MINDSPACE – Influencing Behaviour

Mindspace2 MINDSPACE 8211 Influencing Behaviour

Sometimes you come across stuff that you really wish you had come up with, but it is so good that shareing it is much better than trying to develop your own version!

One such idea is that of MINDSPACE.

In 2010 the British Government commisioned research into influencing behaviour through policy. What they produced was a report that we in gamification should find really useful – all revolving around this MINDSPACE acronym.

  • Messenger: we are heavily influenced by who communicates information
  • Incentives: our responses to incentives are shaped by predictable mental shortcuts, such as strongly avoiding losses
  • orms: we are strongly influenced by what others do
  • Defaults: we ‘go with the flow’ of pre-set options
  • Salience: our attention is drawn to what is novel and seems relevant to us
  • riming: our acts are often influenced by sub-conscious cues
  • Affect: our emotional associations can powerfully shape our actions
  • Commitments: we seek to be consistent with our public promises, and reciprocate acts
  • Ego: we act in ways that make us feel better about ourselves

Rather brilliantly, they released all the info in a couple of reports. So follow these links for loads more info, it is really good stuff (if a little worrying that the government are look at how to control us this way…). Read More ...

Zombies Run! 5K – Attempting to get fit

Zombies 5k Zombies Run 5K 8211 Attempting to get fit

Well, the scales have shouted at me again and it is time to get in shape. I have let myself go over the last few years and my body is beginning to tell me off as well!

I used to run, but always hated it. For a while I was trying to use Zombies Run! from Six to Start, however there was an assumption that you were already fit enough to run in the first place. This time, I thought I would start slow and steady with the help of Zombies Run’s baby sibling – Zombies Run 5K.

It is an app that takes you through an 8 week program that should help you get from couch potato (me) to someone who can run 5 kilometres. Obviously there is nothing all that new about this idea. What Zombies Run! adds to the equation is a narrative that helps to keep you going through the exercises. Read More ...

7 Deadly sins of making serious / educational games

7 deadly sins of serious game design 7 Deadly sins of making serious educational games

I wanted to add a short post just highlighting 7 things that I repeatedly see people doing wrong when they are making or considering making serious / educational games. This is by no means an exhaustive list though – I just like the idea of 7 deadly sins 😀

  1. Assume because you think it is fun that everyone else will.
  2. Forget that it is actually a game.
  3. Forget that it is meant to teach something or provide a message.
  4. Test with the wrong people.
  5. Think that it doesn’t need to look good.
  6. Think that playing games will make you a good game designer.
  7. Underestimate how hard it is to make a good game.

In a little more detail.

Assume because you think it is fun that everyone else will.

  • Fun is really subjective and just because you think it is amazing doesn’t mean that the rest of us will! See sin 2…
  • Read More ...

    Don’t be afraid to say no to Gamification

    No to gamification Don 8217 t be afraid to say no to Gamification

    Here is something that many who know me or know of me would be surprised to hear. Gamification is not always the answer!

    There, I said it.

    Often gamification is just a concept people have heard of and know may be of use. In these cases they will ask if it can be used as a solution for an issue they have. The trouble is that it is very easy to fall into the trap of just saying yes. As a gamifier, we really want to use gamification to solve business problems. We know the power that games and game elements can have and want to demonstrate this whenever we can. Read More ...