The Game Thinking Roadmap: a PMs path to mastery
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Have you ever wondered if you're building the right MVP, and testing it on the right customers? Are you eager to avoid "leaky bucket syndrome" and drive long-term engagement? Would you like a roadmap for what to build, what to test, and who to test it on throughout your product development process? Level-up your PM skills with Game Thinking -- a design system and product roadmap for building products your customers will return to, again and again. You'll get a powerful framework, actionable tips, and a chance to apply these ideas to your own project.
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The Game Thinking Roadmap: a PMs path to mastery
- 1. The Game Thinking Roadmap a Product Manager’s path to mastery gamethinking.io
- 2. smarter, faster innovation Game Thinking the art and science of engaging customers on a mastery path
- 3. Upgrade your user, not your product… make people better at something they want to get better at. Kathy Sierra Co-creator,, Head First Series Make your customers more awesome
- 4. To increase your chances of success, minimize time through the Build/Measure/Learn cycle Eric Ries Author, The Lean Startup Accelerate your Innovation Cycle
- 5. Fun is just another word for learning Raph Koster Author, A Theory of Fun Think of your customers as Learners
- 6. Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D. Game Designer & Startup Coach
- 7. I help startups, game studios & global brands build social experiences that drive long-term engagement
- 8. have you ever gotten “that call?”
- 9. a life-changing day in Half Moon Bay…
- 10. conditions of extreme uncertainty
- 11. we created a breakthrough hit
- 12. which led to more breakthrough hits
- 13. design work for major brands
- 15. Aevergreen hit mobile game
- 16. leading digital health app
- 17. online toy rental service
- 18. & insights into what’s needed for breakthrough innovation
- 19. Game Thinking Roadmap Super Fans Mastery Path Learning Loop 4 Game Thinking Tools accelerate innovation & build engagement from the ground up
- 20. Have you ever listened to the wrong customers?
- 21. Finding the right customers can determine whether you thrive - or fail
- 22. innovative gaming platform didn’t find an audience
- 23. digital health app found exactly the right audience
- 24. Test ideas on passionate, high-need early customers Super Fans
- 25. Create something that a few people love - even if most people don’t get it right away. Paul Buchheit Partner, Y-Combinator
- 26. Game Thinking Quotes Innovation diffusion theory EVERETT ROGERS, 1961
- 27. Game Thinking Quotes Crossing the Chasm GEOFFREY MOORE, 1991 HASM
- 28. Who to listen to - & who to ignore?
- 29. don’t rely on friends & family
- 30. or people in your ultimate target market
- 32. increasing value over time
- 33. How do successful innovators find & leverage SuperFans?
- 34. your super-fans are SPECIFIC to your project
- 35. rhythm action nerds who know the basics
- 36. simulation enthusiasts who love to make things
- 37. Lego-loving families who enjoy sharing photos
- 38. customers of SAAS consulting firms
- 39. test ideas with high-need Super Fans
- 40. HASM STAR T HERE NOT HER E Start testing your innovative idea with Super Fans
- 41. We are developing _____________________________________________________________________________________ _______ for _____________________________________________________________________________________ _______ so they can your offering high-need early customers unsatisfied with current alternatives remove friction / solve a problem / ease a pain point / achieve a goal Super Fans: habits & needs
- 42. Engage customers over time with learning & skill- building Mastery Path
- 43. is for Enthusiasts Discovery Onboarding Habit-Building Mastery what is my customer’s end-to-end experience? how does it evolve over time?
- 44. is for Enthusiasts Discovery What is this? Is it right for me? What’s the value proposition? Stage 1: Discovery is for Visitors
- 45. is for EnthusiastsStage 2: Onboarding is for Newbies Discovery Onboarding How do I learn the ropes? How do I start giving & getting value?
- 46. is for EnthusiastsStage 3: Habit-building is for Regulars Discovery Onboarding Habit-Building What urge pulls me back? What am I getting better at?
- 47. is for EnthusiastsStage 4: Mastery is for Enthusiasts Discovery Onboarding Habit-Building Mastery What skills & knowledge have I mastered? How can I leverage that?
- 49. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Discovery is for Visitors Social Discovery via Friends & Colleagues
- 50. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Onboarding is for Newbies Learn the ropes with a friendly bot
- 51. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Habit-building is for Regulars Customized group chat with emojis, bots & integrations
- 52. is for EnthusiastsStage 1: Mastery is for Enthusiasts Launch a channel, program a bot, integrate your app
- 53. Have you ever built the wrong MVP?
