Octalysis: Complete Gamification Framework - LinkedIn

The end result is a gamification framework called Octalysis, which is based on an octagon shape with 8 Core Drives representing each side.     (ThisistheGamificationFrameworkthatIammostknownfor.Withinayear,itwasorganicallytranslatedinto13differentlanguagesandbecameclassicteachingliteratureinthegamificationspaceworldwide).   Gamificationisdesignthatplacesthemostemphasisonhumanmotivationintheprocess.Inessence,itisHuman-FocusedDesign(asopposedto“function-focuseddesign”).   Gamificationisthecraftofderivingallthefunandengagingelementsfoundingamesandapplyingthemtoreal-worldorproductiveactivities.ThisprocessiswhatIcall“Human-FocusedDesign,”asopposedto“Function-FocusedDesign.”It’sadesignprocessthatoptimizesforhumanmotivationinasystem,asopposedtopureefficiency.   Mostsystemsare“function-focused,”designedtogetthejobdonequickly.Thisislikeafactorythatassumesitsworkerswilldotheirjobsbecausetheyarerequiredto.However,Human-FocusedDesignremembersthatpeopleinasystemhavefeelings,insecurities,andreasonswhytheywantordonotwanttodocertainthings,andthereforeoptimizesfortheirfeelings,motivations,andengagement.   ThereasonwecallitgamificationisbecausethegamingindustrywasthefirsttomasterHuman-FocusedDesign.   Gameshavenootherpurposethantopleasetheindividualplayingthem.Yes,thereareoften“objectives”ingames,suchaskillingadragonorsavingtheprincess,andsometimessavingadragon,butthoseareallexcusestosimplykeeptheplayerhappilyentertained.+   Sincegameshavespentdecades(orevencenturiesdependingonhowyouqualifyagame)learninghowtomastermotivationandengagement,wearenowlearningfromgames,andthatiswhywecallitGamification.   Sointhepastdecade,Ihavebeendiggingdeepintoformingacompleteframeworktoanalyzeandbuildstrategiesaroundthevarioussystemsthatmakeagamefun.   IsawthatalmosteverygameisfunbecauseitappealstocertainCoreDriveswithinusthatmotivateustowardscertainactivities.Ialsonoticedthatdifferenttypesofgametechniquespushusforwarddifferently:someinaninspiringandempoweringway,whilesomeinamanipulativeandobsessivemanner.Idrilleddowntofindwhatdifferentiatesonetypeofmotivationtoanother.   TheendresultisagamificationframeworkcalledOctalysis,whichisbasedonanoctagonshapewith8CoreDrivesrepresentingeachside.   Withmanyyearsoftrialsandadjustments,Ibelievethat,besidesaninthhiddenCoreDrivecalled“Sensation,”everythingyoudoisbasedononeormoreofthese8CoreDrivesbelow.   The8CoreDrivesofGamification   1)EpicMeaning&Calling   EpicMeaning&CallingistheCoreDrivewhereaplayerbelievesthatheisdoingsomethinggreaterthanhimselforhewas“chosen”todosomething.Asymptomofthisisaplayerthatdevotesalotofhistimetomaintainingaforumorhelpingtocreatethingsfortheentirecommunity(thinkWikipediaorOpenSourceprojects).Thisalsocomesintoplaywhensomeonehas“Beginner’sLuck”–aneffectwherepeoplebelievetheyhavesometypeofgiftthatothersdon’torbelievetheywere“lucky”togetthatamazingswordattheverybeginningofthegame.   2)Development&Accomplishment   Development&Accomplishmentistheinternaldriveofmakingprogress,developingskills,andeventuallyovercomingchallenges.Theword“challenge”hereisveryimportant,asabadgeortrophywithoutachallengeisnotmeaningfulatall.ThisisalsothecoredrivethatistheeasiesttodesignforandcoincidentlyiswheremostofthePBLs:points,badges,leaderboardsmostlyfocuson.   