introduction to gamification (njla 2013)

An Introduction to Gamification

Doug BaldwinEmerging Technologies Librarian

Piscataway Public Library

@baldwind1976 / dbaldwin@piscatawaylibrary.org

What the next 20 minutes will look like...• What is Gamification• Reward Based Gamification

o Defineo Theoryo Application o Pitfalls

• Meaningful Gamification (Scott Nicholson)o Defineo Theoryo Application

• Questions

What is GamificationTo start, it is not "Gaming in Libraries"...

Define:

• One definition - "Use of game design elements in non-game contexts" Deterding et al (2011)

• Another definition - "It's using game mechanics help you drive participation, engagement and loyalty on your online property, site, or community" - Bunchball.com

• Yet another definition - " Gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics in a non-game context in order to engage users and solve problems" - Wikipedia

I like # 1 - Let's go with that

What is GamificationNot a new concept - just a new word (2008)

Examples•Store and credit card rewards•Airline loyalty programs•McDonalds Monopoly (game layer)•Badges (Military / Scouts )

o Status / Membershipo Motivation (above and beyond) http://troop368.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/meritbadges.jpg

Two quick stats...•M2 Research projects that companies

will spend upwards of $2 billion on gamification services by 2015

•Gartner Group forecasts that 70% of the Global 2000 will employ gamification techniques

o but that 80% of those projects will fail unless they are thoughtfully designed

Rewards Based GamificationElements or Game Mechanics

• Badges - public indicator of accomplished tasks or achievements (sharable)

• Levels - accomplishment over time (status)

• Leaderboards - Ranked status listing (status)

• Achievements - Accomplished goals (reflected as badges or levels)

• Points - Assigned value to an achievement

Other Elements

Time Limits, Appointment Dynamichttp://farm2.staticflickr.com/1359/5178734471_43d3d1dcb0_o.png

Rewards Based Gamification

Theory

• Feedback Loop (Micro Level)

o Player/Individual Takes an Action o Action produces an effecto Feedback on that action is giveno Using new knowledge, another action is

taken

• Progression Loop (Macro Level)

Rewards Based GamificationTheory

• (BJ) Fogg Behavioral Model - There are three elements that must converge in order for a behavior to take place

http://www.flickr.com/photos/taedc/5719219915/

Motivation = Reward for doing something

Ability = Action can be completed

Trigger = Cue to complete the action

Uses of Rewards Based Gamification

1. Human Resources

• Staff Development / Trainingo My Marriot Hotel (Marriot)o Plantville (Siemens)o Patient Shuffle (GE Healthcare)

• Recruitingo Googleo Operations and Soldiers (US Army)o Pizza Hero (Domino's Pizza)

• Motivation / Engagemento CheckPluso Target

Uses of Rewards Based Gamification

2. Consumer Applications

o FourSquareo SCVNGRo Get Glueo Starbuckso Bank Credit Cardso Store Loyalty Programs

Uses of Rewards Based Gamification

3. Other Applications

•Civic Engagemento SeeClickFixo Idea Street

(UK Dept of Work and Pensions)

•Educationo Code Academyo Ribbon Hero (Microsoft)

•Healtho NextJump

Reward Based Gamification (Libraries)

• Programso Summer Reading programs (ex. Ann Arbor District Library) o Book Discussion (ex. Level Up Book Club / Game of Books)

• Serviceso "Level" up experience (Boyhun Kim)o Catalog "progress bar" (Boyhun Kim)

• Staff Development (my bad ideas!)o Rewards based training programo Real time achievement based review process

Rewards Based Gamification - Pitfalls1. Bad Design

2. Organization versus User Centered gamification

3. Reward permanence (or "forever") loop

4. Overjustification

5. Discourages creativity and innovation

6. Risk of Unintended Behaviors

7. Generation gaphttp://www.flickr.com/photos/docpopular/4206981641/

Meaningful Gamification (MG)

"The use of game elements to help someone find meaning in a non-game context, and therefore a tool to help people learn through changing perspectives in their lives" (S Nicholson)

Meaningful Gamification

Elements of MG :

•Give the player information (so they can make choices)

•Allow player to make those choices

•Make informed play the reward (use external rewards sparingly)

•Put the player's benefit first in the game design process

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4022/4619993744_d2600607f0_o.jpg

Meaningful Gamification

"Game is a form of play with goal and structures" expressed as :

