Get Certified!
Online training program to empower
Product Leaders, Entrepreneurs & Service Providers
to master the tools & techniques of Game Thinking
Do you want to innovate smarter?
If you’re developing a new product, you can’t afford to waste time building the wrong thing. That’s why modern design methods, like Design Thinking and Agile/Lean methods tell you to:
Talk to customers, iterate fast, and test prototypes early.
That’s all good. But which customers do you talk to? Which slice of your product do you prototype first? And how do you design a product that will keep customers coming back?
That’s where Design Thinking and Agile/Lean methods fall short. When it comes to knowing exactly what to do next, you’re on your own.
Move faster with Game Thinking
Fortunately, there’s a better way to innovate. It’s called Game Thinking. It’s built on Design Thinking and Agile/Learn principles, and incorporates methods from game design and systems thinking.
When Amy Jo Kim worked on breakthrough hit games like The Sims and Rock Band, she noticed that top game designers use advanced design techniques uncommon in the business world. She packaged these techniques in a step-by-step system and called it Game Thinking.
If you’ve been following Game Thinking, you know that:
Game Thinking isn’t just for games.
Amy Jo has coached hundreds of companies around the world achieve breakthrough innovations with Game Thinking. Now you can super-charge your product discovery and get better innovation outcomes with the system trusted by global brands, game studios and startups worldwide. 
Learn how with Certification
Want to learn the Game Thinking system and put it to work on your project? Apply for our Game Thinking Certification program.
We created this 6-month program for Product Leaders, Entrepreneurs and Coaches who want to master the Game Thinking system, and 10x their product validation process.
WHAT IT IS
6-month training program
WHERE IT HAPPENS
Online, in your time zone
WHEN IT HAPPENS
Next Session October 2020
WHO IT’S FOR
- Product leaders who help teams find product/market fit
- Coaches who want power-tools for better client outcomes
- Trainers who want to offer a powerful new approach to product design
- Consultants who want better retention and engagement for clients
- Learning professionals who want to create engaging experiences
- Service providers who want to dramatically improve client outcomes
What you’ll learn. In 3 minutes.
how to boost your long-term engagement
how to talk to the right early customers
how to give your team a clear process & roadmap
Join a growing international community
Game Thinking Certified professionals are a diverse, high-powered group from Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, and across the USA. They work at startups, game studios, banks, insurance companies, and service consultancies. In this exclusive community you enjoy access to monthly meetups, private forums, & partnership opportunities.
What They’re Saying
How to validate ideas 10X faster
The secret to validating your ideas quickly and effectively is to use three interconnected Game Thinking Sprints. The output of each Sprint is the input to the next.
This highly efficient system exposes blue-ocean market opportunities and delivers validated design insights in record time.
Using these techniques will save months of time for you and your team, and dramatically increase your odds of success.
Sprint 1: Discovery
Clarify Product Strategy & Gather Customer Insights
- Clarify your product/market strategy & hi-risk assumptions
- Identify who NEEDS what you offer – and who doesn’t
- Discover the habits and motivations of your best customers
- Synthesize those insights into Job Stories that capture customers’ intrinsic motivation and existing habits
Sprint 2: Design
Design Long-Term Engagement From the Ground Up
- Visualize how customers will use your product over time using a four-stage Mastery Path model
- Create Mastery Path Teardowns to analyze your competition
- Design a habit-building Learning Loop using customer insights
- Drive retention with Progression Design and Social Mechanics
Sprint 3: Validation
Test Your Customer Journey with Lo-Fi Experiments
- Visualize your 30-day experience with research-informed Concept Storyboards
- Test your concept with vetted early customers to get actionable insights on your core product experience
- Validate your assumptions, update your designs and outline next steps in a Product Brief
What’s Included
6 months of expert-led small-group training
Live Certification trainings with Amy Jo Kim & guests
Get your questions answered & hear real-time case studies during our live coaching calls. We post recordings in your Members area.
