Getting Gamification Right - 22 Best Practices

Clearly identify goals before diving in

“If success is not defined before the initiative, it is hard to know if, or when, success is achieved”

To agree in advance on how they will evaluate their gamification initiatives

Tie gamification to business needs

Kapp believes that, like all training and learning initiatives, gamification should be tied directly to business needs

While games may present entertaining diversions for employees, the primary purpose for introducing them in the workplace should be to drive positive change

to establish clear metrics to help them effectively collect, measure, and analyze the data garnered through their gamification initiatives.

consider the types of behavioral change they want to elicit within their organizations

leverage gamification to help achieve those goals

Keep the game design simple

Instructional designers should consciously keep all game mechanics simple

every action should be clearly linked to an outcome

Permit personalization

Many employees today enjoy putting a personal stamp on their virtual selves

Permitting learners to create their own avatars or digital characters engages users and encourages them to personalize their experience

Monitor the system for abuse

Backend dashboards to monitor the system

Flag and investigate anything that seems out of the ordinary

The system should also be monitored to identify employees who are disengaged or seem to have lost interest after the launch

Different strokes for different folks

Achievers

Players

Philanthropists

Free Spirits

Disruptors

Socializers

Be on point with points

Keep this in mind when assigning points to gamification actions

“Always be mindful that points are supposed to mean something”

Although it is important to assign points in a fair and consistent manner, make sure that tasks that require herculean effort receive a compensatory amount of points