Basic Aspects of Gamification

Definition
The process of game thinking and or using game mechanics in non game scenarios or contexts to solve problems and engage users is called gamification. This is used in processes that aims to improve data quality, user engagement, timeliness and very probable of all, learning. They are used in processes like liking a comment or joining a event in facebook to uploading any pictures or videos from youtube.

History of Gamification
In 1973 Charles Coonradt wrote a book called “Game of Work” and started a consultancy by the same name. he is called the grandfather of gamification.

The term “gamification” was proposed by Nick Pelling, a British born computer programmer in 2002 though it gained popularity no earlier than 2010.

Mimicking video games though there was availability of 3D in the field of scientific visualization came into effect by 2000. 

By 2010 the process of gamification this process of gamification captured the attention of many industrialists as a promising field to mix spice to work. 

Adobe reader incorporated in 2007 backed Bunchball as the first company to use game mechanics as a service. Fifteen million dollars was funded by Badgeville in the first year of operation of strategy of gamification. It has added 150 customers including Samsung, eBAY, Oracle, Bell Media, NBC etc.

Organisations dedicated to gamification
SAP AG, a business software vendor works actively till date on processes of gamification in enterprise. Many other companies also invest in this process like IBM, EMC, Microsoft, CA etc.
Gamification encyclopedia is also created by San Fransisco startup Gamify and SETI institute to project trends in this topic through a contest called “ gamify SETI & proper challenge” to enhance participation in its SETI program by the use of gamification. Online education is also been started by “Khan Academy”. Gamified Enterprise launched to host news and commentary in May 2012 about gamification for Fortune 1000 companies which has featured content from Microsoft and EMC and other notable businesses and executives. 

Gbanga launched the educational location based game banga Zooh in August 2009 that asked participants to actively save endangered animals and physically bring them back to a  zoo. Through this the players of this game got encouraged and try to maintain a suitable virtual habitat in Canton of Zurich and preservation of endangered species. With the help of this concept in game real life motivation is very much created to produce a subtle environment and real world walk in customer is created for the client Zurich Zoo.

Applications of Gamification
Above already written few methods of gamification that had helped the world. Nowa days gamification is used by webside product managers and marketers for not only encouraging webside usage behavior and tool for customer engagement but also for helping people understand to withstand the basic forms of work through a very energetic manner as all the boring works stacked together and packed in a fun basket. Gamification is the life of social network sites. The social network sites was earlier on a place for humble and serious work for professionals only but the advent of Facebook, Twitter, My Space etc. through the use of gamification made them a place not just for professional but also for youthnesia who are more and more engaged into it through the process of gamification in modern day life style. RedCritter Tracker incorporates gamification elements such as badges, rewards, leaderboards, and ribbons into project management. This is a business application and the idea of gamification booming in this field too. 

Gamification is also used in stack overflow and question and answer sites for programmers or in carrier sites. The users of this application receive badges or points to deal with many variety of actions. As the users reputation increases special badges are provided as they reach a particular point or prestige level, the person may gain additional privilages to enhance the reputation of his site. This is a very subtle method for a user having particular knowledge in say A topic, can flow his wisdom to it or reflect many ides to it to earn as many points as possible and mark his site on that topic to a higher level. Then again, points or badges generally do not carry over to other sites owned by the same person because his expertise may very much vary over different topic or subjects. For example the user may have high expertise on topic A but may lack concept on topic B or C but he may have sites on three of them(i.e. A, B & c).  Still there is an exception that the user gains 100 points on joining or linking his account to another sister site given the fact that any one of those sites have at least 200 points.

Australian broadcast  and online media partnership Yahoo!7 launched its Fango Mobile App, which allows TV viewers to interact with many gamification techniques like badges and check-ins. Gamification process used in satellite TV like the process of proving several applications like playing TV games, watch weather, see for video on demand or arrange channels in the likeable patterns like all the cartoon channels or sports channels can be arranged in a single or similar groups. 

This process is also used in software and hoardings which is used in daily working life. Applications such as Quentiq and Fitocracy carries with the gamification to provide awareness for public health.

Other applications that find its use in gamification are:

Primary education
Employee training program
Extreme sports
Science
Social Networks
Surveys
Sustainability
Call centre
Market research
Online in person shopping
Wellness and other personal activities
Competitive intelligence
Enhancing loyalty programmes
Financial services websites

Conclusion
The process of gamification finds its use in health care, financial services, government employee training, transportation and other activites. Gamification is used in some technique that a number of extremist websites such as stromfront and various terrorist related sites are used to the enhancing loyalty and participation. Still gamification sometime misses the elements like experiences and storytelling which are used to miss the game effective or the gamification has faulted the addition of points for the application of the desirable game mechanics.

This article was written by Jay Yadav from India, He contributes for Payday Loans UK, Payday loans UK is a site where you can get quick links.