Gamification can enhance engagement in various aspects of life through rewards and game-like elements.
Ethical concerns arise regarding the implementation of gamification in workplaces, highlighting issues of transparency and potential manipulation.
Deep dives
Gamification in Everyday Life
The podcast delves into the concept of gamification, where various aspects of daily life are turned into games with rewards, such as completing tasks or reaching targets. Whether it's using points, badges, or leaderboards to make activities like work, learning, exercise, and politics more engaging, gamification is increasingly prevalent. Examples like fitness challenges using trackers and language learning apps with experience points showcase how gamification influences behavior.
Ethical Concerns of Gamification
Ethical concerns surrounding gamification, especially in workplaces, are highlighted, emphasizing the blurred line between fun and mandated play. The podcast explores how companies like Amazon use game-like elements to motivate workers but may inadvertently lead to overwork or unethical choices. Issues of lack of transparency regarding rewards and the potential for control and manipulation in gamified work environments raise questions about the ethical implementation of gamification.
Impact and Effectiveness of Gamification
The effectiveness and impact of gamification on behavior change and engagement are scrutinized, especially in areas like brain training. While gamification claims to enhance intelligence or offer health benefits, the podcast reveals the limited scientific evidence supporting such assertions, with concerns raised about exaggerated claims in the industry. Despite its potential benefits, the need for informed consent, transparency, and user agency in gamified environments is emphasized to ensure ethical and meaningful application.
Do you track your physical activity on your phone, count your daily steps, or how many calories you’ve burnt? Perhaps you are learning a new language using an app or have performance-related leaderboards at work? All these things are part of gamification – making everyday tasks more fun. But is all this gameplay good for us and is there actually any evidence that it works? Digital Planet this week explores the phenomenon of gamification with guests Adrian Hon, the CEO and founder of the games developer Six to Start and co-creator of one of the world’s most popular gamified apps, Zombies, Run! and Gabe Zichermann founder of six high-tech companies and author of three books on Gamification, including “Gamification by Design”.
The programme is presented by Bill Thompson with expert commentary from Angelica Mari.
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer
Producer: Ania Lichtarowicz
(Image: Gamification. Credit: Getty Images)
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