ANSWER

Gamification involves the application of gaming strategies and mechanics to enable problem-solving and learning activities in real-world situations. Similar to an online game, the user chooses an action in response to prompts, questions, and/or scenarios; and is rewarded upon completion of a task or goal. Rewards may include points, achievement badges or levels, or virtual currency.

Gamification has been utilized in a number of ways, but the two areas most relevant to BAs are in education and customer engagement.

Gamification is finding growing popularity as a self-guided training tool, replacing or supplementing other forms of training such as tutorials, instructional videos and classroom training. The user works through the lesson ‘game’, and actions or choices are scored according to the lesson plan. Hints and guided assistance can be triggered when the user makes an incorrect choice, and correct choices are given points or awards. The user is able to work at his or her own pace, and the interactive nature of gamified training can boost retention of the lesson content.

Gamification is also becoming widely used as a customer engagement tool. Points or badges are used to incent desired behavior. Interactive games can generate substantively higher user responses on tasks that would otherwise be considered mundane or boring. Research is showing that proficiency at the game is more important to users than success or achievements, and the most successful games are more complex and challenging so that users can see their proficiency increase with repeated play.

Gamification offers a new way of interacting with users that leverages natural inclinations to play and compete, and gives users a greater feeling of control over the interaction. For Business Analysts, the increased popularity of gamification within business environs could result in adaptation of requirements elicitation and documentation techniques to accommodate this new type of interaction. Perhaps ‘Game Design’ will be the next addendum to the BABOK.

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Sandy Lambert
Business Architect
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