The document lists common criticisms of gamification that the author has encountered and provides potential responses. It addresses criticisms such as gamification being a waste of time and not serious work, exploiting employees, not applicable to certain individuals or tasks, and not worth investing in. The responses emphasize how fun and games can facilitate learning and productivity, that rewards motivate most people, and that gamification has proven successful in various contexts.

1. Common Criticism of GAMIFICATION
(and how to respond to it)
by Mario Herger © 2011

2. Purpose
The following deck
lists some real quotes with criticism
of GAMIFICATION that I have
personally encountered.
I provide you with a set of replies,
in case you face similar situations.
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 2

3. The Serious Co-Worker
I DON’T NEED TO
WASTE MY TIME ON
FUN STUFF, I HAVE TO
DO SERIOUS WORK.
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 3

4. The Serious Co-Worker
I DON’T NEED TO
WASTE MY TIME ON
FUN STUFF, I HAVE TO
DO SERIOUS WORK.
Why do you consider fun and
serious work as exclusive?
World of Warcraft players
created the 2nd largest Wiki
after Wikipedia. Children
understand the world through
play and fun.
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 4

5. The “Humorous” Knows-It-All
LOL! DO WE MAKE NOW
A SHOOTING GAME OUT
OF PLANNING?
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 5

6. The “Humorous” Knows-It-All
LOL! DO WE MAKE NOW
A SHOOTING GAME OUT
OF PLANNING?
If a shooting game helps
us make planning faster,
guarantees better data,
and reduces costs, the
answer is: YES!
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 6

7. The Greedy Critic Or What does this say about her?
GAMIFICATION IS JUST
EXPLOITING
EMPLOYEES. NOBODY IS
GONNA DO THAT JUST
FOR POINTS.
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 7

8. The Greedy Critic Or What does this say about her?
GAMIFICATION IS JUST
EXPLOITING
EMPLOYEES. NOBODY IS
GONNA DO THAT JUST
FOR POINTS.
But maybe employees are having
fun? They like achieving goals?
Enjoy socializing and working
together? Profit from instant
feedback doing their job better?
And maybe they can exchange
points for real goods?
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 8

9. The Greedy Critic Or What does this say about her?
GAMIFICATION IS JUST
EXPLOITING
EMPLOYEES. NOBODY IS
GONNA DO THAT JUST
FOR POINTS.
BTW: Do you collect frequent
flyer mails? Participate in
loyalty programs? Feel good
when somebody praises you? …
Why would YOU do that and
appreciate it?
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 9

10. The What’s-true-for-me-is-true-for-everyone-else-Guy
I DON’T EVEN PLAY
FARMVILLE. WHO’S
INTERESTED IN PLAYING
THAT AND GROWING
FLOWERS AT WORK?
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 10

11. The What’s-true-for-me-is-true-for-everyone-else-Guy
I DON’T EVEN PLAY
FARMVILLE. WHO’S
INTERESTED IN PLAYING
THAT AND GROWING
FLOWERS AT WORK?
Maybe not you, BUT 84 million
people are. And very likely some
are amongst your colleagues and
fellow kettle herders.
Source: http://bit.ly/p0zmzA
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 11

12. The Bean Countress
GAMIFICATION?
WE DON’T HAVE
MONEY FOR THINGS
LIKE THAT!
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 12

13. The Bean Countress
GAMIFICATION?
WE DON’T HAVE
MONEY FOR THINGS
LIKE THAT!
If the investment saves
you 15%, helps you close
23% more deals, have
people finish projects
faster, and as side-effect
let people have fun, we
should spend the money.
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 13

14. The Throw-Every-Requirement-at-it
DOES GAMIFICATION
CURE CANCER? BRING
MAN TO MARS?
IF NOT, THEN FORGET
ABOUT IT.
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 14

15. The Throw-Every-Requirement-at-it
DOES GAMIFICATION
CURE CANCER? BRING
MAN TO MARS?
IF NOT, THEN FORGET
ABOUT IT.
A game just helped AIDS-
researchers solve a problem that
they couldn’t solve for the past
15 years. Link: http://fold.it
Maybe Gamification is *the* way
to get humans to Mars!
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 15

16. The Ivory Tower Critic
GAMIFICATION IS
BULLSHIT!
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 16

17. The Ivory Tower Critic
GAMIFICATION IS
BULLSHIT!
First: Watch your language.
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 17

18. The Ivory Tower Critic
GAMIFICATION IS
BULLSHIT!
First: Watch your language.
Second: Come back when you
are willing to give
constructive criticism and not
seek to satisfy your vanity
by aiming for cheap laughs
and thumbs-up from the mob.
© 2011 Mario Herger. All rights reserved. www.enterprise-gamification.com 18

19. What about you?
Did you have similar reactions from
colleagues, customers and friends
about Gamification?
Share them and your answers:
mario.herger@gmail.com
Twitter: @mherger
www.enterprise-gamification.com