An Introduction to Gamification
Doug BaldwinEmerging Technologies Librarian
Piscataway Public Library
@baldwind1976 / [email protected]
What the next 20 minutes will look like...• What is Gamification• Reward Based Gamification
o Defineo Theoryo Application o Pitfalls
• Meaningful Gamification (Scott Nicholson)o Defineo Theoryo Application
• Questions
What is GamificationTo start, it is not "Gaming in Libraries"...
Define:
• One definition - "Use of game design elements in non-game contexts" Deterding et al (2011)
• Another definition - "It's using game mechanics help you drive participation, engagement and loyalty on your online property, site, or community" - Bunchball.com
• Yet another definition - " Gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics in a non-game context in order to engage users and solve problems" - Wikipedia
I like # 1 - Let's go with that
What is GamificationNot a new concept - just a new word (2008)
Examples•Store and credit card rewards•Airline loyalty programs•McDonalds Monopoly (game layer)•Badges (Military / Scouts )
o Status / Membershipo Motivation (above and beyond) http://troop368.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/meritbadges.jpg
Two quick stats...•M2 Research projects that companies
will spend upwards of $2 billion on gamification services by 2015
•Gartner Group forecasts that 70% of the Global 2000 will employ gamification techniques
o but that 80% of those projects will fail unless they are thoughtfully designed
Rewards Based GamificationElements or Game Mechanics
• Badges - public indicator of accomplished tasks or achievements (sharable)
• Levels - accomplishment over time (status)
• Leaderboards - Ranked status listing (status)
• Achievements - Accomplished goals (reflected as badges or levels)
• Points - Assigned value to an achievement
Other Elements
Time Limits, Appointment Dynamichttp://farm2.staticflickr.com/1359/5178734471_43d3d1dcb0_o.png
Rewards Based Gamification
Theory
• Feedback Loop (Micro Level)
o Player/Individual Takes an Action o Action produces an effecto Feedback on that action is giveno Using new knowledge, another action is
taken
• Progression Loop (Macro Level)
Rewards Based GamificationTheory
• (BJ) Fogg Behavioral Model - There are three elements that must converge in order for a behavior to take place
http://www.flickr.com/photos/taedc/5719219915/
Motivation = Reward for doing something
Ability = Action can be completed
Trigger = Cue to complete the action
Uses of Rewards Based Gamification
1. Human Resources
• Staff Development / Trainingo My Marriot Hotel (Marriot)o Plantville (Siemens)o Patient Shuffle (GE Healthcare)
• Recruitingo Googleo Operations and Soldiers (US Army)o Pizza Hero (Domino's Pizza)
• Motivation / Engagemento CheckPluso Target
Uses of Rewards Based Gamification
2. Consumer Applications
o FourSquareo SCVNGRo Get Glueo Starbuckso Bank Credit Cardso Store Loyalty Programs
Uses of Rewards Based Gamification
3. Other Applications
•Civic Engagemento SeeClickFixo Idea Street
(UK Dept of Work and Pensions)
•Educationo Code Academyo Ribbon Hero (Microsoft)
•Healtho NextJump
Reward Based Gamification (Libraries)
• Programso Summer Reading programs (ex. Ann Arbor District Library) o Book Discussion (ex. Level Up Book Club / Game of Books)
• Serviceso "Level" up experience (Boyhun Kim)o Catalog "progress bar" (Boyhun Kim)
• Staff Development (my bad ideas!)o Rewards based training programo Real time achievement based review process
Rewards Based Gamification - Pitfalls1. Bad Design
2. Organization versus User Centered gamification
3. Reward permanence (or "forever") loop
4. Overjustification
5. Discourages creativity and innovation
6. Risk of Unintended Behaviors
7. Generation gaphttp://www.flickr.com/photos/docpopular/4206981641/
Meaningful Gamification (MG)
"The use of game elements to help someone find meaning in a non-game context, and therefore a tool to help people learn through changing perspectives in their lives" (S Nicholson)
Meaningful Gamification
Elements of MG :
•Give the player information (so they can make choices)
•Allow player to make those choices
•Make informed play the reward (use external rewards sparingly)
•Put the player's benefit first in the game design process
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4022/4619993744_d2600607f0_o.jpg
Meaningful Gamification
"Game is a form of play with goal and structures" expressed as :
Game = Play + Goals + Structure
Play - voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities associated with recreation and enjoyment (Wikipedia)
Reward Based GamificationGame = Goals + Structure (- Play)
Meaningful GamificationGame = Play + Goals (-Structure)VS
