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Gamification is another HR buzzword; in fact nowadays everything is being gamified. It is big business; gamification vendors abound, and there are plenty of gamification conferences too. But does it actually work?<\/p>\n
First of all, let\u2019s be clear what is meant by the term gamification.\u00a0 It is not the same as games (or even game-based learning) rather gamification. According to the EngagementAlliance.org<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n “is the process of using game mechanics and game thinking in non-gaming contexts to engage users and to solve problems.”\u00a0 <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Recently, in quick succession, I read two posts about gamification,\u00a0 one, Is Gamification Important in 2017?<\/a>, extolled the benefits of gamification and having fun at work ..<\/p>\n “It can drive better employee performance and uses real-time feedback and goals (personalized ones, where employees \u201ccompete with themselves\u201d) to reflect performance \u2014 like a Fitbit for work. “<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The second article,\u00a0 Employees Don’t Need Workplace Training to Be Fun, Just Efficient,\u00a0<\/a> said quite the opposite.<\/p>\n “Gamification hasn’t increased employee engagement and motivation the way organizations hoped it would. This is especially true with information workers, where gamification efforts fell flat. “<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The latter quote resonated with me, because personally, I find gamification techniques irritating and annoying. In fact, I\u2019ve opted out of the gamification techniques a major UK retailer is now employing to try and encourage me to buy more.\u00a0 Fortunately, I don\u2019t have to endure it at work (being an independent worker); I can\u2019t think of anything worse!!<\/p>\n I therefore don\u2019t employ any gamification techniques (leaderboards, badges and other competition mechanics) in my own social workshops in order to get<\/em> people to participate and contribute. I tend to agree with Guy Boulet when he points out that gamification is simply \u201cbells and whistles<\/em>\u201d, and that<\/p>\n “Competition is an extrinsic motivator because it encourages the performer to win and to beat others, not simply to enjoy the intrinsic rewards of the activity.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I prefer to focus on participants\u2019 intrinsic motivation \u2013 their desire to seek out new things and new challenges \u2013 which is why in my workshops, individuals have a choice not only whether to sign up, but also how they participate. I also believe that participants can get as much out of the learning experience even if they don\u2019t actively contribute. Activity doesn\u2019t equate to learning; the only evidence that they have learned is in their new or improved performance.<\/p>\n But I have wondered if participants would really like to have a gamified experience. Maybe I was depriving them of some key ways to get more out of the workshop.\u00a0 I knew I shouldn\u2019t make assumptions about others learning preferences based on my own, so I thought I would find out what other people thought of gamification at a personal level.<\/p>\n I therefore set up a quick Twitter straw poll. The question was simple.\u00a0 Here is the poll and the results.<\/p>\n I am writing an article on gamification. Please take this poll and let me know if you like it?<\/p>\n \u2014 Jane Hart (@C4LPT) February 23, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n I found the results quite surprising, as they were pretty evenly split between those who find gamification techniques motivational and those who find them irritating, with only a small percentatage undecided. My conclusion is that gamification is like Marmite \u2013 you either love it or hate it!\u00a0 [For those not living in the UK Marmite <\/a>is the yeast extract that evokes a similar “love it or hate it: reaction<\/em> ).<\/p>\n Furthermore, on the basis of my very small poll it seems to me that gamification is actually a\u00a0 high-risk technique to use since it appears to cause as many people to disengage as to engage.<\/p>\n But it was the comments around the poll that were very enlightening and I think added some very valuable insights into what people think about gamification.<\/p>\n Kim<\/a> said “I hate gamification. I feel like I am being manipulated.”<\/p>\n Professor David Simpson<\/a> said “I find it faddish. Though I am all for “engagement” I find that gamification often trivializes.”<\/p>\n David Glow<\/a> said \u201cI don’t have an issue with well done<\/strong> gamification. The issue is, very little of it exists\u201d<\/p>\n So what is well designed gamification? A number of commenters provided some ideas.<\/p>\n Craig Taylor<\/a> said:\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cIf done intelligently I have no issue with it\/sometimes I don’t even realise that it’s happening. Other times it’s done poorly & the ‘game’ part of it becomes sole focus, with the intended behaviour change secondary\/ tertiary.\u201d<\/p>\n Kevin Maye <\/a>agreed: \u201cDone well and unobtrusively – love it. Contrived and adding no value \u2013 bleurgh\u201d<\/p>\n\n