Dive into an enlightening conversation with Mike Ambinder, a pioneering psychologist in the gaming industry with over 15 years at Valve Corporation; gaming giant out of Seattle. In this episode, we explore the intersection of human psychology and product design, unraveling how deep understanding of user behavior can revolutionize product development. Mike shares his journey from academia to the gaming world, discussing the nuances of applying psychological principles to enhance user engagement across diverse industries, not just gaming. This episode is a treasure trove for anyone in the realm of product creation, offering profound insights into designing and building products that resonate deeply with users. Whether you're developing games, tech products, or consumer apps, Mike's expertise in user psychology will provide you with the tools to achieve exceptional product-market fit and engage users on a deeper, more scientifically designed, human level.

-------------------------------------- 00:00 In This Episode 00:27 Intro 00:58 Today's guest 02:20 Mike's background 05:28 Psychology of games - Mike's observations and learnings 08:04 Experimentation in product design and game development 12:45 Crafting intrinsically motivating products: beyond Maslow's basics 15:42 Mike's insights on human agency and intrinsic motivation 17:02 Unleashing intrinsic drive in UX: choice, progress, and social bonds 19:24 Our Sponsor 20:03 Unleashing intrinsic drive in UX - continued 23:17 Mike breaks down how we think in games and life 25:35 Why introducing or removing features impacts UX 26:29 Understanding user biases in game design and product interaction 31:46 International expansion - making games for the world 36:34 Mike's journey to consulting and exploring adaptive interfaces in psychology 40:37 The Three Learned Things 44:05 Outro --------------------------------------