Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Gamification

Is it work if you are playing?ACT-IAC Associates 2014

July 16, 2014

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Metrics• Roughly 170 million Americans play videogames – 55 percent of the

population• In October 2011 23 agencies participated in a conference at the White House

to discuss games as a tool for addressing national problems • Over 70% of Forbes Global 2000 companies surveyed in 2013 said they

planned to use gamification for the purposes of marketing and customer retention

• Gartner predicts that by 2015, a gamified service for consumer goods marketing and customer retention will become as important as Facebook, eBay, or Amazon

• By 2015 more than 70% of Global 2000 organizations will have at least one gamified application and for 40% it will be their

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Gamification – What is it?• Using game mechanics in various

tasks and actions to make nongaming activities more fun and engaging in order to motivate people to achieve their goals.

• Customers, employees, communities of interest

• Used for employee satisfaction, increase innovation, skills development, change in behavior

Making work fun = more and better work

Rewarding customers for engaging in fun = extended relationships, longer-term

engagement, and drive customer/employee loyalty

Leverages the motivations and desires that exist in all of us for community, feedback,

achievement and reward.

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Gamification Comparison

Angry Birds• Goal - Kill as many pigs as you can by flinging

angry little birds at them• With every bird you fling, you get immediate

feedback (grunting pigs, smashing blocks, birds cheering, etc.)

• Points accrue for your various accomplishments

• Level progression• These pieces of feedback work in concert to

stimulate your subconscious into continuing play and striving to earn more points by constantly improving your talents for bird-flinging and pig-smashing.

Sales management software• Goal - generate as much revenue as

possible• Make a cold call? Regardless of the

outcome, You win points. • Make your hundredth cold call of the week?

You just earned yourself a badge, and it gets sent to your team website so everyone on your team knows it. Your boss knows it.

• Just closed your biggest sale ever? You're a closer, you can share that badge on Facebook so that all your friends know how awesome you are

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Principles of Gamification• Have a measureable goal• Measure change• Focus on things people already want to do• Reward incremental progress• Make it social• Simple, recognizable cues for next actions• Streamlined, accessible paths to further achievement• Align the goals of players with those of the organization

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Game Mechanics

• Fast Feedback: Immediate feedback or response to actions• Transparency: See where everyone stands• Goals: Short- and long-term measureable goals to achieve• Badges: Evidence of accomplishments• Leveling Up: Status within my community• Onboarding: An engaging and compelling way to learn• Competition: How I’m doing compared to others• Collaboration: Accomplish a goal working with others• Community: A context for achievement• Points: Tangible, measurable evidence of my accomplishments

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Types of Gamification

• Badges• Contest• Posting to social media• Points redeemable for rewards• Filling progress bar• Solving problems

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Examples

• Frequent Flyer Programs• Frequent Shopper programs• Nike+/Fitbit• Starbucks rewards• Boy/Girl Scouts

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Government Gaming Examples• DAU – Procurement Fraud• CDC – Solve the Outbreak game• Census – Population Bracketology

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Why does Gamification Work

• Strive to leverage people's natural desires for:– Competition– Achievement– Status– Self-expression– Feedback– Reward– Altruism– Closure

Advancing Government through Collaboration, Education and Action

Sources• http://www.cio.com/article/2382950/training/gamification--

using-play-to-motivate-employees-and-engage-customers.html• http://

www.cio.com/article/2376149/collaboration-software/how-gamification-drives-business-objectives.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamification• http://www.bunchball.com/gamification• http://badgeville.com/wiki/Gamification• http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/11/23/games-grand-challenges