One of the latest trends in training is gamification. More and more companies are trying to revamp training. It is perceived as dusty & outdated so they are looking for new approaches to change this perception and gamification seems to be the solution.
Gamification is cool, it’s outstanding, it’s promising! But does it really solve the problem of training perception? It definitely brings a new breath if done well. Participants may consider it engaging, interesting and useful. If, on the other hand, the approach is not really inspired, the refreshing effect is missing.
I remember participating in a training program that was presented to us as interesting, with gamification, but which turned out to be a series of 4 debates based on case studies. The gamification consists on receiving a wooden piece of puzzle at the end of each debate with which, after the 4 sessions, we were able to assemble a shape of a product from our portfolio.
I considered the whole story a masquerade, a kitsch… Besides the fact that I didn’t learn much from those debates, I also end-up with an irrelevant 4-piece wooden puzzle (that I considered a waste)!
If you really want to introduce gamification as a way of learning, do it intelligently, considering the needs of the participants and the business context.