G for Gamification

"You have to play to become serious." — Clément Muletier

Gamification in a Nutshell

The principles of gamification (or ludification in French) were already in use 2,000 years ago in Lydia. At the time, they were designed to provide an escape — thoughtful and active — from an extremely difficult situation: famine. For more than 20 years, the Lydians alternated days of games with days of food, inventing many games such as dice, knucklebones and ball games to help them forget their hunger. A story that speaks volumes about the power of games and their social value.

Today, gamification refers to the practice of transposing the playful nature of games into contexts that are, by definition, not playful — the goal being to generate greater engagement and more active behaviours from participants. One of the most familiar examples is the merit points handed out in classrooms. Gamification principles also extend into the world of consumption — think discount vouchers, or the "Miles" system originally introduced by American Airlines as part of its loyalty strategy.

Gamification primarily works by shifting a user's mindset towards an offering, turning it into an experience. It's worth noting that every individual relates differently to play; Richard Bartle identified four player profiles: "killers" who enjoy destruction, "socializers" who thrive on player interaction, "explorers" who love discovery, and "achievers" for whom nothing can be left to chance. There are more than 50 mechanics associated with gamification — the gamified.uk blog even created a card game to help you navigate them — a true gamification of gamification.

What Does This Mean for Digital Transformation?

In the age of digitalisation, gamification is one of the most effective business levers available. In the field of community management, for instance, it can attract prospects, boost customer engagement and build long-term loyalty through contests and other playful interactions with the community. With the digital behaviours that have emerged from internet use, consumers increasingly want to feel in control of their purchasing decisions. Gamification therefore fits naturally into 21st-century marketing — particularly inbound marketing, which uses techniques designed to make consumers want to reach out to a company rather than being approached.

Within organisations themselves, gamification benefits all employees, provided they participate willingly and feel genuinely involved. For the company, it affirms positioning, drives innovation and improves performance. Bringing an element of play into the workplace brings teams together, develops collective intelligence and creative thinking — all in a more enjoyable working environment. Escape rooms, for example, are a great way to strengthen teamwork while revealing each person's strengths. The Lego Serious Play method uses the famous building blocks to develop a strategic approach that can, among other things, help solve problems and address complex questions. In professional training, quizzes, points systems and badges are also commonly used. "Serious games" go one step further, blending video games with knowledge transfer for a more immersive learning experience — as demonstrated by the Red Cross, which developed a First Aid training built around video game codes — an excellent way to reach a younger, gaming audience.

In Brief

Combining enjoyment, learning and performance — that is the guiding principle of gamification.

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