Gamification is undoubtably one of the big online trends of the last 18 months.  It attempts to tap into the intrinsic ways games and game designs motivate us to do things, and apply this learning to the workplace.

Leading gamification consultancy Badgeville have attempted to apply gamification to the thorny problem of online engagement.  The short paper embedded below talks about the four types of intrinsic motivators that can work on your community:

• Smart – Help members to learn new things and engender a sense of discovery
• Successful – Help members feel as though they’re winning or achieving things, especially in relation to others
• Socially valued – Status, reputation and prestige are essential
• Structured – Help members make sense of the world around them

The paper then goes on to discuss a few strategies for how gamification can be used to help with each of these four areas.  The paper is included below and is well worth 30 minutes of your time to read through.  Hope you enjoy it.