From Gamification to Insight-Driven Design
How questioning "good" data led to a better product
I led research, strategy, and testing for Meniga’s Carbon Challenge, exploring gamified carbon tracking engagement. An 800+ participant survey initially supported gamification, but the sample of high-income, sustainability-conscious super-users exposed bias and exclusion risks.
Further research across diverse regions and behaviors revealed that gamification was not driving action, while clear impact insights were. I pivoted to insight-driven design, prioritizing transparency, data visualization, and actionable recommendations.
The result was a scalable, inclusive solution now integrated into leading banks across 30+ markets, empowering 100M+ users with meaningful, data-driven sustainability insights.
Role
Sr Product Designer - Product Discovery & UX/UI
Company
Duration
Dec 2021 - May 2022
Activities
Product Discovery - Competitive Analysis - Wireframing & Prototyping - User Research - Design Sprint Workshop - Usability Testing - Feature Validation - Insight Synthesis
Problem Space
ESG, Banking, and the Engagement Gap 🌱
The carbon footprint management market is growing fast, from $9.4B in 2021 to $11.4B in 2024, with projections reaching $20.3B by 2034 (CAGR 5.9%). This growth is fueled by:
Rising ESG commitments – Banks integrating carbon tracking into digital banking.
Regulatory pressures – Governments mandating carbon transparency.
Shifting consumer behavior – Users interested in sustainability but lacking motivation and clear actions.
As a global leader in B2B2C digital banking, Meniga saw an opportunity to help users track, understand, and act on their carbon footprint—while keeping it engaging and fun.
The Hypothesis
Gamification Would Drive Engagement 🎮
Gamification had successfully changed behavior in fitness (Strava, Fitbit) and finance (Revolut, Monzo). We believed rewards, challenges, and leaderboards could make reducing carbon footprints fun and engaging.
But assumptions need validation.
My Role
Leading with Design Thinking 🎯
As Senior Product Designer, I applied a Design Thinking approach to uncover real user needs and drive a data-informed strategy.
🔍 Empathize – Led 800+ participant survey (f/m/nb) to understand sustainability motivations.
💡 Define – Identified an engagement gap between intention and action.
🧠 Ideate – Facilitated a design sprint workshop with PMs, ESG strategists, designers, devs, and game design experts.
🎨 Prototype – Developed gamification-driven concepts and tested with users.
✅ Test & Iterate – Conducted 12+ in-depth interviews to validate findings, followed by Phase 2 research to challenge assumptions.
This iterative, human-centered process led to critical insights that reshaped our approach.
Test phase 1
The "Perfect" Data That Raised a Red Flag 🚩
Our early research showed strong enthusiasm for gamification. Users across genders and age groups loved leaderboards, competition, and rewards. Statistically, our assumptions were solid, backed up by strong data.
So we looked at who were our testers?
Meniga "superusers" - Already engaged in finance & sustainability.
Mid-high SES, income, education - Well-informed and aware of climate issues.
Primarily Northern European - A region with high social acceptance of climate initiatives.
These were highly engaged, informed users, but not representative of a global audience.
🚨 We realized we were validating our own biases. Moving forward as is meant building a product for a niche Nordic market, not the wider world 🚨
Test phase 2
Uncovering Stark Differences 🔍
To test our assumptions, I led research in Southern and Eastern Europe, targeting users with similar SES backgrounds. This time, the data told a different story - users across genders and age groups did not respond well to leaderboards, competition, or rewards.
Key Findings:
Distrust in gamification – Viewed as a government ploy rather than engaging.
Responsibility perception – Users believed big industries, not individuals, should drive sustainability.
Privacy concerns – Community-based competition was unappealing; users preferred personal insights.
Data-driven engagement – Clear impact visualization and insights mattered more than rewards.
❌ Gamification wasn’t just ineffective—it created mistrust.
✅ But users valued personalized insights and impact data.
This was a defining moment. Instead of forcing gamification, I made the call to pivot.
Strategy pivot
From Gamification to Insight-Driven Design 🔄
We shifted focus to:
✅ Impact transparency – Showing users how their actions contribute to sustainability.
✅ Data visualization – Simple, digestible insights linking spending to environmental impact.
✅ Actionable recommendations – Personalized, data-driven sustainability tips.
This approach made the tool more inclusive and impactful, ensuring all users, not just eco-conscious super-users, could engage meaningfully.
Impact & Key Delivery
Carbon Insight for Banks
Launched as Meniga Carbon Insight, the solution is now integrated into leading banks across 30+ markets, helping millions of users make informed, sustainable financial choices.
Key Metrics & Outcomes
📊 100M+ Users Reached – Scaled across global banking partners.
📉 CO₂ Awareness at Scale – Transactional data transformed into personalized carbon footprint insights.
💳 Seamless Bank Integration – Categorization engine adapts to each bank’s data taxonomy for accuracy.
🔄 Behavioral Change Impact – Users receive personalized sustainability tips, challenges, and impact tracking.
🌍 Regional Customization – Country-specific models ensure carbon intensity factors reflect real-world impact.
By shifting from gamification to insight-driven engagement, we delivered a measurable, scalable, and inclusive solution aligned with banking partners' ESG strategies and consumer expectations.
Key Takeaways
Why This Matters 🎯
✔️ Data isn’t enough, context matters. Even statistically sound findings can be misleading.
✔️ Diversity in research prevents costly mistakes. A biased sample could have led to a failed product.
✔️ Empathy + data = real impact. Questioning assumptions created a better, scalable solution.
Final thought
A Lesson in Questioning "Success"
It would have been easy to celebrate our Phase 1 findings and move forward. But good design isn’t about easy. It’s about asking the right questions, even when the data seems clear.
By applying Design Thinking and challenging confirmation bias, we created something better. Not just better for Meniga’s core users, but for everyone who wants to make a real impact.✨ From gamification to insight-driven design, because real change starts with understanding.