There is a lot of talk by those in the know who are getting fed up with people associating gamification with nothing but trophies and badges. Stick a badge on it and it is gamified. Personally I am not sure I am totally with them. For me if it works, use it. However, more often than not achievements and the like are only short term fixes on their own. There needs to be a strategy in place that will are only short term fixes on their own. There needs to be a strategy in place that will keep the users engaged, one that uses the more obvious rewards to enforce the less simple to grasp game mechanics. This article will look at a small selection of game mechanics that can be used in most gamification situations.
Super Nanny and the Gamification of a Generation
Whilst I continue my quest to write a bit more about the less obvious dynamics and mechanics of Gamification, a little thought occurred.
In 2004 a lovely lady by the name of Jo Frost appeared on our televisions in a program called Super Nanny. For those who didn’t see it (it is still showing in the US I think), basically Miss Frost would go into a family who had “problem” children and work out how best to bring them back under control. Of course this being the Naughties, smacking is a big no no, so she introduced the world to two concepts. The Reward Chart and the Naughty Step. Whilst these were not new ideas, it was the first time many people had seen them.
The Gamification of Life
Okay, okay, I know this blog is getting a bit Gamification heavy AND I also promised the next post would be a very serious one that went into more detail about non reward like gamification, but it isn’t – yet – so there.
The reason for this blog? Well, it is currently about 3am and I have just changed my daughters nappy whilst trying to feed her. I set myself the challenge to change her, in her Moses basket, whilst feeding her. I basically gamified the process to make it more entertaining to my sleep deprived brain. However, it got me to thinking. Whenever people talk about gamification, it is normally related to some kind of technology based solution. Make it into a video game, add rewards and achievements to their online profile, that sort of thing.
The Jobification of Games – A Parody of Gamification
A Parody of Gamification
I have written at length about Gamification. Some people have even begun to take what I say seriously, which is great. However, time for some fun. What if we flipped the idea on its head. If games worked based on the set of rules many businesses have. How would a jobified game actually play?A Quest is Born
The day starts with you sitting at your desk. First you boot up your pc and do the morning kitchen dance, as you get your first cup of coffee for the day. After returning to your desk and going through your RSS feeds and non essential emails, it is time for work. Top of your inbox you see an email with a red exclamation mark.The Importance of being Connected
