Thursday 31 December 2015

How we got it all wrong in Gamification - the only One Variation that works

Lately, there have been tons of discussions and strategizing on a workplace(for profit or nonprofit) issue named Gamification (making work fun like a online multiple player video game).
Imagine the fervor and productivity of these massive number of seemingly unknown strangers working together solely online, slaying obstacles/monsters  while achieving impossible goals swiftly on MMORG (multiple online players)games such as World of Warcraft.

None of that ADD,
None of those complaints of workload.
None of the nagging and infighting of team mates.
None of the complacency, low energy attitudes and the never ending, incessant,  meaningless galore that is work.

Wont it be nirvana if everyone can work together with such everlasting passion to solve anything and Everything?

In the very well researched book "For the Win", authors Kevin Werbach and Dan Hunter listed the 6 Steps toward Gamification
and how every work place can be Gamified. They listed the rules of motivation, the Game Elements and the pitfalls during Gamfication.
They acknowledged the obvious positives of Gamification, however admitted the difficulty of Gamification since not all types of work and work environment are as exciting as playing a massive video game- and not all human beings, with great myriad of personalities, are interested in playing games.

They further elaborated the Intrinsic (ways of making the actual work process fun/rewarding) and Extrinsic (badges, trophies, point system, ladderboard, prizes,lottery, cash) FUN methods  of Gamification. They  also listed real life examples of companies that succeeded and those that failed.

Alas, if only the authors have dived more into the area of self growth, the holy grail of Gamification might not be that far away!

No matter how much effort one puts into making Work a game, it will forever remain a Game, regardless of 6 Steps or 60
or 6000 steps!   After the period of infatuation (could be years, or a few mths or simply a few days or few hours), we are after all mere human beings with a high degree of self realization-  no matter how intrinsically devious one tries to brainwash oneself into believing that the Work process is a delightful game or how rewarding extrinsically it is to have medals and badges to show off to friends and family, these are all meaningless -selfgrowth wise- in the end.

And  once the infatuation phase is over, the FUN is gone, the emptiness returns and the game pales- much like  growing a virtual farm in farmville or growing an empire in cityville. or jumping from one mmorg game like world of warcraft to the the next latest hit
.
The players, tired and bored,  jump  from one form of emptiness to another, with the crave for meaningless fun to cover it all up!
While subconsciously, they are actually searching for true meaning amid the crave! 

So is Gamification bound to fail in the workplace?

No, if only......

The word of focus here is Selfgrowth.

First lets focus on the Extrinsic Reward part of the Gamification equation.

When was the last time an award or badge or trophy actually meant something?

I could recall the boy scout/girl scout program back  in the high school days, where students haughtily showed off their hard earned badges at the end of each year to their friends  and families.

I could also recall the Sales Leadership Awards Diploma given out to Sales and marketing managers who helped their sales team to victories month after month.

I could also recall seeing a child who actually spent his hard earn pocket savings to buy a "Best Father" trophy  for his dad during his high school graduation day!

It could be a high school or college diploma, an athlete medal, or a simple paper of Achievements Accolade.

It has meaning.

All these rewards symbolize achieving Selfgrowth- the growth of a person while  participating a particular Process-the growth of an innate skill or set of skills- something real, something truly to  be proud of, something to truly show off to ones friends and families, unlike some Farmville badge.

Some examples of Selfgrowth skill sets are Life skills,  communication skills, sales skills, self help skills, solve a charity problem skill, solve anything skill etc etc

One loves to self grow in Character, Skills , Knowledge, Selfhelp Wisdom, Achievements- for at the end of the road when one looks back at ones life, one can truly say "i led a meaningful life" - i didnt stay a child, i did grow meaningfully.

And one can forever grow off these elements. And never be tired or lose interest in it.

Have u ever seen a police officer renounce the stripes or badges of honor he earns?
Or a karate student renounce his hard earned black belt?
Never. Because it has meaning.
 It is something that stays with you your whole life- pride and honor.

Selfgrowth.

It has meaning.

Lets now go back and  focus on the  Intrinsic part  of the Gamification process.
 Instead of finding ways to make the Work process merely fun, why not make it both FUN and FULFILLING through the Learning module- a process where one grows in useful Knowledge, while having fun  of the work itself, where one is constantly learning, thus growing. - much like getting a high school diploma or college degree or a series of classes and quizzes to get that MBA.
Series or sub series of a diploma may be given upon passing each level of multiple choice or yes/no type quizzes- to encourage and celebrate progress.

For eg., take the case of a factory worker who assembles paper boxes. Maybe while assembling these boxes, he is being introduced, through audio, to the Paper box industry, the paper industry,  the origin and history of it, the business of it, the profitability and risk of it, the newest trend of the industry- much like taking a MBA class in paper boxes.   And each wk, he will take a simple yes/no or multiple choice quiz testing his weekly knowledge from his weekly learning process. At then end of 2 yrs, he may be more knowledgeable and street smart than the CEO about the business!  Now, that is meaningful Selfgrowth!

This Learning module makes a ton more sense, than trying to systematize the work process into just some FUN game, but meaningless in personal Fulfillment.  Any type of work can be structured into  a fun MBA class with a meaningful  series of diplomas to give out at the end. We are not saying dont throw in the FUN. But throw in both the FUN and Selfgrowth in learning.

