Why Apply Gamification

Let’s face it, gamifying a training takes a lot of extra work. It’s easy to deliver information in a lecture. Shouldn’t it be the participant’s responsibility to take our information, remember it, and apply it? After all, they are adults. Why is it our responsibility to make it fun and engaging for them?

Some Talent Development folks are satisfied throwing some points, badges, and leaderboards (PBLs) at a training and being done with it. They don’t have the time and resources to consider other mechanics, develop player personas, create narratives, and determine KPIs.

They ask why they should do all this extra work. Participants should be motivated enough by PBLs.

In truth, there are many reasons why we would not apply gamification to a training, such as time, budget, interest/importance, no support from above, and there may actually be some types of training, you can’t gamify (we’re still looking for an example - so if you have an idea, please share it with us below).

But there are also many reasons TO gamify Learning and Development. Let’s look at three of the more obvious ones:

• Create interaction
• Overcome disengagement
• Provide opportunities for reflection

Here’s aSlideshare of pages pulled from the Travel Journal that participants build during the Sententia Level 2 Gamification Journeyman Certification. This gamified program (which also gives you 12 ATD, SHRM, and HRCI recertification credits) creates interaction, obliterates disengagement, and provides continuous opportunities for reflection and growth.