What is gamification?

Concept and applications of gamification

This concept encompasses all game dynamics and mechanics applied in an environment that, in principle, is unrelated to the game.
Determining the origins of gamification is complex. The Education & eLearning 2.0 blog provides a historical overview of gamification, beginning with the Soviet Union as a way to motivate without financial incentives.

In the 1980s, Charles Coonradt, known as the grandfather of gamification, published the book The Game of Work, where he applied gaming to the business context, although points-based programs, such as the classic traveler rewards programs, had already existed before to build customer loyalty.

The author of Gamification of Learning & Instruction, Karl Kapp , says the key to gamification is how addictive it can be for any type of user. Kapp believes the benefits of gamification encourage users to stay engaged and interact with each other, building stronger relationships—an aspect that can be especially useful in the case of brand communities .

Taking a look at this definition, you’ll have realized that this concept can actually cover very different areas. Nowadays, it’s increasingly being applied in education and other fields such as psychology.

But, without a doubt, this is the business sector where these types of game dynamics, often directly related to human resource management, are enjoying the greatest success and development.

At the business level it is commonly used in:

Employee training

It has demonstrated very good results when it comes to training in occupational risk prevention, which is always a somewhat more arid subject.
The advantages, as you can imagine, are obvious:

• Participants will find themselves in a learning environment that will further motivate them.
• Learning proposals can be customized.
• By having a greater impact, organizations and their employees can do better work.

Selection processes

Small apps are created that, like a game, ask candidates questions and select the most suitable candidates for the position. The goal is to understand both their personal and professional qualities.

Organizations like Marriott have already used gamification for their recruitment processes, creating a game in which they could create and manage their own restaurant.

Treehouse and Stack Overflow rate users as they interact with the platform, so this can be used as an indicator when hiring.

Evaluate performance

Through a more dynamic methodology that allows subordinates and managers to perform, almost without realizing it, their task of evaluating others. A good example is Kpeye , a gamification platform that, by recreating a soccer league, seeks to improve, for example, the results of sales teams in companies.

Promote company culture

Tools are used to ensure that company policy permeates employees and promotes the adoption of good habits.

A mobile app like Kahoot can be a simple way to talk and learn about an organization’s values ​​in a fun way.

Whatever its field of application, what this particular form of play pursues is:

• Loyalty: increasing the bond between the player and the organization or educational institution they work for.
• Motivate: It is a tool that encourages interaction at all levels.
• Optimize: This rewards tasks that typically don’t have any other type of incentive. Establishing rewards improves performance.
• Added value: For many companies, using this type of game dynamics is a differentiating tool compared to their competitors.

How does it work?

There are so many games of this type that it’s impossible to establish unique operating parameters. In fact, there are already a large number of companies specializing in creating custom games for every need.

What never changes is the final dynamic. Players are presented with a series of challenges to overcome, either alone or in a team, and if they succeed, they receive a reward.

The prize should serve as motivation, so it’s important to understand the target audience of the gaming activity, determining the challenges that players will find interesting and the rewards that will be most welcome.

Elements of gamification

What we have just pointed out leads us to talk in more detail about the elements of this game dynamic.

• Objective : This is the goal that the player must achieve and must be interesting enough to capture his attention.
• Benefit : This is the final reward achieved. There are many options here; it could be personal recognition or even a prize, something more tangible, such as a state-of-the-art cell phone. In some cases, it could also be a promotion.
• Multiple levels : Games adapt to players’ knowledge and abilities, but are rarely limited to a single level. Using multiple levels and increasing difficulty encourages interaction between users and teamwork, as well as a healthy level of competition.
• Points : Although the final reward is not obtained until the game is completed, as levels are completed some type of benefit is usually awarded, generally in the form of points, to encourage the player to continue with the activity.
• Ranking : If the results are public and each player can see what the others are doing, there is a need to strive to be among the best.

Player profile

If there are several types of games, it stands to reason that you’ll also encounter different player profiles, and that’s true.

Unconsciously, we all assume one role or another when we play a game. However, game environments are designed so that, in most cases, any player profile can achieve the goal. The most common roles are as follows.

The ambitious one

Their main aspiration is to be at the top of the ranking, so they focus on continuing to accumulate points. They tend to be quite individualistic, and the best way to motivate this type is to regularly show them the progress they’re making.

The winner

Although this type of player also wants to win, they take it more calmly. They strive to achieve their goals and don’t hesitate to ask for help if they need it. A good way to retain this type of player in the game is to offer them new challenges as they achieve their goals.

The sociable one

For this type of player, the game is almost the least of their worries. They use it as a platform to connect with others. It’s a good excuse to socialize and even make new friends. Such a social profile is relatively easy to maintain in-game; usually, all it takes is a few interaction tools, such as a chat feature.

The explorer

This is a difficult profile to satisfy. Players who embrace this skill don’t just follow the rules and go straight toward their goal. They like to deviate from the path and explore new alternatives. To keep them interested, it’s necessary to expand the challenges and try to always stay ahead of them in order to offer a truly satisfying experience.

Advantages of these game dynamics

The concept we are analyzing is so broad that in order to analyze its advantages and disadvantages, we will focus only on those that directly affect the business environment.

More motivation and commitment

Studies show that game dynamics used in companies increase what is known as employee engagement , which is nothing other than employee motivation and commitment.

It’s easy to find employees in any company who don’t feel sufficiently motivated or who feel a bit alienated from the company. These problems can be solved with a game tailored to this situation.

More participation

When employees play, they’re actually still working and even learning, but in a less conscious way. They’re more willing to participate in certain activities and achieve the goals they’re set for themselves.

Some large companies have already replaced traditional employee evaluation reports with specific games that measure performance. This allows each employee to evaluate others without having to go through the tedious task of filling out an evaluation questionnaire.

Tool to detect talent

The challenges presented to players measure their professional and personal skills. This can be a good tool for identifying potential talents: future leaders, top managers, etc.

Disadvantages

Although these dynamics have proven to be very positive, you can imagine that not everything is so positive. There are also a number of drawbacks:

The game does not adapt to the company or the objective

If the game isn’t tailored to the company that will use it, it won’t fulfill its purpose. If you’re considering using this technique in your organization, you must first be very clear about what you want to achieve with it, and then you can choose the type of game that best suits your needs.

Possible traps and personal quarrels

We’re dealing with a game that isn’t really a game, since factors such as a possible promotion or a pay raise may depend on it. This can lead to personal grudges among the most competitive roles and even the temptation to cheat, in which case the game is distorted.

Loss of interest

The game attracts employees’ attention when it’s new. But as with any video game, interest fades after a while. Hence the need for the game environment to be constantly evolving.

Gamification is a challenge

There’s no doubt that using this technique in a work or educational setting entails a number of challenges. But experience shows that, in most cases, gamification tends to be a very positive experience for everyone involved. However, for the results to be as expected, it requires games that are appropriate for each situation and a team responsible for their development. It’s not about playing for the sake of playing, but rather doing so with a specific objective.