- 54. we’ve seen the cartoons
- 55. (gotta love those cartoons)
- 56. but… what should you build first?
- 58. from a polished game with no engagement…
- 59. …to a rough prototype that fashion designers are begging to get their hands on & use
- 60. sketch out a coherent Mastery Path
- 61. is for Enthusiasts Discovery Onboarding Habit-Building Mastery Sketch out the Lifecycle Job Stories on your Mastery Path
- 62. When I ______________________________ I want to ______________________________ so I can ______________________________ Onboarding Story Mastery Story When I ______________________________ I want to ______________________________ so I can ______________________________ When I ___________________________ ___ I want to ___________________________ Mastery Path: Job Stories Habit Story
- 64. In a loop, you’re learning a skill & updating your mental model. That’s what leads to player delight. Dan Cook Author, Lost Garden blog
- 65. “finding the fun” = building engagement from the inside out
- 66. What’s the right MVP?
- 71. Skill-building = making customers more awesome
- 72. 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
- 73. 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
- 74. 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
- 75. 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
- 76. Skill-building = making customers more awesome
- 77. Learning Loop = making customers more skillful
- 78. The smartest MVP is a Learning Loop
- 79. start development with a Learning Loop
- 80. When _________ I want to ________________ so I can _____________ goal + activity outcome situational trigger HOT TIP: Use Customer Habit Stories
- 81. Internal Trigger Progress & Investment Skill-building Feedback Engaging Activity Situational Trigger Engaged Trigger Learning Loop: Key Elements
- 82. Putting it all Together What to build? Who to listen to? At what stage?
- 83. Build engagement into your products from the ground up Game Thinking Roadmap
- 84. You can use an eraser on the drafting table or a sledge hammer on the construction site Frank Lloyd Wright Architect
- 85. Early Majority Closed Beta Friends & Family Team & Department typical play-testing progression
- 86. Early Majority Closed Beta Friends & Family Team & Department Super-fan Community super-fan play-testing progression
- 87. How do (the best) game designers build and tune their MVP?
- 88. imagine living out a rock star fantasy…
- 89. then start by tuning & iterating a single song
- 90. imagine a doll house come to life…
- 91. then start with tiny world-building experiments
- 92. imagine a cooperative dress-up game…
- 93. then piggy-back on existing cooperative habits
- 94. Game Thinking Quotes The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas. Linus Pauling Scientist
- 95. don’t fall in love with an idea; fall in love with solving a problem & learning from your customers Prototype to Learn
- 97. test ideas with high-need Super Fans sketch out a coherent Mastery Path start development with a Learning Loop manage experiments with the GT Roadmap 4 Game Thinking Tools for PM Mastery
- 98. learn more & get PM power-tools at the Game Thinking Academy gamethinking.io
Editor's Notes
- Pretty smart, right? An early customer community is the gift that keeps on giving. We get high-value game testers for the early, iterative design phase - and long before Beta goes live, we get passionate players populating the game with content that everyone can enjoy.
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- And then one day, I got THE CALL. Does anyone know who this is? Alex Rigapolous - CEO of Harmonix - came out to my house in Half Moon Bay on a sunny September day, and told me about his dream to create a multi-player music game where ordinary people - with no musical experience - with plastic instruments - could FEEL like they were playing in a band.
- That nascent idea turned into Rock Band - and bringing that game to life taught me how a top-notch, high-functioning team builds a hit product in the early stages - when they’re testing their hypotheses.
- Since then, I’ve worked on more genre-defining hits like Rock Covet Covet Fashion, Lumosity and Happify
- Since then, I’ve worked on more genre-defining hits like Rock Covet Covet Fashion, Lumosity and Happify
- Discover your personal Style – that’s a great place to start.
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- and along the way, I’ve learned some powerful strategies and techniques for designing experiences that bring people together - and drive long-term engagement. There’s a lot of overlap with Lean thinking - with a special, skill-building twist.
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- It’s tough out there as an entrepreneur - especially now, given what’s happening in the world. Being able to find the right customers for your product - the people that need it RIGHT NOW -- can mean the difference between thriving — or failing.
- To innovate successfully, your need to find and delight a few passionate early customers before you scale and grow.
- To innovate successfully, your need to find and delight a few passionate early customers before you scale and grow.
- If you’ve ever felt the pain and confusion of wondering who to listen to - and who to ignore -- I’m right there with you.