3)EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedback   EmpowermentofCreativity&Feedbackiswhenusersareengagedacreativeprocesswheretheyhavetorepeatedlyfigurethingsoutandtrydifferentcombinations.Peoplenotonlyneedwaystoexpresstheircreativity,buttheyneedtobeabletoseetheresultsoftheircreativity,receivefeedback,andrespondinturn.ThisiswhyplayingwithLegosandpaintingarefunin-and-ofthemselvesandoftenbecomeEvergreenMechanics,whereagame-designernolongerneedstocontinuouslyaddmorecontenttokeeptheactivityfreshandengaging.   4)Ownership&Possession   Thisisthedrivewhereusersaremotivatedbecausetheyfeelliketheyownsomething.Whenaplayerfeelsownership,sheinnatelywantstomakewhatsheownsbetterandownevenmore.Besidesbeingthemajorcoredriveforwantingtoaccumulatewealth,thisdealswithmanyvirtualgoodsorvirtualcurrencieswithinsystems.Also,ifapersonspendsalotoftimetocustomizeherprofileorheravatar,sheautomaticallyfeelsmoreownershiptowardsittoo.Finally,thisisalsothecoredrivethatmakescollectingstampsorpuzzlepiecesfun.   5)SocialInfluence&Relatedness   Thisdriveincorporatesallthesocialelementsthatdrivepeople,including:mentorship,acceptance,socialresponses,companionship,aswellascompetitionandenvy.Whenyouseeafriendthatisamazingatsomeskillorownssomethingextraordinary,youbecomedriventoreachthesamelevel.Also,itincludesthedrivewehavetodrawclosertopeople,places,oreventsthatwecanrelateto.Ifyouseeaproductthatremindsyouofyourchildhood,thesenseofnostalgiawouldlikelyincreasetheoddsofyoubuyingtheproduct.ThisCoreDriveisrelativelywell-studiedtoo,asmanycompaniesthesearedaysareputtingalotofpriorityonoptimizingtheironlinesocialstrategies.   6)Scarcity&Impatience   Thisisthedriveofwantingsomethingbecauseyoucan’thaveit.ManygameshaveAppointmentDynamicswithinthem(comeback2hourslatertogetyourreward)–thefactthatpeoplecan’tgetsomethingrightnowmotivatesthemtothinkaboutitalldaylong.ThisistheCoreDriveutilizedbyFacebookwhenitfirststarted:atfirstitwasjustforHarvard.Thenitopeneduptoafewotherprestigiousschools,andeventuallyallcolleges.Whenitfinallyopeneduptoeveryone,manypeoplewantedtojoinbecausetheypreviouslycouldn’tgetinit.   7)Unpredictability&Curiosity   Generally,thisisaharmlessdriveofwantingtofindoutwhatwillhappennext.Ifyoudon’tknowwhat’sgoingtohappen,yourbrainisengagedandyouthinkaboutitoften.Manypeoplewatchmoviesorreadnovelsbecauseofthisdrive.However,thisdriveisalsotheprimaryfactorbehindgamblingaddiction.Also,thiscoredriveisutilizedwheneveracompanyrunsasweepstakeorlotteryprogramtoengageusers.TheverycontroversialSkinnerBoxexperiments,whereananimalirrationallypressesaleverfrequentlybecauseofunpredictableresults,areexclusivelyreferringtothecoredriveofUnpredictability&Curiosity,althoughmanyhavemisunderstooditasthedriverbehindpoints,badges,andleaderboardmechanicsingeneral.   8)Loss&Avoidance   Thiscoredriveisbasedupontheavoidanceofsomethingnegativehappening.Onasmallscale,itcouldbetoavoidlosingpreviouswork.Onalargerscale,itcouldbetoavoidadmittingthateverythingyoudiduptothispointwasuselessbecauseyouarenowquitting.Also,opportunitiesthatarefadingawayhaveastrongutilizationofthisCoreDrive,becausepeoplefeellikeiftheydidn’tactimmediately,theywouldlosetheopportunitytoactforever.   Afterthe8CoreDrivesaredetermined,Igraphedthemintoanoctagonchart.     LeftBrainvsRightBrainDrives   WithinOctalysis,theCoreDrivesontherightareconsideredRightBrainCoreDrives,beingmorerelatedtocreativity,self-expression,andsocialaspects.   TheCoreDrivesontheleftareconsideredLeftBrainCoreDrives,beingmoreassociatedtologic,calculations,andownership.   