Using game play elements to motivate learning

Abstract

Elements of game play, such as usage statistics, scores, levels, challenges, achievements, competition, and the like, are incorporated into a productivity application to assist in motivating users to learn features of the productivity application. A recommendation system is utilized to assist users in determining what features of the application to learn next. Help content that is associated with the productivity application can also be tied to the features that are currently being learned and used by the user such that the linked help content is readily available. Users may compare their scores and compete with other persons that are also participating in the game play learning system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for utilizing game elements within a productivity application, the method executing on a processor of a computer, comprising:
 tracking features being utilized by a user within the application; wherein the application is a productivity application;   calculating a score as the user utilizes the tracked features;   determining challenges to provide to the user, wherein the challenges include a new feature that is not included in a version of the productivity application for the user to learn;   displaying a user interface including the challenges directed towards the new feature to the user;   receiving a selection of one of the challenges from the user;   providing the selected challenge to the user; and   comparing the user's score to at least one other user and providing a display of the comparison to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing information relating to the new feature to the user upon selection of the challenge relating to the new feature. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the challenge that includes the new feature differently from the other provided challenges such that the challenge that includes the new feature is distinguishable from the other provided challenges. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising accessing a social networking site and obtaining a list of users from the social networking site that are associated with the user to present to the user within a display of the selected challenge. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising posting a message to the social networking site in response to a change in the score of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein comparing the score of the user to the at least one other user and providing the display of the comparison to the user comprises comparing the score of the user to the list of users of the social networking site. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein comparing the user's score to the at least one other user comprises displaying the at least one other user's score in relation to the user's score. 
     
     
         8 . A system for utilizing game elements within a productivity application, comprising:
 a processor and a computer-readable medium;   an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor;   a network connection;   a productivity application and a feature manager operating on the processor; and configured to perform tasks, comprising:
 tracking features being utilized by a user within the application; 
   wherein the application is a productivity application;
 calculating a score as the user utilizes the tracked features; 
 determining challenges to provide to the user, wherein the challenges include a new feature that is not included in a version of the productivity application for the user to learn; 
 displaying a user interface including the challenges directed towards the new feature to the user; 
 receiving a selection of one of the challenges from the user; 
 providing the selected challenge to the user; and 
 comparing the user's score to at least one other user and providing a display of the comparison to the user. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising providing information relating to the new feature to the user upon selection of the challenge relating to the new feature. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising displaying the challenge that includes the new feature differently from the other provided challenges such that the challenge that includes the new feature is distinguishable from the other provided challenges. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising accessing a social networking site and obtaining a list of users from the social networking site that are associated with the user to present to the user within a display of the selected challenge. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising posting a message to the social networking site in response to a change in the score of the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein comparing the score of the user to the at least one other user and providing the display of the comparison to the user comprises comparing the score of the user to the list of users of the social networking site. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein comparing the user's score to the at least one other user comprises displaying the at least one other user's score in relation to the user's score. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for utilizing game elements within a productivity application, the instructions executing on a processor of a computer, comprising:
 tracking features being utilized by a user within the application; wherein the application is a productivity application;   calculating a score as the user utilizes the tracked features;   determining challenges to provide to the user, wherein the challenges include a new feature that is not included in a version of the productivity application for the user to learn;   displaying a user interface including the challenges directed towards the new feature to the user;   receiving a selection of one of the challenges from the user;   providing the selected challenge to the user; and   comparing the user's score to at least one other user and providing a display of the comparison to the user.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing information relating to the new feature to the user upon selection of the challenge relating to the new feature. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising displaying the challenge that includes the new feature differently from the other provided challenges such that the challenge that includes the new feature is distinguishable from the other provided challenges. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising accessing a social networking site and obtaining a list of users from the social networking site that are associated with the user to present to the user within a display of the selected challenge. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising posting a message to the social networking site in response to a change in the score of the user. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein comparing the score of the user to the at least one other user and providing the display of the comparison to the user comprises comparing the score of the user to the list of users of the social networking site.