Web Usability

Linkedin – Playing with Business Connections

I thought I would follow-up my last post about game mechanics in social communities with a good (and well-known) example – Linkedin.

The professional networking site Linkedin is a social community that uses all the game mechanics Amy Jo Kim talks about, except for points:

Collecting

It’s all about collecting business connections and recommendations.

Feedback

Two percentage progress bars display your profile and network completion, coupled with helpful hints on what to do to become a more “complete” Linkedin user. The statistical benefits of completing your profile are also described (this much more likely to become hired etc.).

Exchanges

Linkedin boasts an introduction system for getting in touch with users through other users and ability to ask your network a question and rewarding the best example with trophies (“Best answer in…-tags).

Customization

Pretty much everything on your profile can be customized contentwise and the controls for this are embedded into the profile instead of put on a separate “Preferences” page.

Growing and cultivating business connections can appearently feel like playing a game. Good work Linkedin!

Communities, Usability, Web