Designated spaces that display user achievements for implicit social recognition
Core Idea: Trophy Shelves are dedicated areas that showcase a user's accomplishments without requiring explicit bragging, functioning as passive status signals to others who view them.
Key Elements
- Visual display: Organized presentation of achievements, awards, or status markers
- Implicit communication: Broadcasts accomplishments without active promotion by the user
- Status signaling: Creates social hierarchy through visible success indicators
- Collection mechanics: Encourages completing achievement sets to fill display spaces
Implementation Patterns
- Physical displays: Traditional trophy cases, office walls with credentials, award shelves
- Digital profiles: Social media profiles, gaming achievement collections, credential badges
- Embedded indicators: Status symbols within messaging apps, forum signature blocks, or usernames
- Contextual showcases: Accomplishments displayed in relevant contexts (e.g., reviewer badges)
Design Considerations
- Visibility control: Allow users to choose what achievements are publicly displayed
- Progressive reveal: Gradually expand shelf space as users accumulate more accomplishments
- Aesthetic harmony: Design trophies to be visually cohesive while maintaining distinctiveness
- Balance and spacing: Avoid cluttered displays that diminish the value of each achievement
Comparison to Brag Buttons
- Trophy Shelves: Passive, persistent, visitor-initiated viewing, implicit status
- Brag Buttons: Active, episodic, owner-initiated broadcasting, explicit sharing
Real-World Examples
- LinkedIn's credentials and endorsements section
- Academic degrees listed after someone's name (John Smith, Ph.D.)
- Steam's game achievement showcases
- Forum signature blocks displaying user statistics and badges
Additional Connections
- Broader Context: Core Drive 5 - Social Influence and Relatedness (social motivation)
- Related To: Core Drive 2 - Development and Accomplishment (what fills the trophy shelf)
- See Also: Brag Buttons (complementary active sharing mechanism)
References
- Chou, Yu-kai. "Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards."
- Veblen, Thorstein. "The Theory of the Leisure Class" (concept of conspicuous consumption)
#status-markers #achievement-design #gamification #social-proof
Connections:
Sources: