https://www.billsabram.com/home daily 1.0 2026-03-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1547055626289-T1F3MO1JYNLTA7S0UE1A/mockup_0000_Main-View.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1547078558470-OO0CX0ZKTJ1A33ESSDWL/RCT-final-whiteboard.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1547075670039-TXPAQDV7MDMFZ26JO2D0/HHB-fob.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1559845311414-DKC5XH85DSV6UQUD0A5Y/a-convo-w-billsabram-INTENTION-2019.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1580327097765-CT08KPG6CAIT7JAXWV20/TEDxGR-billsabram-square-play.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1599146665691-ZB10AXI5TAT7QEACRYZC/billy-in-a-boat-on-goldfish-pond-2019.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1735590490187-77UODAPWZ22M4RS3SK3E/fusion-course-improvements-040818.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1773071229427-SH2EFLRZE051CKO1QSL4/fusion-usage-map-2.0-100517.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1773073081301-TD4779LAY9344EVLSDZJ/timewalk-proto-screen.PNG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1547152069442-S29Y7YTXXGG5ILE8LB5A/MYH_point_economy-1500.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1773072454166-89E56F7W6MELN4314IWH/CL-live-derm-event-oct.JPG Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/0f0c7cef-a4c5-4204-ab5a-f4bf5e145e11/BillSabram-Boston-ferry-093025.jpg Home Hello, I’m Bill and I’m happy to meet you. Thanks for visiting! Please check the other sections and learn more about me. https://www.billsabram.com/learning daily 0.75 2026-02-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549462180884-SZ6C53020OYCKX0AM0WT/1.skill-map-overlays-closed.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549664128923-0Z2SR7T6L085XTGAGKEN/AU-2017-opening-keynote-still.jpg Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549897089505-WKZ30FMF2Y65PDLMPJJL/looking-back-1-2-3.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549894556958-VK5DPQF8D6LFKLZECT0A/skill-map-overlays-6.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549480917387-Y6YRP6HZXH9G9JNJW93J/AU-prototype-storyboards-110616.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549481109005-GHT84URCUUYHC10NUENG/thumbnails-for-video-pg126-008.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549895888075-1G1KCK80H9777A8SOEGX/skill-map-prototype-demo.JPG Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549053389431-HHLDWBICTPLSGVFOSJXO/3.connection-061516.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549053395638-VCONWFMDA9SF6HWU04SR/4.comparing-061616.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549053396845-JQ7IUI90NET3E713L5UW/5.community-061716.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549052540820-0F3NELRN5KHBP553NPAM/fusion-command-map-2017.png Learning - A peer to peer learning network Autodesk Education Experiences hired Bill Sabram to invent a new kind of learning platform, design two learning prototypes, and conduct user research for their annual learning conference. The Autodesk Learning Engine has continued development with Bill’s original vision for a playful and social learning tool that fits into your workday. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549473442337-PLK3WM3KQ46T6FWOIGLL/zoom-deep-dive-071117.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549474012083-6B7WA69GDDIOU8EWM5BY/fusion-usage-map-2.0-100517.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549473548574-A1PVE72W5GM9LF12GYTV/IMG_1043.JPG Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549896982091-23O4NG5MK0UXE3SHDOIJ/command-map-on-3-screen-sizes.jpg Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549665613200-G2P66769OG1P1ZQ001KF/whats-next-indiv-activity-110317.png Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549665712968-16GV2BI6H6349GD9LLLF/AU-2018-ui-hack.jpg Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549911175351-I2UBUAP1UHR2QOX6SCIA/IMG_5556.jpg Learning https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549665728709-Y4ILBEMCEL6CMY6PT8ZW/AU-2017-feedback-grid.png Learning https://www.billsabram.com/games daily 0.75 2026-03-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549921065213-HU0J5LSOORXAGZDOA6H1/spy-web-sketch.png Games https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1580225902235-1JWWAY4US1XLVL6QDYIC/buffy-faith-vs-buffy-square-011420.JPG Games Buffy the Vampire Slayer Board Game https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549917728865-6TPA7I27YF3IW5GAJ7X4/poke-coin-square.png Games Pokémon Battling Coin Game https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549907855053-R0A2E2K1N4JZ1SWUGZ5B/mrphhh.png Games Mr. Potato Head Talking Electronic Hand-held https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549923098967-8VX6R69CH3R97KIKCAV0/fox-licensor-buffy-board.png Games - The