The last few years has shown us that, not only do grown-ups like to play an entertaining game (see Farmville), gamification can be used to trigger a desired behavior. Who could have predicted that leader boards, badges and achievement levels would spawn million dollar companies (see Foursquare and Gowalla)?
Brands and companies are finding new ways to capitalize on the human urge to compete. Increasingly, we are seeing elements of gamification appear in the medical, health, academic, financial and enterprise industries.
There have been many successes and many more failures. Gamification does not automatically lead to engagement, just as having a Facebook or Twitter account does not always mean you have successfully established a social media presence. Take for example, Nike’s Nike + program which allowed runners to share their activity with others. Great idea for the avid runner but a little intimidating for someone who needs more encouragement rather than competition.
While gamification is no exact science, it does require a set of elements that intersect to get to that ‘gamification sweet spot.’ Brands and companies are still trying to figure it out as they pour over last year’s case studies. This Venn diagram shows where the gamification sweet spot lies:
