Which Core Drive Should You Use at Each Difficulty Level?
A few years ago a Norwegian university brought me in with a problem that sounded like a bad…
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The Blog
Ideas on motivation, behavior & design.
Deep dives on the psychology behind why people do what they do — from Yu-kai Chou, creator of the Octalysis Framework. Pick the topic that matters to you.
Why Do Some Motivations Multiply While Others Cancel?
Most people who learn the Octalysis Framework stop at the wrong moment. They memorize the 8 Core Drives,…
Content NPC or Victim NPC: Which Kind of Stuck Are You?
Two people are both stuck in jobs they hate. One of them shrugs, goes home at 5 PM,…
Why Do Your Videos Feel Slightly Off? The 200ms Rule
Your brain processes visuals 4-8x faster than audio. When videos misalign by even 200ms, viewers feel subtle distrust.…
Why Most Certifications Are Worthless (And How to Fix Them)
I have a confession that probably shouldn’t be a confession. I think most professional certifications are worthless, and…
Why Would a Lego Employee Turn Down a Director Promotion?
Lego employees turn down director promotions to stay in roles that serve the mission. Here's how CD1 design…
How Do You Design Epic Meaning Into a Meaningless Product?
An Octalysis Prime member asked me the hardest question about Core Drive 1 I’ve ever fielded. “Yu-kai, how…