… gamification isn’t gamification at all. What we’re currently terming gamification is in fact the process of taking the thing that is least essential to games and representing it as the core of the experience. Points and badges have no closer a relationship to games than they do to websites and fitness apps and loyalty cards. They’re great tools for communicating progress and acknowledging effort, but neither points nor badges in any way constitute a game.

via the Hide and Seek.

I think there are some really great points in this article. As product designers we really need to think about how the experience fits together as a whole. Basing too much emphasis on the idea of gamification can put your product in some tight places without a lot of room to maneuver. Remember if your product is actually a game then it makes sense to gamify it. However, if you product delivers something of value beyond a game then think long and hard if you what parts of a game you want to add. Don’t trade short term gains for long term growth. Thoughts?

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