Have you ever wondered if you're building the right MVP, and testing it on the right customers? Are you eager to avoid "leaky bucket syndrome" and drive long-term engagement? Would you like a roadmap for what to build, what to test, and who to test it on throughout your product development process? Level-up your PM skills with Game Thinking -- a design system and product roadmap for building products your customers will return to, again and again. You'll get a powerful framework, actionable tips, and a chance to apply these ideas to your own project.
3. Upgrade your user,
not your product…
make people better at
something they want
to get better at.
Kathy Sierra
Co-creator,, Head First Series
Make your customers more awesome
4. To increase your chances
of success, minimize time
through the
Build/Measure/Learn
cycle
Eric Ries
Author, The Lean Startup
Accelerate your Innovation Cycle
5. Fun is just
another word
for learning
Raph Koster
Author, A Theory of Fun
Think of your customers as Learners
6. Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D.
Game Designer &
Startup Coach
7. I help startups, game studios & global brands build
social experiences that drive long-term engagement
45. is for EnthusiastsStage 2: Onboarding is for Newbies
Discovery
Onboarding
How do I learn the ropes?
How do I start giving & getting value?
46. is for EnthusiastsStage 3: Habit-building is for Regulars
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
What urge pulls me back?
What am I getting better at?
47. is for EnthusiastsStage 4: Mastery is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
What skills & knowledge have I mastered?
How can I leverage that?
62. When I
______________________________
I want to
______________________________
so I can
______________________________
Onboarding
Story
Mastery
Story
When I
______________________________
I want to
______________________________
so I can
______________________________
When I
___________________________
___
I want to
___________________________
Mastery Path: Job Stories
Habit
Story
72. Check Updates
urge to connect with
your team
Read & Respond to
Updates
No More Updates
Need Attention
Customize your
channel &
expressions
Activity Chain
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
Internal Trigger
Core Loop
73. Check Updates
urge to connect with
your team
Read & Respond to
Updates
No More Updates
Need Attention
Customize your
experience
Trigger
Activity
Engaging
activity
satisfies an
urge or need
Internal Trigger
Core Loop
75. EscapeTime!
urge to dive into an
escapist world
Read & Respond to
Updates
No More Updates
Need Attention
Customize your
experience
Investment Path
Investment
& triggers
pull people back
Engaged
Trigger
Check Notifications
Core Loop
94. Game Thinking Quotes
The best way to have
a good idea is to have
lots of ideas.
Linus Pauling
Scientist
95. don’t fall in love with an
idea; fall in love with
solving a problem
& learning from
your customers
Prototype to
Learn
96.
97. test ideas with high-need
Super Fans
sketch out a coherent
Mastery Path
start development with a
Learning Loop
manage experiments with the
GT Roadmap
4 Game Thinking Tools for PM Mastery
98. learn more & get PM power-tools at the
Game Thinking Academy
gamethinking.io
Pretty smart, right? An early customer community is the gift that keeps on giving. We get high-value game testers for the early, iterative design phase - and long before Beta goes live, we get passionate players populating the game with content that everyone can enjoy.
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
And then one day, I got THE CALL. Does anyone know who this is? Alex Rigapolous - CEO of Harmonix - came out to my house in Half Moon Bay on a sunny September day, and told me about his dream to create a multi-player music game where ordinary people - with no musical experience - with plastic instruments - could FEEL like they were playing in a band.
That nascent idea turned into Rock Band - and bringing that game to life taught me how a top-notch, high-functioning team builds a hit product in the early stages - when they’re testing their hypotheses.
Since then, I’ve worked on more genre-defining hits like Rock Covet Covet Fashion, Lumosity and Happify
Since then, I’ve worked on more genre-defining hits like Rock Covet Covet Fashion, Lumosity and Happify
Discover your personal Style – that’s a great place to start.
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
and along the way, I’ve learned some powerful strategies and techniques for designing experiences that bring people together - and drive long-term engagement. There’s a lot of overlap with Lean thinking - with a special, skill-building twist.
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
It’s tough out there as an entrepreneur - especially now, given what’s happening in the world. Being able to find the right customers for your product - the people that need it RIGHT NOW -- can mean the difference between thriving — or failing.
To innovate successfully, your need to find and delight a few passionate early customers before you scale and grow.
To innovate successfully, your need to find and delight a few passionate early customers before you scale and grow.
