{"id":11652,"date":"2016-09-26T04:04:30","date_gmt":"2016-09-26T09:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rocksdigital.com\/?p=11652"},"modified":"2025-07-29T12:51:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T17:51:18","slug":"gamification-primer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rocksdigital.com\/gamification-primer\/","title":{"rendered":"A Gamification Primer: Playing Games with Your Customer"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Playing
Image Credit \u2013 one photo\/Shutterstock.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So I’ll explain briefly the core motivations used to drive behavior<\/a> and give examples of how to apply gamification techniques in retail, personal care and online businesses.<\/p>\n

Still reading? Or has your mind drifted off to a social platform, interactive game or phone app?<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t chastise yourself because you grabbed your phone to play a \u201cmeaningless\u201d game to kill some time or unplug for a bit from your day. Know this: It\u2019s not meaningless.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s actually intentionally designed with you, the player in mind. The creators of such products including apps like Asana or FitBit, games like Candy Crush or social platforms like Facebook and its partners have developed the user experience based on human motivation.<\/p>\n

This is what Yukai Chou defines as the industry of gamification. It\u2019s called \u201cgamification\u201d because it was the gaming industry that first mastered creating an experience designed solely around a human focus.<\/p>\n

Yukai\u2019s 8 Core Drives of Gamification<\/h2>\n

After a decade in research, Yukai Chou created a great guide on gamification<\/a> and a system called Octalysis; eight core drives that can be infused in to the design strategy of gaming.<\/p>\n

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\"Gamification
By Yu-kai Chou – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=45487148<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Epic Meaning & Calling<\/span><\/p>\n

Player does something greater than themselves or feels was \u201cchosen\u201d to do something.<\/p>\n

2. Development & Accomplishment<\/span><\/p>\n

The internal drive of making progress, developing skills, and eventually overcoming challenges.<\/p>\n

3. Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback<\/span><\/p>\n

Being engaged a creative process where players have to repeatedly figure things out and try different combinations.<\/p>\n

4. Ownership & Possession<\/span><\/p>\n

Players are motivated because they feel like they own something.<\/p>\n

5. Social Influence & Relatedness<\/span><\/p>\n

This drive incorporates all the social elements that drive people, including: mentorship, acceptance, social responses, companionship, as well as\u00a0competition and envy.<\/p>\n

6. Scarcity & Impatience<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the drive of wanting something because you can\u2019t have it.<\/p>\n

7. Unpredictability & Curiosity<\/span><\/p>\n

Being driven by wanting to find out what will happen next.<\/p>\n

8. Loss & Avoidance<\/span><\/p>\n

This core drive is based upon the avoidance of something negative happening<\/p>\n

The key approach is to use one or more of the core drive variables, while keeping the power of storytelling top-of-mind in your marketing efforts and business strategies.<\/p>\n

You can apply the theories of gamification to countless benefits and suituations. From New Year\u2019s resolutions, hobbies, retail, non-profit cause and beyond–gamification can change the way we motivate people as well as the way we communicate our messages.<\/p>\n

Business Gamification Examples<\/h2>\n

Here are a few great examples of how gamification has altered the consumer experience:<\/p>\n