Gamification, decoded

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Gamification is simply the application of typical elements of game play, says Grant Morgan, senior marketing manager at Poken by GES. Here are his top tips:

4. Get your objectives in line, and make them realistic

Ask yourself what determines success from the customer’s point of view? Often this means expanding a professional network, and expanding ones education. Sometimes, it could just mean building loyalty, awareness, or team bonding. Before thinking about the rules, or the cool tech, understanding objectives will provide a solid foundation.

5. Enhance natural behavior - we’re only human!

Are you asking too much of your participants? I was once asked to deploy a complex game with the aim of driving networking at a 3 hour award ceremony. The objective was clear: encourage networking. However, this level of socialising was not natural for attendees, who were just as happy enjoying a beer and chatting.

6. Leave no-one out

Ever tried to play a game of football with half of the team sitting on the ground, picking at the grass? For gamification to be successful, everyone should be able to participate and more importantly; want to. If you are using a mobile app to drive the game - make sure everyone can easily install and use it, can access Wi-Fi, and is mobile literate. With any group of people, there are those who will adopt quickly, and inspire others. The key is to remove any barriers that enable the critical mass to be involved.