Rahul Vohra of Superhuman: How to create business products people *enjoy* using

Starting Greatness with Mike Maples

Podcast Notes Key Takeaways Business products designed around values consistent with ‘play’ rather than ‘work’ lead to increased efficiency and productivitythroughthe benefits of gamificationand targeting human motivationGamification creates an emotional connection to your work and the design can lead you to an increased capacity for flow states“Emotions are the foundation of our memory”– Rahul VohraYour emotions can dictate how successful you are in your workGames need good goals, so does your work: goals need to be concrete, achievable, and rewardingProducts designed this way specifically target the intrinsic motivations of humans“Flow is not what you’re doing, it’s how you feel when you’re doing it”– Rahul VohraProducts need rapid and robust controls and platforms, the extreme ease/efficient use in a product can make it feel more like a gameFive key components of flow:Know what to do nextKnow how to do itFree from distractionsGet clear and immediate feedbackMust feel a balance of challenge and skillStart-up advice: “Think as long-term as you possibly can. The most valuable companies are the ones that last the longest. Think big, know from day one what your multi-billion dollar story is going to be” – Rahul VohraIf you’re going to put in the effort, you might as well put effort towards the biggest idea possible

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Rahul Vohra of Superhuman has adopted some of the most cutting-edge approaches to making a business product people *want* to use, rather than have to use. In this episode, Mike Maples, Jr of FLOODGATE talks to Rahul about how any startup founder can apply the principles of game design to their products, and why this is becoming increasingly important in a world where users (rather than IT) increasingly decide which products win.