Hsu and Chen’s article “How does gamification improve user experience?” investigates how the application of gamification to certain online experiments can affect different aspects of user experience. Hsu begins by reviewing current literature on user experience and gamification. Then, the authors present the methodology and results from their own study. From the literature review and the results from their study, the authors concludes that “user experience plays a key role in influencing users’ perceptions of benefits, values, and brand equity.”
Based on their literature review, the authors establish a research model based on several hypotheses. They examined aspects of user experience such as perceived mobility, social benefits, information value, experiential value, social value, and transaction value of a single website (Recyclebank). The medium of which they conducted their study was a survey sent to 400 participants. From the 400 participants, 315 responses were useful and valid. The results of their survey suggested that all of their hypotheses were supported by the data. One possible issue with the methodology of the study that may undermine the researcher’s conclusion is that the sample size is fairly small of a survey study; however, the authors speak at length about the statistical models they use to ensure that the small sample size can be generalized. Readers with a background in statistics will likely be convinced that the study is still valid.
After reading the study, I do have one concern about gamification. An important discussion in the game industry the past few years has emerged concerning “dark patterns,” or gaming tactics that maliciously affect user behavior in order to generate revenue, increase engagement, etc. Some examples of this include daily rewards, getting an advantage for watching advertisements, and false or endowed value. While this work primarily discusses the way that gamification can add to a positive user experience, there are also ways it can cause harm. I’d be interested in reading more about how gamification can affect user experience negatively as well.
Gamification is a really interesting topic, and just one of the many features of media we may overlook as having not as significant of an impact that it actually does on users. It is not surprising that user experience plays a key role in influencing users’s perceptions of benefits, values, and brand equity-we are going to have vastly different beliefs about a company with a one-page black and white website than would an elaborate, animated multi-page one. This is clear, but what isn’t as obvious, as you touch on at the end, is the concerning effects gamification may have on users. I have also heard about these concerns, and studies done on the usage of video games and how they impact us, especially since it is often a younger generation using them. I’m not sure the extent of how “dark” these patterns are in the way that they would impact us, or more so “dark” in the way that they have us trained. Yes, it is annoying to have to watch an ad or participate in a survey, but that’s the only affect I’m conscious of. I would be interested in a study that maybe can dive deeper into the negative effects of these gamification features that lead to positive reinforcement by forcing us to do something in order to see what we want.