This document discusses gamification of wellness programs. It provides statistics on gaming participation and defines gamification as using game design techniques to engage and motivate people to learn and solve problems. The document outlines an incomplete history of gamification and discusses why organizations use it to improve employee and consumer engagement, knowledge transfer, and behavior change. It notes that 80% of current gamified applications fail to meet business objectives due to poor design and discusses important elements of game design for wellness programs, including using science-based learning principles. The presentation addresses whether to build or buy a gamification solution and concludes with an invitation for questions.

1. The Gamification
Of Wellness
April18,2013
Presenter: ClaireG.Herring

2. Is Gaming a Fad?
No.
When Atys was king of
Lydia in Asia Minor 3000
years ago….

3. Gaming Facts
69% of heads of household play computer or video games
97% of children play computer and video games
40% of gamers are women
The average gamer is 35years old and has been
playing games for 12 years.

4. What is Gamification?
A technique designed to engage and motivate
people to learn new information and solve
problems.

5. An Incomplete History of Gamification
1937 1984 2007 2009
B.F. Skinner’s
system of operant
conditioning
Charles Coonradt
“Grandfather of
Gamification”
Created and
released in Japan.
22 million sold
worldwide.
Local commerce,
social-networking
application

6. Why Gamification? What are the Pain Points?
• Lack of Employee/Consumer Engagement
• Lack of Knowledge Transfer
• Lack of Behavior Changes

7. Just Around the Corner
70% of Global 2000
Companies will use
Gamification Solutions
by 2015
Gartner Inc., 2012.

8. The Gamification of Wellness Today

9. But the Bigger News is…
80% of Current Gamified
Applications Will Fail to Meet
Business Objectives Due
to Poor Design
Gartner Inc., 2012.

10. Game Design is Tricky
• Lots of Ways to “Get it Wrong”
• Mismatching incentives with irrelevant behaviors
• Over-doing gaming
• Leaving loop-holes
Poorly-designed reward systems can
cheapen the learning experience

11. Wellness Training Now and in the Future
Present
Future
Formal corporate wellness programs
Wellness is primarily physical wellness
LMS of wellness information, newsletters…
Culture shift to lifestyle wellness
Mental wellness goes mainstream
Gamified, self directed, informal
learning opportunities

12. Designing for Success
1. What’s the objective?
2. How much time are you being given to train?
3. Where do your users work (on-the-go, sitting)?
4. How will you measure success?

13. 5 Elements of Great Games
1. Self-representation with avatars
2. Offers feedback
3. Competitive features
4. Time Pressure
5. Social interaction

14. Using Science to Design a Better
Training Application
• 70% of all new learning occurs informally.
• Extrinsic motivation doesn’t necessarily work.
• People can retain about 4 new pieces of information.
• Novel activities improve recall and knowledge
transfer.
• Coupling pictures with facts improves retention.
• Visual thinking speeds problem solving.

15. Gamifying - Build versus Buy
• Cost
• Core Competency
• Resources
• Timing

16. Questions and Discussion
Thank You!
Claire Herring
Claire.Herring@BlueOceanBrain.com