ultimate form of UX Design I’m an expert at play, reward, and motivation. I’ve shipped over 30 commercial games in my 20+ year design career (including mobile apps for health, a stair-climbing iPhone game, and countless handhelds and plug n’ play TV games.) Users will abandon a game in seconds if it does not deliver satisfaction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1580335119600-L5ZRSPON02RTJ0T2BM7M/BPIC_gameboard-square.png Games Boston PIC Career Game https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1580502703922-NB6346CC099USM2EVI4Z/LOTR-square.2.png Games Lord of the Rings Sword Game https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1580503129074-00S0UCG9FCMXQ2U7BNMV/pac-man-board-game-dramatic-SQ.jpg Games Pac-Man The Board Game https://www.billsabram.com/well-being daily 0.75 2026-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550153841917-GUEZQN5PNBGH3ICLS6V4/monumental-ux-flow.png Well-being https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550152283877-IBSYOX9BYE9H22J9J1UA/RCT-final-whiteboard.png Well-being - Scientifically validated engagement In 2010, Bill became the lead game designer at MeYou Health, a Boston healthcare start-up. In 2015, Bill also created and led their new product discovery group: Team Prototype. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550163121236-UTXH26K586I0DA4GHVH6/April-2015-infographic.png Well-being 30, 60 & 90 day numbers, April 2015 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1582296200771-VDI437N2ZAGU7BJFO07T/walkadoo-derby-page.png Well-being Walkadoo, the social walking experience https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550163715153-OW3VP401HBVC9UF7AUP7/climb_screen_090110.png Well-being Monumental, the stair climbing iPhone app https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550174387024-4KU5WGM10KZ1YCHCH0FP/timewalk-teaser.png Well-being #0001 TimeWalk: to avoid sitting all day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550267710520-HC4FAGP2GEL98HYOEHFZ/illustrations-teaser-border.png Well-being Concept sketches for 3 new stamps in Daily Challenge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550174724198-RJFX8HCBENHASPXSJQWQ/what_sabram_is_playing.png Well-being Every game design talk should include this slide. https://www.billsabram.com/about-1 daily 0.75 2025-05-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1553707678713-XLPG53YZ36HTP4MQ32HG/planting-day-2018-drone.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550619168736-EKA782S2I5UMIJM7T25S/Bill-AEX-Global-Offsite-2017.JPG About - Hello, my name is Bill Hello, I’m Bill. Nice to meet you! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/6a33d22b-c0d5-43a0-abf8-962a62b4a323/bsd-clients-1.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1553707260130-DPLG7RZCFRC4A8DNTQCJ/bsd-clients-2.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1599658130953-BDIYXCFKAGYIJ2UKLUPG/AR-%26-VR-for-Developers-Badge About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1599659311400-4WVTAE69W23TUKKUXYMT/cmu-design About https://www.billsabram.com/medical daily 0.75 2026-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1736027517722-UI65PL1HRF01LJAF33KB/Chapter-6-Breathing+Game-Miro-090623.jpg Medical https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/67153d24-5f4b-48ce-b2e8-a57f9e310a60/AZ-Trixeo-pilot-game-road-map-040423.jpg Medical - Games for Doctors and Patients At Level Ex, I designed award-winning pharma and med device games for mobile apps, conference events, sales enablement, and patient care and education. Also led design workshops for clients. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/3bb8d9e8-fdc4-43d5-84bc-ca15b0fd022e/Cosentyx-League-3-panel-teaser.png Medical 30, 60 & 90 day numbers, April 2015 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/f6ed19b6-57e1-4564-8095-c50236eef1e5/ING-AAR-submit-button-3.png Medical Walkadoo, the social walking experience https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/9bc32d82-63d0-4ff2-ade1-3c48a5f71033/AZ+Trixeo+Miro+Workshop-day1%2Bday2.jpg Medical - Make it stand out Two day workshop in Miro for remote clients with embedded activities! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/cf48b0bf-89f5-4988-9350-fb9059d92c78/TRIXEO-inhaler.gif Medical Monumental, the stair climbing iPhone app https://www.billsabram.com/buffy daily 0.75 2019-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549916864796-TUTCCRDPCX58H0BTDD7I/buffy-board-game.jpg Buffy Ranked in the GAMES MAGAZINE Top 100 Games of the Year - December 2001 issue and featured in the BUFFY #10 WINTER 2000 Official Fan Magazine... Fast action fighting board game, just like the hit television show. In this game, you and your friends team up to save Sunnydale from evil. Will you play Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Willow the wicca, Oz the werewolf or Xander? Travel the board to collect cards. Race to uncover artifacts before they fall into the hands of evil. Roll dice to fight and cast spells. Stake vampires. The game includes four different scenarios, (one for each of the first four seasons of the show) and recreates the white-knuckled clash of each season finale. This was the final game I designed as a full Hasbro Games employee before they moved 100 miles away. It was an incredibly rewarding swan song, since it was well received by gamers and Buffy fans alike. I especially enjoyed infusing the game rules and components with snappy dialogue and witty humor from the hit TV show. https://www.billsabram.com/pokemon daily 0.75 2026-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549903003283-B7DOD91IBG625P8H2W3R/pokemon-coin-game.jpg Pokémon Patented spinning coin gameplay. Packaged in a CD-ROM jewel case. Which Pokémon will you catch? Build your team of coins and challenge a friend. You and your rival Pokémon Trainer flip over the top coin and spin them like top. Now - stop 'em! Where they touch determines the battle outcome. Every coin features a color foil sticker. Full set includes 150 different coins in 10 different categories. Game includes a color-coded chart to teach the rules. https://www.billsabram.com/boston-pic-career-game daily 0.75 2019-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549903077860-WVYJJFV12ZBSM9EBYCMP/Boston_PIC_career-game.png Boston PIC Career Game https://www.billsabram.com/mr-potato-head-hand-held daily 0.75 2020-02-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549903237961-SJERYTWX7NC0QBI2V6QZ/potatohead-handheld.jpg Mr. Potato Head Hand Held We were told that you could not make a hand held game for preschoolers. Mr. Potato Head speaks hundreds of words, animates as various LCD characters (cowboy, baseball player, construction worker and even an alien!) and teaches the child how to play. While working at Hasbro Games, I managed a design intern as we defined the user experience for this game. In a few weeks, we hammered out the electronic spec, defining the LCD art, game functionality, and fun. We split the functions into two distinct interfaces: the literal of Mr. Potato Head's parts and the abstract of the hand held at his side. When the game asks for a hat, you press the button on the brim of his green cap. Later, the child can select a specific hat by pressing the green arrow buttons on the abstract interface. The child plays their way through "just in time learning" for each of the 4 games + free form potato building activity. Mr. Potato Head even juggles stars to reward the young player in their achievements! As this product came to market, the president of Parker Brothers declared that it was one of the best product the company had ever created. Too bad we forgot to give it an "off" switch; any button press sends the little spud into fits of talking! https://www.billsabram.com/rtc-whiteboard-sketch daily 0.75 2019-03-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550157708552-F4UHSL2SFQ92VLG68OGG/RCT_machine_sketch_082014.png RTC Whiteboard Sketch In the summer 2014, each product team at MeYou Health was preparing for an open house with the board of directors. Bill Sabram was asked to sketch the story of the Daily Challenge randomized clinical trial (RCT). Bill created a whimsical and informative visual journey, like a Rube Goldberg machine, to tell this complex tale. He scanned the final version into the computer, and then projected it onto a 6 foot by 4 foot whiteboard. This whiteboard illustration was a big success. In fact, after the open house, no one wanted to erase it! Bill’s RCT whiteboard sketch became a cherished learning tool in the office, greeting visitors and educating viewers on the 20 steps that MeYou Health took to conduct a successful randomized clinical trial for Daily Challenge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550156400552-PIUA39UIATIBJVKRG061/RCT-tracing-082214.jpg RTC Whiteboard Sketch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550156422393-B71ZDOPF98I44S8UV2F9/RCT-screensaver-082214.jpg RTC Whiteboard Sketch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1550158754429-PKNKLF04J6XAPGHKYJMI/RCT-final-whiteboard-082214.jpg RTC Whiteboard Sketch https://www.billsabram.com/landing-games daily 0.75 2019-02-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1549923098967-8VX6R69CH3R97KIKCAV0/fox-licensor-buffy-board.png Landing-New-Tech-Games - The ultimate form of UX Design Bill Sabram worked for Parker Brothers and Hasbro Games for 4 years before striking out on his own as an independent game designer. Users will abandon a game in seconds if it does not deliver satisfaction. This hard truth has sharpened Bill’s user experience design skills to a razor edge. https://www.billsabram.com/teamprototype daily 0.75 