Gamification

Quick Gamification Advice: The 70/30 Rule

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Balance 1524667220 Quick Gamification Advice The 70 30 Rule

One of the best bits of advice I was given at Capgemini revolved around the idea that you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

It was the 70/30 rule of engagement. I am pretty sure that whoever told me it made it up, but it was a great rule of thumb that I have used many times over the years.

The rule says that when trying to engage a group you are always going to have around 30% who will not engage. 15% will have no interest and 15% will actively and deliberately choose to not engage (a bit like a Disruptor, no?). 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 ...

Say No to FoMO in Gamification?

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Fear 1523530393 Say No to FoMO in Gamification

Let’s start at the beginning.

What is FoMO?

FoMO stands for Fear Of Missing Out. In our gamification elements, it is often related to Loss Aversion and Curiosity.

If we start with Loss Aversion, used carefully, loss aversion can be a great way to encourage certain positive behaviours. Consider teaching kids how to save, for instance. If they feel they have earned the money, they will (normally) have a stronger desire NOT to lose it! However, physical items are not all that people want to avoid losing. Far more important motivations lie around social interaction, connections, status and more.  If someone is considered to be influential in their circles, they will not want to do anything to lose that status. Kids don’t want to miss out on play dates with their friends or even hugs and validation from their parents. How many times has parent used the term “I’m not angry, I’m disappointed”? It hurts more than “If you do that again, you lose your teddy.” Read More ...

Teaching the Value of Money with Games

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Roblox Teaching the Value of Money with Games

We don’t give our daughters pocket money. There are many reasons for this, but one of them is a concern about their understanding of the value of money. This is especially true for our eldest daughter who has dyscalculia. This means she struggles with, among other things, understanding magnitude.

This, added to the fact she is 11, means that money is a very abstract concept for her. As soon as she has it, it needs to be spent. This is not much different from any other kids if we are honest, but it is particularly bad for her as she just doesn’t get the value of money at all. Numbers are pretty meaningless to her! Read More ...

Client vs User Needs – The Solution Sweet Spot

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Solution Sweet Spot Client vs User Needs 8211 The Solution Sweet Spot

I have spoken a great deal about looking carefully at the needs of a project and exploring what the real issue is that you are trying to solve. The aim has been to get you to consider the Why of a solution more than that What or the How!

I wanted to give you one more way to consider this question, I just can’t stress how important it is for the gamification industry as a whole for us to get better at answering it!

When you are doing your research, you will discover and analyze the needs of the client, and you will discover and analyze the needs of the users. During this process, you will be looking to understand what each side of the solution is looking for. Read More ...