Online course
Gamify for behaviour change
Gamification is no longer a buzzword —
it’s a proven approach shaping how we learn, work, and engage with the world around us. From apps and workplaces to health, education, and community programs, gamification is here to stay.
The problem is, too often it gets reduced to simplistic mechanics — points, badges, leaderboards — bolted on without a clear strategy. That kind of approach rarely delivers lasting results, and can in fact backfire.
This course takes a different path.
You’ll learn how to design gamification properly, using a solid methodology grounded in psychology and evidence. It’s about moving past gimmicks to create experiences that truly motivate, engage, and sustain behaviour.
A comprehensive, self-paced, online course
You’ll get a clear, evidence-based introduction to gamification grounded in psychology and design — with practical steps you can use straight away.
No gimmicks, no jargon, no $2,000 price tags. Just the tools and insights you need to design gamification that actually works.
Who this is for
This course is for professionals who want to boost motivation, create meaningful engagement and change behaviour.
It’s especially relevant if you are:
A designer or product lead curious about building engagement into your work
An HR or L&D professional looking to energise learning and culture initiatives
A consultant or coach who wants to add gamification to your toolkit
A change-maker in government, education, or community spaces
Or simply someone who’s been intrigued by gamification but wants a solid, practical grounding
What you’ll learn
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Understand the key psychological principles and behavioural theories that drive human decision-making — from motivation to habit formation, and more.
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Learn how to use the 5-step gamification methodology to craft engaging gamified experiences. Includes workbook and checklist you can re-use again and again for your gamification projects.
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Build gamified experience with confidence — and conscience. You’ll walk away with tools, checklists, and frameworks to ensure your designs are ethical, inclusive, and grounded in real-world impact.
Your learning outcomes & resources
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
Explain the psychology of motivation and how gamification taps into it
Apply tested frameworks to design gamified systems
Spot and avoid the common traps that cause gamification to fail
Confidently design experiences that people want to engage with
Integrate gamification into your products, workplaces, or communities with purpose
The course includes:
6 modules, 16 lessons
All slides - 270 pages of examples, frameworks, practical tips
Real-world examples drawn from government, corporate, and community projects
A comprehensive workbook to apply the methodology to your current and future projects
65 game mechanic cards to use again and again in your designs
Game Mechanics mapping guide to help you know which mechanics work best with which player types and motivations
“The Psychology Essentials” eBook summarising key psychology studies from the past 170 years
Ethics toolkit including checklists for behavioural designers that you can apply to all your nudge projects
Certificate of completion
Meet your instructor
Dr Kerstin Oberprieler is a globally recognised leader in behavioural science and gamification. With a PhD in behavioural design and over 15 years of hands-on experience, she has worked with governments, businesses, and nonprofits across the world to design evidence-based interventions that change behaviour for good.
As both a practitioner and academic, Kerstin brings a rare blend of rigour and practicality. She's known for making gamification accessible, actionable, and ethical — empowering professionals to create real impact through smart design and strategic designs.
Whether you're new to the field or looking to sharpen your toolkit, you’ll learn from someone who not only teaches gamification — she’s helped shape how it's applied in the real world.
Why I created this course:
“Having worked with organisations all over the world to apply gamification over the last decade or so, combined with my PhD research in this space, I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t.
For years, people have asked me where they should go to get started in gamification and finally I’m pleased to be able to provide them with this course - a comprehensive yet practical approach that takes a nuanced, sophisticated and ethical view of gamification.”
Get started now
“Having worked with organisations all over the world to apply gamification over the last decade or so, combined with my PhD research in this space, I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t. For years, people have asked me where they should go to get started in gamification and finally I’m pleased to be able to provide them with this course - a comprehensive yet practical approach that takes a nuanced, sophisticated and ethical view of gamification.” - Dr Kerstin Oberprieler