Business Gamification For Dummies

Chapter 1

Gamifi-wha? Introducing Gamification

In This Chapter

Defining gamification and seeing what it does

Answering the question: Does gamification work?

Checking out who uses gamification

Developing a gamification program

Gamification. Say the word, and chances are the response will be, “Gamifi-wha?” It’s not even in the dictionary — meaning, ironically, that you can’t use it in a game of Words with Friends.

The fact is, the term just hasn’t made it to the mainstream vernacular — although we’re confident it soon will. Before August 2010, almost no one searched for the term gamification on Google. Starting in January 2011, however, searches have spiked. And according to Gartner, Inc., by 2014, more than 70 percent of Global 2000 organizations will have at least one gamified application. Some experts project that the gamification market will grow to $2.8 billion by 2016!

In this chapter, you’ll find out what gamification is, how it works, and who’s using it. You’ll also discover the basic steps involved in launching a gamification program.

Although the word gamification may ...