Image credits to Michael Wang on Dribble
It’s no secret that some apps are just designed to keep you coming back day after day, designed to keep you hooked. Whether it’s streaks, rewards, or leaderboards, these new and trendy implemented features aren’t random but actually part of a strategy in the industry called gamification. When done poorly, it may annoy and drive away users, when done right, it can enhance how users interact with a product, making a product more useful and enjoyable. However, at the same time, good instances may blur the line between motivation and manipulation, subtly pushing users to do actions like spending more money then they have to.
Earlier this year I made it my goal to get more steps daily, and coincidentally one of my friends with the same goal introduced me to an app called StepUp. After a couple days I was completely (and still am) addicted. We eventually got other friends involved and now we compete daily for bragging rights, using the taunt feature to send over messages and reminders. Ultimately the app's use of gamification had succeeded in not only keeping me engaged, but also in helping me achieve my goals! I was so happy with this experience that it got me thinking. What, when, and how should apps use this strategy? And what are its grander implications for the future of human centered design.
Let’s start with an app that genuinely made me feel good about my progress; The Nike Run Club app. Nike Run Club works to celebrate achievements rather than guilt tripping users for missing runs. Working to make users feel good about their current progress through it’s UI design, notifications, and even voice clips from coaches
It can even come from the little things too! Take Canvas for example, a dashboard interface that many universities use. Whenever you submit an assignment there’s a congratulations and a cute confetti animation. Not just that but on the main dashboard, whenever one finishes an assignment it gets checked off and collapses, which is so satisfying and just feels good.
This works due in part because of a positive reinforcement loop created, where users are motivated to continue on due to the instant gratification they get. This is backed up by psychology too. As James Clear highlights in Atomic Habits, "We are more likely to repeat a behavior when the experience is satisfying." This principle is evident in the design of these apps, which often incorporate features that provide immediate rewards and feedback.
But sometimes, implementing a trendy design strategy like gamification doesn’t work right. Take Opal for example, an app designed to make you use your phone less. However, there’s a leaderboard system displaying which friends are using their phone less. Which in a way, uses the same addictive mechanics to try to get you not to use your phone? Now, I get it, competition would encourage users to compete for the lowest amount of phone usage, however at the same time it’s almost like a paradox because how would one check the leaderboard without checking their phone…
There’s a right way to go about this too, take an app like Forest for example, which takes the same concept of reducing screen time and using gamification. much further but with a friendlier, more attractive approach. Avoiding your phone lets users gain points to grow their virtual trees and even plant trees in real life!
Duolingo is often praised for blending gamification with learning, but its streak system exemplifies how gamification can have unintended consequences. The streaks are meant to encourage daily engagement, but as the novelty fades, many users (myself included) begin to find them more frustrating than motivating. The constant push to 'keep the streak alive' can overshadow the primary goal: learning the language. Instead of focusing on meaningful progress, users might focus more on maintaining the streak, ultimately distracting them from their real educational goals. This shift from intrinsic motivation (learning) to extrinsic rewards (streaks) highlights a potential flaw in gamification—what starts as encouragement can easily become pressure. I get that it’s a part of its marketing and brand, but now that the novelty has run its course, I and many others find it annoying. It should also be important to realize that this may distract users from actually learning. Focusing on increasing the streak count rather than learning a language.
Food apps like McDonald's and Starbucks effectively integrate gamification through rewards systems, utilizing familiar mechanics like points and progress bars to keep users engaged. These systems often begin innocently enough, with users simply earning points toward discounts or special offers. However, as users accumulate more points, they start to encounter a subtle but persistent push to spend more in order to unlock the next 'sexy' reward, whether it’s a free meal or an upgraded offer. This creates a compelling loop where the user is incentivized to continue spending to fill up the progress bar or reach the next milestone. At its core, this taps into the principles of gamification, which aim to reward repeated behavior, but in this case, it often encourages spending habits that might not align with the user’s original intentions. While rewarding customers is a positive aspect, the way these rewards systems are designed can feel less like genuine incentives and more like a clever push to manipulate spending behavior
Looking back, it’s clear that gamification has sort of become this dual edged sword in app design. One one hand, it can very much motivate and make us addicted to good habits and actions, or just make an experience overall easier, bringing joy to everyday tasks. But on the other hand, it can blur the line between genuine engagement and subtle manipulation, using dark UX patterns to steer us to actions we don’t consciously mean to take. As users, and as people, we need to become aware of these strategies so that we don’t give up our autonomy and so that we use apps that align with our goals rather than our impulses. As we continue to rely on technology to shape our routines, habits, and recreation, this reflection serves as a reminder to stay mindful of the influences we let in and the intentions behind them.
