Design of a gamified system

Steps for the design of a gamified system

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Analyze the context, environment and participants

Select game elements

Design the narrative or theme

Define system objectives

Identify target behaviors

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Steps for the design of a gamified system

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Maintain and update

Establish rules and guidelines

Prototyping and testing

Implement and evaluate

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Implement and evaluate

Once the necessary improvements have been made after initial testing, it is time to implement gamification with the target audience. During this stage, it is vital to monitor people's progress, evaluate their engagement and obtain feedback. Remember that continuous evaluation will allow you to identify which aspects have worked well and which may require improvement.

Identify target behaviors

At this stage, the target behaviors to be encouraged through gamification should be identified and defined. These behaviors are the specific behaviors that people are expected to adopt in order to achieve the educational objectives. It is important that these behaviors are clearly linked to the desired learning outcomes and that they are measurable. What is gamification intended to achieve? What are the desired performance outcomes?

Design the narrative or theme

An engaging narrative or exciting theme can significantly increase interest and immersion in the gamified system. In other words, it can make people feel engaged and connected to the experience.

Maintain and update

The long-term success of a gamified experience depends on the ability to maintain the interest and engagement of its participants. In this sense, it is recommended to regularly update gamified systems to prevent them from becoming predictable or monotonous. This may include incorporating new missions, additional game elements, or modifying rewards and points to maintain the level of motivation.

Establish rules and guidelines

It is essential to clearly and simply define the rules and guidelines that will govern gamification. In this regard, you need to establish how points are earned, how they will progress between levels, what rewards will be earned, and what behaviors are desired or undesired. This will provide structure and direction to your participants.

Select game elements

At this stage, the gameplay elements and mechanics to be incorporated are carefully chosen. These elements can include points, medals, levels, avatars, challenges, missions, leaderboards and more. It is important to select those that align with the educational objectives and motivate the audience to actively participate.

Analyze the context, environment and participants

It is essential to perform a detailed analysis of the educational context, existing teaching strategies and limitations or restrictions that may affect the design. In addition, aspects such as the educational level of the audience, their interests, needs and motivations are considered, as well as the type of subjects or subjects involved and the time available for gamification. Aspects such as the type of classroom or physical or virtual space where the system will be implemented, the technological resources or materials, and any factor that may influence interaction and participation must also be evaluated.

Prototyping and testing

As with any design product, ideally, before implementation, a prototype can be created and tested with a small group of people or students. This will allow the effectiveness of the game elements, the narrative and the motivation generated to be evaluated. Adjustments and improvements can be made based on the results obtained during this testing phase.

Define system objectives

We must establish the objectives of the gamified system. To do this, it is key to explore the curriculum or study contents. Identifying the key points and fundamental concepts will later allow us to design challenges and activities that are closely related to the learning topics.