Enterprise companies can benefit and learn from big brand organizations such as AT&T, Xerox, and Nike gamification initiatives. Gamification in the enterprise is being used to educate, engage, collaborate and share within the workplace. Gamification is the use of game thinking and mechanics in a non-game context in order to engage users and solve problems.
So how is gamification being used at enterprise organizations?
Xerox Gamification Initiatives
Xerox looks at gamification across the organization to engage users, simplify processes, and compete for mind share. According to Xerox, consumers see about 3,000 media messages a day, pay attention to 52 and only remember four. With those stats, odds are slim that learning messages will make it to the employee’s final four. For this reason, Xerox Learning organizations are embracing gaming as a way to break through the clutter.
Xerox Learning is a three phase reinforcement model:
Foundation: Foundational knowledge
Immersion: Complex games
Reinforcement: Engaging games
AT&T Gamification Initiatives
AT&T believes in innovating through the education of gamification. CEO Randall Stephenson identified company GameDesk as a partner under the AT&T Aspire initiative. AT&T contributed $3.8 million, one of AT&T’s largest single contributions to date under AT&T Aspire, to vastly expand GameDesk’s reach to parents, students and educators nationwide through the development of a physical learning laboratory and a national online portal.
AT&T and the Foundation launched AT&T Aspire initiative that provides grants to schools and nonprofit organizations, supports research and offers job shadowing opportunities. The Foundation emphasizes interactive gamification solutions to solve complex problems in the educational system.
Gamification Initiatives At Nike
Nike+ and FuelBands have been outstanding and innovative when it comes to gamification. Companies can begin to see their return with global impact and meeting its consumer demands. Nike has even reported growth in its Nike+ memberships, boosting revenue in the company’s running category.
There are still concerns over gamification that come from a variety of disciplines. For example, managers fear a distracted workforce doing nothing more than playing games, but these managers may be unfamiliar with the modern behavioral techniques embedded within existing technology, systems and processes.
Corporate innovation is reaping opportunities and benefits from gamification. The opportunities for businesses are great – from having more engaged customers, to crowd sourcing innovation or improving employee performance. For companies, gamification is a tool and these tools must produce return on investment results.