Gamification: Lessons Learnt. Andrea Pontiggia SDA Bocconi

Transcription

1 Gamification: Lessons Learnt Andrea Pontiggia SDA Bocconi

2 First point: Understand who you're trying to engage, what motivates them, and how gamification can change the way they look at and work with the organization. The world might be a better place if work was less of a necessary drudge and more of a rewarding experience in itself 2

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4 As video games have grown from an obscure hobby to a $67 billion industry gamification, it aims to take principles from video games and apply them to serious tasks. Gamification proceeds from the observation that, to non-players, a lot of what gamers do looks suspiciously like hard work. 4

5 The global video-game market was worth around $56 billion last year. That is more than twice the size of the recorded-music industry, nearly a quarter more than the magazine business and about three-fifths the size of the film industry, counting DVD sales as well as box-office receipts (see chart below). PwC predicts that video games will be the fastestgrowing form of media over the next few years, with sales rising to $82 billion by 2015 (PricewaterhouseCoopers) 5

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8 Gamification is the process of using game thinking and game mechanics to solve problems and engage users 8

9 Gamification is a product of our increasingly digital age. Looking around in your average commuter experience, you will see many of the adults passing time by playing games on electronic devices. Play is no longer the preserve of the playground; it s part of the fabric of many adults lives. 9

10 What exactly makes (video) games so compelling? Each time you clear away a pattern of dots or knock down a porcine encampment, your brain releases a little dopamine rush a surge of pleasure sufficient to make you want to do it again. AXIOM OF IRRESISTIBILITY: Finding patterns is fun AXIOM OF IRRESISTIBILITY: We love honing our skills even silly ones AXIOM OF IRRESISTIBILITY: We enjoy exploring digital worlds that mimic the real one "gamification" serves to provide both one (experience) and second (experimental), in order to gain the attention of people and gain their commitment for a longer period of time 10

11 Five common mechanisms: Five most common mechanisms of gamification (Zichermann G, Linder J., 2011): Points - points have long been used in non-game applications, and they mean to obtain its objective. Points also measure the performance of a single user in comparison to the points earned by other users. Thus, they cause the user to increase the motivation to achieve their greatest possible number. Badges - despite the fact that the badges are very popular in the real world, are now also very popular in the digital world. Levels - are used to motivate users to increase their efforts to achieve a progressively higher level. Challenges - challenges can be very simple or very complex, very often require the involvement of the entire group of users. 11

12 How does Gamification affect these items? Positive Emotions Engagement Positive Relationships Meaning 12

13 Some more issues: Unnecessary obstacles Emotional activation More satisfying work Better hope of success Stronger social connectivity Epic scale Wholehearted participation Meaningful rewards when we need them most More fun with strangers Happiness hacks A sustainable engagement economy More epic wins Ten thounsand hours collaborating 13

14 and more variables! 14

15 Some micro-elements From: Deloitte Gamification Goes to Work,

16 From: Deloitte Gamification Goes to Work,

17 Clearly defined goals Better scorekeeping and scorecards More frequent feedback A higher degree of personal choice of methods Consistent coaching 17

18 Four Traits of Game The specific outcome, players work to achieve. The goal provides players with a sense of purpose. The rules place limitation on how players achieve the goal. By removing or limiting the obvious ways to getting the goal, the rules push players to explore uncharted possibility spaces. The feedback system tells how close players are to achieving the goal. Real-time feedback serves as promise to the players that the goal is definitevely achievable and it provides motivation to keep playing. Voluntary participation requires everyone knowingly and willingly accepts the goals, the rules and the feedback. It contributes to establish common grounds for multiple people to play together, 18

19 Some negative effects When we look at game mechanics this way, it also becomes clear that they are unlikely to affect everyone in the same way. Another risk is that the extrinsic motivations supplied by game dynamics could crowd out motivations that are intrinsic to an activity. 19

20 Four Levels of gaming competence Level 1: Novice Rigid adherence to taught rules or plans No exercise of discretionary judgment Level 2: Advanced beginner Limited situational perception All aspects of work treated separately with equal importance Level 3: Competent Formulates routines Level 4: Proficient Holistic view of situation Prioritizes importance of aspects Perceives deviations from the normal pattern Employs maxim for guidance, with meanings that adapt to the situation at hand 20

21 Gamification works because as research has shown employees are often more motivated by non-financial incentives. Intangible incentives such as status, reputation and recognition are great managerial tools. And this is where gamification techniques, with their intangible leader boards, badges and rewards yield their results. The vast majority of current gamified projects will fail due to poor design. An excessive focus on extrinsic motivators (badges, points, or leader boards) rather than on more important intrinsic motivators (status, sense of achievement, and collaboration) results in poor design. The motivating power of competition and leaderboards are familiar to sales managers, who have had salesman-of-the-month contests for many years. Games designers themselves say that the emphasis on rewards and feedback systems may be missing the point: if the job itself is tedious 21

22 Thanks! 22