Game = Play + Goals + Structure

Play - voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities associated with recreation and enjoyment (Wikipedia)

Reward Based GamificationGame = Goals + Structure (- Play)

Meaningful GamificationGame = Play + Goals (-Structure)VS

http://pixabay.com/p-88517/?no_redirect

Meaningful Gamification - Theory

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SelfDeterminationTheory.png

2. Cognitive Evaluation Theory (Deci and Ryan)

•Specifies factors explaining intrinsic motivation

o More competent we FEEL = More internally motivated we are

o More in control we FEEL = More internally motivated we are

(Deci & Ryan)

• Basic needs for self motivationo Autonomy = Choice / Controlo Competence = Masteryo Relatedness = Engagement with world around us

1. Self Determination Theory • Distinguishes sources of motivationo Intrinsic (Internal) = long term

changeo Extrinsic (External) = short term

change

Meaningful Gamification - Application

Meaningful Gamification Space (6 elements)

• Role play - seeing the world through other eyes / escape themselves to provide new perspectives

• Experimentation - explore and try solutions to challenges

• Collaborative experiences - working together on activities

• Voluntary engagement• Choice - Users have ability to create

their own path• Sharing - Ability to share your

thoughts about items/experience

• Ludic (PLAY) Learning Spaceso Discover, Play, Explore, Learn, Transform

Ex. Participatory Museums and Exhibits)

Meaningful Gamification - Application

Strategies

• Player Generated Contento Braid / Little Big Planeto MakerSpaces (modding)

DIY.org

• User/Player Designed Goalso Chore Wars (hybrid)

• Aligning Game Elements with Non-Play Contexto Remove rewards / Insert voluntary playo Embedded limits = Deeper immersiono Player combines interest with limits to create new experience

• Providing play limits that still provide choice and freedom

Meaningful Gamification - Examples

Swedish Piano Stairs

•Volkswagon project to promote exercise•Subway stairs transformed into working piano•66% increase in usage over escalator

http://mcself.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/the-fun-theory-changing-stairs-into-a-piano/

Meaningful Gamification - Examples

Alternate Reality GameA story, with game mechanics, played out in the real world

•Finksburg Public Library - "The Mystery Guest"o Summer Reading gameo Story arc involved identifying and returning a

famous literary character to book he escaped fromo Teens created videos and story content for the gameo Programs, crafts and activities allowed participants

to develop interact with the story

Meaningful Gamification - Examples

Alternate Reality Game:

•World Without Oil

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Without_Oil

o Story arc : world oil shortageo Players encouraged to create story

content of their "experiences" during this oil shortage (blog posts, voicemails, video, photos, etc)

o User content part of expanded the story universe

o Designed to promote reflection, potential problem solving and an "idea" playground for sharing solutions and thoughts to avoid such a crisis

Meaningful Gamification - Examples

• Zombies Run o Immersive audio adventure and

gamification of runningo Story arc of zombie apocalypseo Provides audio story layer to

your workout through completion of missions

o Items retrieved via mission are dispersed via player choice

o Goals include building up your based and solving story mysteries

Final Thoughts

• Design games with the users in mind• Think about short term and long term goals• Think about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation• Be thoughtful in game design constructs• Rules are ok - in fact they can enhance play - if they are deployed with care• Gamification is not for every situation• Gamification, if done with thought care and participants in mind can be

really awesome and transformative!

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/108/8/6/playing_by_pbarreto-d3ea0mc.jpg

A Few Good ResourcesVideo• Ted Talk, "The Game Layer on Top of the World" Seth Priebatsh• Ted Talk, "Gaming Can Make a Better World" Jane McGonigal• "Introduction to Meaningful Gamification" Scott Nicholson

Articles• "User Centered Theoretical Framework for Meaningful Gamification" Scott Nicholson• "Applying Game Dynamics to Library Services" Bohyun Kim• "Why Gamify and What to Avoid in Library Gamification" Bohyun Kim

Books• For The Win : How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business, Kevin Werbach

and Dan Hunter (2012)• Reality is Broken : Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World,

Jane McGonigal (2011)Web• Gamification Wiki • Gamification 101 - Designing the Player Journey• Because Play Matters - Scott Nicholson• Enterprise Gamification for Employee Engagement - Zoe Epstein

Questions???

Presentation : http://slideshare.net/baldwind1976

Emaiil : dbaldwin@piscatawaylibrary.org

Twitter: @baldwind1976