Gamification · Achievement Systems

Achievement systems are secondary reward systems that have been developed for digital games. Players can complete optional sub-goals to earn achievement rewards that are visible to other players. As many sub-goals require thorough exploration, new play styles, and virtuosity, achievements are a relatively cost-efficient way of extending the lifetime of a game.

We explore the application of achievement systems beyond videogames by including one such system to a geo-tagged photo sharing service called Image Space. We discuss how people perceive this additional content in the service.

Study: Virtual Rewards

Leading companies in the wearables market offer different virtual rewards systems, such as digital badges and points, to increase user engagement and enhance playfulness. While existing studies report mixed views on the effectiveness of these digital badges and points, we still have a limited understanding of people's lived experiences with virtual reward systems.

We took a mixed-methods approach (i.e., autoethnography, and online survey) to understand how people interact with virtual rewards in current activity trackers (i.e., Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Google Fit). We derive a set of considerations to design user-centric virtual reward systems that promote physical activity and provide more meaningful experiences to activity-tracker users.