Implementing Gamification? Consider These Tips

Posted by Karl Kapp on June 23, 2015

Here are some tips for implementing gamification.

Align. Align game and gamification tools, methods and content with curriculum content objectives. Don’t just gamify or add game elements randomly, make sure the tools and methods match learning and curriculum outcomes. You should always be able to tie your gamification activities directly to learning outcomes.

Inform. Before launching wide-scale gamification efforts, provide information to stakeholders on emerging gamification implementations in organizations that have show business results. Showcase and explain what works and what doesn’t work when implementing gamification. Remain in control and don’t let extraneous game elements or tangents throw off your main focus which is LEARNING.

Prepare. Brief leaders, instructional designers and decision makers on what gamification is and isn’t. Too often there are mix definitions of gamification and no one is on the same page in terms of expectations or expected outcomes. This is bad.

Agree. Agree on expected outcomes of the gamified learning experience. If desired outcomes are not decided upon in advance, you’ll never know if success was achieved or not.

Experience. Team with experienced and “proven” providers of gamification paltforms and design to provide professional quality experiences for learners. Gamification is the word of the day, don’t just blindly follow someone who learned to spell it last week. Look for vendors and consultants who truly understand gamification in terms of how it applies to learning.

Gamification Resources to Learn More:

Books

To learn about gamification and games for learning:

Lynda.com Courses

If you’d rather check out an online course on gamification, go to the following link for a ten day free trial at Lynda.com.Check out Karl’s Online Course The Gamification of Learning at Lynda.com

The Gamification of Learning explores how to use game concepts to make your learning design engaging.

You can also check out my course on Grant Writing for Education.

Click here to visit a catalog of Resources on this subject.

Posted in: Gamification