Thumbed down review of my Medium article https://medium.com/p/a6a63e38f6de/edit

1. Google local guides review
Kalev Kärpuk
https://medium.com/@kalev.karpuk

2. Why is Gamification implemented?
 Being a local guide gives people a unique status
which can be achieved through Gamification.

3. Points
• Linear
• Does not support different player types
• Everything has the same value
• Easy to „farm“

4. Badge
• Achieving a status at level 3 does not correlate to the
level of difficulty to achieve this status.
• Everything after level 3 becomes that much more
irrelevant.
• The badge itself is not visually impressive

5. Benefits
• Well focused towards intrinsic rewards
• Gives „Something out of nothing“ at level 4
• Nothing happening after level 5

6. Problem #1
• Users are not immersed in the ‘game
• GLG offers to review only those places you have
been in recent days
• There is no engagement loop

7. Solution
 Offer a way to earn points from user defined
places
 Add a module which allows the user to search for a
place that they want to review.
 Write review > Get points > Think of a new place to
write a review of > Write review.

8. Problem #2:
 Status badge is not visually impressive
 Others should notice the badge and wonder “Where
did he get it?”
 Doesn’t represent anything special

9. Solution
 Replace badge with a frame.
 Doesn’t conceal any part of a profile picture while still
maintaining a unique flavor.
 Can easily be upgraded based on the user level.

10. Problem #3:
 Lack of a leaderboard
 Potential to drive engagement.
 Friendly competition and social recognition will work
towards reaching a recognized status.

11. Solution
 Add a well designed leaderboard*
 Who has the most useful reviews? The best local
guides in this specific area?
 Businesses creating thorough reviews just to get more
coverage and credibility
 *Bad example below:

12. Problem #4
 Linear point system
 Offers several ways to cheat the system
 Perfect example of just applying PBL’s and waiting
for results.

13. Solution
 Create more depth and complexity to the
scoring system.
 Scoring based on the quality of the review or views
of a picture.
 Cumulative bonus score
 Make users care about points

14. Problem #5
 No endgame
 How is GLG keeping the users engaged beyond level
5?
 Holding a high status is interesting only so long.

15. Solution
 Create daily/weekly/monthly challenges
 For example “Most restaurant pictures added to
reviews(Weekly)”
 Level requirement to enter to ensure the quality