This week on the Gamification Roundup we have gamification enabling the opportunity to improve in a variety of ways. Gigya, which was once a widget company, has turned into a integrative social platform solution and now reaches a monthly user base of over 1 Bn. Prescription only iPad games have been developed for improving visual motor skills for autism and ADD sufferers. MetaNeer Labs is aiming to college lecture experiences by gamifying lecture attendance. Kris Duggan of Badgeville explains what smart gamification means and Zamzee aims to improve the lifestyle of sedentary children. Read the full roundup after the jump!
Gigya takes a bite out of the competition
Startup Gigya, has surpassed the 1 billion user mark for monthly users. According to Forbes, Gigya’s success has been attributed to its social network integration and gamification platform. While some similar services aim to just provide social network sign-in or sharing plugins, Gigya provides a comprehensive platform that includes all of these services, which cater to sites such as Forbes, Verizon, and Nike. Gigya currently consists of around 100 employees and expects to grow to 150 later this year.
Doctors handing out iPad Game Prescriptions
Clearly, if a doctor needs to approve its use, then it must be effective right? MedCity reports on a series of iPad games developed to improve visual motor skills for patients suffering autism, ADD, and other ailments. Created by a neuropsychologist and a developmental optomotrist, there are 16 total games in the The Oculomotor Therapy Program, improving patient reading, writing, attention and sensory integration. People who wish to use this app will have to be evaluated by a physician before being prescribed the game and those same physicians will actually have real time tracking of the patient’s use of the app.
MetaNeer Labs wants Students to Check-in to Lecture
Everyone’s had a class in college that they’ve skipped because they knew they could get away with it. MetaNeer Labs is attempting to combat this with their new mobile apps: CheckPlus and Hands Up. Opinno writes that students will be able to check into specific classes and earn points redeemable towards prizes such as free food and coffee. Hands Up will allow students to provide professors with real-time feedback on how well they understood the lectures. The mobile apps are currently being field tested at Stanford University. I know for a fact that free food and coffee is a surefire way to get students into class but will that actually improve their performance?
Duggan Explains Smart Gamification
Kris Duggan, CEO of Badgeville and one our speakers at GSummit, wrote a great article about online engagement in the Washington Post. Duggan states that traditional loyalty programs are “no longer relevant” and touches on a variety of points explaining why gamification works. He talks about why the web has changed the way traditional loyalty programs work, attributing such reasons to enormous web analytics, expectation of instant gratification, and the deep social context gamification can embed into the user experience.
The Spoilification of Motivation
While many people have begun to accept gamification in 2012, there is still criticism to be heard. The San Francisco Gate has an interesting article addressing the problem of motivation and the potential for gamification to essentially “spoil” those who use it. The article also takes a look at Zamzee’s wearable physical activity tracker and how gamification could help with children who have sedentary lifestyles.
