Long after the thrill: Sustaining Passionate Application Users

LONG AFTER THE THRILL
(Sustaining Passionate Users)
STEPHEN P. ANDERSON
#sixd
@stephenanderson
Are you in a long-term
relationship?
(and would you like to stay in that relationship?)
Some context…
Some context…
How do we get people to fall in love
with our applications?
How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
?
How do we get people to stay in love
with our applications?
By making
applications
more gamelike?
points
levels
scoreboards
achievements
badges
assignments
“Motivating consumer behavior through game mechanics”
points
levels
scoreboards
achievements

badges
assignments
“Motivating consumer behavior through game mechanics”
human
psychology
reputation & identity
variable rewards
appropriate challenges
pattern recognition
social proof
curiosity
surprise
status
etc.
feedback loops
Sustaining passionate users
Through delightful challenges.
Sustaining passionate users
Through delightful challenges.
Human beings have an inherent tendency
to seek out novelty and challenges, to
extend and exercise their capacities, to
explore, and to learn.
Edward Deci, psychologist
OMG - He’s so
mysterious!
can’t. read.
her. mind!
<sigh> I’m in
Love!

Let’s go back to the classroom
This stuff is
boring.
I’ll make the best
of it. But, you’ll
have to work and
apply yourself to
get something
out of this class.
Attitude One:
This stuff is
boring.
I’ll make the best
of it. But, you’ll
have to work and
apply yourself to
get something
out of this class.
Attitude One: Attitude Two:
This stuff isn’t all
that interesting.
But, I’ve added
some activities to
the content that
will make this a
lot more fun for
everyone.
This stuff is
boring.
I’ll make the best

of it. But, you’ll
have to work and
apply yourself to
get something
out of this class.
Attitude One: Attitude Two:
This stuff isn’t all
that interesting.
But, I’ve added
some activities to
the content that
will make this a
lot more fun for
everyone.
“Apply Yourself”
“Sugar Coating”
GAMIFICATION?
A thing
At itʼs core the idea is something like this…
WHY ARE WE ADDING
GAME MECHANICS TO
THE REAL THING?
Add game
mechanics
The thing now has
a new layer of fun
it didnʼt before.
People are more
likely to engage
with that thing

This explanation is from Matthewʼs Guyʼs presentation FreeForm: Reality Invaders
Check it out: />A thing
Add game
mechanics
The thing now has
a new layer of fun
it didnʼt before.
People are more
likely to engage
with that thing
At itʼs core the idea is something like this…
WHY ARE WE ADDING
GAME MECHANICS TO
THE REAL THING?
This explanation is from Matthewʼs Guyʼs presentation FreeForm: Reality Invaders
Check it out: />Play &
Challenges
Goals &
Rewards
Game
+
=
(a gross oversimplification of game design!)
Play &
Challenges
Goals &
Rewards
Game
+
=

(a gross oversimplification of game design!)
How do we actually make something a game?
Drive by Dan Pink
Let me offer an exercise:
Customer Relationship Management
Investment Tools
Time Tracking
Corporate Email
Banking & Accounting Tools
Project Management Software
Sales Tracking
Knowledge Sharing
Marketing Management
Scheduling Apps
Online Training / E-Learning
Hiring & Recruiting Tools
Performance Reviews
File Management
Health Records
Invoices
Customer Relationship Management
Investment Tools
Time Tracking
Corporate Email
Banking & Accounting Tools
Project Management Software
Sales Tracking
Knowledge Sharing
Marketing Management
Scheduling Apps

Online Training / E-Learning
Hiring & Recruiting Tools
Performance Reviews
File Management
Health Records
Invoices
Time Tracking