Slack is a runaway hit — and everyone wants to figure out why. Slack lacks the outer trappings of a game — instead it pulls you along by unfolding new opportunities as your skills grow stronger. Learn how Slack’s Core Learning Loop drives a simple, compelling daily habit; why a single-player on-boarding bot creates a game-like experience; and why Slack’s early development practices created a strong foundation for rapid growth.

1. Game Thinking
TEARDOWN
GITPRO World 2017

2. Is this you?
• want to avoid costly detours on the
path to product/market fit
• tired of sifting through feedback and
wondering what and who to focus on
• want to unlock the secrets of
building deep, game-like
engagement into your products

3. Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D.
Game Designer &
Startup Coach

4. Ultima Online The Sims
Rock Band Covet Fashion

5. Ultima Online The Sims
Rock Band Covet Fashion

6. a step-by-
step system
to
accelerate
product
innovation
Game Thinking Toolkit

7. How to
10X your product/market fit
with Game Thinking
What You Will Learn Today

8. You keep using
that word… I do
not think it
means what
you think it
means

9. what is
Game
Thinking?

10. what is
Game
Thinking?

11. what is
Game
Thinking?

12. what is
Game
Thinking?

13. what is
Game
Thinking?

14. what is
Game
Thinking?
smarter, faster
innovation

15. 3 Powerful
Techniques
that supercharge
innovation

16. Mobilize your
Super-fans
find & leverage your
high-need, high-value
early customers
1

17. Create something
that a few people
love - even if most
people don’t get
it right away
Paul Buchheit
Partner, Y-Combinator

18. find & leverage
your super-fans
then expand
from that base

19. Start with a
Learning Loop
“find the fun” with a
skill-building
feedback loop
2

20. Fun is just
another word
for learning
Raph Koster
author, A Theory of Fun

21. the best MVP is your Core Learning Loop

22. Play-test your
idea to life
tinker, prototype &
assume your first
idea might not
be right
3

23. What We Offer
resources workshops coaching
design services
Peter
Drucker
The best way
to have a good
idea is to have
lots of ideas
Linus Pauling
Scientist

24. don’t fall in love
with an idea;
fall in love with
solving a problem
& learning from
your customers

25. Game Thinking
TEARDOWN
Journey to Mastery & Core Learning Loop

26. is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
end-to-end customer journey

27. In case you don’t know - Slack started out as
the bare-bones in-house communications tool
for a distributed team building an innovative
co-op multiplayer game.

28. a small, distributed development group

29. When that game failed financially, Steward
Butterfield - the team leader - pivoted and
turned their in-house tool into a better, faster
team communications product.

30. Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
4-stage Journey to Mastery

31. is for Enthusiastswhat is my customer’s end-to-end learning experience?
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
how does it evolve over time?

32. is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Discovery is for Visitors
Is this right for me? What’s the value proposition?

33. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Discovery is for Visitors
Social Discovery
via Friends &
Colleagues

34. is for EnthusiastsOnboarding is for Newbies
Discovery
Onboarding
How do I learn the ropes? When do I start getting value?

35. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Onboarding in Slack
Learn the ropes
with a friendly bot

36. is for EnthusiastsHabit-building is for Regulars
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
What pulls me back? What am I getting better at?

37. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Habit-building in Slack
Customized group
chat with emojis,
bots & integrations

38. Stage 1: Habit-building in Slack
Customized group
chat with emojis,
bots & integrations

39. is for EnthusiastsMastery is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
How can I leverage the skills & knowledge I’ve built?

40. Launch a channel,
program a bot,
integrate your app
Stage 1: Mastery in Slack

41. Got Churn?
build a product that
pulls people back
again and again

42. Help your
customers
get better
at something
that matters

43. Create an
experience
that gets
better
as your customers
become more skilled

44. Learning Loop =
making
customers
more skillful

45. Core
Learning
Loop
Check Updates
urge to connect
with your team
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need my attention
Customize
your channel &
expressions
Customized
Notifications

46. Check Updates
urge to connect
with your team
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need my attention
Customize
your channel &
expressions
Engaging Activity
Internal
Trigger
Repeatable,
pleasurable
activity
that satisfies
an internal
urge or need

47. Stage 1: Repeatable, pleasurable activity

48. Check Updates
urge to connect
with your team
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need my attention
Customize
your channel &
expressions
Simple
Feedback
System
promotes
learning &
competence
Simple
Feedback

49. Stage 1: Simple, skill-building
feedback

50. Progression,
investment &
engaged
triggers
pull people
back
Check Updates
urge to connect
with your team
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need my attention
Customize
your channel &
expressions
Progress & Investment
Check
Notifications
Engaged
Trigger

51. Stage 1: Progression & investment systems
Customized group
chat with emojis,
bots & integrations

52. Stage 1: Engaged Trigger

53. Build your roadmap with Game Thinking
You can use an eraser
on the drafting table
or a sledge hammer
on the construction site
Frank Lloyd Wright
Architect

54. bring ideas to life
faster and smarter
with
Game
Thinking

55. what’s the fastest path to a high-learning MVP?

56. start with Super-fans & a Core Learning Loop
start with a
Learning
Loop

57. Game
Thinking
Roadmap

58. X-axis:
customer’s
journey
Game
Thinking
Roadmap

59. Y-axis:
developer’s
journey
X-axis:
customer’s
journey
Game
Thinking
Roadmap

60. Y-axis:
developer’s
journey
X-axis:
customer’s
journey
Game
Thinking
Roadmap
start with a
Learning
Loop

61. solve a real problem for a small group

62. In case you don’t know - Slack started out as
the bare-bones in-house communications tool
for a distributed team building an innovative
co-op multiplayer game.

63. In case you don’t know - Slack started out as
the bare-bones in-house communications tool
for a distributed team building an innovative
co-op multiplayer game.

64. are you ready
to innovate
smarter & faster
with
Game
Thinking?

65. a step-by-
step system
to
accelerate
product
innovation
Game Thinking Toolkit

66. 8 step-by-step design templates

80. Game Thinking Live
engage your customers on a path to mastery
MAR 31-APR 01, 2017 SILICON VALLEY
gamethinkinglive.com

81. empower your team with the
Game Thinking Toolkit

82. bring your partner or team to this
2-day live training event

83. Day 1: Case Studies & War Stories

84. Day 2: Project Work with Expert Coaching

85. includes online learning community &
pre-event prep course

86. http://gamethinkinglive.com
LEARN MORE

87. get in touch
amyjokim.com/contact
@amyjokim on twitter