insight | GAMIFICATION
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WE PLACE GAMIFICATION IN A DIGITAL FRAME, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. BUT GAME THEORY CAN EXIST IN THE PHYSICAL WORLD. NOT EXCLUSIVE TO ANY STEREOTYPED GROUP HARDWIRED TO GAMING - IT IS, IN FACT, FOR ANYONE WHO THRIVES FROM INTERACTIVE, COMPETITIVE AND ENGAGING LEARNING.
ARTICLE BY LYNSEY WHITMARSH, DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION - HEMSLEY FRASER
“Te rise of technology has meant that human attention spans are becoming shorter and expectations of levels of engagement higher, so organisations have to adjust their approach accordingly”
In a recent survey of HR and L&D professionals, run in conjunction with 5App, respondents indicated that they were excited about upcoming technologies such as; virtual reality chatbots and artificial intelligence. However, many also wanted to keep hold of established forms of conventional learning delivery, in order to achieve the optimum blended approach, and to satisfy a variety of learning styles. Indeed, a blended approach makes sense for many organisations, because it can have an effect on wider business goals which would traditionally lay outside the remit of L&D. Whilst we tend to think of blended learning simply as a mixture of digital and traditional elements, there is a need to think more expansively, to really optimise potential and outcome.
Increasingly, a blended approach includes; integrated communication platforms and key campaigns to create an ecosystem of different learning opportunities. This supports the learner in both professional and personal development, and that is why, for many organisations, a blended approach is preferred over a purely digital strategy - at least for today. Gamification can provide a really compellingly innovative approach for workplace development, and an indication that providers are anticipating the needs of today’s learners and understanding that the way we learn is changing to meet the challenges ahead. But in order to create a holistic experience, which adapts to the individual learner, organisations must consider many different learning styles.
Gamification can be a great addition to a learning experience, but its application needs
22 | thehrdirector | MAY 2019
to be appropriate, well thought out and attuned to the needs and expectations of learners that will benefit from it. Adopting a range of L&D components into an organisation’s learning strategy is an essential move in order to keep operational and business processes relevant and up-to-date, as well as engaging and empowering for users. But that doesn’t mean that tried-and-tested methods of learning should be abandoned completely - particularly not if they better meet the needs of the learner. The challenge for organisations now is to incorporate gamification into an environment which supports many different learning styles, and to ascertain which new technology will add value and engage learners. Does gamification make sense for the learner and for the desired skills outcome? That’s the hurdle which must be overcome.
The gaming industry has seen
astronomical growth of late, with 2018 going down as its best year on record. Gaming is now more accessible than ever and, as a result, worldwide revenue from digital games is set to surpass the £100 billion mark later this year – that is greater than music and movie revenues put together. That tells us something very important, insomuch as, there is a very real alignment with the gaming experience, which cuts across generations. Gone are the days when gaming was the sole resolve of teenage boys in dark bedrooms, losing hours in a virtual world. In fact, more than 2.5 billion people in the world play games on a digital platform - representing one third of the world’s population - whether that’s in our downtime away from the office, during our
commute or increasingly, within the workplace. For gamification, this means that when it is strategically and innovatively applied, we’re really pushing on an open door - albeit a virtual one.
The rise of technology has meant that human attention spans are becoming shorter and expectations of levels of engagement higher, so organisations have to adjust their approach accordingly. Also, the majority of the workforce is now made up of younger generations, and they have grown up with technology around them - they are digital natives who will expect a certain level of technological engagement in their development. But this is where the blended approach is so important to keep in the L&D frame, because the much-debated five generation workforce is a reality, and too great a focus on gamification today could alienate and create barriers for older employees, creating an age bias within employment. So the L&D strategy should be an engaging and compelling mix of virtual and reality, in order to optimise skillsets within the workplace and across the demographic.
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FOR FURTHER INFO
www.hemsleyfraser.co.uk
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