2026-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1553622733521-BY15OP9JXXDMA6MPMNFU/team-prototype.png Team-Prototype At GDC 2015, I was inspired by a talk: “Dedicated Prototyping for Mobile Game Development,” and I pitched a similar idea to MeYou Health. My proposal included 6 months of projects, a vision for team management, hiring strategies, and a plan to integrate discoveries back into our product teams. I received funding, interviewed candidates, and hired 1 game designer before a hiring freeze was implemented by our parent company. Together, this little team of two built 4 prototypes with Pixate software in 80 days. Check out the 4 Google docs below. Pixate was purchased by Google in 2016, and shut down on 10/31/16. While you can still view our final reports, the QR codes no longer function: https://www.billsabram.com/lotr-sword-game daily 0.75 2020-12-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1580502362997-U1WM579VG3GB86L1F48K/sword.jpg LOTR Sword Game I partnered with Tiger Electronics and Hasbro Games to deliver a truly magical sword play adventure in Middle Earth. My involvement included over 250+ hours of billable game design services, from crafting the initial concept brief, generating concepts, and writing multiple game specs. It was a fast and iterative process that spanned 4 months in the spring of 2004. I collaborated with managers, designers, project leads, and licensors to meet an aggressive development timeline. To begin, I reviewed the existing project demo that had been sent to New Line (including email threads to rapidly get up to speed), played a wireless sword game that we’d adapt to Lord of the Ring (called Dragon Quest, but we were not supposed to make a saga or RPG) and met with the team. A licensor approval meeting was just 3 weeks away, and we had much to define. Should we base the game on one movie or all 3? Did player navigation require a map? How would we deliver all of the different characters from this iconic property? I shared game concepts with the team and expanded our scope until I had delivered a final 24 page game spec with dozens of supporting visuals, including one-page storyboards, and gameplay matrix documents. My work also involved UI/UX, interface flow, level progression, gameplay storyboards, and digital mockups. I wore many hats and collaborated with many professionals across the product development team: managers, designers, engineers, licensors, and senior staff. Specific tasks I further provided: writing cut-scene dialogue, finding sound effects in the movies, and navigating licensor approval. Also tested playable code and generated frequent prioritized punch lists for all manner of changes. It was a lot of emailing across 12 time zones! Wish we’d had video conferencing back then :D https://www.billsabram.com/pacman daily 0.75 2020-01-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/1580503373156-R5NB4UPCCMPXZF9UF0EG/pac-man-board.jpg Pacman A modern board game adaption of a classic included an electronic Pac-Man figure, sculpted ghosts, and a giant plastic game board complete with 76 plastic dots to “eat”. Bill Sabram was contracted to redesign its gameplay to meet a fast-approaching card deck and artwork deadline. Bill rallied to evaluate the client’s game, propose solutions, and iteratively play test the new core gameplay mechanics so it worked for 2 - 5 players. Initially, Pac-Man and the ghosts moved based on numerical values on each card in the deck. Improvements included: splitting Pac-Man’s movement out from card deck and giving that player 3 six sided dice, adding a press-your-luck element to the Power Pellet sequence, and transforming the eaten ghosts into eyes, (just like the videogame) so they had to race back to the cage to be resurrected. https://www.billsabram.com/welcome-title-page-copy daily 0.75 2026-03-06 https://www.billsabram.com/product-theater daily 0.75 2026-03-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/97707e4c-850b-48b4-bb66-f730b5f2e7c2/ProductTheater_LEX.png New Page - Make it stand out Product Theater was the most profitable platform at Level Ex and I was brought in to transform it from a promising tech demo into a polished, conference-ready live game show. The streaming infrastructure was already in place, supporting up to 8 players. My job was everything else: the user experience (split across your personal device and a large theater screen), the game structure in rounds with content reviews (on your device and moderator-led on stage), engaging medical game content, scoring, the pacing, and the countless small details that separate a game people tolerate from one they genuinely want to play. Getting content approved by pharma legal and medical teams is its own design challenge — every word, every scenario, every piece of clinical language has to pass rigorous Medical Legal Review (MLR) before it ever hits a screen. I navigated that process while