Want to spice up work? Apps can help you ‘game’ it up and make it fun
There's certainly no lack of buzzwords in today's tech world. And one that I'm going to give a little attention to is “gamification.”
Gamification describes a movement in the tech world to add game elements to non-game stuff. The purpose of gamification is to make boring, uninspiring tasks fun by triggering the part of your brain that made you or your kids play Tetris for hours on end.
Drive time
One recent example of the unique use of gamification comes from New York City, where the Department of Transportation is working with an app maker, Dash, to gamify driving in the city's five boroughs.
Dash's app connects a smartphone to a car, enabling the driver to get updates from the car's computer, much like a mechanic does. But on top of the updates on tire pressure, the app layers on game elements; for example, scoring a driver based on route choices and braking patterns. The pilot program, set to launch at the end of this summer, will put the technology in the cars of 500 volunteers.
Gamification is also happening in Massachusetts. In fact, it might be happening in your office without your realzing it.
Naureen Meraj, senior global director of gamification and strategic engagement for the IT firm NTT Data, lives in Shrewsbury and works from NTT's Boston office. She took experience as a high school counselor and parlayed it into her initial job at NTT, which was to work on better engaging the company's far-flung employees, many of them consultants working at client sites.
To increase the connection between employees and the corporate parent, Meraj said she “started using gamification tactics (to) get them to participate in activities.” For example, she held workshops with employees in which they were encouraged to list all of the company's problems.
“Everyone has a lot to complain about when you give them the opportunity,” she said.
After the venting session, attendees worked in groups to come up with solutions. They were then presented and the people who came up with the strongest ideas were given a prize (there's the game element). The prize was “more than just a gift card,” Meraj said, and could often include the chance for a one-on-one meeting with the CEO.
A help in training
While Meraj's application of gamification was decidedly analog, the same principles can work within technological applications. For example, NTT Data has management and sales learning modules that include gamified elements to help spur the participants and keep their interest up.
“Really, it's understanding your target populations, what their needs are, and what kinds of outcomes you're looking for,” she said.
Of course, corny games aren't going to be a magic cure for an unengaged audience, Meraj points out.
“You can apply all the game mechanics in the world, but if it's not something that person wants to do, they're not going to do it,” she said.
It's also worth noting that while the word gamification might be new, the concept is pretty old. Businesses have been running sales contests and other “games” to boost morale and drive results for decades.
For that reason, Meraj is confident that gamification is here to stay, even if the word itself falls out of favor.
“It does have a lot of staying power — as long as you apply it correctly,” she said.
Contact Christina H. Davis at cdavis@wbjournal.com.
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