Octagonal behavior analysis - product passwords that impress users

preface

In today's highly competitive market environment, creating products and services that truly attract users has become the key to brand success. We need to constantly explore and tap the needs and expectations of users in order to better design attractive products and services. In this process, user motivation is the core reason for users to make certain behaviors and decisions. Understanding user motivation psychology becomes a crucial part of product design.

Every time in the process of play design, we will give many highlights to the product. But only the part that intersects with users' needs can really drive them to experience and spread. We can use Analysis of octagonal behavior (Octalysis) to understand the Product Password 。

Octagonal Behavior Analysis | Product Password that Moves Users

Octalysis It is a motivation analysis model provided by Yu Kai Chou in Game based Practice: Human Behavior × Game Mechanism, Creating Product Attraction. This model analyzes the user's motivation from eight perspectives, and tells us why the user will do it. It drives users from the perspective of humanity, and through a series of Corresponding incentive mechanism, increase user motivation and reduce use resistance , so that users can make a behavior process that conforms to the preset. A series of expected decisions and behaviors generated by users in experience products can be disassembled by using models.

As shown in the figure, there are 8 core driving forces and the common corresponding incentive mechanism design derived from them.

According to the incentives and motivations of the eight core driving forces, they can be divided into the following categories:

Forward drive – Meaning and mission, progress and achievement, creation and feedback – White hat starts with positive and long-term goals to motivate users to take action.

Negative drive – Scarcity and desire, loss and boredom, unknown and curiosity – Black Hat starts to stimulate users' actions with negative and short-term emotions.

Intrinsic motivation – Creation and feedback, sociability, unknown and curiosity - driven by the right brain, users act when they want to do something from their heart.

Extrinsic motivation – Progress and achievement, ownership, scarcity and desire - left brain driven, users act to achieve certain goals.

Next, we will combine various commercial designs case To carry out the in-depth disassembly of octagonal behavioral motivation.

1. Meaning and sense of mission

Meaning and sense of mission can bring long-term sense of achievement to users The mission in the game makes users feel that they are selected and called; Public welfare activities call on users to make the world a better place through action... They are all user driven by using "sense of meaning and mission" in product design. When users use the product, the meaning and sense of mission can come from the following aspects:

● Sense of Meaning : Feel that your actions and choices are meaningful and valuable, so as to enhance self identification and satisfaction.

● Sense of Mission : Feel that their actions and choices have an impact and contribution to society and the environment, so as to stimulate their sense of mission and responsibility.

● Sense of Belonging : Feel that you belong to a specific group or community, so as to enhance self identification and sense of belonging.

● Social Value : Users feel that their actions and choices have a positive impact and contribution to society and the environment, thus enhancing their sense of meaning and mission. When designing products, users can participate by setting some social value mechanisms, such as public welfare activities, social responsibility, environmental protection actions, etc.

Common design methods include ： World view narration, elitism, humanistic heroes, empathy, novice aura, free lunch, son of God, etc

Product case - MBTI personality test

Since 1917, the MBTI personality test, which has been continuously popular, infers the personality characteristics of the tester through a series of multiple-choice questions, identifies 16 personality types through the combination of characteristics, and gives them identity tags. For example: commander ENTJ, debater ENTP, advocate INFJ, hero ENFJ, candidate ENFP, consul ESFJ, explorer ISFP

In addition to helping testers understand themselves and people around them and pursue suitable career development, MBTI provides users with a strong sense of meaning. Proud advocates, explorers, consuls, etc Identity tag Combined with the analysis of personality characteristics Call and sense of mission , the realistic feelings and temper are gamified, providing a high-level goal for the tester as a guide.

Due to the limited reference personality in the tester's personal life circle, some personality traits may not be recognized by universal values. MBTI enables the tester to realize the shining point of his/her personality and accept the reasons for his/her lack of personality, so as to realize the tester's Identity , and provide a reference path for troubleshooting. For example, the tester who has been accused of introverted silence since childhood can recognize the universality and internal strength of this character through testing; The testers who are sensitive in logic but often ignore their feelings can be aware of their own advantages and limitations... This sense of long-term significance and mission is also the reason why MBTI testing is becoming more popular and attracts the public to explore.

2. Loss aversion | Negative drive

Create a sense of short-term urgency, and stimulate experience and consumption through users' aversion to loss , is a negative drive. hunger Marketing Time limited discount is the use of the user's psychological fear of missing, giving users a strong sense of urgency: to experience immediately, or else you may lose the opportunity to experience. When using loss aversion, designers need to pay attention to the following aspects:

● Loss Aversion : Users will have a strong aversion and avoidance to losses and risks, thus paying more attention to protecting and safeguarding their own interests and rights, and avoiding the psychological rebound of users.

