Don’t forget the fun

Fun is essential in a gamified system because it is the primary motivator for users to participate and engage. It makes the experience enjoyable and memorable. In short, fun is crucial for creating a successful and engaging system.

According to game designer Nicole Lazzaro, there are 4 types of fun:

• Easy fun (novelty): Fun from exploration, role play, and creativity. For example, a UX learning app might have casual drag-and-drop design games to help understand basic concepts.
• Hard fun (challenge): Fun from accomplishing difficult goals. For example, the app might include challenging design projects where users must create complex user interfaces within specific constraints.
• People fun (friendship): Fun from competition and cooperation with others. For example, the app could offer design competitions and collaborative projects where users can work together and share feedback.
• Serious fun (meaning): Fun from meaningful activities that change oneself and the world. For example, the app might include projects that focus on designing for social good, like creating accessible interfaces for people with disabilities.^[1]

When designing for the 4 Bartle player types (achievers, explorers, socializers, killers), consider incorporating all 4 types of fun to maximize engagement and satisfaction.