Gamification for Digital Wellbeing
How game mechanics such as short sessions, gentle progress and calm aesthetics can support relaxation instead of compulsive play.
- Home
- Research
The research
I study how play, AI and brands shape human behaviour, and I test ideas in products people actually use. Practitioner research, grounded in building.
Focus areas
What I study
Conversational AI Companions
Designing AI companions that feel supportive, are honest about being AI, and avoid encouraging over-reliance. Informed by Ollie in GameHarbor.
AI Search and GEO
How generative AI assistants select, trust and cite brands, and what that means for discoverability and marketing strategy.
Brand Behaviour in the GCC
How multicultural audiences in the UAE and wider GCC respond to brand positioning, language and digital touchpoints.
Papers
In the pipeline
Published work and papers in progress. Statuses are updated as papers move through review.
Published · Preprint · Oct 2026
GAMEHARBOR: Design and Development of a Casual Game Platform with an AI Wellbeing Companion for Everyday Mental Health
Design rationale, architecture, safety system and development testing of GameHarbor, a free games-first wellbeing app with Ollie, an AI companion. Includes a proposed pilot study. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23414048.
In preparation
Ollie: An AI Companion Case Study in a Wellness Game
A case study on the design of a conversational AI companion inside a wellness game, focusing on supportiveness, transparency and boundaries.
Ongoing
Generative Engine Optimization for Personal and Small-Business Brands
Practitioner research tracking how AI assistants describe and cite brands over time, and which signals change the outcome.
Approach
Build. Measure. Share.
My research sits between practice and academia. I design products and campaigns, observe how real people use them, and write up what I learn. GameHarbor and MindHarbor act as living labs for wellbeing design, while client and personal brand work provide data on AI search visibility.
I do not hold a PhD. I am an independent researcher who values rigour, transparency and open sharing, and I welcome collaboration with universities, labs and practitioners.
Related reading
From the blog
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): How to Get Your Brand Cited by ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity
A practical GEO guide for 2026: how AI assistants choose which brands to mention, and the content, schema and authority signals that get you cited.
Read article
Gamification and Digital Wellbeing: Can Games Help Us Relax Instead of Hook Us?
An independent research perspective on gamification for wellbeing: the design choices that calm rather than compel, informed by building GameHarbor and MindHarbor.
Read article
AI in Marketing 2026: How to Use AI Without Losing Your Brand Voice
How marketing teams can use AI for research, content, creative and analysis in 2026, with a workflow that protects brand voice, accuracy and trust.
Read article