Gamification: Definition, Tools, Applications, and Examples

What is Gamification?

Gamification is a technique in which games are added to a non-game environment which helps in keeping the people engaged. Gamification is performed so that consumers can be attracted and engaged and partners can be invited for collaboration. This is a technique in which a game-like environment is produced for the motivation and engagement of users. Game principles and game design elements are used for gamification.

Types of Gamification

There are different types of gamifications which we will discuss here in detail ?

1. Educational Gamification

Gamification can be introduced in the field of education where mathematics can be taught by playing games. Gamification can be used to improve the learning and teaching process as it will keep the students engaged in their studies. This will also increase the participation of students in various events. Gamification can also be used to arrange competitions in which rewards can be given to the winners on the basis of points challenges, and missions.

2. Gamification based on Rewards and Achievements

This is a type of gamification in which emphasis is given to the challenges and goals that individuals can achieve. In this type of gamification, users are offered to set the goals and accomplish them as per the time they have set. This will be rewarding for them and they will also be able to enhance their self-development.

3. Social and Collaborative Gamification

Another name for this type of gamification is cooperative gamification. This is a type of gamification in which teamwork and collaboration are used to accomplish a goal. The team members have to work together to meet a challenge so that collective goals can be accomplished.

4. Level-Based Gamification

This is a type of gamification in which users have to follow a learning process which is divided into stages. Users have to start from basic and proceed towards advanced stages which will help them, in meeting the complex challenges and getting rewards.

5. Structural Gamification

This is a type of gamification in which materials and processes are used to develop new elements. This is a game of content in which the content is presented which is not similar to the serious content. The game content will not disturb the actual text and mechanics but will help users to progress in their careers and win rewards.

6. Content Gamification

This is a type of gamification in which the learning content is converted into a game which helps the learners to get more engaged. This helps students to get more skilled and gain the ability of performing important tasks.

How does Gamification work?

Gamification works on the basis of game design elements which help in creating interactive games. The elements used to make the gamification work are discussed here ?

1. Points

Points and badges can be used to give rewards to the users who have achieved certain goals and have progressed in their career or education. Each action should be rewarded with points. The points system can be used for the motivation of the learners. Points can be given to the learners on the basis of their achievements and progress.

Another usage of points is to unlock the advanced levels in the game. Absolute status points can be given for the measurement of the amount of progress made by a learner. Marginal status points can be given to the progress of a learner in a given time.

2. Badges

A badge should be awarded to the users for their achievements which will help them to become a master in their field. These rewards and badges will help users to be engaged in accomplishing the tasks. Badges and achievements can be used for the motivation of individuals. They promote guidance and increase self-confidence and efficacy. Users are satisfied with the accomplishment of their goals which promotes engagement in other tasks.

3. Leaderboards

A leaderboard is a board in which rankings of the players are displayed on the basis of points. The rankings displayed on the leaderboards help participants to get more engaged in doing their tasks which helps them in winning the competition. It is also a motivating factor among the participants. Leaderboards let users know their position in a game or competition. Black hat or white hat techniques can be used to make a leaderboard. There are five ways in which leaderboards can be organized. These ways are ?

• Geographically
• Socially
• Level of experience
• Contextually
• Time period

4. Progression and Levels

Users or participants have to gain points so that they can progress in a game. They have to cross different stages so that they can get more points by accomplishing the given tasks. This enhances the feeling of engagement in the game and users also get a feeling of growth.

5. Rewards and Incentives

Rewards and incentives are the motivating factors which should be given to the participants who achieve their goals and accomplish the given tasks. The reward can include additional payment, incentives, accessing different types of content related to the interest of participants, and many more. This is a way of motivating users and they can work hard to get more rewards.

6. Role Playing

Gamification is a process in which participants have to play different roles so that they can meet the deadline related to the challenge. This will also add emotions to the game environment.

7. Teammates

Teammates help users to interact with each other and make plans so that a given challenge can be met. Connection and collaboration between teammates make it easy to accomplish even the most difficult tasks.

