A funny thing happens when you take away a badge people weren’t getting paid for in the first place:
They complain…. A LOT.
I've seen this in practice at work, where our online platforms use badges, challenges, & other rewards to encourage engagement. These badges don’t come with cash prizes or gift cards.
YET if a badge is missing, users often notice it immediately.
So it makes you wonder: why do people care so much about something with no financial value?
The “Gold Star” Never Really Went Away
We like to think big rewards motivate us, but sometimes it’s as simple as being acknowledged.
A badge says, “Hey, you did the thing.” It acknowledges effort & marks progress.
BUT, if everything earns a badge, eventually nothing feels special. That’s when gamification stops being motivating and starts feeling like noise.
Why Are We Still Collecting Gold Stars
People love progress & gamification features like badges can be one way of making progress visible.
When done right, they help encourage learning and celebrate progress. When done badly, they’re just pretty images.
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So true -- people love acknowledgement. I have gone to conferences where people got certificates after presenting. "Proof" that they presented. It always seemed like a waste of someone's time and paper to me (mine always went straight to the bin) but I know some people really look at them as a point of pride.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post! It immediately made me think of my second graders because they will do almost anything for a sticker, classroom reward, or a little bit of recognition. 😂 I agree that people like seeing progress and being acknowledged, even when there isn't a monetary reward attached to it. At the same time, I think you make a great point that if everything earns a badge, it can start to feel less meaningful. Sometimes a simple "you did it" goes a long way.
ReplyDeleteWow -- I didn't even think about this, but this really is so true! Even my job uses badges for requirements needed for membership. I had completed one of the requirements and immediately went to check that it was updated. For me, it's like a box is being checked. A requirement done!
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