Yahoo Research released a short study on what has become one of the most controversial mechanics in gamification: badges. Some people love ’em, some people hate ’em – but most of the arguments are based on speculation or personal preference. There hasn’t been much focused research done on their affect on people as a motivator…
When discussing gamification, especially with those not previously familiar, it’s hard not to bring up Foursquare. Their premise is so artfully simple, absolutely anyone with a computer or a mobile phone can understand. But just because it’s a basic idea doesn’t stop Foursquare from evolving. A new blog entry was posted Tuesday announcing the 3.0…
Lose It! is a weight loss application available for free online and for the iPhone. As soon as you sign on, you’re prompted to supply basic info such as your current weight, age, height and sex, what weight you want to be and how many pounds you’d like to lose per week. Based on these…
Michael Wu, PhD, principal scientific analyst for Lithium, has started a mini-series of blog posts at their Lithosphere blog that delve into the science behind gamification. His first entry broke down the basics, explaining what is gamification, and the distinction between game mechanics versus game dynamics. “[Game mechanics] are principles, rules, and/or mechanisms (much like…
