Gamification, despite its edgy if somewhat unfamiliar name, is not a new concept. If you went to a school that awarded you diplomas, accumulated scout badges or frequent flyer miles, verified reward points on your credit card, or became the mayor of a local restaurant on FourSquare, then you have already participated in a variety of forms of gamification.

There is a saying that there is a little child in all of us; In fact, it could be so much more than a hidden little part of us – with another generation raised on computer games and easy access to the internet, it has become more acceptable to acknowledge our (possibly) innate penchant for fun, rewards, and access. instant. gratification. And, luckily for employees, heads of companies around the world have begun to see this as an opportunity to increase productivity, user engagement, engagement and customer loyalty, rather than a distraction from the job at hand. .

It is estimated that by 2015, more than 50% of organizations managing innovation processes will gamify those processes and gamification itself is expected to become a major business trend in the next five years, increasing to $ 2.8 billion in 2016.

Gamification, simply put, is the use of game mechanics in a non-game context to solve problems and engage users. It can be applied to any industry and almost anything to create engaging and fun experiences, turning users into gamers.

Brief history of gamification

Although the concept is not new, the name has only been around for a little over a decade. It was coined by Nick Pelling in 2002, but did not gain widespread popularity until 2010. The idea caught the attention of venture capitalists who saw it as a very promising area in games.

The ‘blueprint’ for gamification – badges, points, and leaderboards – was born with the introduction of Foursquare, a location-sharing social networking website, in 2009. Users are encouraged to register at the places they visit and interact with your environment via smart phones. receive awards and unlock achievements.

Throughout 2010, gamification steadily gained popularity. In September 2010, Badgeville offered social mechanics, gamification and reputation management services. It raised $ 15 million in venture funds in its first year of operations. Its clients include eBay, Oracle, Samsung, NBC, Deloitte, Rogers Communications and Bell Media.

2011 was the year of gamification. The term became a buzzword in both industry and academia, and was added to the Gartner advertising cycle. The year started with the annual Gamification Summit, led by Gabe Zichermann, where the Gamification Research Network was established after a workshop at the CHI 2011 conference.

As with all buzzwords, users eventually grew weary and wary of gamification, helped by many companies jumping on the bandwagon too hastily and offering poorly designed apps. But while badges, points, and leaderboards are becoming obsolete, gamification itself still has a lot of life left in it. It is maturing, with a focus more on the importance of design and the expertise that is created around it, and another CHI workshop will be held this year, focusing on exactly this. With gamification techniques harnessing people’s natural desires for achievement, competition, status, altruism, and closure, it seems prudent to reflect on the benefits their adoption could bring to your business.

Let’s talk business … rewards, competition and motivation.

In a rapidly globalizing business world, where technology removes obstacles such as distance, competition is as high as ever. How do you ensure that your business stands out above the rest, gains new customers, and retains high-quality employees?

Gamification is about driving participation and engagement and creating an environment that is not only efficient, competitive, and professional, but fun and motivating as well. Contrary to some predictions that it is a regressing fad, I believe that the techniques of implementing game elements in work situations will continue to evolve, until it takes on a more sophisticated and reliable form. After all, who wouldn’t want to have fun while getting paid to do their job?

So what’s the way to go, given that badges, leaderboards, and points are increasingly falling into the junk heap? The key element that developers will focus on will be social. Recognizing and rewarding people for their efforts enhances creativity, participation, and learning, and this effect is greatly amplified by becoming more public, sharing that recognition with colleagues, industry influencers, and potential clients. One way to achieve this internally is to implement a private social network such as Socialcast, which allows a system of badges to be awarded to employees for special achievements. Public social networks (especially LinkedIn and Twitter) also work very well to spread the word about people’s accomplishments.

Another proven method of improving productivity at work is through immediate feedback which can work very well in conjunction with technology-based gamification. Let your employees know that what they have done / achieved is appreciated immediately after it happens (don’t wait until the six-month review); This triggers a surge of dopamine in the brain, similar to that experienced when playing games (‘epic victory’). This technique can be combined well with the use milestones – reward employees at predefined intervals (eg every 12 months, every 20 cases solved, etc.).

Win win

Overall, if done right, gamification has the potential to be a win-win situation: Employers benefit from increased productivity, loyalty, and engagement, and employees benefit from a more humane and fun work environment. If you think app-based gamification is for you, a company you should check out would be Gigya, a platform that “offers a variety of plug-and-play and fully customizable add-ons that make it easy to reward and notify users who want to drive behaviors. and promote friendly competition within your site’s community. “

But I suggest that you analyze your goals very carefully and create a budget before diving into investing in gamification apps that might not work for your business. The most important thing is your attitude: do you really want to make your workplace a better place? If the answer is yes, you can achieve good results without spending large sums of money. Sometimes the best technique to improve someone’s luck is to listen to those involved … Ask your employees what motivates them and makes them happy to work and you will know what type of gamification is right for you and your company.