When I was a kid, I was always liked to play - like most children. I used to make up games with my action figures, set up scenarios around the house and garden and then act them out. I would set little rules up to dictate how the action figures could move and interact with each other and their environments. I never knew how each scenario would play out, but I always knew who would win. It was always the good guys, or Storm Shadow. In that respect, the rules made no real difference, unless they Read more [...] Play, Games, Fun, Imagination and Grown Ups
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When I was a kid, I was always liked to play - like most children. I used to make up games with my action figures, set up scenarios around the house and garden and then act them out. I would set little rules up to dictate how the action figures could move and interact with each other and their environments. I never knew how each scenario would play out, but I always knew who would win. It was always the good guys, or Storm Shadow. In that respect, the rules made no real difference, unless they Read more [...] 
A question I get asked a lot is, “Why does gamification fail?”. Gartner said that by 2014, 80% of gamified systems will fail due to poor design. My question is, what is poor design? I had thought that it was really just implementing “thin layer” points, badges and leader boards to a system that was already not working. Whilst that is true, it actually misses out on some important extra factors.
So, with that in mind, here are some reasons that I feel will contribute to gamification not 
Extrinsic Rewards and the User Journey
A couple of small bits this week whilst I pull together more substantial work (I'm not a machine!!) First a small revisit of my Flow and User Journey work. In various conversations I have had about the use of rewards in a gamified systems the general question is always "do you need rewards at all". My answer is that it can't hurt if it is done properly. One thing that occurred is that during the on-boarding phase and into the habit forming phase of a user 
Whilst I process the amazing presentations, talks and general chats that happened at SocialNow, I wanted to put together a quick post around the ideas of accessibility and immediacy.
Imagine the situation. You are an airport and have thousands of people moving through your building every day. Most have a very predictable path. Land, get of plane, walk to baggage claim, go to the exit. On the way, they have to go through various checks. Customs, passport control, security etc.
All of these 
Lots happening this week, the biggest being the fact that I will be presenting at SocialNow.org this week. As such, it has been mostly prep for that in the last couple of days, so no time for a proper blog I'm afraid. However, I still have some bits for you.
The first. I started writing a little game called the Green Button. It is short and very alpha, but I would love you to have a go and let me know what you think! http://marczewski.me.uk/green-button/index.htm
Next, I have decided 
Dan Pink and Ryan & Deci are quoted a lot when we talk about motivation - I include myself in that and this is good - they have a lot of research to back up everything they say.
The basic quote usually revolves around. Money is not a good motivator. Mastery, Purpose, Autonomy and in some quoted cases Relatedness are what we need. They are intrinsic motivators, money is not.
True.
There are a few things most fail to mention. One is the fact that this is most true for creative tasks. The 
A fair few of my recent posts have revolved around how we can use ideas from games / gamification to improve certain aspects of an employee’s “journey” through their career. I thought it may be time to pull it all together in a single coherent (I hope) post!
It makes sense to start with an employee’s first days, usually an induction process of some type. Rather than the standard two or three days of death by PowerPoint, how about this;
They start with a simple half day induction, preferably 
Hello and I hope all of you who celebrate Easter had a good time!
Just a quick note to say that this weeks blog will be a little delayed due to holidays and stuff. It will be about using some off my previous career related Gamification posts to create a potential strategy for employers. I hope!
Until then, you may enjoy some of the conversations that have come up around my posts over at Gamasutra
They are mostly the same as things here, but with a whole different audience!
Don't see 
To anyone involved in game design, feedback loops will be a well known concept. To those in gamification, they are often talked about, but not everyone will know what they actually are and how they can be used.
Feedback loops come in two main flavors; positive feedback loops and negative feedback loops. Which ever you are looking at they are constructed in a similar way, with two or more phases.
User performs an action
Something happens
User experience is modified
Repeat
Basic Feedback 
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We have all heard the saying "Content is King". Marketers tell us this, SEO experts, PR people, writers and more. They promote quality over quantity as the way to attract and keep people. They also promote the long game, looking for repeatable and sustained success rather than a quick and temporary fix.
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