"Looking to gaming to motivate staff"

[unixronin]

An experimental grading system at Indiana University assigned 'experience' and 'quests' to make the educational process into something resembling a MMORPG.

Like in the popular online game World of Warcraft, the students were grouped into 'guilds' and had to complete quests solo, as guilds, or as 'pick up groups' with members of other guilds.

The article suggests that employers could follow a similar model to motivate employees from the "gamer generation".

Now who can foresee the potential for unintended consequences in this?

Comments

[mazianni.livejournal.com]

When I worked for an ISP back in the late 90s, the Unix/Network admins used to joke about making customer support reps have to navigate a MUD in order to ask questions. "Before you can consult the oracles you must first seek out the Torch of Clue..."

[argonel.livejournal.com]

To look for a bright side, at least we would be outsourcing ourselves instead of the company doing the outsourcing.

[genuine-snark.livejournal.com]

It's a brilliant idea, IMO. A lot of current research in psychological influence suggests using game mechanics to increase engagement and guide people towards goals in an organic fashion.

That's why when you're on LinkedIn or OKCupid, it shows you a %-complete on your profile, and gives you a hint of what you might do next to improve it. In game mechanics, the hint is even called a "mission."

As long as they're not constraining people's ability to pick their own options (i.e. 10 pts for any elective humanities, not 10 pts for Old White People History) I think it's great.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

This differs from what employers already do...how?