In this serious gaming 101, we tell you the basics of serious gaming.
Serious gaming, despite its playful name, is a powerful tool for bringing about substantial change, in an innovative and inspiring way. The goal shifts from playing games for fun, to using the principles of game design to achieve serious goals. In this blog, we will demystify serious gaming.
Serious gaming 101: what is serious gaming?
At its core, serious gaming combines the engaging and motivating aspects of gaming with realistic problem-solving. It is a learning technique that uses game elements to address serious challenges such as training, decision-making, and skill enhancement. Serious games can take different forms, from digital video games to physical board games, role-playing exercises and simulations.
How does it work?
- Involvement: Games are inherently fun and engaging. They capture our attention and keep us focused. Serious games use this quality to engage employees in a learning process.
- Interaction: Players actively participate and make choices, leading to experiential learning. It is practical and immersive, allowing participants to learn by doing.
- Feedback mechanisms: Games offer immediate feedback. Whether by scoring points, completing challenges or facing consequences. This feedback loop helps players understand the results of their actions.
- Competition and collaboration: Serious games can be designed for both individual and group experiences. They encourage friendly competition and cooperation, which fosters camaraderie among participants.
- Storytelling: Games often have stories that immerse players in the experience. This aspect of storytelling can be a powerful tool to convey complex information or teach new skills.
Benefits for organisations
Now that we have established what serious gaming is, let’s look at how it can benefit organisations:
- Enhanced learning: Serious gaming provides a safe space for employees to practice and learn without real consequences. This is particularly valuable for developing new skills or understanding complex concepts.
- Increased engagement: Traditional training methods can be boring and uninspiring. Serious games inject excitement and motivation into the learning process, keeping employees more engaged.
- Improved decision-making: Games often present players with choices and consequences. This helps employees develop decision-making skills, which are essential for success in any business.
- Team building: Many serious games can be played together and promote team cohesion and communication.
- Measurability: Serious games can provide valuable data on employee performance and the impact of the serious games, allowing organisations to assess learning effects and identify areas for improvement.
In conclusion, serious gaming is a dynamic approach to learning and development that can have a profound impact on organisations. By engaging employees, promoting learning and developing valuable skills, serious gaming offers a unique and effective way to drive success in the business world. It is not just about fun and games; it is a serious strategy for business growth and improvement. So don’t hesitate to take your organisation to the next level with serious gaming!
Prospectus Serious Games
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