8. Progress and Feedback

Progress and feedback help learners to know about their rankings in achieving their goals. There are different methods that can be used to measure progress. This measurement forces the learner to think about improvement so that they can achieve their goals at a fast pace.

9. Guilds

Guilds are also known as teams as per some gamification designers. It is also known as communities, alliances, and clans. Guilds are a group of people which is created to achieve a single goal. Different factors are to be considered to make a guild or team. A team can have any number of members. It is useful to make a team so that knowledge can be shared.

10. Physical Rewards and Prizes

Different types of physical rewards should be given to users who have achieved their goals. These prizes act as a motivating factor and the individuals or teams can perform better in the next game. The rewards can be given by managers, employers, websites, etc. Some of these rewards can be an increase in salary, giving a gift voucher, and many more.

11. Random rewards

Users can be kept engaged in their tasks by providing random rewards. This can be surprising for the award winners. These rewards will help users to continue the game with more enthusiasm.

12. Social Discovery

Social discovery is a way which users can use to make connections and relationships with other users. Users will be able to meet new people either virtually or physically. They will also be able to establish relationships in the game or completion.

13. Time-Dependent Rewards

Time-dependent rewards are a type of reward which are given at some special moment like achieving a goal, birthday, anniversary, and many more. These types of rewards are also motivational. Besides birthdays and anniversaries, a specific time period should be given to achieve a goal and a prize can be given if the task is accomplished successfully.

14. Progress Bar

Progress bar is considered as one of the effective techniques which help user to know about their progress. Progress bars lets the users know about the amount of progress that they have made in a game and the remaining amount that they have to complete.

Software Applications for Gamification

There are many software applications that are used for gamification and we will discuss some of them in detail ?

1. Duolingo

Duolingo is an online gaming app which can be used for free. This is a language gamification app which users can use to learn more than 94 languages. Currently, the app is being used by more than 500 million users. Teachers can use the app to teach a language to their students in a gamified way. The lessons and assignments available on the app can be easily customized.

2. Arcademics

Arcademics is an app in which multiple users can play educational games. Different types of games are available in the app like math games, language games, and many more. All the games are available for free. Arcademics Plus is an app which can be used by teachers and parents to see the progress of their students.

3. Jotform Quiz Maker

Jotform Quiz Maker is an app which can be used to make different types of quizzes. Different types of features can be added to the games like conditional logic, calculations, and other topics. Data can be managed with the help of automated dashboards and graphs.

4. Xperiencify

Xperiencify is a platform for gamification which can be used for engaging students with the help of points, countdowns, and other elements of gamification. This helps in motivating the students so that they can reach the goals which they have been given to achieve.

5. Brainscape

Brainscape is a flashcard app which uses cognitive science gamification software which helps students to learn by repeating more challenging concepts. A flashcard is available for everything in the app. The app also allows the users to create their own flash cards.

6. Cerebriti

Cerebriti is a gamification software that was developed in Spain. This software allows users to create their own educational games. The app also allows students to play games made by teachers and other students. This helps in making the learning process easy. The games are available for children of every age and subject.

7. BookWidgets

BookWidgets is a software application which can be used by students of all classes and subjects along with teachers and educators. University lecturers and professors can also use this software application The application consists of more than 40 digital exercise templates which can be used to create different types of exercises. These templates can be used on smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. Feedback and grading systems are also available in the app.

8. ChemCaper

ChemCaper is a software application that is developed by teachers. The software has been developed to teach the basic as well as advanced concepts of chemistry. Students can also find a periodic table in the app.

9. Course Hero

Course Hero is a gamification app which consists of fundamental features and users will also get badges for their achievements. The study material is available 24/7 and users will also get support for homework, explanations, and textbook solutions.

10. Edmodo

Edmodo is a free app that can be used for sending messages and sharing training materials. These messages and training materials can be accessed from anywhere. Edmodo also helps parents to keep a track of what their children are studying. They also know about their progress.

