Is Gamification in web design flawed, doomed to fail before it’s potential is even realised? We need to investigate potential pitfalls and try to examine the necessary elements and why they could either die out or become integral to future web design.
The issue begins with the two existing systems provided by any given business being disparate — The website is designed as an advertisement in itself, or as a shop. That’s fine. However, the physical elements of business strategies are leagues ahead, with loyalty cards, points and packages that reward the users. Even the best examples of today are far from where they should be.
Let’s go Multiplatform!
Supermarket Chain Tesco is one of the best examples in the UK right now. They offer a clubcard which tracks all of your purchases and earns you points, and additionally offers discount codes every couple of months based on the products you buy. On top of that, they recently began rewarding you with discounts or other offers on days out, cinemas, theme parks and so forth. They have done an excellent job of making shopping with them a rewarding experience. This isn’t spectacularly impressive though, as many stores and retail outlets also provide fairly good gamified services. What is worth noting is the integration with the digital side of things, with the points being applied to physical and digital purchases and coupons you have earned being automatically added to your online purchases (should you be eligible).
This makes it a swift transition between the two sides, which is absolutely necessary as computers get more portable and the online marketplaces become so much more accessible. QR codes provide a very clunky bridge between the two, and online databases usually carry some consumer information over, but the two are effectively separate. The brick-and-mortar retail outlets need to catch up with the times, and websites need to allow for greater integration of systems, as seamless and effective as the likes of Tesco. Both need to be built from the ground up as a unified, rewarding gaming system, not one being parasitic of the other and rewards being extremely limited.
Tesco are doing things right so far, making it as streamlined as it gets…But there’s a problem. A big one that they are missing out on.
High Score!
Gamification systems rely on three things in this scenario: User engagement, tangible rewards, and instant gratification. Whether it’s a retail store, or online marketplace, or service industry, or community. These 3 are necessary, everything else can be left out.
User Engagement
This is relatively simple after a certain point. It is initially difficult to get the audience involved (as discussed in Gamification in (Web) Design Part 2 and 3), but afterwards as long as there is some reason for returning and the process is streamlined and smooth, it’s a given.
Tangible Rewards
Stores and such are already in a strong position here, as they can offer their products or deals as an actual reward. Exclusive member items and so forth. Still, this needs to be improved simply for consistency, allowing for online and retail purchases to be a little more consistent regarding deals (though not initial pricing as online will always be cheaper due to overheads).
Instant Gratification
This is where so many online services are failing, and failing miserably. Ironically, despite being the least “useful”, it’s also the most important. It’s the hook. It’s the reason less advanced games like Call of Duty, Angry Birds and Candy Crush are wildly popular. Instant gratification, in gamification terms, is all about feedback. Numbers, icons, levels, all that kind of thing. They throw point at you, everything has a point value and perhaps an animation or icon that looks pretty. It feels more satisfying to have things react to what YOU do, rather than remain relatively static.
The Skinner Box technique is the most basic implementation (operant conditioning) of this. Websites throw advertisements with so-much-percentage off and while we are drawn to it, we aren’t exactly being active or receiving any gratifying result for it. If you make points significantly more prominent, the experience becomes so much more positive. Seeing a genuine increase from your own actions, even if it is just buying products or adding profile details or posting replies more often, is much more satisfying.
In conclusion, adding systems such as “levels” that result in permanent small discounts across lines of products would be such a powerful addition to a commerce site. Amazon recently added a new review system — Those with a long history of quality reviews (not specifically positive or negative ones) — Are allowed to receive items at a huge price reduction or even for free, providing they write a review (again, not coerced to be positive or negative). Even the possibility of working towards this accolade and the ultimate goal of free products (tangible rewards) would be highly motivating to a consumer. Earn points by writing thorough reviews, so many points result in reviewer status, status entitles you to discounts or free products. Extremely satisfying seeing your reviews score relatively arbitrary points, and knowing you are building to something greater.
The problem is, so few are doing it and those doing it aren’t making enough of a game of it. It’s half of a game. Without that depth and gratification being more evident, it simply won’t stick well. People need to feel rewarded for their actions. When they do, it’s Game On.
Bonus points to anyone who can guess all of the videogame references in this series!
We hope you enjoyed this series on Gamification in (Web) Design! Please let us know what you thought and leave your comments/thoughts on the matter either here or via Facebook or Twitter! We would love to see your opinions and discuss Gamification, Design and the future of Web Design!
Previously in Gamification in (Web) Design:
Part One: It’s a-me, SEO!
Part Two: It’s Dangerous to go Alone, Take This!
Part Three: Player 2 has Entered the Game
Joshua Rousen studied Graphic Design BA Hons in University of South Wales. An avid life-long gamer, he completed his critical papers on the phenomenon of “gamification” (the process of applying videogame logic and rules to existing activities) and the existing/upcoming technology that already implements it or may do in the future. Gamification is increasingly popular, being implemented for the likes of exercise (Nike Fuelband & app, Fitocracy) or chores (ChoreWars) and other everyday activities, so Joshua perpetually monitors trends in the development and application of gamification in other avenues.
Bibliography:
- Reality is Broken — Jane McGonigal
- The Gamification of Learning and Instruction Fieldbook: Ideas into Practice — Karl M. Kapp
- Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game — Lee Sheldon
- Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators, Rulebreakers, and Changemakers — Dave Gray, Sunni Brown, James Macanufo
- Gamification by Design: Implementing Game Mechanics in Web and Mobile Apps — Gabe Zichermann, Christopher Cunningham
- Fun Inc.: Why games are the 21st Century’s most serious business — Tom Chatfield