Note:theLeftBrain/RightBrainCoreDrivesarenotconsideredtruebrainscience;theyaremerelysymbolicalasitmakestheframeworkeasierandeffectivewhendesigning.It’susefuldividingthingsupbetweenthelogicalandtheemotional,andIjustnamedthemLeftBrain/RightBrainCoreDrivessopeoplerememberthemeasily.   Interestingly,LeftBrainCoreDriveshaveatendencyofbeingmorebasedonExtrinsicMotivation–youaremotivatedbecauseyouwanttoobtainsomething,whetheritbeagoal,agood,oranythingyoucannotobtain;ontheotherhand,RightBrainCoreDriveshaveatendencyofbeingbasedonIntrinsicMotivations:youdon’tneedagoalorrewardtouseyourcreativity,hangoutwithfriends,orfeelthesuspenseofunpredictability–theactivityitselfisrewardingonitsown.   Thisisimportant,becausemanycompaniesaimtodesignformotivationbasedonExtrinsicMotivators,suchasgivingusersarewardattheend.However,manystudieshaveshownthatonceyoustopofferingtheextrinsicmotivator,usermotivationwilloftendecreasetomuchlowerthanbeforetheextrinsicmotivatorwasfirstintroduced.   It’smuchbetterforcompaniestodesignexperiencesthatmotivatetheRightBrainCoreDrives,makingsomethinginofitselffunandrewarding,souserscontinuouslyengageintheactivity.     WhiteHatvsBlackHatGamification   AnotherelementtonotewithinOctalysisisthatthetopCoreDrivesintheoctagonareconsideredverypositivemotivations,whilethebottomCoreDrivesareconsideredmorenegativemotivations.   Icalltechniquesthatheavilyusethetopdrives“WhiteHatGamification”whiletechniquesthatutilizethebottomCoreDrivesarecalled“BlackHatGamification”.   Ifsomethingisengagingbecauseitletsyouexpressyourcreativity,makesyoufeelsuccessfulthroughskillmastery,andgivesyouahighersenseofmeaning,itmakesusersfeelverygoodandpowerful.   Ontheotherhand,ifyouarealwaysdoingsomethingbecauseyoudon’tknowwhatwillhappennext,youareconstantlyinfearoflosingsomething,orbecausetherearethingsyoucan’thave,eventhoughyouwouldstillbeextremelymotivatedtotaketheactions,itoftencanleaveabadtasteinyourmouth. TheproblemwithZyngagames,accordingtotheOctalysisframework,isthattheyhavefiguredouthowtodomanyBlackHatGameTechniques,whichdrivegreatnumbersoffeachuser,butdoesnotmakeusersfeelgood.Sowhenauserisfinallyabletoleavethesystem,theywillwantto,becausetheydon’tfeelliketheyareincontroloverthemselves,justlikegamblingaddiction.   KeepinmindthatjustbecausesomethingisBlackHatdoesn’tmeanitisnecessarilybad–thesearejustmotivators–andtheycanbeusedforproductiveandhealthyresultsormaliceandmanipulativeones.ManypeoplevoluntarilysubmitthemselvesintoBlackHatGamificationinordertogotothegymmoreoften,eathealthily,oravoidhittingthesnoozebuttoneverymorning.   AgoodGamificationexpertwillconsiderall8CoreDrivesonapositiveandproductiveactivitysothateveryoneendsuphappierandhealthier.   AfewGamificationexampleswithOctalysis   Here’sanOctalysisdoneforafewproductsonline:     Farmville:generallyLeftBrainBlackHat.     Facebook:VerystrongRightBrainDrives(noticeitfocusesonoppositeendscomparedtoFarmville)     Twitter:267whilebeingprettybalancedbutmoreRightBrain.     LinkedIn:VeryfocusedonLeftBrainCoreDrivessinceitisaboutone'sachievementandcareer.WeakeronRightBrainCoreDrives-nothingtodoonLinkedin!   AndthisisjustLevel1Octalysis   10yearsofGamificationstudyandimplementationresultsinaveryrobustframeworkthatcanbecomeactionabletowardsdrivinghigherusermetrics.AspeoplegetmoreandmoreadvancedinOctalysis,theycanlearnhigherlevels(upto5Levels…thereareonlyahandfulofpeopleintheworldwhoknowwhatislevel4andabove),whichincorporatesmuchmoreadvanceddesignprinciplesandin-depthanalysis.   