Gamification Strategies

There are many gamification strategies which organizations have to think about before planning a competition for gamification. Here we will look at some of these strategies ?

The long view should be taken

An organization should plan gamification in such a way that users can be kept engaged till the time the competition or the game is over. Gamification should not be too complicated as it will lead to a decrease in the enthusiasm of the participants. The game should be designed in such a way that goals can be easily achieved in the beginning and then users move to advanced levels.

Big rewards should not be emphasized

Organizations should go for only small rewards and big rewards should be planned occasionally. If big rewards will be planned often, this will become a burden on the organization as a lot of money will be spent. Organizations should think of such awards which not be a burden but it will motivate the employees to play the game enthusiastically.

Implementation of scoring systems

Organizations should implement a scoring system which will let the users know their position in the game. This will also help users know about the goals that they have to achieve and their progress can also be seen through the scores. Usually, in the corporate environment, users will have to go for the accomplishment of large goals. They have to achieve the goals within the rules of the game.

Only winners should not be rewarded

It is better not to celebrate the top-performing individuals but each participant should be given importance which can be considered as a huge win. Besides rewarding the top performer, other participants should also be rewarded.

Gamification in Healthcare

Gamification is being used in healthcare to improve the health of the patients. Here are three ways in which gamification can be used in healthcare ?

• Progress bars ? Progress bars can be implemented to let the patients know about the progress in their health.
• Sharing progress results ? Patients can share the results of their health progress with their friends and family.
• Providing rewards ? Rewards should be given to the service providers at each stage to motivate them to provide service.

Healthcare Apps and Gamification

There are many healthcare apps which help patients to monitor their health and manage their conditions. The competition in healthcare services has increased and it has led to the inclusion of gamification in the healthcare apps. Here we will discuss about different types of apps where gamification can be included ?

• Fitness and wellness apps ? Fitness apps can be used to include challenges in the exercises which patients have to do. Patients will love to play such games because of the competition and achievements. Wellness apps help users to perform mental health exercises. They can also implement techniques for stress management and go for healthy dietary habits. Users can become healthy due to the rewards and badges which are provided by the apps.
• Chronic disease management apps ? These apps are beneficial for the healthcare providers and patients. If gamification is included in these apps, it helps in motivating patients who suffer from chronic diseases. The patients can keep track of their medications and they will earn points if they follow the schedule. Patients can use these points to get real-world rewards. These rewards will help patients to get motivated and follow their medication schedule.
• Mental health and mindfulness apps ? Developers can include gamification in the healthcare apps which helps in creating an environment which is good for mental health. The apps are also able to manage stress. There are some apps which help users to mediate. The more meditation they do, the more advanced levels they will reach.
• Medication Adherence Apps ? These are the apps which help users to know about the medicines that they have to consume., The apps also tell the time of taking the medicines. These apps provide badges if patients take their medicine regularly and on time.
• Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Apps ? These are the apps in which gamification is included and users can go for physical therapy. There is a sensing device which is used to sense the motion and movements of the body.

Gamification in Education

Gamification is being used in education to make students get engaged more in learning. Gamification can also be used in motivating them so that they can meet their goals like completing homework, doing projects, etc. easily. Gamification can also modernize the education system which will help in developing EdTech products.

Benefits of Gamification in Education

There are many benefits of using gamification in education and some of them are discussed below ?

