Gamification

The Number One Mistake in Gamification Design

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Error 1536917247 The Number One Mistake in Gamification Design

Ok, so this is going to polarise you guys a little, but MY number one mistake in gamification design, as I personally see it…

Designing the solution that you want rather than what the client needs. Note I am saying what the client needs not what they want. 

When designing a solution, it is easy to get caught up in how cool and how fun it can be. Then you start to work on great designs that you love. You take them to the client and you start to explain why your idea and design is absolutely the best solution. Soon you are building your personal pet project, rather than actually solving the problems the client had. Read More ...

Looking for some feedback

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Hi all. No words of pseudo-wisdom this week, just looking for some feedback!

Last year I wrote an updated version of Even Ninja Monkeys Like to Play called the Unicorn Edition.

It contains large updates to the content as well as 50 or so new pages.

Now, I sent this to a few publishers and have been spending many months working with one to get a proposal together. However, it looks like I will need to completely rewrite the book to fit their audience. No more monkeys or unicorns!

My question to you all is (and answer here or on twitter http://www.twitter.com/daverage), would you like me to release the Unicorn version on Amazon myself, or would you rather wait for the more “business” friendly version if/when it comes out? Read More ...

The “Little Piggy” Communications Test

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Do you remember the old poem, “This Little Piggy”?

This Little Piggy poem

This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed at home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy went…
“Wee wee wee” all the way home…

Well, this can hold one of the keys to good communications with users and clients…

When you communicate with someone, especially if you feel you are doing something that will help them – such as providing gamified solutions, you have to consider what they want and need.  You have to put yourself in their shoes and offer something in a way that resonates with them. Read More ...

Gamblification – don’t gamble with your people unless you are sure!

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I often hear people talking about adding elements of chance to an experience to make it more interesting. For instance, adding a random reward for doing a certain task in a system.

However, when does adding randomness turn into adding gambling elements? Well, we have to look at the definition of gambling and look at an example.

In the UK the Gambling Commision looks after all things related to gambling and has a long list of things that it considers to be gambling – http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/for-the-public/What-is-gambling.aspx Read More ...

Playbrush Smart Toothbrush Review (Or, “How I have to admit when I’m wrong..”)

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About 2 years ago I was speaking at a Gamifiers event in London. One of the other speakers spoke about a new product called “Playbrush”. It was an add-on for a toothbrush that allowed it to interact with a mobile device like an iPad. As well as the add-on, there were a couple of games that it controlled on the mobile device. The idea was to encourage kids to brush for longer and with higher efficiency because they want to progress in the games.

It is fair to say the idea got mauled by us all. I hold my hand up as one of the maulers. I had several issues with the idea of a parent. The first was the concept of having to have my iPad in the bathroom with the kids. After that, it was the idea of getting kids to clean their teeth because it let them play a game. I could not see how that activity could convert into a permanent behaviour if when you took the game element away. Read More ...

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