http://pixabay.com/p-88517/?no_redirect
Meaningful Gamification - Theory
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SelfDeterminationTheory.png
2. Cognitive Evaluation Theory (Deci and Ryan)
•Specifies factors explaining intrinsic motivation
o More competent we FEEL = More internally motivated we are
o More in control we FEEL = More internally motivated we are
(Deci & Ryan)
• Basic needs for self motivationo Autonomy = Choice / Controlo Competence = Masteryo Relatedness = Engagement with world around us
1. Self Determination Theory • Distinguishes sources of motivationo Intrinsic (Internal) = long term
changeo Extrinsic (External) = short term
change
Meaningful Gamification - Application
Meaningful Gamification Space (6 elements)
• Role play - seeing the world through other eyes / escape themselves to provide new perspectives
• Experimentation - explore and try solutions to challenges
• Collaborative experiences - working together on activities
• Voluntary engagement• Choice - Users have ability to create
their own path• Sharing - Ability to share your
thoughts about items/experience
• Ludic (PLAY) Learning Spaceso Discover, Play, Explore, Learn, Transform
Ex. Participatory Museums and Exhibits)
Meaningful Gamification - Application
Strategies
• Player Generated Contento Braid / Little Big Planeto MakerSpaces (modding)
DIY.org
• User/Player Designed Goalso Chore Wars (hybrid)
• Aligning Game Elements with Non-Play Contexto Remove rewards / Insert voluntary playo Embedded limits = Deeper immersiono Player combines interest with limits to create new experience
• Providing play limits that still provide choice and freedom
Meaningful Gamification - Examples
Swedish Piano Stairs
•Volkswagon project to promote exercise•Subway stairs transformed into working piano•66% increase in usage over escalator
http://mcself.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/the-fun-theory-changing-stairs-into-a-piano/
Meaningful Gamification - Examples
Alternate Reality GameA story, with game mechanics, played out in the real world
•Finksburg Public Library - "The Mystery Guest"o Summer Reading gameo Story arc involved identifying and returning a
famous literary character to book he escaped fromo Teens created videos and story content for the gameo Programs, crafts and activities allowed participants
to develop interact with the story
Meaningful Gamification - Examples
Alternate Reality Game:
•World Without Oil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Without_Oil
o Story arc : world oil shortageo Players encouraged to create story
content of their "experiences" during this oil shortage (blog posts, voicemails, video, photos, etc)
o User content part of expanded the story universe
o Designed to promote reflection, potential problem solving and an "idea" playground for sharing solutions and thoughts to avoid such a crisis
Meaningful Gamification - Examples
• Zombies Run o Immersive audio adventure and
gamification of runningo Story arc of zombie apocalypseo Provides audio story layer to
your workout through completion of missions
o Items retrieved via mission are dispersed via player choice
o Goals include building up your based and solving story mysteries
Final Thoughts
• Design games with the users in mind• Think about short term and long term goals• Think about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation• Be thoughtful in game design constructs• Rules are ok - in fact they can enhance play - if they are deployed with care• Gamification is not for every situation• Gamification, if done with thought care and participants in mind can be
really awesome and transformative!
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/108/8/6/playing_by_pbarreto-d3ea0mc.jpg
A Few Good ResourcesVideo• Ted Talk, "The Game Layer on Top of the World" Seth Priebatsh• Ted Talk, "Gaming Can Make a Better World" Jane McGonigal• "Introduction to Meaningful Gamification" Scott Nicholson
Articles• "User Centered Theoretical Framework for Meaningful Gamification" Scott Nicholson• "Applying Game Dynamics to Library Services" Bohyun Kim• "Why Gamify and What to Avoid in Library Gamification" Bohyun Kim
Books• For The Win : How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business, Kevin Werbach
and Dan Hunter (2012)• Reality is Broken : Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World,
Jane McGonigal (2011)Web• Gamification Wiki • Gamification 101 - Designing the Player Journey• Because Play Matters - Scott Nicholson• Enterprise Gamification for Employee Engagement - Zoe Epstein
Questions???
Presentation : http://slideshare.net/baldwind1976
Emaiil : [email protected]
Twitter: @baldwind1976