In-play gamification tips
Gamification is experimental
The general rule regarding the in-play adjustment is that it is worth assuming the system is undergoing constant change. The amount of force that is needed to propose changes is proportional to the cost of not having this change implemented.?
Being able to change constantly is basically required, the feedback loop between the system and the players provides real-life information that often is not in line with the assumptions made during the system startup.
Once it starts, the process of gamification is gaining a lot of dynamics. Here is how you can control it better. These tips come from the experience of the last few years of testing different techniques and observing results.
Points balance / rebalance
It is good practice to balance points and potential rewards based on measurable, rather objective parameters. At TDSOFT these parameters were put as columns of an excel sheet with specific weighted formula. This way the number of points was correlated with strategic importance, difficulty or how cool or uncool the task is, or how much courage and getting outside of the comfort zone the task requires.
Having some system for point balancing will provide a framework that allows the system to behave in a fair way. It reduces the chances of system abuse, by exploiting low effort - high-value tasks by some players.
Progress tracking frequency
One of the best methods to stimulate the system use is to make sure that the progress is measured frequently enough. If players fight for the title of employee of the month, but there are no points of progress tracking in between, most of the group may get demotivated.
Providing a daily rundown of what happened (through internal chat / email) allows everyone to remember to use the system daily, see who started using it, who made a lot of points, and check “where I am todayâ€.
The more frequent the progress tracking is, the better chance that someone who is far from Top players can actually get some additional recognition, by becoming the hero of the day.
An example of a daily activity feed and challenge completed notification is shown above.
Reward system updates
If the system seems to be set up right, but the activity is not there, consider revisiting the reward system. Is there anything worth the chase? Does it feel immediate? If the system does not seem to be working, why not try to turn it upside-down for some time? There isn’t much to lose, but there is a lot to learn.
A reward system is not easy to set up, it requires a lot of creativity, and listening to the actual players, especially in companies with strict budgeting rules. Here is a couple of examples: how about the reward that would let the user buy an additional work-from-home day allowance? How about renting some equipment home for some time? (rent the gaming console for 2 weeks?) How about providing access to additional in-person meetings with top management?
Gameplay rebalance / limits
For the company, the benefit of someone delivering a task is not linear with the number of times it has been done. If someone picks up the trash from the kitchen 3 times a day, then it has much less impact than someone doing this every second day, or on Friday afternoon.
A good and simple tool can help here are limits. Daily, weekly, monthly, and personal limits are very easy to calculate and keep the system in balance.
An additional advantage of the introduction of limits is that users who want to fight for more points, need to look into other challenges/tasks that might seem less appealing before.
Introduce limited offers
Creating tasks with a specific expiration date is an effective way of giving a project a jumpstart and generating excitement among those involved. This can be especially useful when coupled with rewards that are not easily accessible otherwise. The sense of exclusivity that comes from such limited-time tasks can help motivate people to complete them before the deadline, creating a sense of urgency and helping to ensure that the tasks are completed in a timely fashion.
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Additionally, it gives people something to look forward to as they strive to meet their goals within the given timeline. By creating tasks with an expiration date, project managers can create incentives for their teams to work together towards success in a timely manner and keep everyone motivated throughout the course of the project.
Player personalization, avatars, badges
The OGAMIFY system seeks to create an environment that encourages players to strive for excellence. By giving players the opportunity to personalize themselves through the use of badges, they have an extra incentive to perform well in order to earn rewards and recognition from their peers. This can also have a positive psychological effect on them as they are subconsciously encouraged by the way they are labeled - titles such as "Office Caretaker" as opposed to "Cleaning Lady" can give players a sense of pride and accomplishment that is not just tied to winning or losing within the game.
Furthermore, specific badges awarded for certain actions can add an extra layer of excitement and thrill for players as they strive for greater success. All in all, personalizing each player's experience with badges will be beneficial for everyone involved in gamification and help foster an engaging environment where everyone is striving for excellence.
Higher Cause tasks
Although it is not something that ought to be used frequently, a higher cause can bring the entire team together. Was there a major event that necessitated a public effort to help? Is there someone in need, and we're raising funds for his medical treatment?
Rewards in gamification don’t have to be personal, or selfish. They can be led by altruistic reasons. Sometimes a reward that leads to truly helping someone in need will be a better motivator for action than anything else.
Higher cause also touches group effort mechanics, where people start to motivate each other to contribute, to reach the goal as they can’t do this alone.
For the business, it provides a way to contribute that feels much better than just a “money transferâ€. Contribution, that brings value and is perceived as a common achievement. Yes, it ends with a “money transfer†but everyone has got an opportunity to feel good about it.
Case study: Support for Ukraine
In February 2022, tragic news broke our hearts. Ukraine has been attacked by Russia starting, in fact, a full-scale war. At that time, 3 team members of TDSOFT had Ukrainian nationality. Everyone was ready to commit and help the cause, we felt that we must do something.
The company decided to send a designated amount of cash support towards the fighting Ukraine through the gamification and store system.
A new group item has been added to the store - meaning that everyone could chip in. Result? The company fulfilled ‘the budget’ of the support within 3 days, and had to quickly prepare another one, as people asked for it.
Many players who were skeptical, and used gamification rather occasionally, got engaged and started using the system afterward.
What is the most important aspect of this? People gathered towards a common goal. This created a sense of being one team working towards something that was more important. Everyone was able to have his share of this good feeling that comes from helping others in need.
On top of that, the company got a clear strategy for future charity events - by letting the team vote with their own actions and their own progress.
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