Gamification: Design of IT-Based Enhancing Services for Motivational Support and Behavioral Change

NikeFuel is the fuel of the Nike+ community. A fuel that has made two million users burn more than 68 bn. calories and that proliferates with each kilometer. The athletic performance of Nike+ users is measured via sensors in Nike sports shoes and an Apple iPod or iPhone, documented on the Nike+platform and converted into NikeFuel. In doing so, users may visualize their progress, compare their performance with others, and obtain different status levels that reflect their athletic potential. This approach derives from the domain of game design and is called gamification enriching products, services, and information systems with game-design elements in order to positively influence motivation, productivity, and behavior of users. In the consumer sector, various successful examples for gamication are gaining recognition. Gamication is a persuasive technology that attempts to influence user behavior by activating individual motives via game-design elements. As a consequence, this approach does not deal with designing games that can generally be defined as solving rule-based artificial conflicts or simulations. Thus, gamication needs to be contrasted to related concepts such as serious games and games with a purpose.