BrokenMyth Studios

Forbes on Gamification

Kate — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:11:14 +0000

Lately, Forbes appears to have become more and more intrigued by gamification. In this article, they argue that gamification can be absolutely instrumental for CEOs seeking to set the path for success for their employees. Here are some thoughts pulled from the article:

“In essence, gamification, applied to the enterprise, is an improved and flexible form of business process management (BPM), one that offers a new way to understand and optimize business processes.”

“Gamification is about achieving goals…it takes something usually seen in hindsight – performance – and breaks it down, looking at its most important component parts. Once performance is measured, participants can begin getting immediate feedback.”

“As you identify top performers, you can look at what they do that is different from everyone else. What are their tricks, their “secret sauce”? Once you know the answer to that question, you can codify and track that behavior for everyone, and reward it. Gamification is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing process of understanding what works.”

Read the full article at the link below.

Government Incentive for “Active Play”

Kate — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:05:06 +0000

PALA+, the “Presidential Active Lifestyle Award Challenge,” is teaming up with companies like Electronic Arts, Nintendo, and Ubisoft to launch an exercising and healthy lifestyle initiative. Games like Wii Fit will integrate features that reward participants for active gaming. Video games are continuing to diversify as a medium, resulting in new perspectives on their functionality and potential. Expect to see more promotion of healthy aspects gaming in the future!

Consider the “Table of Strategic Elements” in Your Own Strategy

Kate — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:35:19 +0000

This is a great new way to think about strategies to engage your customers and employees. Adobe chief strategist Mark Randall’s perspective outlines 14 “elements” and explores the effects of their combinations. Changing your perspective is one of the best ways to come up with new ideas, so this is definitely something to check out. Although there’s never a precise “formula” for success, recognizing patterns can help us follow, improve, and expand upon them. Here’s an example from the article of one strategic formula:

Lo (local) + Lc (Location) + Ga (gamification) = Foursquare

Check out the full Wall Street Journal article and Randall’s table and see what combinations you come up with!

Help Desk Gamification

Kate — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:17:24 +0000

This article discusses the potential of gamification as an incentive for Help Desk Support Agents to complete tickets and feel accomplished. Although this is an intuitive use of gamification similar to successful programs in sales departments, several factors make this application of gamification a bit more delicate. For one, instilling a gamification program upon technical employees is a bit like a magician performing for other magicians – they know all the tricks already, and will be watching out for them. It would be very important for the employees not to feel like they were “being gamed.” Secondly, not every ticket filed may have an immediate solution – indeed, the more complex the ticket is, the less likely it is to fit into a “finish line” reward system. For an employee tasked with these difficult problems, it would be important to reward landmarks in troubleshooting and not simply finishing.

When acknowledged, these issues can be seen as additional challenges that will diversify gamification strategies. A key to keeping gamification in a positive light is to look at the user base’s background and experience. By providing an application form-fitted to their goals and incentives, gamification can act as a layer of reward – but it is a fine line. As this previously cited ZDNet article puts it, using these techniques successfully requires that you understand the things that motivate employees and ensure that introducing gaming dynamics support and enhance those motivators instead of being demotivational elements within an employee’s workflow.”

What Does the Future Look Like?

Kate — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:09:07 +0000

This is a great article that anyone interested in design and the future of personal computing needs to check out. With prototypes like Google’s Project Glass currently in the limelight, it is important to think of the implications of new interfaces. Many have dreamed of flat holographic interfaces since Minority Report, and it’s amazing to see the technology is already getting there. But now that we have that technological freedom, is it the best we can do?

Read on for interaction designer Bret Victor’s excellent argument of why we can milk more out of current technology by readressing the question, “What should the future of personal computing look like?” Victor suggests that the flat palmed and pointer finger “swipe” motions seen in most prototypes aren’t as usable as Microsoft’s video of the future suggests. Victor argues that the versatility and precision of the human hand needs to be better utilized, and we need to push the technology to a more tactile and memorable experience than the current “Pictures Under Glass” design. (He does mention in his follow up that Pictures Under Glass are awesome for now, and this article isn’t about critiquing today’s technology as much as pushing it in the most innovative, useful direction in the future)

Here at BrokenMyth, we strive to break that “glass” and bring training and interactivity into a more tangible realm. Using the latest 3D technology, advanced glove design, trackerless motion capture, and more, we really think we’re on to something. It is exciting to see what the future holds for digital training experiences.

The Evolving Perception of Video Games

Kate — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:11:34 +0000

In this article, Robert Lehrman refutes some common myths regarding violence in video games. He also explains how video games are often highly underestimated, citing Bethesda Softworks’ recent title, Skyrim, making $650 million in its first month – almost double the year’s gross of the last Harry Potter movie. In this rapidly evolving industry, preconceptions are hardly worthwhile. “My image of the industry stems from the 1990s when my kids were home…It’s come a long way,” says Lehrman.

Video games are no longer just child’s play, with 25 percent of gamers over the age of 50. As perceptions change and the stigma of immaturity being associated with video games dissipates, the industry will be able to blossom in innovative new ways. It’s a very exciting time to be involved in the game industry! There’s a lot more content in this Lehrman’s article, so be sure to check it out.

Big Potential in “Greenification”

Kate — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:10:42 +0000

Our blog examines many of the diverse practical applications of gamification, particularly in marketing, training, and education. Gamification may marry perfectly with sustainability incentives, as well. This article examines the potential of “turning virtuous green actions…from worthy but kinda joyless chores into tasks that earn rewards, gain recognition, and can turn ambivalent customers into eager eco evangelists.” One of the best examples is Recyclebank, a company that rewards households with points based on the quantity of recyclables that they kick to the curb. The points can then be redeemed for discounts at local stores. Expect more companies to incorporate green incentives into their gamification models in the future!

Gamification Growing: What 2012 Will Bring

Kate — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:13:36 +0000

There were several articles this week which took a look at how gamification is at a turning point in the business world. According to TechCrunch blogger Joseph Puopolo, gamification has grown beyond the “awkward teenager phase” now that businesses are recognizing the term and seeing impressive results from implementations of gaming principles in the workplace. Gamification advocate Gabe Zimmerman suggests that gamification is no longer a simple buzzword, but that “the use of gamification to drive social change is a big movement in culture…gamification is a new discipline with deep roots and extraordinary potential.” Only time will tell, but more and more analysts seem to agree that gamification is going play a bigger role in society soon.

Forbes Blogger Claims Gamification “will become integral to the social business”

Kate — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:31:59 +0000

This Forbes article suggests that, thanks to the success of Bunchball and SAP’s recently announced interest in gamifying its products (among other factors), gamification is going to be a major factor in upcoming businesses. He also describes how “gamification” is moving past the buzzword stage and into common business vocabulary: “Mario [gamification initiative lead at SAP] explains that he and his colleagues are past the point where they need to explain gamification to clients. In fact clients are coming to them and asking for game-centric solutions. And clients come from a wide range of industries.”

A New Mogl in Town

Kate — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:15:01 +0000

Here’s one to keep an eye on. Mogl, a new San Diego-based company, is giving users incentive to dine out at partnering restaurants by making a game of it. Mogl takes the frequent shopper punch card program to a new level by modernizing and spanning across 350 participating restaurants (and counting!). Cash prizes are rewarded for achievements such as being the most frequent user to visit a restaurant in a month. This is one of those gamification programs that just makes sense, and will build customer loyalty without getting in the way of dining experience, but rather augmenting it.