• Developing interactive products ? Game elements can be used by software, product, and technology companies so that engaging and interactive education products can be developed. Different types of learning solutions can be created which students can use to enjoy while learning their subject.
• Personalized learning journeys can be created ? Learning journeys can be personalized with the help of gamification. Students can have practical learning experiences so that various levels of skills can be developed. Content can be created on the basis of the performance and progress of individual students. Students can learn everything by themselves and develop their skills by using the gamified products.
• Education solutions are effective and relevant ? Gamified education systems can generate data which can be beneficial for students and online program managers. The data that online program managers receive is related to the performance of the students, their level of engagement, and the style of learning that they prefer. This aspect also helps in developing the course content and making the education programs effective.
• Students prefer interactive learning experiences ? Today is the era of technology and students want to have interactive learning experiences. With the usage of gamification, education can be made effective and modern learning preferences of students can be fulfilled. There are many gamification elements which software development companies can use to create an environment which will be liked by the modern learner.
• Education content of different types can be developed ? Different types of content will keep the students engaged in their learning. Gamification can be included in coding exercises, skill development courses, language courses, mathematical problems and solutions, engineering content, healthcare content, and many more.

Usage of Gamification in Education

There are many ways in which gamification can be used in education and we will discuss these ways here ?

• Interactive Learning Modules ? Gamification can be introduced in education by creating and developing interactive learning modules. These modules can be used to make traditional lessons interactive by including game elements. The learning modules can be made interactive by adding quizzes, challenging puzzles, and many more.
• Collaborative Challenges ? Students can form a team to go for collaborative challenges. This will help students in communicating with each other and resolve complex problems. They can also share their experiences and goals and develop problem-solving abilities.
• Reward System ? A reward system can also be included by introducing gamification in education. This system will motivate students if they get rewarded for their achievements. Students will also try to improve so that they can win more rewards. Students can see their progress on the leaderboards.
• Real-World Simulations ? Real-world simulations are also good for education. Students will be able to get practical knowledge as they will be able to perform scientific experiments and will also be able to manage virtual tasks. Students will be able to deeply understand the concepts as the distance between theory and practical will be reduced.
• Competitive Quizzes ? Competitive quizzes are another way of engaging students in the learning process. Students can go for the quizzes individually or they can form a team for providing the answers. They can compete with other individuals or teams and enhance their knowledge and skills.
• Progress Tracking ? Progress bars can be used to track the progress of each individual. This is a technique which lets the students know about their progress in their learning. Feedback given on assignments and quizzes will also motivate students to perform better.

Gamification Rewards

There are different types of gamification rewards which can be provided to the learners so that they be motivated and encouraged to perform better to get more rewards. The different types of rewards used in gamification are discussed below ?

1. Fixed Action Rewards

Fixed action rewards are a type of reward which can be earned very easily as the users know what they have to do to get the reward. Loyalty programs of different flavors can be arranged and users should be motivated to earn points. Examples of this type of reward include flyer miles or punches on the card.

This type of reward helps in winning the loyalty of the customers. These rewards can force the customers to come daily to the online or offline shop and earn punches on their cards so that they can collect the reward.

2. Random Rewards

Random rewards are a type of reward which are unpredictable and can be given to a winner who completes a particular action. The winners do not know the type of reward they will get. This helps the organizations to keep their customers engaged. Random rewards are surprising and nobody knows what type of reward they will get. Random rewards are given by companies in mystery boxes.

3. Sudden Rewards

These are the rewards which customers do not get for doing an action. These are the rewards that depend upon sudden triggers. Sudden rewards can make the customers happy as they get a chance to win it and this forces them to visit the website repeatedly.

4. Rolling Rewards

Rolling rewards are also known as lottery and it is given to a selected number of winners. People have to participate in an event or purchase a lottery ticket to win the reward. The chances of winning increases if people purchase more number of tickets.

5. Social Treasure

Social treasure is a type of reward which a user receives from his or her friend. These rewards cannot be bought or earned. These are something that is given to a person if his friend wants to do so. Companies use social treasures so that people can involve their friends. The companies provide rewards in the form of discounts or referral fees.

6. Prize Pacing

Prize pacing is a type of reward which depends on a small piece at a time. In order to win the reward, customers have to earn all the pieces. If a participant is able to earn a few pieces only, he will be able to get a tangible reward.

Myths related to Gamification

There are many myths regarding gamification and we will discuss some of them here in detail.

