Microsoft Dynamic 365 Community
Gamification Design That Unlocked Long-Term Community Growth
Challenge
The Dynamics 365 community depended on Super Users to thrive. But without meaningful recognition or a clear path to progress, even the most engaged contributors were losing motivation and going quiet.
As lead designer, I designed an end-to-end gamification experience that made contributors feel genuinely valued, gave them milestones worth chasing, and inspired others to step up alongside them.
Outcomes
50
4
New badges designed
Leaderboards consolidated into one
What I did
- Led the end-to-end redesign of the community's gamification experience
- Overhauling the badge system
- Redesigning a leaderboard
- Designing a Super User Program page
- Building a scalable, reusable badge components
01.
Badge System Redesign
Restructure the badges
The original badge system lacked visual hierarchy and a clear sense of progression — leaving contributors feeling unrewarded no matter how much they participated. There was no motivating path forward, just a flat collection of icons with no meaning behind them.
I redesigned the badge system from the ground up, introducing gradient color coding, streamlined iconography, and a category structure tied to both activity type and achievement level. The goal was simple: give users instant clarity on what they'd earned and make the next milestone feel worth chasing.
Exploration
Designed earned and unearned badge states
Working closely with a content designer, I refined every hover state. Unearned badges surface a tooltip explaining how to unlock them; earned badges respond with congratulatory copy scaled to the badge's difficulty — a small detail that makes every achievement feel like a real moment.
Final Badges
02.
Leaderboard Redesign
A new leaderboard gives users a clear view of their full progress — what they've earned, what's next, and how they rank among peers. The leaderboard adds social accountability without being punishing.
03.
Super User Program Page
Designed a dedicated landing page to communicate the value of becoming a Super User — turning an informal community role into an aspirational destination with a clear path forward.