● Sense of Security : Users will pay attention to their own sense of security and security when using products, so they are more inclined to choose products and services that can bring them security and reliability. When designing products, users need to give users enough sense of security while creating a sense of urgency.

● Risk Assessment : When users use the product, they will evaluate and analyze the risks and uncertainties, so that they can make more prudent and rational decisions and choices. Therefore, when designing risks, they should refrain from evaluating the costs required for user decisions.

● Loss Compensation : While making use of the negative drive of loss aversion, some loss compensation mechanisms can be set, such as refund, compensation, insurance, etc., so that users can get some compensation and comfort when facing losses and risks, thus reducing the impact of loss aversion.

Common design methods include : Take advantage of opportunities that are slack, red letters (visual reminders), fear of missing and may disappear.

Product case - WeChat reading

The reading challenge of WeChat reading is an activity that uses "speculative psychology" to increase negative drive to promote users to read and cultivate reading habits in addition to positive drive (reading sense of achievement and honor).

The WeChat Reading Challenge has set up an investment and reward mechanism. It provides competition specifications of different challenge duration, such as 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, 30 days and 365 days. Users can start from the days with lower difficulty. Take the 365 day maximum reading challenge as an example, users can get a 30 day pay card and 50 book coins immediately after participating in the challenge for only ¥ 50 (Loss compensation) 。 If users complete 360 days of reading in 365 days and meet 300 hours of reading time, they can successfully challenge. The rewards for success are extremely generous, including 365 day paid membership cards and 500 book coins. The market value is far higher than the user's initial investment of ¥ 50.

Under such a mechanism, users only need to read for about one hour every day to obtain a high net worth return. The lower investment cost and the seemingly feasible implementation strategy provide users with a sense of security and are easier to accept challenges.

In addition to reading achievements and sense of honor, loss aversion It will drive users to continue to persist when they are weak willed. Because if they stop the challenge, they will not only lose the initial investment of ¥ 50, but also lose the reward of the last 365 days of paid membership card and 500 book coins. This fear that they may miss the reward due to their laziness will force users to continue to adhere to the challenge, and eventually develop the reading habit by using reminders/calendars and other auxiliary means.  

Intrinsic motivation

Let users enjoy the experience from their heart , usually depending on the emotional and spiritual value brought by experience. Even though the task itself will not achieve the goal or meaning, it may even cost money and time to do it, such as enjoying your hobbies, getting along with lovers and friends, etc. When designing the product link, it will also bring atmosphere stimulation and spiritual value to users in the transformation experience, so that they can enjoy the activity. be based on Creativity and feedback, sociability, unknown and curiosity The experience contact of driving force design is to draw users from their intrinsic motivation.

3. Creation and feedback Empowerment | Internal motivation+positive drive

Users usually like to participate in the experience, feel control and change, and this kind of creation and feedback will give users a sense of power. The sense of strength mainly comes from four aspects:

● Autonomy : Users can independently choose and control their own behaviors and decisions when using the product, rather than being forced to guide or restrict.

● Influence : Users can exert certain influence and control over their own and others' behavior and environment when using the product, so as to feel the ability and sense of achievement of self realization.

● Self expression : Users can express their personality and values when using the product, thus feeling self identification and respect.

● Self growth : Users can acquire new knowledge and skills when using the product, so as to feel the ability and opportunity of self growth and development.

Common design means include : milestone unlocking, real-time control, continuous feedback, accelerator, blank filling, collection, etc.

Case - QQ | Super QQ Show

The magic clothing factory of Super QQ Show supports users to choose different clothing styles and related texture types when customizing personalized clothing for their own image. Users can generate their own personalized clothing by means of description.  

In this process, users make their own decisions and behaviors, rather than being guided to choose from the existing clothing options, to meet their own needs. The clothes designed by users will eventually be worn on their virtual images and appreciated by other users, thus realizing effect and fulfillment 。 During the design process, users can fully express their aesthetic and clothing personality, and constantly explore design methods to obtain new skills, form good positive feedback, and encourage users to continue to create.

4. Social Influence | Internal Motivation

The sense of identity&belonging that users seek will bring about large-scale dissemination and use of products. Users who can socialize in the product will gain a sense of social belonging. Many games have added social attributes to make users feel that they are part of the platform community and spontaneously spread and lead teams. This sense of belonging mainly comes from four aspects:

● Social Identity : Feel that you belong to a social group or social network, and have a certain status and identity in the group or network.

