Achievements & Milestones
Achievements are the “Career Path” of your community. Unlike Challenges (which are one-off tasks) or Rewards (which are transactional), Achievements represent a user’s long-term identity and status.The Analogy: If a Challenge is a “Race,” an Achievement is a “Marathon Finishers Medal.”
Technical Level: Intermediate (requires connecting multiple actions).
How Achievements Differ from Challenges
| Feature | Challenges | Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| Pacing | Fast (1-5 minutes) | Slow (Weeks or Months) |
| Logic | Do X, Get Y | Do [X, Y, and Z], Get [Special Status] |
| Display | Disappears when done | Permanently on Profile |
| Goal | Immediate Action | Long-term Loyalty |
Anatomy of an Achievement
An achievement is made up of Conditions. A user must meet all conditions to unlock the achievement. Example Achievement: “Social Ambassador”- Condition 1: Refer 5 friends.
- Condition 2: Share 3 challenges on X (Twitter).
- Condition 3: Join the community Telegram channel.
Setting Up Your First Achievement
Navigate to Engagement > Achievements > Create New.The Identity
Give it a high-status name and a beautiful, high-contrast icon. Achievement icons are often displayed small, so keep the design simple.
Define the Logic
Select the behaviors required. You can mix and match:
- Counts: “Complete 10 Challenges.”
- Specific IDs: “Complete the ‘Welcome’ and ‘Identity’ challenges.”
- Streaks: “Maintain a 7-day streak.”
- Points: “Earn 5,000 lifetime points.”
Designing a Progression Path
Don’t just have one achievement; have a Tiered Path. This keeps users engaged at every stage of their journey.- Novice (The Hook): “Complete your first challenge.” (90% unlock rate).
- Adept (The Habit): “Visit 5 days in a row.” (40% unlock rate).
- Expert (The Dedication): “Complete 50 challenges.” (10% unlock rate).
- Legend (The Identity): “Top 1% of the Leaderboard for a month.” (1% unlock rate).
The “Manual” Achievement (Surprise & Delight)
You can also grant achievements manually. This is perfect for recognizing “above and beyond” behavior that a computer can’t track, such as:- “Being the most helpful member in the Discord this week.”
- “Speaking at our community event.”
- “Helping us find a bug in the beta app.”
Best Practices
- The “Near-Miss” Effect: Show users how close they are to their next achievement (e.g., “4/5 Challenges Completed”). This drives them to finish that last task.
- Public Recognition: When an achievement is unlocked, announce it! Use the Feed or a dedicated “Hall of Fame” channel.
- Rarity Matters: If everyone has the “Elite” badge, it’s not elite. Monitor your unlock rates and adjust the difficulty if needed.
Next Step: Learn how to Design high-quality Badges.