HealthTech, Workforce Vitality
Industry
NewU
Company
Gamification as a growth engine
PROBLEM DEFINITION
NewU is a B2B health and vitality platform used by employees inside organizations.
The problem wasn’t adoption at the company level HR teams were onboarded and initiatives were launched.
The problem was sustained employee engagement.
Employees would:
Join an initiative
Try it once or twice
Gradually disengage
The platform delivered value, but that value wasn’t felt consistently. Engagement relied too much on reminders and external motivation.
NewU is a B2B health and vitality platform used by employees inside organizations.
The problem wasn’t adoption at the company level HR teams were onboarded and initiatives were launched.
The problem was sustained employee engagement.
Employees would:
Join an initiative
Try it once or twice
Gradually disengage
The platform delivered value, but that value wasn’t felt consistently. Engagement relied too much on reminders and external motivation.
HYPOTHESIS
"If employees are given clear feedback, visible progress, and momentum-building cues at the moment of action, then engagement and follow-through will increase because the constraint is not intent, but the absence of reinforcement signals that turn effort into sustained behavior.
Results
Quantitative outcomes
+25–40% increase in daily engagement
+15–25% improvement in habit completion rates
Reduced drop-off after initial onboarding
Qualitative outcomes
Employees reported feeling “guided” rather than “pushed”
HR teams saw clearer participation patterns
The platform became easier to reintroduce after breaks
old view
My role
Senior Product designer
What I did
Collaborated closely with the design team to define the gamification vision and principles
Co-designed core mechanics including streaks, points, XP, and levels
Aligned gamification decisions with user needs and product goals, not just visual appeal
Partnered with designers to integrate gamification seamlessly into existing user flows
Reviewed and refined interaction details such as feedback states, animations, and micro-delights
Worked iteratively with the team to balance motivation, usability, and ethical engagement
Ensured consistency across screens by aligning gamification elements with the design system
Gamification as a growth engine
Overview
NewU is a B2B health and vitality platform used by employees inside organizations.
The problem wasn’t adoption at the company level HR teams were onboarded and initiatives were launched.
The problem was sustained employee engagement.
Employees would:
Join an initiative
Try it once or twice
Gradually disengage
The platform delivered value, but that value wasn’t felt consistently. Engagement relied too much on reminders and external motivation.
Result
Quantitative outcomes
+25–40% increase in daily engagement
+15–25% improvement in habit completion rates
Reduced drop-off after initial onboarding
Qualitative outcomes
Employees reported feeling “guided” rather than “pushed”
HR teams saw clearer participation patterns
The platform became easier to reintroduce after breaks
HealthTech, Workforce Vitality
Industry
NewU
Company
“Showreels and interactions are the fastest way to feel the impact of good design.
Nkiru Uba
old view
Redesigned
My role
Senior Product designer, Lead researcher, collaborated with other designers
What I did
Collaborated closely with the design team to define the gamification vision and principles
Co-designed core mechanics including streaks, points, XP, and levels
Aligned gamification decisions with user needs and product goals, not just visual appeal
Partnered with designers to integrate gamification seamlessly into existing user flows
Reviewed and refined interaction details such as feedback states, animations, and micro-delights
Worked iteratively with the team to balance motivation, usability, and ethical engagement
Ensured consistency across screens by aligning gamification elements with the design system
Gamification as a growth engine
Overview
NewU is a B2B health and vitality platform used by employees inside organizations.
The problem wasn’t adoption at the company level HR teams were onboarded and initiatives were launched.
The problem was sustained employee engagement.
Employees would:
Join an initiative
Try it once or twice
Gradually disengage
The platform delivered value, but that value wasn’t felt consistently. Engagement relied too much on reminders and external motivation.
Result
Quantitative outcomes
+25–40% increase in daily engagement
+15–25% improvement in habit completion rates
Reduced drop-off after initial onboarding
Qualitative outcomes
Employees reported feeling “guided” rather than “pushed”
HR teams saw clearer participation patterns
The platform became easier to reintroduce after breaks
HealthTech, Workforce Vitality
Industry
NewU
Company
“Showreels and interactions are the fastest way to feel the impact of good design.
Nkiru Uba
old view
Redesigned
My role
Senior Product designer
What I did
Collaborated closely with the design team to define the gamification vision and principles
Co-designed core mechanics including streaks, points, XP, and levels
Aligned gamification decisions with user needs and product goals, not just visual appeal
Partnered with designers to integrate gamification seamlessly into existing user flows
Reviewed and refined interaction details such as feedback states, animations, and micro-delights
Worked iteratively with the team to balance motivation, usability, and ethical engagement
Ensured consistency across screens by aligning gamification elements with the design system