What is Game Thinking? What makes this approach so powerful and effective? How can Game Thinking help you innovate more successfully?

1. Introduction to Game Thinking
Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D. gamethinkinglive.com

2. Game
Thinking
the art and science of
engaging customers
on a path to mastery

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

4. Game
Thinking
a synthesis of
game design,
systems thinking,
Agile/Lean UX,
& design thinking
smarter, faster
innovation

6. Game
Thinking
3 core principles that
accelerate innovation
& drive long-term
engagement

7. 3
Test your ideas
with a small
handful of
passionate
early customers
21

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

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

10. 3
To design for
engagement,
start with your
Learning Loop
1 2

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

12. the best MVP is your Core Learning Loop

13. 321
Play-test your
ideas early
with small
high-learning
experiments

14. 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

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

16. Everett Rogers
Scientist, Bell Labs
Playtesting
Progression
who do you listen to?
at what dev stage?

17. Early Majority
Closed Beta
Friends & Family
Team &
Department
typical
play-testing
progression

18. Early Majority
Closed Beta
Friends & Family
Team &
Department
Super-fan
Community
super-fan
play-testing
progression

19. step-by-step
system to
accelerate
product
innovation
Game Thinking Toolkit Clarify
Identify
Listen
Distill
Design
Prototype
Test
Validate

20. empower your team with the
Game Thinking Toolkit

30. What can Game Thinking do for you?
• Accelerate early product development
• Surface key insights from EXACTLY the right customers
• Create a simple yet compelling MVP*
• Build long-term engagement from the ground up
• Empower your customers with a coherent path to mastery
*Minimum Viable Product

31. Learn more at gamethinkinglive.com