hexad 500x496 Hidden in the User Types Hexad — User Types Hexad

I love symmetry – it is a quirk of mine. I hate how my kids build with LEGO, they always put the wrong colours together and use odd numbers of bricks and the like! Drives the little picky part of my brain insane. That’s part of why I have the hexagon shape, it is perfectly symmetrical – except for the circle in the middle.

That’s the first little secret. The circle represents the Magic Circle. Remember I wrote about that ages ago, it is the safe environment that the game or system provides. It is the world that you exist in whilst you are engaged with the system. Socialisers, Players and Achievers require this structured system to be able to engage properly. Socialisers need the networking structure, players need the “game” and achievers need the content and the challenges that the system provide.

However, Philanthropists, Disruptors and Free Spirits are not as reliant on the structure that is provided for them. Whilst it may be useful, it does not have to dictate how they engage, so they are not fixed into the magic circle in the same way as the other three – hence they have the broken circle. See what I did there?

The other bit is the layout. As you can see now, it is not random with respect to being at the top or the bottom, but their positions are not random after that. The sit opposite their least similar counterpart in the Hexad.

Achievers need the system and the challenges. Philanthropists need the people, otherwise, who can they help?
Players need the structure provides to be able to achieve things (with people or the system). Disruptors want to change the system and the structure that it provides.
Socialisers need people to engage with. Free Spirits are often less interested in the people, they are there for the self-expression.

So, whilst everything I do may seem completely random at times, actually, I do think about it all quite hard!

Until next time – play!