COMM 115S
Fun & Games: Motivational Design of User Experiences

Syllabus

Various interventions are employing virtual rewards, teams, and badges to incentivize real world behavior ranging from commercial purchases to reductions in home energy use. These are examples of motivational design, in which the engaging qualities common to games and other enjoyable activities are leveraged to drive particular behaviors. Using scientific research and industry examples we will examine the key processes and concepts that make up such designs. Along the way we will compare different theoretical approaches to motivation, consider the potential application of emerging technologies for new motivational designs, and discuss the ethics of designing for behavior change.



I have also served as an assistant instructor for the following courses: