Talk Learning With Me Gamification That Works for L&D - Talk Games and Learning with Garret Egan
Jul 17, 2025
Garrett Egan, a senior learning experience designer at Square with a tech and gaming background, shares insights on impactful learning through game design. He emphasizes the pitfalls of typical gamification, stressing that points alone don’t engage learners meaningfully. Storytelling is framed as crucial, allowing learners to envision themselves as heroes. Visuals play a dual role—they can enhance or detract from learning. Garrett offers practical strategies for rethinking onboarding and compliance training to create experiences learners genuinely desire to engage with.
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Avoid Pointless Gamification
- Avoid adding points or badges without purpose in learning experiences.
- Focus on engagement by applying principles from game design to truly drive behavior change.
VR Training Immerses Learners
- Garrett shared a VR training example where employees experienced the product to better understand customer perspective.
- Experiential storytelling made the learning authentic and immersive for employees.
Storytelling Drives Meaningful Rewards
- The real magic in gamification is storytelling combined with meaningful, job-relevant rewards.
- Rewards must feel valuable in the work context, beyond just digital badges or points.