keeping the experience feeling alive and fun, not like a compliance exercise. I designed the team structure so players were sorted randomly, celebrated between rounds, and never made to feel bad if their team didn't place. In a room full of competitive medical professionals, that balance matters. But the detail I'm most proud of is one most players never consciously noticed. When attendees entered the room, a large mostly blank theater screen greeted them. As each player scanned the QR code, a dot appeared in a large growing circle of dots. This central visualization did many subtle but powerful things. As a player completed registration on their phone, their dot lit up in a bright, happy color in real time. The whole room could see the circles filling in and pulsing with life. The moderator on stage could see at a glance when the room was ready — and know exactly when to say let's play. No countdown timer. No repetitive, "Is everyone in?" No one left behind. That's Game Design Thinking - - - sweating the small moments that make the whole experience feel effortless to the people living inside it. https://www.billsabram.com/med-design-summit daily 0.75 2026-03-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/64edcff3-3b3f-4e6f-8a7f-82184f5a6e1e/MedDesign_Summit_LEX.png Med Design Summit - Make it stand out Thriving game design studio culture does not happen by accident. It must be built, nurtured, and valued like any other studio product. This is even more critical when the majority of your team can't share a commute, a coffee, or a spontaneous hallway conversation because they live three time zones away. At Level Ex, I knew that connection had to be designed, not assumed. So I treated our studio culture the same way I treat every game: I gave it clear goals, satisfying feedback loops, and made participation genuinely irresistible. The Med Design Summits weren't just team meetings with a nicer backdrop. They were crafted experiences with field trips, breakout sessions, hands-on play, and the kind of late-afternoon Coffee Walk that resets a room and reminds people why they showed up. I designed them so that contributing felt rewarding, remote-only attendees felt visible, and the studio's identity generated pride that people wanted to internalize. Good game design teaches us that people don't resist participation - - - they resist bad design. Give people the right mechanics, the right feedback, and a goal worth chasing, and engagement follows naturally. The same is true for culture. If you have to mandate your culture, you've already lost. The best cultures — like the best games — are ones people choose to return to every single day. https://www.billsabram.com/summit-surveys-dashboard daily 0.75 2026-03-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c35f60afcf7fd410bb17173/866d277e-703b-4c19-87bf-8280613d53e4/MedDesign_Surveys_LEX.png Med Design Surveys Dashboard - Make it stand out This live dashboard was built for the Med Design Summit · November 2–3–4 · 2022 in Chicago. Every morning, before the day's sessions kicked off, I sent short "This or That" surveys to teammates organized into small Slack groups. Burgers vs. Pizza? Mexican vs. Japanese food? Marvel vs. DC? Simple questions. Big results. These quick morning rituals did something no agenda item ever could. They gave people a low-stakes reason to laugh together, discover surprising things about their coworkers, and show up to the day already warmed up. By the time the real summit work started, the room wasn't a collection of remote colleagues flying in from different time zones. It was a team. The live dashboard covered categories spanning Food, Travel, Media, Hobbies, Family, Weekends, and Seasons — and watching the results populate in real time turned a fun survey into a genuine mini event. Here's a detail most people never noticed: the surveys were pre-scheduled to land in each player's Slack at 8:00 a.m. their local time — not Chicago time, not wherever I happened to be. Their time. Because starting your morning with a fun little puzzle should feel like a gift, not an interruption. My first game design director told me something I've never forgotten: "Your game can die by one fell swoop. Or 1,000 tiny cuts." Every small unconsidered edge — a survey that arrives at 6 a.m. when you're still asleep, or 11 a.m. when the moment has passed — is a tiny cut the player feels without ever knowing why. My job is to find every one of those edges and sand them smooth before anyone gets there. The best review I ever received didn't come in a performance evaluation. It came as a meme. After one particularly diabolical food bracket question, a teammate posted the classic "two buttons" meme to our Slack channel. It was captioned "FILLING OUT BILL'S SURVEY." She wrote: "literally me." That's the goal. That's always been the goal. Make it so fun they can't help but play.