Gamified UK - #Gamification Expert

Being Silly and a Flash Christmas Sale

December 20, 2019 by Andrzej Marczewski

How do gamification folk! You all ready for Christmas?

So a very short blog, you may have noticed I’ve taken it a bit easier this year, everyone deserves a break 😀

Being Silly

It sounds very unbusinesslike, but it is so important just to do things for fun from time to time. I’ve spoken about Easter Eggs in the past, but I wanted to just briefly revisit them.

Easter Eggs are a reward for people who want to explore deeper than most would. I firmly believe that you should try to include them whenever you can, even if there is a risk people will never find them! It’s like an encore from a band. There is always the risk that people will never see it. Read More ...

Are Points and Badges Dead in Gamification?

December 6, 2019 by Andrzej Marczewski

I suppose an alternative title to this could be “Should Points and Badges Be Dead in Gamification”

When you look at gamification, you will see two main streams of thought on the use of points and badges in gamification.

The first and probably most prevalent is that the simple addition of points and badges to a problem will make it more engaging and fun. The second is that points and badges have no place in “good” gamification.

I have sat on both sides of the fence over the last few years and have come to the conclusion that the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Read More ...

10 Things I Wish I Knew About Gamification in 2011

November 22, 2019 by Andrzej Marczewski

As we edge closer to Gamification EU, I was thinking about the lessons I wish I had learned earlier on when I started in Gamification. Keep in mind, at that stage there was not a lot of information about gamification, it was in its infancy (2011/2012).

The word gamification is going to cause you all sorts of trouble in business conversations! Even now, it still has not penetrated into the common lexicon.

Gamification is full of experts and evangelists. You have to listen to and learn from both, but be sure to also check the research for yourself and what projects they have worked on.

There is no one perfect framework. The majority have their place but don’t rely on just one.

Research Gate is your friend as there is more research out there than you realise. There are also academics out there who want to help, but research takes time!

There are very few jobs that are specifically for gamification experts or designers. You need to look at user experience, engagement specialists, product owners etc.

Gamification is used (for better or worse) as a blanket term for all games based solutions. Life is too short to argue about the true definition – leave that to me 🙂

We make use and reference to a lot of psychology, make sure you understand the source, not just the pop psych books.

There are usually no quick fixes, the faster the fix, the shorter the engagement.

Short term engagement is also fine though, it depends on the needs of the project!

Focus on the solution, not the technology or the cleverness of the game design. Solve the problem.

Game Based Solutions – Focus on Outcomes not Methods

November 8, 2019 by Andrzej Marczewski

After a lovely 3-week break from writing (my longest since about 2012!!), I am back.

I will get back to the “Introduction” series next week and will hopefully compile them into a new book soon as well.

But I wanted to just share a little thought with you.

Gamification, as a term, seems to be getting less popular. Sure, it is still getting search a lot, but I am seeing fewer people using the term to sell products. It is often relegated to the second or third thing on their list if selling points, rather than the first thing as was popular a few years ago. Read More ...

Encourage Play, Don’t Force Fun

October 10, 2019 by Andrzej Marczewski

I’ve said it here many times, you can’t force people to have fun. Putting a pool table in the coffee room, forcing everyone to play an online game and join a leaderboard, team building games during inductions etc. All generally seek to force you to have a fun experience. However, as soon as something becomes mandatory or forced, it is very hard (but not impossible) to find it enjoyable.

Of course, if the experience is well designed, even if you are forced to engage with it, it can be fun. There are times during some of those “ice breaker” games that I hate so much, that despite myself I find I am having fun. But those tend to be the ones that create an environment that encourages play – even if it is a little bit structured. Read More ...