Game Thinking
Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D. amyjokim.com
Co-Founder & Game Designer shufflebrain.com
Creator & Head Coach getting2alpha.com
Lean Startup Conference 2015
Turbo-Charge your Product Design with
Welcome
I’m glad 

you’re here
Is this you?
• need to accelerate early design process
• tough to find the right early customers
• hard to make a stripped-down MVP
What You Will Learn
Actionable techniques for creating
a better product in less time
with Game Thinking
As a
child
I loved
to play
As a
child
I loved
to play
But I
didn’t
love to
compete
one night
on a beach
in Greece
my creativity
was re-ignighted
I found another way to play
I developed my coop design skills
then one day, I got THE CALL
we created a breakthrough hit
which led to more breakthrough hits
and insights into Game Thinking
Design your experience to evolve over time1
Design is not just what it
looks like & feels like. Design
is how it works.
Steve Jobs
is for Enthusiastswhat is my customer’s end-to-end experience?
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
how does it evolve over time?
is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Discovery is for Visitors
Is this right for me? What’s the value proposition?
is for EnthusiastsOnboarding is for Newbies
Discovery
Onboarding
How do I learn the ropes? When do I start getting value?
is for EnthusiastsHabit-building is for Regulars
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
What pulls me back? What am I getting better at?
is for EnthusiastsMastery is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
Can I leverage the skills & knowledge I’ve built?
is for Enthusiasts
Discovery
Onboarding
Habit-Building
Mastery
end-to-end customer experience
is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Discovery is for Visitors
Social Discovery
via Friends &
Colleagues
is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Onboarding is for Newbies
Learn the ropes
with a friendly bot
is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Habit-building is for Regulars
Customized group
chat with emojis,
bots & integrations
is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Mastery is for Enthusiasts
Launch a channel,
program a bot,
integrate your app
Slack evolves to match your skill level
a conversational,
extensible
environment —
built to enable
UGC & player
creativity
Find the fun within your Core Loop2
Fun is just another word
for learning.
Raph Koster
author, A Theory of Fun
Fun means different things to different people
What is a game?
a system in which players engage in an
artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results
in a quantifiable outcome*
* Source: Rules of Play
Zero-Sum Game
We are opponents
I Win You Lose
Head-to-Head Battles War Simulations
Rank-Ordered Competitions Gambling
a structured experience with rules
and goals that’s fun to play together*
* Source: The Player’s Journey (forthcoming)
We are partners
Non-Zero-Sum Game
Win-Win
Lose-Lose
Martial Arts Charity Walk
Double Dutch Pictionary
What kind of fun are your customers looking for?
Do they want to be partners? or opponents?
In a loop, you’re
learning a skill and
updating your
mental model. That’s
what leads to player
delight.
Dan Cook
co-founder, Spry Fox
Operant
Conditioning
AKA 

Skinner Box?
X
Operant
Conditioning
AKA 

Skinner Box?
Skill-building =
making customers
more awesome
Skill-building =
making customers
more awesome
Core Loop = 

skill-building
habit loop
Skill-Building Core Loop
Finding the fun in a co-
op music game
PartyTime!

urge for a fun
social activity
Play a Song
Together
Get your Score,
Accolades, $$
get better, play
harder songs &
bigger venues
Core Loop
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
Activity
Internal Trigger
Beat the Song
Engaged
Trigger
Finding the fun in a
team collaboration tool
Check Updates
urge to connect with
your team
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need Attention
Customize your
channel &
expressions
Activity Chain
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
Internal Trigger
Core Loop
Check Updates
urge to connect with
your team
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need Attention
Customize your
experience
Trigger
Activity
Engaging
activity 

satisfies an urge
or need
Internal Trigger
Core Loop
Feedback &
progress
promote 

learning &
mastery
EscapeTime!

urge to dive into an
escapist world
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need Attention
Customize your
experience
Feedback &
Progress
Core Loop
EscapeTime!

urge to dive into an
escapist world
Read & Respond
to Updates
No More Updates
Need Attention
Customize your
experience
Investment Path
Investment 

& triggers 

pull people back
Engaged
Trigger
Check Notifications
Core Loop
Skill-building =
making customers
more awesome
Core Loop =
making customers
more skillful
Wanna build long-term engagement?
Start with a
skill-building
Core Loop
Connect with your super-fans3
In a multi-player game,
the people playing are
more valuable than 

all the animations,
models & game logic

Gabe Newell
CEO, Valve
Crossing the Chasm

Geoffrey Moore, 1991
Everett Rogers, 1961
Innovation
Diffusion
Theory
To cross 

the chasm…
Find & delight
a few passionate
early customers
the fans out
there are
entertaining us,
the developers,
with their
creations!
Will Wright
designer, The Sims
Leverage your
relationships with
Super Fans
Slack came to life as 

a collaboration tool for
a distributed team
building a co-op game
solve a real problem for a small group
Bring ideas 

to life with Game
Thinking

How can you benefit from Game Thinking?
Accelerate & focus your design process
+
Identify & leverage the right early customers
+
Build a stripped-down yet compelling MVP
Turbo-charge your product with Game Thinking - Lean Startup Conference 2015
Launching in 2016

Getting2Alpha Masterclass
online course for entrepreneurs & product leaders

Getting2Alpha MVP Club
VIP coaching for innovative product teams

getting2alpha.com
let’s stay
in touch
@amyjokim
amyjokim.com
getting2alpha.com

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