Echoing the sentiments of the revered Don Norman in "Design for a Better World," the pursuit of digital excellence goes beyond intuitiveness and accessibility. It hinges on crafting products that resonate with our fundamental aspirations, tap into our intrinsic motivations, and elevate our overall well-being.

Transformative experiences address the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs; Self-Actualization and Transcendence. Once our physical and emotional needs are consistently met, people confront the perplexing question: now what? Technologies new and ancient are being explored as ways to level up; and brands are grappling with how to support this demand.

I find this set of themes is helpful when thinking about creating impactful product experiences. It starts with five themes that are standard for products in any domain, and then builds upon those five with three additional themes that apply to products which are transformative in nature.

Games tap into our innate motivational capacities with precision and predictability; this is what makes them so engaging and even addictive. Many have had the insight; imagine if conducting our everyday life felt as rewarding and engaging as a game! So arose the term, Gamification.