Gamifying your Designs Through Self-Determination

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By

Dr. Shakiyla Huggins, Ed.D

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Power Up Your Training: Game Elements That Work Across Industries

Gamification enhances training engagement and effectiveness across professions.

By Shakiyla Huggins March 25, 2024

Let’s face it—most training programs could use a little more excitement. Whether you’re onboarding new hires or upskilling your team, keeping people motivated can be tough. That’s where gamification comes in.

Gamification isn’t about turning your content into a video game. It’s about using proven game elements—like points, badges, or challenges—to make training more interactive, fun, and effective.

The best part? It works across industries! Below, I’ll explain the most effective game elements, what they actually mean, and how they manifest in real training. I’ll focus on five main professions: sales, marketing, finance, manufacturing, and healthcare.

“…..understanding learner motivation is key to unlocking better training design.”

But first, a quick note: the best game elements aren’t random. They’re effective because they tap into deeper aspects of how we stay motivated—things like confidence, progress, and connection. We won’t dive too deeply into the theory in this post, but I’ll be exploring that side in a follow-up blog. For now, just keep in mind that understanding learner motivation is key to unlocking better training design.

1️⃣ Sales: Make It Competitive and Realistic

Salespeople thrive in environments that reward performance, offer clear goals, and simulate real-world customer interactions. The best gamification strategies mirror the high-stakes energy of sales while giving reps space to build skills safely.

🎯 Top Game Elements:

  • Points & Rewards
  • Leaderboards
  • Timed Quizzes
  • Sales Simulations
  • Peer Competition
  • Real-Time Feedback

✅ Why It Works: Gamified sales training boosts product knowledge and close rates. Research shows that experienced reps retain up to 18% more information after using game-based tools like Kahoot quizzes. Leaderboards tap into their need for achievement, while instant feedback and peer visibility foster a competitive spirit.

💡Design Tips:

  • Use timed quizzes to simulate fast-paced sales calls.
  • Offer private or tiered leaderboards to avoid overwhelming newer reps.
  • Let reps repeat scenarios to practice and improve.

2️⃣ Marketing: Engagement Is the Name of the Game

Marketing professionals are driven by ideas, storytelling, and results. Gamification here should tap into creativity and give space to test campaign strategies in fun, low-risk environments.

🎯 Top Game Elements:

  • Points & Badges
  • Interactive Challenges
  • Narrative-Driven Scenarios
  • Peer Voting & Feedback
  • Daily Streaks & Loyalty Paths
  • Immersive Themes

✅ Why It Works: Gamified campaigns help marketers develop creative skills and recall brand strategies more effectively. Social tools and streaks create community and consistency, and storytelling makes training stick.

💡 Design Tips:

  • Make the campaign world your game map.
  • Reward both creative flair and data-driven thinking.
  • Match your gamification style to the platform—what works in an app might not work in a workshop.

3️⃣ Finance: Structure + Simulation

Finance learners value logic, clarity, and safety. They do best when training feels structured, visual, and applicable to real-world decisions.

🎯 Top Game Elements:

  • Progress Bars & Milestones
  • Smart Decision Simulations
  • Goal-Setting Quests
  • Custom Dashboards
  • Leaderboards (Optional)
  • Feedback-Driven Coaching

✅ Why It Works: Finance pros benefit from tools that balance motivation with caution. Experienced users prefer social competition; newer ones want clear, feedback-rich environments. Gamification has helped users save more, make better decisions, and feel more confident in their knowledge.

💡 Design Tips:

  • Let users set their own financial goals.
  • Include opt-in leaderboards to respect comfort levels.
  • Use badges and avatars to personalize the experience.

4️⃣ Manufacturing: Optimize Performance and Morale

Manufacturing teams thrive with structure, recognition, and clear feedback. Gamification can boost morale, reduce monotony, and reinforce safety.

🎯 Top Game Elements:

  • Real-Time Dashboards
  • Work Cycle Challenges
  • Safety Badges
  • Progress Bars
  • Personal Records & Rankings
  • Performance Feedback Loops

✅ Why It Works: Game-based systems increased job satisfaction, motivation, and speed for CNC operators and assembly workers. The best systems respect autonomy by letting workers opt into competition.

💡 Design Tips:

  • Use digital displays to track cycles and performance.
  • Focus on individual growth—not just team wins.
  • Keep visuals simple and easy to interpret.

5️⃣ Healthcare: Build Healthy Habits Through Engagement

Whether it’s wellness programs, chronic care, or pediatric therapy, healthcare training benefits from emotion, consistency, and a sense of shared purpose.

Top Game Elements:

  • Points, Badges, and Progress Bars
  • Narratives and Storylines
  • Challenges (30-day, wellness sprints)
  • Avatars for personalization
  • Leaderboards (for team wellness or group fitness)

✅ Why It Works: Healthcare gamification improves motivation, adherence, and learning. From walking more steps to sticking to medication schedules, game tools make progress visible and engaging. Storylines help people connect emotionally to health goals.

💡 Design Tips:

  • Use progress bars to reinforce routines.
  • Add avatars and stories for younger learners or mental health apps.
  • Build in social elements for accountability and support.

💭Final Thoughts
Gamification works—but only when it’s tailored. Different professions benefit from different elements depending on the learner’s goals, experience level, and environment. The most successful strategies combine real-world context with the fun and feedback of games.

Want to go deeper into the why behind what makes these elements so effective? Stay tuned for a follow-up blog post that dives into the psychology behind motivation and learning—specifically through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). While we didn’t get into the theory in depth here, understanding how elements like feedback, autonomy, and social connection drive engagement will take your training strategy to the next level. The next post will revisit the same five professions but through a motivational lens to help you design even smarter, research-backed experiences.

Bibliography

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Dolly, M., Nimbarte, A., & Wuest, T. (2024). The effects of gamification for manufacturing (GfM) on workers and production in industrial assembly. Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, 88, 102722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcim.2023.102722

Friess, M. (2022). Gamification in virtual sales training: Evidence from a field experiment. Journal of Marketing, 86(1), 123–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429211057214

Gajardo Sánchez, A. D., Murillo-Zamorano, L. R., López-Sánchez, J., & Bueno-Muñoz, C. (2023). Gamification in health care management: Systematic review of the literature and research agenda. SAGE Open, 13(4), 21582440231218834. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440231218834

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Liu, M., Huang, Y., & Zhang, D. (2018). Gamification’s impact on manufacturing: Enhancing job motivation, satisfaction and operational performance with smartphone‐based gamified job design. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, 28(1), 38–51. https://doi.org/10.1002/hfm.20723

Mazeas, A., Duclos, M., Pereira, B., & Chalabaev, A. (2022). Evaluating the effectiveness of gamification on physical activity: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(1), e26779. https://doi.org/10.2196/26779

Rocha, E. M., Pereira, G. M., & Pacheco, D. A. D. J. (2020). The role of the predictive gamification to increase the sales performance: A novel business approach. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 35(5), 817–833. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-01-2019-0005

Santos, P. M., Dias, J. M., & Bairrada, C. M. (2024). Gamification in marketing: Insights on current and future research directions based on a bibliometric and theories, contexts, characteristics and methodologies analysis. Heliyon, 10(11). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.eXXXXX

Yulianto, A., Pramono, S. E., Wijaya, A. P., & Nasrun, N. (2024). Gamification in enhancing student financial knowledge, engagement, and enjoyment in financial education. Jurnal Kependidikan: Jurnal Hasil Penelitian dan Kajian Kepustakaan di Bidang Pendidikan, Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran, 10(3), 965–975. https://doi.org/10.33394/jk.v10i3.12653

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