Taking an in-depth look at the Gartner Hype Cycle as it applies to Gamification and predictions for millennial training
As gamification moves from the early adoption stage to becoming more broadly accepted across all arenas it will prove to be a useful tool within training programs across a variety of industries. In order for gamification to be successful it can’t just rely on badges, leader boards and points. Rather, gamification mechanics need to have objectives in place towards collaboration and innovation.
Gartner (http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/gamification/) defines gamification in the following few paragraphs:
“Gamification is the use of game design and game mechanics to engage a target audience to change behaviors, learn new skills or engage in innovation. The target audience may be customers, employees or the general public, but first and foremost, they are people with needs and desires who will respond to stimuli. It is important to think of the people in these target audiences as “players” in gamified applications.
While game mechanics such as points and badges are the hallmarks of gamification, the real challenge is to design player-centric applications that focus on the motivations and rewards that truly engage players more fully. Game mechanics like points, badges and leader boards are simply the tools that implement the underlying engagement models.
Gamification describes the use of the same design techniques and game mechanics found in all games, but it applies them in non-game contexts including: customer engagement, employee performance, training and education, innovation management, personal development, sustainability and health. Virtually all areas of business could benefit from gamification as it can help to achieve three broad business objectives 1) to change behavior; 2) to develop skills; or 3) to enable innovation. While these objectives are very broad, more opportunities may emerge as the trend matures.”
Now let’s look at the 2012 Gartner Hype Cycle (http://www.gamification.co/2012/12/11/following-gamification-through-gartners-hype-cycle/) and where we are today on it with respect to gamification…
According to the graphic, Gamification is nearing the peak of inflated expectations and the plateau will be reached within five to ten years. The Gartner Group has also forecasted that fifty percent of all corporate innovation will be “Gamified” by the year 2015.
Gartner has made the following predictions:
- By 2014, 80% of current gamified applications will fail to meet business objectives, primarily due to poor design. *After stating this prediction Mr. Burke went on to clarify by saying “The focus is on the obvious game mechanics, such as points, badges and leader boards, rather than the more subtle and more important game design elements, such as balancing competition and collaboration, or defining a meaningful game economy.” Good gamification design is the key to making the program a success.
- By 2015, 40% of Global 1000 organizations will use gamification as the primary mechanism to transform business operations.
- By 2016, gamification will be an essential element for brands and retailers to drive customer marketing and loyalty.
- By 2016, early utility adopters will use gamification to drive end-user, energy-efficiency improvements of 1% to 3%.
- By 2017, 50% of Global 1000 organizations will use gamification in learning and/or recruitment processes.
- A gamification program will be a key organizational enabler for 75% of enterprise-oriented DevOps initiatives by 2016, up from less than 1% today.
- More than 25% of games produced in 2017 will be emergent, not scripted.
- More than 15% of games produced in 2017 will have been developed by workers on a gamification platform.
Although gamification is still only a relatively small part of the market, it is quickly gaining in popularity. Gamification has illustrated that by utilizing game mechanics you can reach a larger range of audience, and majority of them not being the traditional gamer type. Wanda Meloni of M2 Research, projects that the gamification market as a whole will reach $2.8 Billion by 2016. “Gamification takes advantage of game mechanics to deliver engaging applications, and make non‐game applications more entertaining and appealing.The adoption of applying game mechanics in more nontraditional industries has grown exponentially,” noted Meloni.
Gamification Market Forecast (http://www.badgeville.com/pdf/gamification-in-2012.pdf?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRons6vIZKXonjHpfsX56e4vW66zlMI/0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4ESMB0dvycMRAVFZl5nQ5ZHueQaolM9vA%3D)
The gamification market has increased dramatically over the past few years since its introduction, expanding into the education, healthcare and enterprise markets. It’s only a matter of time before widespread adoption is prevalent.
According to a Pew Internet report from May of 2012 (http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Future-of-Gamification/Overview.aspx?view=all) entitled “The Future of Gamification” it notes that “Overall, a modest majority of the top tech experts participating in this survey believe game elements in some form will continue to play a role of gathering importance in the everyday activities of many of the people who are actively using communications networks. “The development of ‘serious games’ applied productively to a wide scope of human activities will accelerate simply because playing is more fun than working,” observed Mike Liebhold, senior researcher and distinguished fellow at The Institute for the Future.
I think this quote sums up the survey itself and the gamification definition the best… “Playing is more fun than working.” While the vast majority of company executives may see this statement as the sole reason why they DO NOT want to implement gamified aspects of simulation training within their organization, this should really be the entire reason that they ought to employ simulations with gamified implications. Simply because simulation coupled with gaming technologies can engage and motivate the learner to actually learn the content! It’s not just the same boring type of classroom paper based training that is now considered old school and non engaging.
Defined as one of the Top 10 Technology Trends for 2012 by Deloitte, Gamification is quickly gaining popularity and a loyal following for use in day-to-day business operations to increase engagement and performance by employees within gamified training applications. Gamification is a positive trend that enables an employee’s work to be more productive as a result which benefits all parties involved. The possibilities for gamified functions are endless and this is only the beginning of a trend for gamification technologies enhancing training within the workplace environment, ultimately making learning more fun and interactive. Gamified technology will continue to evolve and most will come to expect game elements in a variety of daily activities.
Copyright Bryant Nielson. All Rights Reserved.
