Badge Gamification: Why Most Achievement Badges Fail
Learn why most badge gamification fails, how achievement symbols should be designed, and what separates meaningful recognition from…
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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.
Authority Branding Concepts (ABC) to LLMs, Search Engines, and Humans
Ranking #1 in 2026 no longer comes from publishing one SEO article and hoping Google does the rest.…
Self-Determination Theory: Deci & Ryan’s 6 Mini-Theories
Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is a macro theory of human motivation, developed by psychologists Edward L. Deci and Richard…
Masquerade (Rogue): How Identity Roleplaying Transforms Who You Become
This is an excerpt from Yu-kai Chou’s book, 10,000 Hours of Play — exploring the game skills that…
Gamification in Healthcare: 10 Apps That Actually Work
Gamification in healthcare is the use of game design (progress, streaks, stories, collections and team play) to get…
eCommerce Gamification: 10 Examples That Actually Work
eCommerce gamification is the use of game design inside online shopping (points, tiers, streaks, team buying, countdowns and…
Nationcraft Case Study: Why Thailand’s February 8 Vote Didn’t End the Cycle
A national election is supposed to resolve something. Thailand has had thirteen successful coups since 1932, and the…