andrew.f.chen :: startup thoughts

One of the first games that I heard analyzed from a psychological point of view is the Mobile/Web App hit Bejeweled. The rules are super simple: reorder jewels into rows containing 3 or more same colored jewels and the jewels will disappear, you earn points, more jewels come and you do that until you beat the level by reaching the goal for number of jewels that disappear. Simple, no? Yet, addicting. So addicting in fact that in it’s 10 year history, it has been downloaded more than 350 million times.

So What’s The Big Deal?

Why is this game so addicting? Well, we can break down the elements to further understand:

1. It’s simple - you can explain the rules in one sentence. Very low ramp up for learning, you get it instantly. This means that any user who plays it can virtually play it the instant it downloads - you don’t lose anyone to complexity.

2. It’s quick - each level just takes a few minutes. You can choose to go on once you’ve finished or just end it there. There’s no commitment but most people choose to continue with the mentality “just one more time - it’s a quick game!”

3. It’s intense - in just a few minutes you get an intense, heart pumping, re-ordering of jewels, racing against the clock! But after the intensity is over, you go about back to your daily life as if nothing happened.

4. Most importantly, it plays on humanity’s desire for order - this, I believe is the most important aspect. We as humans are made / taught to desire order in our lives. When things are out of place, not positioned neatly in an orderly world, we freak out and have to do something about it. Well with Bejeweled, we’re thrust into a world in chaos and it’s our job to put everything back to order. And we love it.

Your Application

So what does this mean for you and your website? This is just a small case study on how we interact with applications and a good amount can be derived:

1. Make your web app easy to learn - you often lose users because it takes too long to get what your application does and even if they get it, if the way to use it takes too long to learn the browser window has already been closed. Make it easy and quick to learn how to use your app.

2. Reduce the amount of effort to get the “win” - people are satisfied if they are able to do what they do in the most efficient manner. In order for them to get the “win” - the goal of your app, the pain point you’re solving - make sure it’s not an arduous process.

3. Bring order to your users’ lives - most likely their pain point, the reason for your web app, is meant to make their lives more orderly, more efficient, easier. So make sure it does that - we tend to bundle things with crazy features and build more and more but ensure it’s doing what it’s supposed to do in the most simple way possible.Is this your experience? Thoughts?