Casino-grade engagement design.
Mission-driven purpose.

I've spent over a decade working on the mechanics that keep people in casinos and playing mobile games. Now I use those same tools for organizations that actually deserve loyal users: conservation, citizen science, public health, civic tech.

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The Origin

From Casino Games to Something Worth Building

Casino and mobile game design taught me one thing above all else: how to make people stay. What triggers the return visit, what kills the impulse to quit, what keeps someone engaged long past when they meant to stop. Some of what I built with that knowledge I'm proud of. Some of it I'm not.

The same behavioral science behind the most addictive apps in the world is available to anyone who understands it. Most mission-driven platforms don't have a team focused on that. I do. And I'd rather spend the next decade helping people submit bird surveys and take their medication than keep someone glued to a slot machine.

The Work

How I Help

Phase 1

Engagement Design Audit & Design Specs

Most engagement problems aren't mysterious. Phase 1 is a deep dive into your platform, your users, and your data, producing everything your team needs to actually fix them.

Audit & Analysis

I go through your platform as a real user, mapping friction, drop-off points, and missed engagement moments across the full user journey. Then I analyze your available analytics alongside user reviews, forums, and community feedback to ground findings in real patterns.

Behavioral Map

A clear picture of which motivational levers are being ignored or actively working against retention, seen through an engagement design lens.

Engagement Strategy

The "why" behind every recommendation: the user psychology, the intended experience, and the principles that guide all design choices.

The Blueprint

Exactly how each feature works: the loops, the rules, and everything your team needs to build it correctly.

Early Prototypes

Working mockups of the highest-impact features so you can see and react to the design before committing to full development.

Prioritized Action Plan & Success Metrics

A ranked roadmap of what to build first and why, with a clear map of which metrics we expect to move, by how much, and which features drive each one.

Start with Phase 1
Phase 2

Build Support

Once specs are approved, I embed with your team. Available on Slack, reviewing builds against the design, making sure what ships matches what was designed.

Embedded Slack access throughout the build
Regular build reviews against design specs
Design QA and launch signoff
Can help source and coordinate development partners if needed
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Phase 3

Ongoing Retainer

Once launched, I stay close. Regular data reviews, iteration on what isn't working, Slack access as questions come up. A behavioral design lead on call, without the full-time hire.

Monthly performance reviews
Ongoing design iteration and recommendations
Slack access for questions as they come up
Flexible scope based on your needs
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What I Believe

The Gamify Good Philosophy

Solve Real Problems

I build for outcomes that matter to users, not metrics that matter to investors. A platform that leaves you feeling good about your time is a platform that worked.

Intrinsic Over Extrinsic

Points and badges fade. I design for deeper motivations: mastery, purpose, autonomy. That's what creates lasting engagement.

Measurable Impact

Good intentions aren't enough. I track whether my work actually benefits the people using it, and I'm transparent about what I find.

No Dark Patterns

All engagement systems use behavioral mechanics. The question is who they serve. No artificial scarcity, no guilt mechanics, no tricks designed to extract money rather than create value.

Built By Me

Scorefall

While working full time, I designed, built, and shipped Scorefall completely solo in five months. Every mechanic, every system, every line of code. No stamina timers, no pay-to-win, no dark patterns. A game designed to be worth your time, not just consume it.

"I could play this game for hours. It's the perfect balance to keep the player engaged."

Steam Review

"A nice chill game... We really need games like this that can be played without taking full focus. Works great on handhelds."

Steam Review

"If the idea of causing a cascade of bouncy balls that split into even more bouncy balls appeals to you, play this."

Steam Review
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Work With Me

If engagement and retention are the gap between your platform's potential and its reality, reach out. A short conversation is usually enough to know if there's something worth exploring.