Gamification

Why Games Work, Applied Beyond Games

From the University of Pennsylvania, this course dissects what actually makes games engaging — and shows how those same mechanics can be deliberately designed into non-game products, workplaces, and campaigns to change behavior.

Who it's for

Product designers, marketers, and managers who want to increase engagement or motivation without resorting to gimmicks — this is the theory behind why points, badges, and leaderboards sometimes work and sometimes fall flat.

Core ideas covered

• Game design and project design principles
• The psychology and behavioral economics behind engagement
• Applying gamification to employee and customer motivation

With over 163,000 learners, it's one of the more widely taken courses in this space, and its grounding in psychology and behavioral economics means it holds up better than most "gamify your app" advice.