From this we can get an idea of what people are talking about when they say they are using gamification to engage people, or increase engagement. They are generally looking to get people to participatein activities. That tends to be the key goal for most gamification, participation.
So here is the thing. When people play a game, they play because they want to play. They participate because it is their desire to participate and be involved. When people use a gamified system, it is very often not their desire that drives entry, but the desire of whoever set the system up. This is a really important distinction.
Is participation enough though? When I was doing my workshop at Gamification World Congress (GWC). this came up. We were looking at the difference in my 4 phase EEEE user journey. Enrol was fairly simple. This could just be as simple as an invite. All you are looking for there is participation! Enthuse is a little different. This is the part where you want people to get excited and to play with the system (if that is possible). It could be part of the enrol phase, but it is where you tend to see the most activity and participation. However, is this really being engaged? Does participation mean they are engaging with the system. They are certainly using it, but is that just because they are getting rewards for it – are they essentially being bribed to participate?
When I talk about the Engage phase, I am talking about a part of the user journey beyond mere bribed participation. This is the part where (as the initial definition eludes) they are interested. Their involvement is due to something that they want to do and want to continue to do – it is intrinsic.
The final phase, Endear (or End Game), may be the same as the engage phase, people stay for their own reasons. it may just be a great ending to a great narrative and people go on to tell others how amazing it was. But again, it is because they were interested and intrinsically motivated to stay involved.
Engagement is something beyond mere participation,. Engagement is intrinsic to the person who you want to involved. You have to use the opening phases of their journey to help them find their reason to stay. It may be that you teach them why it is important for them to be involved (not just why it is important toyou). It may be that they find it enjoyable or beneficial. It may be they just get into the habit of doing it, but for you to get true engagement – make it their reason to stay, not yours.
With it nearly being Christmas, I thought I would put out one more blog post before the traditional years round up!
This time I want to look at a concept I have been talking about for a while, but have never really explained properly. Thin Layer and Deep Level gamification.
Thin Layer Gamification
This covers things that are added to the “top” of a system. Points, badges, game like interface components. This type is less about engagement as it is about entertainment, but has its place as I explained last week.
Deep Level Gamification
Deep Level is where the real engagement and problem solving come in. Covering everything from Games / Serious games to pure intrinsic motivation driven systems, Deep Level is where you will get the biggest returns – and development bills!
Thin Layer vs Deep Level Gamification
This diagram shows the basics of what I am talking about.
Extrinsic Gamification
Described here as Short Term Thin Layer. This is what most people associate with gamification, points and badges. An example of this can be seen on my site with my implementation of Captain Up. This is more of an entertainment feature, but can give short term in engagement especially when you are measuring based on page views on a website.
User Interface
Long Term Thin Layer means that whilst this sort of design may not be hooking into the deepest of intrinsic motivations, it is designed to stay with the user for the entire time they are using your system. Remember, this is user interface, not user experience!
Serious Games
Serious games are Short Term Deep Level. This means that they are deeply engaging, but designed for a specific purpose that lasts finite period of time – ie the length of the game. Think of things like Fold.it Once the problem is solved, the game finishes. Of course you can argue that games can last years – but most serious games are designed to solve a problem and that’s it.
Intrinsic Gamification
Long Term Deep Level gamification. This is what people strive for. A system that keeps you involved because you want to be involved. There may be thin layer trappings, but RAMP is why you are there (Relatedness, Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose). Take Stack Exchange. Whilst some are there for the points and the badges, may are there because they enjoy helping people. Giving them bonuses and meaningful extras (like access to administrative tools) adds to this in a much deeper way than the PBL based rewards.
So what?
These categories are just there to help clarify the differences between different approaches to gamification. Each one is valid and has its uses. Each one can be combined with any other one to create a system. If you went to a meeting where you were discussing gamification of a new product, you could show someone this chart and say “If you want short term engagement, look to the left. IF you want long term, look to the right. If you have money and want to do this really well, look at the top, if you don’t have as much money, look to the bottom”.
