Framework for designing engagement over the user journey
Core Idea: The 4 Experience Phases represent critical stages in a user's journey with a product or service: Discovery, Onboarding, Scaffolding, and Endgame. Each phase requires different gamification strategies to optimize engagement.
Key Elements
Discovery Phase
- Represents why people would even start using a product/service
- Focuses on marketing, social influence, and curiosity triggers
- Key gamification elements: Epic Meaning, Social Influence, Unpredictability
- Success metrics: conversion rates, click-through rates, downloads
- Common pitfalls: overpromising, misleading marketing, poor first impressions
Onboarding Phase
- Represents the period when users learn the rules and tools of the system
- Goal is to demonstrate value quickly through early wins
- Key gamification elements: Development & Accomplishment, Empowerment of Creativity
- Success metrics: tutorial completion rates, first meaningful action completion
- Common pitfalls: information overload, complex interfaces, delayed gratification
Scaffolding Phase
- Represents the regular usage period where users pursue their goals
- Main game activity happens here with repeated engagement loops
- Key gamification elements: balanced core drives, habit-building mechanics
- Success metrics: retention rates, daily/weekly active users, session frequency
- Common pitfalls: content burnout, repetitive activities, reward inflation
Endgame Phase
- Represents how to retain veteran users who have mastered the system
- Focus on keeping engagement for long-term loyal users
- Key gamification elements: Social Influence, Ownership & Possession, meaning creation
- Success metrics: referral rates, user-generated content, community leadership
- Common pitfalls: lack of advanced challenges, not leveraging veterans' expertise
Implementation Considerations
- Different Core Drives of Gamification become more important in different phases
- The transition between phases must be seamless to prevent drop-off
- Each phase requires dedicated design thinking and optimization
- Most product developers focus excessive attention on Onboarding while neglecting the Endgame
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: User Experience Design (provides overall framework for user interactions)
- Applications: Retention Strategy Design (phase-appropriate engagement tactics)
- See Also: Player Journey Map (complementary framework for mapping engagement)
References
- Chou, Yu-kai. "Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards." Octalysis Media, 2015.
- Zichermann, G., & Cunningham, C. "Gamification by Design." O'Reilly Media, 2011.
#gamification #user-experience #engagement-design #retention
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