 It is definitely more enticing and rewarding to show off to friends, colleagues, and families a series of MBA diplomas based on life time learning and trophies based on life time achievements ,such as best team leader award or best idea award than some meaningless prizes off some vip reward points card.

What if the module for Success can be thrown into the mix of Gamaification?

Success= lifeskills (selfhelp, plus social skill ) + sales and marketing skills +Good Morals

Teaching Success automatically encompass Good Morals as Success is tough to come by without good morals.

Lets take this concept one step further.

What if all jobs were merely paths to accelerated self growth, a forever fruitful, learning process, that one can be proud of at the end of the road versus some meaningless manual labor with zero value of reminisce?

To summarize, Gamification in the workplace is about providing accelerated selfgrowth (which one may lack in high school).
Why should the Human Resource function stops after recruitment? 
The Training for selfgrowth should continue at all levelsinfinitely.

Selfgrowh is  key.

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Blog Index:


On TImeline of Idu


Timeline, History, and whats new - idu


On Education-


Educating Morals and Ethics is about Simplicity -Yes! Michael Jordan can truly fly!



http://iduidu.blogspot.com/2012/10/is-sales-and-marketing-ultimate-savior.html

Is Sales and Marketing the Ultimate Savior to our Education System?!!



the Ultimate Ethics & Moral Education - Improv Theatre !??


Teaching Success and Good Morals in 60 days?! The age of Simplicity ......bringing back that lemonade stand

Teaching Success and Good Morals in 60 days?!- Part 2


Speed Reading and Speed Writing with superman, w/ anti-Kryptonite lasers


Simplicity Wins in Education - the single most powerful Word to teach success and good morals?!


The single Superhero Skill one could ever have... Even Superman cant beat this


Paying Students to attend school ?!


LifeSkills for Success- only for the privileged?!


http://iduidu.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-problem-on-affiliation-hereditary.html
The Problem on Affiliation - The Hereditary, Impossible Hurdle to a Perfect Moral Society?


On Future of Work, Perfect Team Chemistry, & “the Enabler”  to solve ALL Problems

http://idu1.blogspot.com/2015/12/ending-era-of-failures-why-good-ideas.html
Ending the era of Failures- why good ideas fail....the Perfect Team at a single click of a button- the non Star Trek approach


http://idu1.blogspot.com/2015/12/ending-era-of-failures-why-good-ideas_31.html
Ending the era of Failures- why good ideas fail....the Perfect Team at a single click of a button- PART 2


Future of Work = Aligning one's Passion and Life Purpose with Work


http://idu1.blogspot.com/2015/12/future-of-work-aligning-ones-passion_31.html
Future of Work = Aligning one's Passion and Life Purpose with Work - Part 2


How we got it all wrong in Gamification - the only One Variation that works


Finally, The Enabler to solve all social problems

On Charity and Non Profit Leadership-


Why Charities are getting it all wrong! Matching Passion to Charity


Revamping the Charity System with Passion Inc- is having maximum FUN the ultimate Savior to all Social Problems?!! Part II –Why Charities are getting it all wrong!


Matching Passion to Charity - Part 4- Finally, web platforms that combo "Passion, Cause, Skills" to solve all problems


Non Profit Leadership - Ambitious the totally Unambitious ?!!! You cant be serious.....


Non Profit Leadership - Ambitious the Unambitious PART B


the Super Lazy is truly Super! Charity the Lazy way





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On Saving Animals-


SOLVING the Animal Shelter Problem

http://iduidu.blogspot.com/2013/10/solving-animal-shelter-problem-part-2.html

Solving the Animal Shelter Problem-Part 2-Super Scrabily Scooby !



Solving the Animal Shelter Problem-Part 3. Single Best Idea- Cafe all Sanctuaries into Magical Kingdoms!

On Solving Traffic issues-

http://idu1.blogspot.com/2015/09/catch-that-cyclist-it-could-save-your.html
Catch that Stormtrooper-Catch that Cyclist! It could save your life



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Solving Traffic Gridlocks without a penny


Solving Traffic Problems


On Economy-


How to REVIVE the local small business economy in a recession and start a entrepreneur boom!The Triple win win win approach! The -new business SWAP OPTION-strategy


On Healthcare and Optimal Physical Performance-




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On Happiness and Purpose-


IDU  "6 Steps to Happiness"  QUICK SUMMARY   - 5 seconds to instant bliss…..but even 5 seconds is too long for  a superhero!


http://iduidu.blogspot.com/2012/03/idu-6-steps-to-happiness-part-1.html

Idu "6 steps to happiness" ==part 1



idu "6 steps to happiness" ==part 2



idu 爱嘟! HAPPY秘笈 - 幸福 秘诀 part 1

idu 爱嘟! HAPPY秘笈 - 幸福 秘诀 part 2



du 爱嘟! HAPPY秘笈 - 幸福 秘诀 part 3

http://iduidu.blogspot.com/2012/09/idu-happy-part-3.html


idu 爱嘟! HAPPY秘笈 - 幸福 秘诀 part 4

http://iduidu.blogspot.com/2012/09/idu-happy-part-4.html



idu 爱嘟! HAPPY秘笈 - 幸福 秘诀 part 5 final part



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