If you’ve ever felt the pain and confusion of wondering who to listen to - and who to ignore -- I’m right there with you.
The problem is: finding the right super-fans is easier said than done. It's actually one of the trickiest aspects of successful innovation. You don't find them by running large-scale surveys that target your addressable market - or by just talking with your friends and family.
The problem is: finding the right super-fans is easier said than done. It's actually one of the trickiest aspects of successful innovation. You don't find them by running large-scale surveys that target your addressable market - or by just talking with your friends and family.
You find them by zooming in on some pressing customer need,
You find them by zooming in on some pressing customer need,
In the next 20 minutes, I’m going to share actionable techniques for creating a better product in less time. These techniques have been road-tested with numerous clients, who’ve achieved massive results. Now it’s time to find out what they can do for you.
But Before we launch into that I’d like to tell you my story -and perhaps you’ll find some links from my journey to yours
Remember when I told you I worked on Rock Band?
Pretty smart, right? An early customer community is the gift that keeps on giving. We get high-value game testers for the early, iterative design phase - and long before Beta goes live, we get passionate players populating the game with content that everyone can enjoy.
To innovate successfully, your need to find and delight a few passionate early customers before you scale and grow.
Since then, worked on genre-defining hits like Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Covet Fashion, and Happify.
It starts with an urge for a quick break and “hit” of social news & personal sharing
It starts with an urge for a quick break and “hit” of social news & personal sharing
and light the path to mastery
And sketch out how your product experience...
... Evolves Over time...
To turn newcomeers into regulars....
and light the path to mastery
and light the path to mastery
And sketch out how your product experience...
And sketch out how your product experience...
And sketch out how your product experience...
And sketch out how your product experience...
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
Since then, worked on genre-defining hits like Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Covet Fashion, and Happify.
and light the path to mastery
It starts with an urge for a quick break and “hit” of social news & personal sharing
Remember when I told you I worked on Rock Band?
In the next 20 minutes, I’m going to share actionable techniques for creating a better product in less time. These techniques have been road-tested with numerous clients, who’ve achieved massive results. Now it’s time to find out what they can do for you.
But Before we launch into that I’d like to tell you my story -and perhaps you’ll find some links from my journey to yours
So what exactly IS a Core Loop - and how does that come into play when you’re validating your product ideas and building your MVP? First off, be careful not to fall into the trap of testing your marketing message – and thinking you’ve validated your idea.
A fake landing page will help you shape your message – but it’s NOT going to help you shape or test your core product experience.
An operant conditioning loop – such as the Habit Loop (from the Power of Habit book) or the Hooked model – gets you closer to a Core Loop, because it’s based on feedback and rewards.
What’s missing, though, is any notion of skill-building or personal empowerment. Skinner Boxes and operant conditioning loops can shape behavior – but they won’t lead to player delight or true long-term engagement.
For that, you need skill-building. People enjoy getting better at something they care about.
The heart of any Core Loop is one or more repeatable, engaging activities — triggered by an internal urge or need.
To promote learning and mastery, you punctuate those engaging activities with feedback and meaningful progression.
Finally, you close the Loop giving players compelling and meaningful reasons to return – and cues to remind them. There are many ways to drive investment — collect, earn, spend, and expressing your personal style and taste.
So in summary - if you want to drive long-term engagement, your through-line is really about skill-building - about making your customers better than before
And it starts by building a strong core loop that helps your customers become more skill-ful, and get better at something that matters
Since then, worked on genre-defining hits like Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Covet Fashion, and Happify.
So I can get the outcome I’m after.
It starts with an urge for a quick break and “hit” of social news & personal sharing
In the next 20 minutes, I’m going to share actionable techniques for creating a better product in less time. These techniques have been road-tested with numerous clients, who’ve achieved massive results. Now it’s time to find out what they can do for you.
But Before we launch into that I’d like to tell you my story -and perhaps you’ll find some links from my journey to yours
Remember when I told you I worked on Rock Band?
Your MVP Screening survey is a short, focused mix of demographic and open-ended questions – with two parallel goals
I think I know why we’re all here. We’ve all had that epiphany. We all want to stop wasting time building products or features that people don’t want - and we’re here to learn how to do that faster and better.
Since then, worked on genre-defining hits like Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Covet Fashion, and Happify.