Common Misconceptions in Gamification
Misconception 1:
Gamification is Just Adding Points, Badges, and Leaderboards
Gamification is often associated with simply adding points, rewards, and leaderboards to a product or service. However, the differences between games, rewards programs, and gamification are more important than the similarities.
Video games — primarily aim to engage players on a playful level, providing entertainment. They employ elaborate storylines, captivating graphics, and immersive animation to create compelling experiences for players. The mission of video games is to captivate players within the game world and the role they play, thus offering a form of escape and entertainment.
Rewards programs — on the other hand, engage participants on a transactional level. Their goal is to encourage higher value and repeated transactions with customers, or to reward employees for reaching certain goals. You'll find these programs commonly in airlines, hotels, and retail businesses, but they also extend to employee incentive programs and other categories. An example would be earning CRED points for paying credit card bills.
Gamification — however, serves a different purpose. Unlike games and rewards programs, gamification engages users on an emotional level, aiming to motivate them. It leverages game-like elements, but its ultimate aim is not solely entertainment or transactional benefits. Instead, gamification taps into our innate desires for achievement, status, and competition to encourage engagement with a product or service. It's about making the journey enjoyable, not just the reward at the end.
Gamification has tremendous potential, but many companies are not getting it right. The path to gamification success is full of pitfalls, and many companies don't understand how critical player motivation is to success. Widely publicized early successes have led some organizations to believe that gamification is a magical elixir for indoctrinating the masses and manipulating them to do the company's bidding.
These organizations are mistaking people for puppets, and their transparently cynical efforts are doomed to fail. As more poorly designed gamified solutions appear, players will begin to suffer "badge fatigue" and actively avoid poorly designed solutions. In 2012, Gartner predicted that by 2014, 80% of current gamified applications would fail to meet business objectives, primarily due to poor design. This highlights the number of bleeding-edge adopters that are getting it wrong. While this may sound like a dismal forecast for gamification, it is not.
Misconception 2:
Gamification is Only for Young People
The principles of gamification aren't limited to young people; they apply to all age groups. It's a common assumption that gamification is tailored for younger, more tech-savvy audiences.
However, the principles of gamification apply to all age groups. Everyone, regardless of age, can appreciate engaging experiences, achievements, and the sense of progression that gamification brings.
A practical example is the use of gamified systems in health technology, such as the Fitbit device. Fitbit isn't merely a device that tracks steps; it's also a tool that employs gamification to engage users. Fitbit users, who range from young adults to seniors, can set daily goals, earn badges for achieving those goals, challenge friends or family, and track their progress over time. This gamified system makes physical activity more fun and engaging, illustrating how gamification can appeal to all ages. It's not the age that matters; it's the human desire for accomplishment, progression, and social connection that gamification taps into.
Misconception 3:
Gamification Makes Everything Easy
A common belief is that gamification simplifies tasks, making them "easy" or requiring less effort. This couldn't be further from the truth. Gamification isn't about making tasks simple; it's about making them engaging.
To illustrate this point, think about some of the most popular and enduring games, both digital and traditional. Take the game of Chess, for instance. It's a game that has captivated millions for centuries, yet it is incredibly complex. Chess is not "easy" by any means—its beauty lies in its strategic depth and the sense of accomplishment when one outsmarts their opponent.
Gamification transforms tasks by making them more engaging and satisfying, not necessarily easier. It leverages the principles that make games enjoyable and applies them to non-game contexts, promoting commitment, motivation, and ultimately, success.
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Chapter 5:
Understanding Gamification
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