Individual game design elements in to-do lists – How the addition of feedback and clear goals is experienced

Abstract: Gamification research has for a long time been interested in determining its definition and in which fields it works. By combining several game design elements and applying them in different non-game contexts it has been proven to successfully enhance certain activities, partly depending on the users and the contexts. Modern gamification research has started looking into how it works and in doing so, examining the individual effects of the game design elements. In this study, feedback and clear goals have been chosen as the game design elements to be examined when implemented individually in to-do lists. Feedback was represented as emoticons that changed from neutral to happy as tasks were checked off the list. Clear goals were implemented in the lists as an explicit goal. Together with a plain to-do list, nine participants used the three lists for nine days while keeping a visual diary. Afterward, they were subjected to interviews regarding their experiences. The framework of the self-determination theory was used in analyzing the results. The results showed that when using the list with feedback the participants were slightly better at clearing tasks but that the motivation, sometimes, seemed to come from trying to avoid negative feelings that the neutral emoticons seemed to invoke. The list with clear goals showed that in many cases the participants were actively trying to reach the given goal, seemingly, even when the participants mentioned not doing so. It was also, more often than not, experienced as controlling.