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Coming from UX and game design, so many app designers try to "gamify" things like running, lifting, and cleaning. Adding gamification adds a short-lived hedoni
by yawnxyz 4y ago
Coming from UX and game design, so many app designers try to "gamify" things like running, lifting, and cleaning.
Adding gamification adds a short-lived hedonic happiness hit that doesn't last very long. Sometimes we'll see articles about "making apps delightful" by adding a shiny button to an app that looks great when you hit "task complete". By the 100th time you click that button, that hit will have worn off.
Gamification works as a crutch at best. Instead, designers should really aim for the "eudaimonic" side of the task. E.g. your room is now clean. Or a workout app could help users better keep track of their strength / ability to lift heavier / better form over time, and reflect on their improvements. These will make users feel a lot more gratification.
- andreareina 4y agoSometimes it takes time to cultivate intrinsic motivation. Gamification can get you over that hump.
- dasz 4y agoI've moved on from gamification and thoroughly removed all such interventions from everything. I found the extrinsic nature of the mechanisms wasn't helping and were creating a distraction in and of themselves. Metrics are generally overrated in my view. The ones that matter really matter but the rest are just noise that slows and obfuscates.
- freahsteaksauce 4y agoWhat metrics matter?
- alexslobodnik 4y agothe initial hit of delight can help folks work through the parts of the app that are deficient. give value as soon as possible.