Model-Driven Development of Gamified Applications

Gamification is defined as the injection of game elements in applications with non-gaming purposes. This technique has shown outstanding results in promoting the engagement and activity on communities of users, in both business and non-for-profits fields. Often, gamification features are added late in the application life-cycle and must be weaved into the existing functions. In this paper, we present a model-driven approach to the design of gamified applications, which accelerates the introduction of gamification elements in pre-existing or new applications. The approach relies on a data model of gamification features and on design patterns for the front-end, which encode the essential elements of gamification in a platform-independent way.