Top Talks for HR Gamification at GSummit 2013 SF

Using gamification in HR to engage with employees is becoming increasingly prevalent in modern enterprise, especially when it comes to training – see Deloitte’s Leadership Academy, for example. The speakers at GSummit 2013 recognize the power of games in this context and there’s a strong number of sessions devoted to this topic.

Check out my top sessions for HR gamification that you’ll want to make sure you see this year.

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The Transformative Power of Social Games with Asi Burak

Last week we had a special episode of the Gamification Revolution, the only live gamification webcast featuring Gabe Zichermann and fellow gamification experts happening every Monday at 1PM ET/10AM PT/1800 GMT. We were lucky enough to have Asi Burak, Co-President of Games for Change, and speaker at GSummit SF 2013 for a little Games for Change special episode.

Watch this week’s episode to get hear Asi’s approach towards social impact games and why he believes games are the best medium for affecting change. In essence, games are a unique medium to convey stories. Traditional medium simply tells you what to believe and what is or isn’t right. Games are unique in that they enable a player to experience multiple perspectives on an issue and allows them to make a personal conclusion through player choice and actions. Learn more about Asi’s approach below:

Download this episode (right click and save)

Be sure to check out the Gamification Revolution next week to see legendary designer, Jesse Schell, as our next guest.

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Prominent Gamifiers: Asi Burak

As the Co-President of Games for Change, Asi Burak has had a long career using the transformative power of games to promote greater social good in the world. Asi’s path to social impact games began with his education in a Masters of Entertainment Technology from Carnegie Mellon and a BA in Design from the Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem. His initial work in mobile gaming with Axis Mobile has led to many significant projects that has been picked up by international media outlets. Some of this exceptional work includes:

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The Hidden Implications Behind the NRA Shooting Game

The NRA has just released a free iOS shooting game one month after the Sandy Hook Tragedy and blaming the video games industry for excessive gun violence.

It is particularly easy to see how hypocritical it is for the NRA to release a shooting game of their own, despite having blamed video games themselves. The obvious criticisms about the game have already been well stated by The Huffington Post but there’s something even more reviling that I haven’t heard anyone mention:
There are microtransactions in this game 

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GSummit SF 2013 Speaker List Now Available – Early Bird Discount Ending Tomorrow

Last month, the legendary Jesse Schell was added to the GSummit speaker roster and as of today, the full GSummit speaker list is now available for viewing. The full list may be available now but there are some more surprises and secrets that will be revealed in the next three months as we count down to GSummit SF this April 16 – 18.

This GSummit speaker list is proving to be very strong and features thought leaders from newly-attending companies such as Autodesk, Mckinsey, and Gametize to talk about how gamification is changing loyalty, consulting, and in other regions of the world.

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How to Use Badges for Positive Growth

It isn’t uncommon to hear the gamification sphere talk about the dangers of using badges. People claim they are typically used as an extrinsic reward, which leads to consumers quickly losing interest in gamified applications and services. Couple this danger of using badges with Gartner’s prediction that 80% of gamified solutions will fail by 2014 due to poor design, companies and designers looking to adopt gamification as a strategy to meet business objectives need to be aware of useful implementations.

That said about being meticulous on design, badges can still be used effectively as a positive growth tool. This past spring and summer, Global Kids—a premier non-profit organization dedicated to developing youth leaders that come from underrepresented demographics—conducted a beta-tested study on “Six Ways to Look at Badging Systems Designed for Learning”.

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Top Career Opportunities and Jobs in Gamification

One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is how to build a career in or with gamification. The industry is growing rapidly, with companies on track to spend over $2.5Bn directly on gamification products and services by 2016, with at least 5,000 jobs created as a result. But because gamification cuts across industries and functions, it’s not always immediately obvious what job title best suits a “gamifier” and what kinds of companies need your skills.

So I’ve pulled together my thoughts on the top job opportunities with gamification, based on different underlying skills/interests.We do know that demand for gamification skills is up 293%, so the opportunities are certainly there.  In some cases these are new job types entirely — in others they are the roles where you should have a significant “bump” in marketability with gamification experience. Regardless of which path you choose, consider earning your certification in gamified design at GSummit in April — it will doubtlessly help bolster your marketability.

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Les Boucles de Gameplay dans la Gamification

Le Game Design au service de la Gamification

Pour commencer il est important de rappeler que le Game Design et la Gamification sont deux champs distincts. Je vous invite à lire le très bon article de Gabe Zichermann à ce sujet à l’adresse http://cpc.cx/6gC.

Dans le développement d’un jeu les game designers utilisent les boucles de gameplay, qui permettent de mettre en place les mécaniques et le fun des jeux vidéo.

En tant que Game Designer j’utilise beaucoup les boucles de gameplay dans la gamification afin de structurer les mécaniques.

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Why Bother with Games in Education?

Gamification/game-based learning and schools can be either complementary or, depending how it is done, make things worse. Using games in education, according to a paper published by two Columbia University educators, Joy Lee and Jessica Hammer.

The good news about gamification is…

Gamification in the classroom can be a particularly effective motivational tool for engagement. It can also be a enable teachers to closely guide and reward their students and bring the students into a truly immersive way to learn. Then there’s the fun and joy in a learning experience that result in a “blurring of boundaries” between the formal and informal learning that students will experience all their lives.

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Top Articles by Gamification Experts in 2012

We’re about halfway done with our Best of 2012 series and today we’re going to look at top gamification posts by gamification experts in 2012. Read on for outstanding advice about design, the pitfalls of gamification, top trends in loyalty, and what gamification will really mean going forth in 2013. Gamification experts will always have a voice on GamificationCo and we invite anyone who has something to say to step up to the plate.

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Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Gamification in 2013

In a recent Inc.com article by Erik Sherman about Trends to Ignore in 2013, Sherman is quick to dismiss gamification. I wholeheartedly agree with some of Sherman’s claims because a gamification effort that isn’t backed by appropriate goals and business models is simply just a gimmick and/or an ineffectual game. However, when Sherman speaks to the Hawthorne Effect and the whimsical nature of games, which is to say that this yet another dismissal of gamification without a full understanding of what it even means.

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Behind the Scenes Notes from gsummitX Tel Aviv

We had a great gsummitX in Tel Aviv on Christmas Day, with a standing room-only crowd and great speakers. We’ll soon share some of the videos from the event, but in the meantime you might enjoy reading my notes. I took these from listening to the varied speakers and then did an impromptu presentation where I responded to their assertions and highlighted their most interesting comments. My handwriting isn’t the best, but the topics are fascinating.

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How to Gamify Your Goals: A Step By Step Guide

When I started gamifying my goals last year, I didn’t think it would become something worth sharing. I simply wanted to create an effective system for tracking and achieving my goals – especially the ones that were in dire need of motivation. Despite its humble beginnings, this gamified system has far exceeded my expectations, and has even helped me acquire a dream job of sorts. It’s done a great deal of good for me, so I’d like to pass it along to you (in excruciating detail, of course).

This article contains the nitty-gritty details on the process of gamifying goals, along with a set of techniques that will help you get the most out of the system you ultimately create for yourself. So if you have (or intend to soon have) a challenging goal that would benefit from higher levels of motivation, it may be worth your while to read on.

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