Gamification — should start-ups be interested?
Fad or no fad, there is too much interest in gamification for it to be ignored
November 16, 2013:
It is easy to see why some new concepts like gamification can be deemed a passing fancy.Very often, there isn’t enough believable data or stories being told that help people understand the value of an emerging phenomenon.But entire corporations deploy people to delve into the space of gamification and invest resources in it (financial or others). And entire conferences all over the world are dedicated to the topic, drawing representation from large enterprises as well as entrepreneurs. ‘Gamified’, scheduled to take place in India next month, is no different.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
Mario Herger was global head of the Gamification Initiative at SAP, before he co-founded the Austrian Innovation Centre Silicon Valley in 2013. His experience involves encounters with how gamification efforts in the enterprise can help multiple departments such as HR, training, sustainablity and banking.
“Bringing an enjoyable experience to work will never be a short term fad, especially when you see the numbers. One larger fact about gamification that is still not understood is that a gamified system collects a large amount of data on the skills and progress of a player…reliable and measurable data on employees’ performance. You cannot get that kind of data through other means. Ask me again: does this sound like a fad?” he challenges.Mario sees opportunities for entrepreneurs in India. “The work at call centres can be very challenging, given the nature of the job. Cranky customers, late work hours, feeling isolated at work, often difficult topics to solve, can put a drag on the job satisfaction. A gamified call centre can certainly help better connect with co-workers, learn more, and serve the customer better for the benefit of everyone,” he says.
When Jagdish Repaswal founded MangoReader, he intended to change how children and young people experience reading.He now defines MangoReader as a learning company that uses gamification as a technique to make reading fun and interactive. But he points out that gamification cannot make a badly written book interesting.Can gamification as a technique have multiple benefits in any sector? Jagdish says, “When used appropriately, gamification can enable people to become proactively diligent about their work. People can even be incentivised to teach others or learn from each other. Social incentivisation used in gamification can help drive productivity and maintain desired behaviours.
“But you don’t just build a product and make it fit in a given scenario (corporate, for example); it is best if products are built with a clear need in mind.”
BELIEF AND ACTION
Across the world there are several firm believers in gamification, with the US leading the field as a slightly more mature market. But consumers are not quick on the uptake.More so in India as Rahul Bendre, Kshitij Saxena and Shobhit Aggarwal have experienced.Their venture, 5Shells, is a gaming company that develops interactive content to create a ‘unique training experience’.One of their products, KingPin, is an experiential learning game that takes trainees through negotiation tactics, leadership skills and strategic decision making to provide generic and individual feedback.
Shobhit Aggarwal, an external advisor to the start-up, says, “Many people tend to think that negotiation skills are not important.Then they tend to be concerned with the money that has to be invested in training managers and others in a soft skill such as negotiation. The idea that games can be good in the corporate sector does not sit well in many minds. But we’ve managed to crack through some of those mental blocks.”In spite of initial challenges, the 5Shells team claims the game stands 1 – 1.5 points higher on a scale of 10 when compared with other well-known training companies.Clearly, the support of the NSRCEL makes a difference here. Jagdish Repaswal’s MangoReader was also incubated at the IIMA’s Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship.
Bottomline: As debates continue and mindsets get broken over time, the gamification sector lies as wide open for Indian entrepreneurs as to their counterparts elsewhere.
(This article was published on November 16, 2013)
