Games have always been a part of society, and smart companies are tapping into this inherent desire to have fun. Video games generate billions of dollars each year, but gamification, or adapting the elements of gaming, can also be used to engage customers and motivate employees. However, the answer is not as simple as merely setting up a company’s website to function as a gaming platform. In For the Win, Kevin Werbach and Dan Hunter show companies how to combine gaming techniques with business strategies to develop a more successful organization.
Game thinking, or addressing issues as a game designer would, is increasing in the business world. Leaders who wish to incorporate this type of thinking in their companies should consider the following advice:
- Get into the game. Organizations can engage customers and motivate employees by utilizing gaming techniques.
- Learn to think like a game designer. By understanding what makes a game fun or enjoyable, companies can design a system that people would want to use.
- Understand the rules of motivation. There are two types of motivation — intrinsic (or internal) and extrinsic — that provide rewards or punishments.
- Use the game elements. Points, badges, and leaderboards are popular features of the gamification process that help both players and the organization keep score, monitor progress, and provide and assess feedback.
- Employ the six steps to gamification. To use gaming effectively, professionals need to (1) define business objectives, (2) delineate target behaviors, (3) describe players, (4) devise activity cycles, (5) deploy the appropriate tools, and (6) remember to make it fun.
- Identify and avoid epic fails. Organizations must be aware of legal problems, ethical issues, and the dangers of using pointsification when creating and implementing the gaming system.
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