La Gamification is a relatively recent concept, generated by the search for innovations in the professional field. The term was democratized starting in 2010. Over the years, this concept has grown in popularity and has proven its worth. What are the different forms of gamification?
The theory of gamification
Gamification is now very successful in many fields, especially in marketing, ecology, education and even politics. It is based on a fundamental concept: the mechanisms and techniques applied in the games are replicated in the world of work. Instead of spelling out the term “game”, which seems to differ from the field of work, we talk about a “serious game”, which literally means “serious games”. This makes it possible to avoid thinking that work is becoming a game or to infantilize employees. The game principles used in corporate gamification are as follows: competitiveness, unlocking levels for each achievement, and rewards.
The objective of gamification is to improve the fun nature of a professional activity in order to facilitate interactions and boost motivation. The latter is in fact essential for productivity and the achievement of objectives. According to a psychological study, gamification stimulates the sense of socialization and learning in subjects. It also stimulates a sense of challenge and promotes group cohesion. It is a solution very often applied by training managers and HR managers to revive the conviviality and sense of belonging of employees.
The main formats of gamification
La Gamification comes in two main categories or formats:
- The structural gamification: This form uses game elements to facilitate interaction between subjects. In this case, the content of the work is not changed, that is, gamification is based on real work. A common example is the adoption of a system of points awarded to users who have achieved goals or who have completed a module. The competition bar is displayed on the user's Linkedin profile to attest to their skill level.
- The content gamification: In this form, the content is changed. The subjects will challenge each other with simulations of adventure games or other games, which do not have not related to their usual tasks. The winners will be rewarded. This type of activity is essential to re-motivate teams but also entertain them while strengthening the values they share with the company.
The main trends in gamification
The principles and functions of Gamification involve numerous formats. However, it is mainly a question of knowing the best practices. To give some ideas to professionals who want to introduce this approach to employees or their customers, here are some trends in gamification.
- The Gamification of Onboarding : This form of gamification is used by human resources to welcome new hires. Indeed, the integration of new employees is a major concern for business managers. Thanks to the gamification of onboarding, new staff will be welcomed in a more fun way : presentation games, welcome activities, small competitions to discover strengths and weaknesses... All this contributes to well-being at work and prevents turnover. Newcomers quickly feel at ease and integrate with a sense of belonging.
- Gamified LMS : Le-learning has become almost unavoidable over time. More and more learners are opting for distance courses and taking advantage of their benefits. The platforms LMS Many therefore use gamification tools to get more traffic and retain subscribers. The learning experience is more immersive and the most deserving, i.e. those who are most involved, are rewarded.
- The Gamification on mobile : Gamification is now taking over mobile applications for an even more personalized experience and especially possible anywhere and at any time. This more accessible format saves a lot of time and can be part of a mobile learning experience.
The forms of gamification in digital training
Gamification finds its place in the professional world but also in the field of digital training. In the latter, it can take the following forms:
- The Gamification through narration : To transmit messages and experiences, teachers tell stories or testimonies. This encourages greater immersion and participation of learners.
- The Progressive gamification : It is a form of decompensation for the progress of each learner. In addition to being motivating, this approach promotes a sense of challenge and helps learners complete their training module with enthusiasm.
- The Countdown gamification : This approach can go hand in hand with progress with an additional challenge. A delay will be added to the training challenge so that the learner surpasses himself and succeeds in achieving his goals by submitting to the time constraint.
- The rewards (badges, levels, certificates...): At each end of the course, a reward, mostly symbolic, is awarded. It is a form of guarantee of motivation and recognition, but also a way to value the efforts made by learners.
- The Team gamification : Gamification within a group encourages mutual aid and sharing. We often talk about Social Learning to talk about this way of learning. The gamification side involves mini-competitions between two opposing teams.
- The gamification through personalization : The educational games are based on a theme and the learners present themselves with a personalized avatar. An original and fun way to socialize in digital training!