Oncelevel1ismastered,onecanthenapplyittoLevel2Octalysis,wherewetrytooptimizeexperiencethroughoutallfourphasesofaplayer’sjourney:Discovery(whywouldpeopleevenwanttostartthejourney),Onboarding(howdoyouteachuserstherulesandtoolstoplaythegame),Scaffolding(theregularjourneyofrepeatedactionstowardsagoal),andEndgame(howdoyouretainyourveterans). Factoringinthe4PhasesofaPlayer’sJourney     Gettingafeelaboutwhatplayersfeelacrossthejourney.   OnceyoumasteredLevel2Octalysis,youcanthenpushitonelevelhighertoLevel3andfactorindifferentplayertypes,soyoucanbegintoseehowdifferenttypesofpeoplearemotivatedatdifferentstagesoftheexperience.     Pushingupalevelfurther–FactoringBartle’sPlayerType         ThiswaytheGamificationDesignercanfeeloutthatthere’ssomethingforeveryoneateverystage.   TheOctalysisTool   AlearnerofOctalysis,RonBentatafromIsrael,kindlymadeapublicOctalysisToolformeandotherOctalysisEnthusiasts.Thetoolisnot100%refinedyet,butithasbeenaveryusefultoolformyownclientsandmanypeoplepracticingOctalysisnon-commercially.Here'stheOctalysisTool.   TheLongJourneytoGOODGamification   Asyoucansee,creatingarichgamifiedexperienceismuchmorethansimplyslappingonvariousgame-mechanicstoexistingproducts.It’sacraftthatrequiresalotofanalysis,thinking,testing,andadjusting.   Whilethereare5Levelsintotal,Level1isusuallysufficientforthemajorityofcompaniestryingtocreateabetter-designedgamifiedproductandexperience.HigherLevelOctalysisprocessesarereallytherefororganizationsthataretrulycommittedtomakingsurethattheypushtheirmetricsintherightdirection,whileimprovinglongevityofagamifiedsystem.Manygamesareonlypopularfor3-8months,butonesthathavegoodEndgamedesigncanlastoverdecadesorevencenturies.   Iftheworldadoptsgoodgamificationprinciplesandfocusonwhattrulydrivesfunandmotivation,thenitispossibletoseeadaywherethereisnolongeradividebetweenthingspeoplemustdoandthethingstheywanttodo.Allpeoplehavetodoistoplayallday.Thisway,thequalityoflifeforeveryonewillbesignificantlyhigher,companieswillperformbetterbecausepeopleactuallywanttodothework,andsocietyoverallwillbecomemoreproductive.ThisistheworldthatIhavededicatedmylifetoenabling.   Foravideowalk-through,checkout:Episode4,GamificationFrameworkOctalysis(TheOctalysisFramework)   Foravideowalk-throughofthe8CoreDrives,checkout:Episode3,The8CoreDrivesofaGame 143 12Comments Like Comment Share FleurAllen Icanseeapplicationoftheseprinciplesinsomanyareas:education,fundraisingandbusiness. Like Signintolikethiscomment Reply Signintoreplytothiscomment 1Like 4y Reportthiscomment RaulZavalaGonzalez NeatFramework.Thanksforsharing. Like Signintolikethiscomment Reply Signintoreplytothiscomment 5y Reportthiscomment JosephDiChiara Eyeopening.Thankyouforsharing. Like Signintolikethiscomment Reply Signintoreplytothiscomment 5y Reportthiscomment KarticVaidyanathan Thanksalotforsharingthisdetailedarticleongamification@Yu-kaiChou([email protected]). Like Signintolikethiscomment Reply Signintoreplytothiscomment 6y Reportthiscomment WeitingChen Nicecontent!Thanks Like Signintolikethiscomment Reply Signintoreplytothiscomment 6y Reportthiscomment Seemorecomments Tovieworaddacomment,signin Tovieworaddacomment,signin InowhavemyowneSportsTeaminHeroesoftheStorm! Sep5,2018 Top10MistakesIMadeinmyLife(asanEntrepreneur) May19,2016 ACEO’saccountofhowheraisedandlost$1MillionandLessonsLearned Oct22,2015