Focus on the Game Mechanics, Not the Game

Focus on Game Mechanics to Improve Productivity

A recent CMS Wire article discusses why the way companies use gamification is just as important as the decision to integrate game mechanics to increase productivity. The article also explains that ultimately it is not the game but the game mechanics that will make gamification have an impact on productivity:

“Another misconception: gamification isn’t about games, but about game mechanics. Users don’t need to win or lose an entire game experience to become involved. Additionally, enhancement needs to be targeted toward brand-supporting behaviors, such as a point system and leader boards in a community that leads to a substantial spike in community conversations and activity.”

Similarly to how business goals can still be beneficial to a company even if they were not achieved, gamification can still increase productivity even if the users do not fully complete their games. In fact, the difference between the user’s and manager’s perception of an unfinished game explains why game mechanics can motivate users so well; while users will want to continue to earn more points or finish the game, managers understand that the drive to keep playing is really what increases productivity. So the effectiveness of gamification should not be judged based upon a user’s completion of a game, but rather on how the game mechanics motivated the user to keep playing and ultimately increase their productivity.

Have you experience a gamification system that focused too much on making a game rather than making an engaging system? Share your thoughts below

Flickr CC Image by Melvin_Es