Gamification to improve our world: Yu-kai Chou at TEDxLausanne

Summary

In this visionary talk, the speaker explores the transformative power of gamification, illustrating how integrating game elements into everyday tasks can enhance motivation and productivity. By debunking common misconceptions about gamification, the speaker introduces the 'Octalysis' framework, which identifies eight core drives that inspire action. Through compelling examples, such as 'Pain Squad' and 'Zombies, Run!', the talk demonstrates how these principles can be applied to create a world where work and play converge, ultimately making life more engaging and fulfilling.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Gamification is the application of game elements and mechanics to non-game contexts to make them more engaging and motivating.
• 👥 The average gamer is 35 years old, with a diverse demographic that includes both genders and a wide age range, which means games have a broad appeal.
• 🏆 Common misconceptions about gamification include the belief that simply adding points, badges, and leaderboards will make an experience fun, which is not always the case.
• 🛠️ Good gamification starts with understanding core motivations rather than just adding game elements, which is the basis of the Octalysis framework.
• 🔍 The Octalysis framework identifies eight core drives that motivate actions both in and out of games, such as epic meaning, development, empowerment, ownership, social influence, scarcity, unpredictability, and loss avoidance.
• 💡 Gamification can be used for social good, such as in the 'Pain Squad' app that encourages children with cancer to keep pain journals for better medical treatment.
• 🏃‍♂️ Nike+ and other fitness apps use gamification to motivate users by showing short-term accomplishments and improvements, which can help form long-term healthy habits.
• 🧩 The game 'Foldit' demonstrates the power of gamification by engaging players in solving complex scientific problems, like the structure of an AIDS virus protein.
• 🐉 'Dragonbox' is an example of gamification in education, making math fun and engaging for children by incorporating it into a game about feeding a dragon.
• 🏘️ Opower uses social influence and competition to motivate users to reduce their energy consumption by comparing their usage to neighbors.
• 🎁 Kickstarter effectively uses gamification elements like countdown timers and group quests to create a sense of urgency and community in funding projects.
• 👀 The 'Speed Camera Lottery' in Sweden is an innovative use of gamification to encourage safe driving by entering law-abiding drivers into a lottery to win fines collected from speeders.

Q & A

What is the speaker's vision of a world where labor is obsolete?

The speaker envisions a world where work is a thing of the past, and everything functions better than ever before, not through automation by robots, but by harnessing the power of play and gamification.

What is the common misconception about gamification according to the speaker?

The common misconception is that simply adding points, badges, and leaderboards (PBLs) to a product or experience will make it fun and engaging, which is not necessarily true.

What is the average age of a gamer mentioned in the script?

The average age of a gamer is 35 years old.

What percentage of gamers are over 18, according to the script?

Almost 70% of gamers are over 18 years old.

What is the core concept of gamification that the speaker emphasizes?

The speaker emphasizes that good gamification starts with understanding how it motivates our core drives, not just by adding game elements.

What is the name of the gamification framework developed by the speaker?

The speaker has developed a gamification framework called Octalysis.

How many core drives does the Octalysis framework consist of?

The Octalysis framework consists of eight core drives.

What is the first core drive mentioned in the script, and how does it motivate people?

The first core drive mentioned is 'Epic Meaning and Calling', which motivates people by making them feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Can you provide an example from the script that illustrates the use of 'Epic Meaning and Calling'?

An example is 'Pain Squad', an app that encourages children with cancer to update their pain journals by making them feel like part of a secret police force dedicated to hunting down 'stinkle pain'.

What is the second core drive discussed in the script, and what is its significance?

The second core drive is 'Development and Accomplishment', which motivates people by making them feel like they are improving, leveling up, and achieving mastery.

How does the Nike+ example in the script demonstrate 'Development and Accomplishment'?

Nike+ motivates users by showing short-term accomplishments, such as running an extra mile compared to the previous week, and celebrating milestones with an excited character, which makes users feel a sense of achievement.