There is a Sweet Spot for Gamification
Monday, October 8th, 2012
Adding game mechanics and features to products, services and work processes is a hot topic these days. It seems everyone wants to gamify something. For example, I recently completed a project for a client that combined dynamic pricing with a game model. Customers can pay a fixed price or play a game of skill for an opportunity to win a much lower price or a chance to make a donation. The twist is that you actually learn a lot playing the game of skill and that falls within the sponsored mission of the company. The company can’t lose and the consumer gets an exciting learning/gaming experience and the chance to pay less. Matching wits to pay less is one example of the sweet spot for gamification.
Gamification is a major opportunity for cognitive designers so I am always on the lookout for good resources that provide practical insights. For example, if you are just getting started check out and consider joining the Ning network Gameful. There are opportunities to collaborate with the likes of Nike, webinars on practitioner-focused topics such as game design and flow as well as multiple blogs and over 30 distinct groups you can join.
I am interested to hear from readers that are using games to solve non-entertainment challenges especially ones involving behaviors change or STEM education.