● Social Pressure : Feel the expectations and pressure from others, thus affecting their own behavior and decision-making.

● Social Reward : Get recognition and rewards from others, so as to enhance your social status and sense of self-worth.

● Social Learning : Be able to learn new knowledge and skills from the behavior and experience of others, so as to improve their social competence and competitiveness.

Common design methods include: Friends, social rewards, community tasks, logos, show off buttons, consistent goals, mentors, sense of honor, etc.

Case - National karaoke

In the national karaoke product, social influence is very obvious. National karaoke is a social entertainment product with singing as its main function. Users can record their own songs and upload them to the platform to share with other users. At the same time, they can also follow and interact with other users' songs. The following are the specific manifestations of social influence in national karaoke products:

Users in the national karaoke can establish their own social relations and Social identity 。 Users can pay attention to other users' songs, and have likes, comments and other interactions, so as to gain more social identity and satisfaction.

Users in the national karaoke can feel a certain degree of Social and competitive pressures 。 This kind of social pressure can stimulate users' competitive power and self-improvement desire, thus improving users' participation and loyalty.

Users in the national karaoke can obtain certain information by uploading their own songs and interacting with other users Social rewards , such as likes, comments, gifts, etc. Such social rewards can stimulate users' self realization and social identity, thus improving users' participation and loyalty.

5. Unknown and Curious | Intrinsic Motivation+Negative Drive

Unknown suspense will drive users' curiosity, such as suspense in movies and random results of lottery. These variables, which are difficult for users to determine, constantly stimulate users' nerves and drive them to continue to explore and find results.

● Surprise and unexpected: Unexpected, mysterious and unknown elements will stimulate the curiosity and exploration desire of users.

● Exploration and Discovery: Users can gradually discover new functions and content in the process of using the product, thus enhancing curiosity and participation.

● Challenge and difficulty: Give difficult tasks so that users can feel certain pressure and challenges in the process of using the product, thus stimulating users' curiosity and sense of achievement.

Common design methods include: luminous options, small tasks, story telling with the interface, eggs, random rewards, obvious miracles, rolling rewards, more advanced UI, suddenly triggered rewards, predictable income, etc.

Case Tencent Video

In Tencent video, there are a lot of design contacts driving users' curiosity. The suspense of the film and television works itself will make users want to be curious and have the impulse to watch. However, in the case of limited attention time of current users, only by assisting more suspense and mechanisms can users feel curious before entering the works:

In the recommendation content on the homepage of Tencent Video, users can continuously slide down and view the highlights of film and television works in the form of streaming media. These selected highlights are often interesting or catchy, which makes users curious about the cause and effect, and click on the video to view the full content.

In the play of long videos, Tencent Video provides interesting mechanisms such as high-energy progress bars, and uses curiosity and surprise to stimulate users to pay attention to content. The high-energy progress bar enables users to interact with strong plot transitions or segments with many emotional changes in the process of watching the video, and the moving interaction can be displayed through the ups and downs of time. When other users open the video, they can see the interactive feedback of each user when watching it from the timeline. The content with high ups and downs seems to contain more emotional states and plot trends, which will make users more expectant.

Extrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation is usually the stimulation of goals and rewards. For example, preparing for exams and working for money are very important because of the practical significance of the results. Users will persist even if the experience of the task itself is poor. The next three driving forces are the common external motivation of users.

6. Progress and Achievement | External Motivation+Positive Drive

Progress and achievement refers to the ability and opportunity for users to feel self improvement and achievement when using products. Just like in games, users do not need to participate in various challenges, because these challenges will not bring them rewards in real life. However, they can get a sense of achievement during the game, which directly attracts users to upgrade. Progress and achievements mainly include the following aspects:

● Sense of Achievement : Users feel that they have completed some tasks or achieved some goals, thus obtaining a certain sense of achievement and self-worth.

● Self improvement : Users can acquire new knowledge and skills when using products, so as to improve their ability and competitiveness.

● Progress : Users can feel their motivation and desire for continuous progress when using the product, so as to continue to participate in and use the product.

● Feedback mechanism : Some feedback mechanisms can be added when designing products, so that users can get timely feedback and rewards in the process of using products, thus enhancing the sense of achievement of users.

Common design means: Attribute points, fixed rewards, leaderboards, progress bars, task lists, medals (achievement representatives), applause, coronation, halo effect, novice guidance, BOSS, etc. These means constantly remind users to move forward more firmly through task visualization.

