Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences

by Jonathan Peters, Monica Cornetti

Overview

When it comes to the gamification of learning, what most instructional designers do is take their content then throw some game mechanics at it, present it to their learners, hoping the learners will find it interesting or engaging. The reason so many gamification programs fail is because there hasn’t been a purposeful approach to applying game mechanics to a learning program…

…Until now.

Written in a smart, sarcastic, self-effacing, and, at times, humorous style, this book invites you to set aside your content and focus on the learner first, determining what game mechanics they find “fun” then add in your content to create learning experiences you are confident they’ll enjoy.

This book balances between an explanation of scientific profiles, gamification philosophy, and practical application, realizing that readers are differently motivated when it comes to Curiosity. While informative, perhaps even entertaining, the ultimate purpose of this book is to equip Learning and Development professionals with a scientifically valid, practical, applicable process for adding game mechanics to their learning programs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780990326298
Publisher:	Entreprenow
Publication date:	11/22/2019
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	782,624
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Jonathan Peters, PhD is certified in the Reiss Motivation Profile. He applies Dr. Steven. Reiss' scientific discoveries to gamification, specifically the gamification of the learning experience.

Prior to becoming Chief Motivation Officer at Sententia Gamification, Jonathan dedicated a decade of study into the science and art of motivation and persuasion. As a speaker, he has helped audiences from Melbourne, Australia to Augusta, Maine more effectively communicate with their customers and employees. With Sententia Gamification, he applies his knowledge and experience to make learning more enticing, engaging, and encouraging through gamification.

Jonathan has authored four other books under his own name, and has ghostwritten 57 other books. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, though he lives in Austin, TX.

A purveyor of persuasion and bourbon connoisseur, Jonathan is constantly curious about why people do what they do.

Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations who want to learn how to think differently to achieve uncommon results. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was rated #1 among the "Gamification Gurus Power 100" by RISE in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018; and was also recognized as a Top 3 Finalist in the "Gamification Guru of the Year Award" by the World Gamification Congress held in Barcelona, Spain.

Monica is the Founder and CEO of Sententia Gamification, Founder and Gamemaster of GamiCon (the annual international conference for the gamification of learning), and the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You.

She is a graduate of Seton Hill with a BA in psychology, and The University of Houston-Victoria where she earned a Masters Degree in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.

Monica is hired for her skill as a gamification speaker and strategist, and is considered at the top of her field in gamification design for corporate training and adult education. When she is not busy changing learning with gamification, Monica can be found "researching" gameplay with her grandchildren (It's easier to schedule research" into her calendar than playing).

Table of Contents

How to “Read” This Book 1

Meet the Authors 2

Preface: An Opening Analogy 5

Introduction 7

Problem #1: What is fun? 9

Problem #2: There Are Over 300 Game Mechanics 13

Problem #3: Self-Hugging 17

Problem #4: There are Lots of Them 21

Learner Personas 23

Creating Your Learner Persona Part 1:

In the Ideal World... 31

Creating Your Learner Persona Part 2:

The Formula 37

Case Study: Sententia’s Learner Persons 51

Introducing Steven Reiss 57

The 16 Core Desires

Core Desire 1: Acceptance 69

Core Desire 2: Beauty 77

Core Desire 3: Curiosity 83

Core Desire 4: Eating 91

Core Desire 4: Family 97

Core Desire 5: Honor 103

Core Desire 6: Idealism 111

Core Desire 7: Independence 119

Core Desire 8: Order 125

Core Desire 9: Physical Activity 133

Core Desire 10: Power 139

Core Desire 11: Saving 147

Core Desire 12: Social Contact 155

Core Desire 13: Status 163

Core Desire 15: Tranquility 171

Core Desire 16: Vengeance 179

This is Not That, Part 1: Player Types 189

This is Not That, Part 2: Personality Traits 201

Creating Your Learner Persona Part 3:

Creating Their Motivation Profile 213

A Theory of Fun 217

Matching Mechanics to Motivators 221

Case Studies 239

Endings and Iteration 249

Appendix A: Demographics and Psychographics 255

Appendix B: Motivational Interviews 261

Appendix C: Mechanics: The List 273

Appendix D: Recommended Reading 299

Index 307

Editorial Reviews

"Gamification is no longer a mystery or hit-or-miss endeavor. This book will change how gamification is done! No more throwing points, badges, and leaderboards at a program; we now have a way to deliberately apply specific game mechanics to a specific program. Plus, this book is fun to read."

Jean Marrapodi, PhD, CPLP, Chief Learning Architect, Applestar Productions, and Gamification Mastercraftsman

"I'm relatively new in my gamification journey, and this book provided the much needed guidance I was looking for—loads of context, based on years of research. I have been regularly keeping a copy of Deliberate Fun in my backpack for weeks, and it has become my go-to resource when designing learning experiences. It also doesn't hurt that it's been a fun read along the way."

Bryan Coogler, Technical Curriculum and Learning Design Specialist, Amazon Web Services

"After attending a workshop led by Monica and Jonathan, I bought Deliberate Fun as soon as it became available. The book is such fun mix of quirky humor and painstaking research, with insights you can immediately put to use. After reading the Core Desires and Designer Blindspots sections, I’m crafting learner personas that are both truer to my audience and that provide more direction for my design."

Beth Grigg, Senior Learning Consultant

"I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying this book. It totally RAWKS!"

Ian Coleman, CSM, Lead Multimedia Developer, Booz Allen Hamilton

"Jonathan and Monica invite readers to end 'dry, boring learning experiences,' and once you read—even skim—this book, you’ll never be able to create a boring program again. More than theory, the book offers a process for applying game mechanics to specific learner personas."

Joshua Barol, Training Development Lead (Associate Director), Pfizer, and Gamification Mastercraftsman

From the Publisher