Gameful interaction: How principles of game design can be applied to enhance user experiences in non-game applications

Abstract

In the era of digital transformation, the integration of game design and interaction design has become an important trend, and its scope of application has gone beyond purely entertaining applications. This thesis investigates the principles of gamified interaction with a focus on how game design elements can be utilized to enhance the user experience in non-game applications. The research objective of this thesis is to investigate the effectiveness and limitations of gamification design in a variety of contexts when incorporating it into educational, business, health, and other types of applications. The study employs a mixed research methodology, which includes analysis and comparison of the literature, as well as a specific case study of the Chinese fitness app "Keep" to demonstrate real-world applications. The data for this study came from existing academic papers, app analysis, user feedback and design evaluation. This thesis finds that gamified interactions have a significant impact on user engagement and motivation, providing valuable insights for designers to create more engaging digital environments.