Gamification is related to games

People think that gamification has a relationship with games but it is not true. Gamification is a process in which game elements like rewards, badges, feedback, points, etc. are used in non-gaming environments. Quizzes and leaderboards can be included which helps learners to get engaged.

Gamification can be used by children only

It is a myth that gamification can be used by kids only. Adult learners can also be benefitted from gamification. It is observed that adults give more responses to gamification in the learning process in comparison to kids. They can make their goals and can also include their own content. Gamification can also provide feedback to the adults and let them know about the progress in their learning.

Gamification can be costly

Gamification is not costly as the technology is getting advanced and many e-learning platforms are available for free or at low cost. It is also time-saving and makes learning more engaging.

Gamification is of a single size and fits everywhere

Gamification can be tailored as per the requirements of a learner. It is flexible and can be customized for a learner according to his or her goals. It can be beneficial for teachers and trainers also. Different types of game elements can be used to customize gamification as per the requirements of a learner.

Gamification leads to distraction

This is another myth where it is assumed that learners are distracted due to gamification but it is not true. Research has shown that learners get more focused on their learning. They get the feedback immediately which helps them know about their progress.

Gamification cannot be used for tough topics

There is a myth that gamification can be used only for easy topics but this is not the case. Complex topics can also be taught by using gamification. Gamified simulations can be created for healthcare professionals. Content can also be created for engineering and science students to make their learning enjoyable and engaging.

Gamification focuses on rewards only

Rewards are an important part of gamification but it also motivates learners by showing them their points, progress, and achievements. Badges and rewards are provided to the learners on the basis of their achievements.

Advantages of Gamification

Gamification has many advantages and we will discuss some of them here ?

• Classroom engagement is increased
• Information can be easily retrieved and retained easily
• Learning becomes effective and is full of fun
• Students get addicted to learning
• Gamification provides access to real-world applications
• Learning experience of the learners is enhanced
• Gamification increases motivation in students
• Social interaction is increased
• Students can get instant feedback for their assignments and tests
• Cooperation and teamwork is promoted

Disadvantages of Gamification

Gamification has a few disadvantages which are listed below ?

• It is expensive to develop gamification
• Maintenance of developed games is difficult as they soon become outdated
• An overload of game elements can lower down the motivation
• Game elements can collect and share personal data which can lead to privacy issues
• Access to a computer and internet is required which can be difficult to purchase.
• Continuous exposure to computers can affect the eyes
• Gamification can lead to addiction to games
• Students do not pay attention to other ways of learning like hands-on experiments
• The learning needs of all students cannot be met

Conclusion

Gamification is a way of including gaming elements in a non-game environment. This technology is being used to make learning easy, effective, and full of fun. Gamification is also being used in many organizations for sales and marketing purposes. A few disadvantages of gamification are also there like addiction to games, difficulty in purchasing computers, expensive development, and many more.

FAQs

1. Is gamification used only for learning?

No! Gamification is not only used for e-learning but it can also be used in marketing financial services, advertising, etc.

2. Do games in gamification help in learning?

Yes! Games in gamification help in learning but it depends on the quality of the game and its design. The game should be designed in such a way that it should be able to explain concepts in detail which could be easily understandable.

3. How does gamification work?

Gamification works by including different types of game elements to create a game structure. These elements will help in making the learning effective and they will also become motivating factors. The game elements used in gamification are ?

• Points
• Progress and Feedback
• Leaderboards
• Guilds
• Physical Rewards and Prizes
• Badges
• Random rewards
• Social Discovery
• Time-Dependent Rewards
• Progress Bar

4. How does gamification help in marketing?

Organizations arrange loyalty programs for increasing the engagement of customers. Mobile apps used for loyalty programs have game mechanics like point systems, rewards, badges, etc. which help in motivating the customers to get in touch with the brand.

5. How is gamification beneficial for learners?

The gamification is beneficial for the earners in the following ways ?

• Learners have a better learning experience
• The learning environment is better in comparison to the traditional counterpart
• Students get instant feedback for their assignments
• Most learning needs of the students can be met