Gamification Experiment Design Playbook

Most gamification experiments fail not because gamification doesn't work, but because the goal wasn't defined, the mechanic wasn't matched to the behavior, or the reward wasn't sustainable. This playbook fixes that. Built from Sumant Subrahmanya and Vamsi's combined experience running 400+ gamification experiments at Gojek and CustomerGlu, this template structures experiments into 5 stages: Goal Alignment → Audience Assessment → Mechanics Selection → Experience Design → Reward Selection. You get an Experiment Tracker workbook with 15 sample experiments across the full lifecycle, a Mechanic Reference sheet covering 8 gamification mechanics with best-use guidance, and a 7-step task that walks from goal definition through reward type selection — including a mandatory goal alignment gate that prevents teams from rationalizing around undefined objectives. For Growth PMs and product leads at mobile apps, fintech, and consumer SaaS companies designing rigorous gamification experiments.