The brain's main task is to minimize the gap between expectation and reality. This gap is what the Free Energy Principle defines as free energy. When the brain encounters unpredictable input, its stress level rises. And it's crucial to understand: this isn't about you as a person or a "user", it's about your brain. It's not something we consciously control, but it's something we can use.
We now live inside a behavioral laboratory that adapts to us in real time. The entire digital ecosystem has become a shape-shifting mirror, reflecting back our preferences, vulnerabilities, and aspirations with uncanny precision. And while that mirror feels convenient, it also exerts a pull powerful enough to erode something essential: our ability to choose freely. What we are witnessing is the convergence of two accelerating forces.
Gamification is one of those shiny objects that periodically captures companies' attention - a tactic that promises to boost engagement and revenue metrics. After all, everyone else seems to be doing it, so why not your company, too? At its core, gamification means applying game design elements in non-game contexts to tap into human motivation - boosting engagement and participation over time. In marketing, that can translate into higher revenue, stronger loyalty and longer customer lifetime value.
Journey mapping is one of the most widely used tools in interactive design, helping us create products and campaigns that connect with users on a deeper emotional level. This is key to building long-term loyalty, where users and customers feel an irrational sense of trust and gratitude toward your brand. In this article, I'll explain what an emotional journey is to give you a strategic perspective on how we use emotional design to shape user experiences.
In the current climate, generic and expensive programs to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion-for example, trainings-are increasingly falling out of favor. In fact, most of the existing research suggests that trainings have not been effective at changing people's behaviors or measurable organizational outcomes, such as who gets hired. Yet, what hasn't changed is companies' need to tap into the broadest possible talent pool to hire the best person for the right role at the right time.