Dynamic Feedback, Real-Time Control, & Refreshing Content
⚡ Speed Run Notes Dynamic feedback is the difference between a product that responds and a product that…
Work with Yu-kai
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.
Virtual Goods Design: Why Digital Items Drive Real Motivation (Game Technique #8)
In Fortnite, a rare skin has zero gameplay advantage. It doesn’t make you shoot straighter or build faster.…
The Earned Lunch: Fixed Action Rewards — Technique for Long-term Motivation
⚡ Speed Run Notes Variable rewards win in the short term; fixed rewards win in the long term.…
How to Design Effective Leaderboards That Motivate All Users (2026)
Most companies slap a leaderboard on their product, watch the top 10% grind harder, and wonder why the…
Applying Evil Egg Design to create urgent action
What if doing nothing was the worst decision your player could make? That’s the essence of Evil Egg…
The Spinning Wheel: A Comprehensive Guide to Boosting User Engagement
You know that moment when you’re watching the wheel spin, your eyes locked on the prize you want,…
Streak Design: The 5 Steps Behind Duolingo’s Daily Loop
Streak design is the practice of rewarding a user for repeating one action on consecutive days and showing…