Opportunities to observe expert coaching in action
You can observe our private Coaching meetings with entrepreneurs and business owners, and jump in with feedback when you’re ready.
Monthly AMA with VIP experts
We bring in a world-class expert in game design, Lean UX, product management and other topics. monthly. You get a front-row seat.
Step-by-step courses with interactive templates
Advanced courses add to your knowledge
You get access to our Game Thinking Innovation Sprint signature system, plus Cooperative Design & Product Teardown mini-courses.
Step-by-step templates streamline your work
Our proprietary Game Thinking templates take the guesswork out of building your MVP by showing you what to do, and how to do it. These templates will help you make smarter design decisions.
Sample Workshop Agendas kickstart your results
We make it easy for you to create your Game Thinking Workshop by giving you sample Game Thinking workshop agendas to customize.
Curated Peer Community with VIP Guests
Peer feedback amplifies your progress
In every coaching meeting, you get the opportunity to learn from your peers.You’ll continue those connections in our private community filled with people like you, eager to learn and happy to share their knowledge and experience
VIP Experts expand your horizons
We host monthly meetings with a VIP Guest Expert that expose you to world-class designers & leaders — and give you the opportunity to get their feedback on your work.
Opportunity to work on a personal project
To complete your Certification, you apply Game Thinking to a personal project and share your results. Your final presentation will include:
- A Game Thinking teardown of your nearest competitor
- Hot-core Superfan Insights and how you gathered them
- Customer Journey paired with a coherent mental model
- Game Thinking Agenda for your first planned workshop
Apply Now — seats are limited
Next Certification runs October 2020 – March 2021
Application submission closes in
- 6 months of interactive training in your time zone
- Weekly coaching with Game Thinking Experts
- Easy-to-follow videos you watch at your convenience
- Step-by-step templates guide you through the activities
- Make massive progress on your project
- Supportive community to help you learn & iterate
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When is the course?
Our Fall Certification program kicks off in October 2020
When is the course? When do meetings happen?
Meetings happen Thursdays at a time that works for everyone (TBD)
Where do I need to participate?
Ths program runs completely online. You need an Internet-connected computer or mobile phone to access the materials and attend our coaching meetings.
What topics do you cover?
We teach innovation skills that accelerate cross-functional teams. Thus we cover product strategy, customer research, game & UX design, and product management.
What happens if I get busy?
All the materials are online, and you get lifetime access. You can move at your own pace & never worry about missing out.
What if I miss the Q&A calls?
All the weekly calls are recorded and published online – so you can download and listen to them on your own schedule.
Game Thinking sounds great, but I’m building an app/platform/enterprise system. Is this only for games?
Game Thinking will improve any product experience that can be built around learning, mastery and empowerment. It works for games – and ALSO for products, apps, blogs, marketplaces, and events where the goal is long-term engagement.
This reminds me of Gamification – but I’m not hearing a lot about game mechanics. What’s the difference?
Gamification opens the door and gets people interested in the power of games. Game Thinking is the next step. You’ll learn how to bring your ideas to life like a game designer, and create Learning Loops that empower your players
This course covers a LOT of material. How can I do it all?
You’re right – it IS a lot of material. We’ve broken it into manageable chunks, organized around activities with step-by-step instructions that move your project forward. You’ll get short-term gains from this material – AND long-term skill-building as you use these techniques on future projects.
What if I don’t have the time I need, or the right skills?
That’s a great question. This program is not for everyone – it’s for those who are passionate about running smarter product experiments and getting amazing client outcomes. Skill-wise, you don’t need to be a trained researcher or designer; you DO need to be willing to follow directions and learn how to iterate towards success.
Will my employer cover the cost of the course?
If your company has a training budget, this should be easy to cover. Participating will enhance your product design and management skills – and your entire team will benefit from the techniques you bring back to the company. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
Is this a good fit for me?
It’s all about what kind of outcomes you’re looking for. If you want to help your clients, students and colleagues 10X product/market fit, build deeply engaging experiences, and leverage the true power of games – this program is a GREAT fit for you.
