Comparative differences between games design and simulation design - Part 11: Gamification and training

Gamificaition and Training

Definition Of Gamification?

Gamification is ‘’the use of game mechanics and experience design to digitally engage and motivate people to achieve their goals”.  Gamification focuses on enabling people to achieve ‘their’ goals or training using games ethics and mechanics to help in that process.


Gamification is the ideal of transforming business models by creating new and interesting ways to craft longer-term engagement and try to push the idea of customer and employee loyalty. It works because it leverages the motivations and desires that exist in all of us for community, feedback, achievement and reward. When combined with the research on motivation and user interactions; gamification empowers businesses to create true loyalty.

Definition of Training?

So training and development is part of a subsystem within an organisation which emphasise on improvements of the performance of individuals and groups within that organisation.

The idea of training is based on an educational process which involves the sharpening of skills, creation of concepts, changing of attitude and helping the trainee in gaining more knowledge to enhance their performance.  Good & efficient training of employees will help their skills & knowledge development, which is a positive for the company as it'll be the aim of the company for that employee to help them improve and become more diverse or stronger in the main work objectives.  Training is all about knowing where you are currently and after some time where will you reach with your abilities.

So how can I use gamification as a designer in a different industry?

So gamificiation can be used in various ways from a practical ways in training.  Both are orientated around the use of VR but clear and concise examples of VR gamification training that allows the user to work and interact and work on the end goal of improving their skills dependant on the environment they are working or weather you want interactions with trainers or the game to provide the interaction.

1 on 1 VR Training - Created in Unity

The first is a one to one training on learning how to work with a VSAT (Voice and Video Satalite).  The way they interact is via a communicative interactive process.  One would be the "trainer" and one the "trainee" where they can guide them how to use equipment and process without using the actual equipment whilst working in a environment or situation that the product will be used in.  The product is fully interact able whilst learning the following parts:

• Step by step process of how to build the equipment
• Where the cables need to go
• Learn where all the safety locks and parts are

The idea behind this is not only to allow a 1-2-1 training which provides the close interaction with the trainee which has a proven record to be more beneficial that in a group, also these sets of equipment will cost £10,000+ per piece and instead of getting hold of one and accidentally breaking it... why not use a virtual one that can be chucked about and dropped and still work to allow the trainee to get the full training.

I personally had to contribute to a practice using this design as a demonstration.  I was the trainer whom directed and presented the work in a way to present how we can use this process effectively.

Single Person Program VR Training - Created in Unity Or Unreal

This training is a bit of a unique style of training which is done by the engine and not by another person.  The following training is provided by KFC which is very weird but I'll get into how enjoyable it was try to it.  The training is done to learn how to make their chicken properly in a fun, quirky environment whilst learning all the important parts.

The training is different for what would be perceived by a franchise like KFC but the process does show all the steps although I was surprised by the lack of push in regards to health and safety, specially in regards to cooking oil and other stuff.

With that out of the way, it was unique and enjoyable to play but also showed a cool way to train your staff without the slow delay in the kitchen which could be a issue.  It would be interesting to see this used in different industries such as other food franchise, engineering etc.

Mass Person VR Training - Created In Unity

So this VR Training is based around the idea in defence training through the case idea of navy training via submarine training.

This style of training is a mix of training and adaptive training which means that the training can be adapted depending on the trainee which means that if you are specifically struggling with then the trainers can convert the training to what is needed depending on the situation.

So what is the main points of this style of training? The training is orientated around the following:

• Immerse - immersive virtual training scenarios aligned to correct levels of fidelity for the task
• Training safely - challenging and potentially life-threatening scenarios can be rehearsed safely through virtual exploration.

The idea again like behind the 1-2-1 training is the idea to allow for the trainees to have practise in the real environment that they will be working in, in the future without breaking or destroying massive expensive equipment or subs without accidental issues.  It immerses trainees and trainers together in realistic scenarios to practise team skills and conduct continuation training, without the burden of real equipment.

Overall, the idea of the use of gamficiation and VR training mixing with modern technology being much more easily accessible shows how easy it is to integrate games design work as well training to help push the idea of training.  For anyone in training, the idea is such a positive push to future training with this equipment can open any to exciting pathways.