Amy Kim

Amy Jo Kim is a prominent figure in the fields of game design and innovation coaching. She serves as the CEO of the Game Thinking Academy, where she focuses on helping startups, global brands, and game studios develop engaging products through her innovative framework known as Game Thinking. This approach combines principles from game design, systems thinking, and agile methodologies to accelerate product development and enhance customer retention.

Background and Career

• Education: Amy holds a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Washington and a BA in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) .12
• Design Contributions: She has worked on several well-known games, including The Sims, Rock Band, Ultima Online, and Covet Fashion. Her extensive design experience has influenced how digital products engage users .123
• Publications: Amy is the author of Community Building on the Web (2000) and Game Thinking (2018). The latter serves as a guide for innovators looking to create products that foster long-term user engagement .123

Recognition

Amy Jo Kim has been recognized as one of the top 10 influential women in games by Fortune, highlighting her impact in the industry .2 She is also a sought-after speaker, known for her engaging presentations on innovation, product design, and cooperative gaming .23

Coaching and Teaching

In addition to her role at the Game Thinking Academy, Amy has taught game design at prestigious institutions such as Stanford University and the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where she co-founded their game design program .12 Her coaching focuses on helping teams validate ideas quickly and effectively, ensuring they meet real customer needs before launching products.

Through her work, Amy Jo Kim continues to influence how companies approach product development by integrating game design principles into their strategies for creating engaging user experiences.