Tony Chamberlain

Gamers, Gaming, Gamification, Intrinsic, Extrinsic, Engagement, Social Interaction, Badges, Leader boards………..

I’m a 51 year old British born father of two, who has probably spent less than 150 hours playing video games. Recently however I have become fascinated by the subject, why the sudden interest? I have been employed in the IT business for over 25 years, I can recall Datapoint machines, Floppy Discs, AS/400’s, IBM mainframe computer rooms, where we abused employees we called ‘tape monkeys’. Their sole purpose in life was to change data tape spools in the computer room, to ‘load-up’ the relevant code or database that we demanded of them to complete a certain payroll or to back out a job that had processed incorrectly. 

I’ve worked with organisations that include IBM, Microsoft, ICL, SAP, Oracle, SalesForce.com and many, many more. A large part of my professional experience has evolved around document management, workflow, analytics, change programmes and transformation of business – usually via an outsourcing arrangement or a merger / acquisition transaction. Shared services and large processing centres form part of my DNA, they combine all of the components mentioned into one integrated delivery suite that all major corporations rely on these days. Gamification seems to be positioning itself as a new, additional part of this jigsaw.

I was recently (June 2014) asked to attend, actually I was not invited, but attended anyway. A session on Gamification in a Shared Services Environment. The company that delivered the presentation / discussion I had introduced to the organisation that employed me as a possible key partner (hence why I attended without an invite). To be fair the presentation was far from boring and was actually informative, my non-gaming brain however immediately questioned the validity of Gamification and the presented outcomes of greater productivity, improved engagement, performance management, team building, etc. etc. It was like in one single word ‘Gamification’ all operations director’s problems would be solved overnight! I’m 51, I’ve lived through many, many changes and many more promises of Utopia.

Normally another presentation / discussion about a possible new way of working, new product etc. would occupy my mind for a period of time for self-analysis, risk assessment, SWOT formation and then a very simple plan of action would evolve……….which usually consisted of a) Investigate further b) Park for a few months or c) Ignore.

For some reason Gamification would not exit my brain, my initial conclusions, taking into account my single presentation was c) Ignore. But my brain was not in agreement with, well my brain.

The recognition that c) Ignore was not going to happen was the start of a level of education and self-change, remember I’m 51, that if someone had broached as a subject in a public house, I would have happily argued with them all night. And day.

So the journey unknowingly to me had begun……………………