A Framework To Construct User Engagement Into Products

For the success of any product the decisive dimension is an invisible layer between code and design I describe as user engagement mechanisms.

When building a product, most builders translate features into code + design. Build. Release. Measure. Then reiterate based on what they see working in the data. What if you could take the guesswork out? A framework to build for maximised user engagement.

Here are the building blocks. Five dimensions with the question to be answered for the user. Three mechanisms each and a description of their ideal design.

1 Onboarding

"Why and how should I use this product?"

Introduction - The user is guided through a first experience of the service.

Save Progress - The user does not have to register to use the service, progress is saved differently

First Mission - The user is animated with a specific task to accomplish

2 Trigger 

"What drives me to use this product again?"

Call to Action - The user is asked to do a specific task

Trigger Mechanism - User behavior related

Need Frequency - The urge to use our service can exist at any moment

3 Action

"How simple is this product for me to use?"

Goal setting - The user receives a specific task to complete

Guidance - The user is guided by clear explicit steps and tasks

Feedback upon completion - The user receives feedback inside the service

4 Reward

"How am I rewarded for my use?"

Variability - The user receives variable rewards

Time of anticipation - Start ... something is happing or to be done ... Reward

Types of rewards - Reward of Hunt + Social Reward + Reward of Self

5 Investment 

"What do I gain from a long-term use?"

Visualization - Achieved investments are actively communicated

Loss potential - A physical loss

Pressure Exertion - The user risks to lose achievements without further action

Utilizing those mechanisms supercharges the user engagement KPIs you're measuring.

I hope this gives you a good overview of what to think about in terms of user engagement mechanisms and some new ideas to improve your product.