Education

The Number One Mistake in Gamification Design

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Error 1536917247 The Number One Mistake in Gamification Design

Ok, so this is going to polarise you guys a little, but MY number one mistake in gamification design, as I personally see it…

Designing the solution that you want rather than what the client needs. Note I am saying what the client needs not what they want. 

When designing a solution, it is easy to get caught up in how cool and how fun it can be. Then you start to work on great designs that you love. You take them to the client and you start to explain why your idea and design is absolutely the best solution. Soon you are building your personal pet project, rather than actually solving the problems the client had. Read More ...

The “Little Piggy” Communications Test

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Pig 1535532496 The 8220 Little Piggy 8221 Communications Test

Do you remember the old poem, “This Little Piggy”?

This Little Piggy poem

This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed at home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy went…
“Wee wee wee” all the way home…

Well, this can hold one of the keys to good communications with users and clients…

When you communicate with someone, especially if you feel you are doing something that will help them – such as providing gamified solutions, you have to consider what they want and need.  You have to put yourself in their shoes and offer something in a way that resonates with them. Read More ...

My Mental Health and How Gamification Has Helped

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Anxiety Spiral Header 2 My Mental Health and How Gamification Has Helped

It is mental health awareness week, so I felt this would be a good opportunity to share with you one nugget of life strategy that gamification helped me learn.

I have made no secret that I have suffered from anxiety and depression most of my life. These have, at times, crippled me in ways that those without the issues find hard to understand. The truth is that no matter what strategy you may think you have, the first step is always to accept help. Easier said than done, but it is essential. No one should or can go through it alone and come out the other side in one piece. Read More ...

Practical Play Framework

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Practical Play Framework 2 Practical Play Framework

Serious games and serious play both have an issue. The issue is, the word serious. It sounds far too, well, serious!

I have heard lots of people complaining about this, somewhat misunderstanding what the serious refers to. “Why can’t it be fun, not serious?” “Serious does not sound fun, that can’t be right!”

Obviously the serious in these terms is there to differentiate entertainment focused and non-entertainment focused games. That is to say, games that we play just to enjoy the experience and games that we play to achieve something, such as learning and skills acquisition. Read More ...

Snakes and Ladders: Gamification Hell or Heaven?

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Snakes and ladders1 Snakes and Ladders Gamification Hell or Heaven

I recently made a very strong statement on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn about snakes and ladders and whether it was a game..

Snakes and Ladders is not a game and we should stop using it in gamification and serious games.

Obviously, it was designed to provoke some comment, but boy was I surprised with the level of interaction I got over the three channels. The LinkedIn conversation may still be going on!

As expected, there were those who agreed and those who did not. Some were using Snakes and Ladders in training very successfully, others agreed that it was a pile of pants. Read More ...