Case - QQ Music

In QQ music, it provides a lot of lyrics challenges. These challenges revolve around different performing artists, including their music MV content details, lyrics information, lyrics meaning, promotional materials, idol information and other related dimensions, so that users can challenge. In the challenge process, the number of questions that users can answer correctly and the level they have passed are clear, which helps users compare with themselves to achieve Self improvement 。 The leaderboard allows users to have clear comparison goals and Progressive power 。  

In order to challenge and achieve, users will pay more attention to the details of works and songs. QQ Music also provides a list of songs that appear in the challenge. It is also through the needs of users' progress and achievements to enhance users' attention to the works.

For the results of each challenge, QQ Music is conducive to spreading the shared achievements, allowing users to publish them on their own social platform to share with other users, and amplify the joy of achievements Social pressure Further force users to make progress.

7. Ownership | External motivation

Users will naturally prefer to create their own content, similar to IKEA's effect, and create a sense of ownership. Enhancing users' sense of ownership can help the product improve users' participation and loyalty. This sense of ownership mainly includes several types:

● Possession : When using the product, users can own some items or virtual items, such as equipment and props in the game, so as to enhance their self-identity and satisfaction.

● Information Possession : Users can obtain some unique information or knowledge when using the product, such as personal information in social media, search history in search engines, etc., so as to enhance users' self identification and sense of control.

● Right Possession : Users can have some specific rights or permissions when using the product, such as privacy settings in social media, management permissions in games, etc., so as to enhance users' self-identity and sense of control.

● Self expression : Users can express their personality and values when using the product, thus feeling self identification and respect.

Common design means: variable points, virtual goods, starting from scratch, feedback based on user preferences, collections, avatars, sense of protection, apprenticeship, additional costs, etc.

Case - QQ | Xiaowo

QQ den is a virtual social product in QQ. Each user has his own QQ den and island, and they can use items to decorate these spaces.

Users can purchase or exchange different styles of island decorations to Item ownership 。 Users can choose different styles of island decorations according to their own preferences and needs to show their own Personality and values , reach Information ownership 。 According to their own needs and preferences, it is a right to freely choose and change island costumes, so that users can achieve a sense of control and freedom. Different styles of island costumes are for users to show their own Personality and values They will take photos of the dressed nests and islands and publish them in the community of the platform, so as to gain recognition and appreciation from other users.

8. Scarcity and Desire | External Motivation+Negative Drive

Many commercial product designs will deliberately retain their incompleteness at the beginning of design, and even arrange regular scrapping plans, so that users can not get perfect items at one time, and continue to consume and iterate. For example, electronic products will be iterated every cycle, and will not be released after the perfect product is developed at one time. Scarcity and desire usually include the following aspects:

● Scarcity of Resources : Provide some scarce resources in the product, such as time, money, props, etc., so that users can feel the restrictions and scarcity of these resources, thus stimulating users' desire and action.

● Scarcity of Opportunities : Scarce opportunities that may disappear at any time, such as discounts, concessions, time limited activities, etc., create user anxiety and force users to make rapid decisions.

● Competitive Pressure : ranking, scoring, ranking and other mechanisms will bring comparison between users, and use the pressure of not falling behind to drive user decisions.

● Social Influence : Designing products can increase some social influences, such as social identity, social pressure, social rewards, etc., such as making users feel their own behavior, the "image" and "status" brought by the products they use.

Common design means: Dynamic agreement (signing in reward), attraction, hook, rhythm arrangement, the last mile (the urgency of success is ahead), countdown, etc.

Case - QQ | SVIP Member

QQ's SVIP super member system makes users feel through SVIP10 members' exclusive permanent title identity, exclusive collection nameplate, exclusive collection badge, etc Social impact The power and influence of SVIP can stimulate users' desire and action to join SVIP.

QQ's SVIP super member system includes the exposure of real-time star ranking of users in the star ranking list, which increases the Competitive pressure , such as ranking, scoring, etc., so that users can feel the fierce competition and pressure, thus stimulating users' desire and action.

In addition, Exclusive benefits provided by QQ's SVIP super member system, The acceleration of QQ level, super crowd, member growth value, free star value, etc. will make SVIP users feel Scaricity and uniqueness In the social scene, SVIP users will also feel strong pride and Social identity 。

summary

Octagonal behavior analysis can help product designers better understand the needs and motivations of users, so as to design products that are more consistent with users' psychology and behavior habits. Designing product experience and formulating strategies based on the core driving force of users can effectively attract users and build loyalty, and will have more opportunities to stand out in the broken circle path.

Originated from WeChat official account (Tencent ISUX)