- The problem is: finding the right super-fans is easier said than done. It's actually one of the trickiest aspects of successful innovation. You don't find them by running large-scale surveys that target your addressable market - or by just talking with your friends and family.
- The problem is: finding the right super-fans is easier said than done. It's actually one of the trickiest aspects of successful innovation. You don't find them by running large-scale surveys that target your addressable market - or by just talking with your friends and family.
- You find them by zooming in on some pressing customer need,
- You find them by zooming in on some pressing customer need,
- In the next 20 minutes, I’m going to share actionable techniques for creating a better product in less time. These techniques have been road-tested with numerous clients, who’ve achieved massive results. Now it’s time to find out what they can do for you. But Before we launch into that I’d like to tell you my story -and perhaps you’ll find some links from my journey to yours
- Remember when I told you I worked on Rock Band?
- Pretty smart, right? An early customer community is the gift that keeps on giving. We get high-value game testers for the early, iterative design phase - and long before Beta goes live, we get passionate players populating the game with content that everyone can enjoy.
- To innovate successfully, your need to find and delight a few passionate early customers before you scale and grow.
- Since then, worked on genre-defining hits like Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Covet Fashion, and Happify.
- It starts with an urge for a quick break and “hit” of social news & personal sharing
- It starts with an urge for a quick break and “hit” of social news & personal sharing
- and light the path to mastery
- And sketch out how your product experience...
- ... Evolves Over time...
- To turn newcomeers into regulars....
- and light the path to mastery
- and light the path to mastery
- And sketch out how your product experience...
- And sketch out how your product experience...
- And sketch out how your product experience...
- And sketch out how your product experience...
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Another key technique is to find & leverage your Super-fans - which we covered in detail in a previous Webinar
- Since then, worked on genre-defining hits like Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Covet Fashion, and Happify.
- and light the path to mastery
- It starts with an urge for a quick break and “hit” of social news & personal sharing
- Remember when I told you I worked on Rock Band?
- In the next 20 minutes, I’m going to share actionable techniques for creating a better product in less time. These techniques have been road-tested with numerous clients, who’ve achieved massive results. Now it’s time to find out what they can do for you. But Before we launch into that I’d like to tell you my story -and perhaps you’ll find some links from my journey to yours
- So what exactly IS a Core Loop - and how does that come into play when you’re validating your product ideas and building your MVP? First off, be careful not to fall into the trap of testing your marketing message – and thinking you’ve validated your idea.
- A fake landing page will help you shape your message – but it’s NOT going to help you shape or test your core product experience.
- An operant conditioning loop – such as the Habit Loop (from the Power of Habit book) or the Hooked model – gets you closer to a Core Loop, because it’s based on feedback and rewards.
- What’s missing, though, is any notion of skill-building or personal empowerment. Skinner Boxes and operant conditioning loops can shape behavior – but they won’t lead to player delight or true long-term engagement.
- For that, you need skill-building. People enjoy getting better at something they care about.
- The heart of any Core Loop is one or more repeatable, engaging activities — triggered by an internal urge or need.
- To promote learning and mastery, you punctuate those engaging activities with feedback and meaningful progression.
- Finally, you close the Loop giving players compelling and meaningful reasons to return – and cues to remind them. There are many ways to drive investment — collect, earn, spend, and expressing your personal style and taste.
- So in summary - if you want to drive long-term engagement, your through-line is really about skill-building - about making your customers better than before
- And it starts by building a strong core loop that helps your customers become more skill-ful, and get better at something that matters
- Since then, worked on genre-defining hits like Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Covet Fashion, and Happify.
- So I can get the outcome I’m after.
- It starts with an urge for a quick break and “hit” of social news & personal sharing
- In the next 20 minutes, I’m going to share actionable techniques for creating a better product in less time. These techniques have been road-tested with numerous clients, who’ve achieved massive results. Now it’s time to find out what they can do for you. But Before we launch into that I’d like to tell you my story -and perhaps you’ll find some links from my journey to yours
- Remember when I told you I worked on Rock Band?
- Your MVP Screening survey is a short, focused mix of demographic and open-ended questions – with two parallel goals
- I think I know why we’re all here. We’ve all had that epiphany. We all want to stop wasting time building products or features that people don’t want - and we’re here to learn how to do that faster and better.
- Since then, worked on genre-defining hits like Rock Band, The Sims, eBay, Ultima Online, Covet Fashion, and Happify.