Inject fun back into eLearning with gamification in your learning and development program
So you’ve heard about all of the supposed benefits of making learning more like gaming and want to get started. We’ve seen this through reduction in absenteeism rates, improved participation rates, and higher profit margins. See the examples below compiled courtesy of Yu-kai Chou, an author and international keynote speaker on gamification and behavioral design.
But where to begin? In this post we’ve outlined four tips on getting gamification in your company up to speed.
1. Focus On The Goals And Objectives
Organizational goals and objectives should be at the heart of your gamification corporate eLearning strategy. As a matter of fact, every game mechanic, gamification activity, and assessment should support the primary goals of your online training course. You must determine what employees need to know, how you are going to fill the performance gaps, and how you are going to measure your results.
Also, meet with your eLearning team to draft a rough outline and determine the key takeaways of the online training course. Go straight to the source by conducting surveys and focus groups to get employee feedback. They are going to be able to tell you exactly what they need and expect from the online training course, as well as what truly motivates them.
2. Choose The Right Game Mechanics
There are a myriad of game mechanics to choose from: Badges, leaderboards, points, raffle tickets, keys, and unlockable levels are just a few of the most popular options. The secret to a successful gamification corporate eLearning strategy is finding the ideal approach for your corporate audience.
While one mechanic might motivate and engage corporate learners, another may fall short of expectations. For example, some corporate learners will get the motivation they need from badges and points, but others might require a leaderboard that appeals to their competitive nature. It’s best to research all of the gamification elements that are available, taking the needs of your corporate learners and the subject matter into consideration.
3. Write a compelling storyline
If you really want to immerse your corporate learners and facilitate an emotional connection, you should integrate a compelling story into your online training course. Compelling storylines that include a conflict, memorable characters, and real world situations increase corporate learner interaction. Instead of just progressing through the levels and collecting badges or points, they are part of an exciting plot that features twists, turns, and takeaways.
Ask your subject matter expert to identify the main ideas and concepts you should include, then use them as a basis for your story. You can even integrate the story into a branching scenario or online training simulation to put your learnings right into the action. A word of warning: Your story should support the subject matter instead of grabbing all the attention. Avoid lengthy backstories and extraneous details that can cause cognitive overwhelm.
4. Offer immediate feedback
You can hand out badges and points or push your employees up the leaderboard, but your gamified corporate eLearning strategy is only effective if you include immediate feedback. For example, if a corporate learner does not earn enough credits to earn their badge, let them know why and what they need to improve.
Likewise, employees who reach the top spot on the leaderboard or unlock a special achievement should be given personalized praise. Motivation is the name of the game, and nothing inspires corporate learners more than appreciating and acknowledging their effort. So, let them know that you’ve noticed all of their hard work and give struggling corporate learners all the support they need to catch up.
It’s essential to do some audience research and take your time deciding on the right approach. Otherwise, you may end up using game mechanics that produce lackluster results, or rewards that motivate employees for all the wrong reasons.
Want to learn more about how gamification elements can be embedded into your LMS in order to achieve better learning and development wins? Get a free trial today and try it yourself.