You shouldn’t be developing or tweaking a gamification system without a clear framework like the one below.
A good gamification system begins with the target audience(s), identifies the desired behavior change, and uses validated personas to construct the right dynamics and rewards.
Here’s a simple example:
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Every layer logically connects to the one above it.
In the example above, we’re using competitive and achievement dynamics which we will create six primary game mechanics. The rewards clearly relate to each of the dynamics we’re trying to create too.
Before you begin developing or tweaking a gamification system, you should have a framework in place for each audience, and each behavior change you want to make.