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Does It Have To Look Good?

January 31, 2020 by Andrzej Marczewski

Often in conversations with gamification muggles, I hear comparisons with games and gamification that make me a little twitchy.

We have all seen video games and how far they have come on since the days of Space Invaders (pretty much where my journey into loving games started). It is easy to understand why people can get a little carried away when thinking about games based solutions. I have been in meetings were clients had AAA games like Grand Theft Auto in mind when the reality was a little more Candy Crush. Read More ...

Analogue vs Digital Gamification

January 17, 2020 by Andrzej Marczewski

When looking at gamification, it can be a daunting task. There are dozens of gurus, platforms, off the shelf products, bespoke products, decks of cards, frameworks, snake oil sellers, blogs and more. There are so many choices, one could be forgiven for getting a little lost.

However, one of the choices that doesn’t seem to get spoken about as much as some other things (like the latest magical framework). That’s the choice between digital (online) or analogue (offline) gamification.

Digital Gamification

Digital gamification is generally online. So for instance, it could be a reward system built into a website. It could be online learning materials that are game-like and on a learning management system (LMS). You get the idea. Generally, they are designed to be experienced on your own (physically) on a platform that is convenient for you or integrated directly into a platform that you already use. That doesn’t mean there can’t be team based events – think World of Warcraft (MMO) Raids! Read More ...

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.