Ga * mi * fi * ca * tion: the use of game design techniques and mechanics to solve problems and engage audiences

Up until recently, the much-talked-about buzzword “gamification” remained a bit of a mystery as executives and consumers alike pondered and debated over 1) what exactly it means, and 2) how – or even if – it can benefit them.

Because gamification is a term that typically requires an explanation and doesn’t clearly depict the benefits it can provide, businesses are often times a little reluctant to embrace it. But once they have a better understanding of the impact it can have in both a business-to-employee and business-to-customer context, they’re seem to be more open to the possibility of integrating it not only into their company’s culture, but also into client strategies.

Why should we care about gamification in the first place? Because it’s becoming harder for businesses to retain customers and engage employees – and it’s believed that gamification can do both. In a second recent gamifciation-centric article, Forbes provided three tips for those interested in taking advantage of this trend …

1)   Define what business goals could be enhanced by gamification and how you can use gamification to drive user behavior to meet these goals. Selecting areas that can be measured is typically best.

2)   A company should embed experiences directly into its web site, mobile apps and business applications – doing so will create an experience that will live inside existing processes such as collaboration, CRM tools and web sites.

3)   The experience should provide guidance and feedback to the user early and often. The ultimate goal of gamification is to let users know where they stand and guide them to a desired behavior.

The takeaway? That Gamification can provide benefits to almost any business as long as the focus remains on building the experience and adapting it over time to keep your users engaged.