AICEX : Inauguriamo con questo post “facile facile” la nuova categoria Gamification. Buona lettura –
It’s no surprise that the gaming industry is one of the hottest ones to date, with millions of users entertained for countless hours, days, or even weeks. Some people even play the same games over and over again just to find out if they missed something along the way, while others reminisce in the nostalgia of the consoles they had when they were 10 years of age.
The question is, what do games have that make the experience for users so magical and addicting? With the advanced development in technology, of course, they present stunning graphics. Bonuses, rewards, and high scores reinforce users to come back and want more.
However, adding these specific elements to a website’s design doesn’t necessarily enhance the user experience, in many cases they’re actually looked as trivial. Let’s look in more detail at the effect that these gamification UX traits may have on the Web and how they can positively impact your Web user experience and design efforts.
1. Responsive User Interfaces
Ever since the computer and internet were invented, people mainly relied on a keyboard and a mouse to interact with the user interface. However, things are entirely different in today’s gamification industry. Now, gaming experiences change according to the platform on which they are installed. For example, the PlayStation comes with the well-known geometric buttons; the iPhone features an accelerometer and a touchscreen; and the Wii features a motion-controlled environment. The different input options are what truly make a difference.
How can we relate this trait to Web user experience?
In Web UX design, we must adapt products to be responsive to several platforms. If you visit the Facebook site via a simple mobile phone with browsing capabilities, it will instantly re-direct you to a mobile-friendly version, which is greatly simplified in terms of browsing. On the other hand, if you visit the same site via a smartphone, then it will redirect you to a touchscreen-optimized version, where almost everything is available with a simple flick of the screen.
2. Location-Based Settings
Many of the popular multi-player games are geo-location-based. That is, players from different countries benefit from different in-game bonuses. Additionally, each country has its own server where players meet and socialize.
How can we relate this trait to Web user experience?
Have a look at the big e-commerce websites, such as Amazon and eBay – They have already created several domains for different countries around the world, and once a visitor accesses their main site, the platform automatically detects their location and recommends them to visit their local website for relevancy and ease-of-use.
3. Constructive Feedback
In gamification, players often deal with direct feedback. This can be positive, in the form of bonuses or rewards, or negative, yet constructive, in the form of in-game tips and advices.
How can we relate this trait to Web user experience?
In Web user experience design, feedback is just as important. Don’t hesitate to tell a user when something goes wrong, but make sure to do it in a helpful and pleasant way. Create an original 404 page to notify your user that something is wrong and guide them to the correct page. Do you find your users getting lost in navigating your site? Design useful tip balloons that will give them advice as to how to get to the desired location.
4. High-Quality Content
Regardless of how nicely packed and showcased a game is, people will not recommend it to their friends if it doesn’t have a consistent action and gameplay. In other words, if the content of the game doesn’t keep them entertained, they will simply consider it as rubbish and move on to finding an alternative.
How can we relate this trait to Web user experience?
No matter how nicely designed your website is, if it doesn’t feature high-quality content people will most likely not visit a second time and won’t recommend it to others as well. That doesn’t mean your website shouldn’t feature an attractive design though, since looks can sell too.
5. Be Spontaneous and Personal
In many games, users are greeted with a message that reads: “Welcome back,” followed by your name. This makes players feel at home and highly comfortable logging back into the game.
How can we relate this trait to Web user experience?
Several major websites, such as Flickr and Amazon, have already integrated this tactic with their users. If you already have an account on Flickr, each time you log in, you will be greeted with the message “Hi” displayed in one of many languages, followed up by your name. On the other hand, Amazon has come up with personalized recommendations based on your browsing history. Every time you log in, you will see a list of products in which you might be interested.
There are many other strategies that you can use to get personal with your customers, such as adding Easter Eggs to your site, but what it really matters is to be creative in what you’re doing and let yourself be inspired by the small things around, such as those that we meet every day when playing games.
Associazione Italiana Customer Experience 