Who could have predicted that A Song of Ice and Fire would lead us to ‘Game of Pods?’ Gamification has come a long way, yet successfully incorporating game mechanics to motivate participation takes time. At Softvision, we wanted to increase efficiency and predictability as our dedicated client teams, called Pods, mature. Increased efficiency and predictability mean delivering more sustainable innovation and better results. Softvision instituted Game of Pods globally as a fun way to motivate everyone to provide timely and superior client service. Leveraging Game of Pods, this session will explore the right way to integrate gaming into your organization, the best way to get started, how to empower and excite others around you and the right format and theme that will slay any naysayers.

2. SOFTVISION—THISDOCUMENTISCONFIDENTIAL
What is Game of Pods?
Game of Pods is Softvision’s gamification process around our Pod methodology.
The process integrates pods and communities and helps model behavior with a
motivating, bottoms-up empowering approach, by rewarding both collective and individual
contribution.
Personal contribution rewards both personal growth (i.e. certifications, training, domain
knowledge, etc.) as well as contribution to our communities (i.e. thought leadership,
interviews, mentorship, etc.). Personal growth plays a key part in retention strategy and
helps gather domain expertise.
Game of Pods works via a defined list of badges, which can be achieved by behavior and
the development of a respective team.
The badges are distributed by managers, each giving Experience Points, XP.

3. SOFTVISION—THISDOCUMENTISCONFIDENTIAL
Pods Methodology
Main Components
Pods combine talent from Guilds
dedicated to partners.
The Core “DNA” of the pods intersects
our digital expertise and intimate
knowledge of our clients.
Pods Framework
The Pods Methodology is tailored to
each customer and promotes effective
delivery and sustainability by:
● keeping lean and solid process
● measuring KPI-driven
performance
● providing the ability to easily scale
without impacting team
performance
The Gamification Process integrates
pods and communities and helps model
behavior with a motivating, bottoms-up
empowering approach, by rewarding
both collective and individual
contribution.

4. Game of Pods
● Cross-functional Teams
● KPI’s-driven
● Continuous Improvement
● Scalability = Mitosis
Pillars

5. Game of Pods
Reward System
Maturity
=
Efficiency & Predictability
Certifications
Domain Expertise
Training
Pod Individual
Health
Performance
Quality
Client Alignment
Personal
Growth
Community
Contribution
Interviews
Thought Leadership
Mentorship
Presales
+
Badges Trophies Badges

6. Game of Pods
START
Reach milestones: Earn Trophies
- KPI Improvement Targets (200 XPs)
- POD Mitosis (100 XPs)
Earn Pod Badges
- Velocity (20 XPs)
- Quality (20 XPs)
- Autonomy (10 XPs)
- Product/Business KPIs (20 XPs)
- New Guild in the pod (30 XPs)
Earn Personal Badges
- Interviews (20 XPs)
- Thought Leadership (20 XPs)
- Certifications (30 XPs)
Outcome
1. Measurable Value Delivered
2. Increase # Pods through Mitosis
3. Client Satisfaction
Outcome
1. Results (KPIs) Driven Pod
2. Cross-Functional Makeup: allows
introduction of additional Guilds
3. Continuous Improvement Set-In
Outcome
1. Personal Growth
2. Community Contribution
3. Peer 2 peer recognition
Reach new Maturity Level
based on earned XPs
- Rookie: 0 - 200 XPs
- Amateur 200 - 400 XPs
- Proficient: 400 - 600 XPs
Reward Merit: Celebrate
- Team Celebration Event
- Social Sharing of Success
- Leaderboard updates (XPs)
- Career Opportunities
Outcome
1. Exec visibility into team’s
achievements
2. Recognition by Client & Peers
3. Client and Guild Support
Mechanics

7. Risk
Management
Visibility into
Roadmap
Retention &
Innovation
Podified
Rates
& Growth
“The Moat
Effect”
Open dialogue, aligned
expectations & joint accountability
Inclusion early process,
consultancy
Domain knowledge, core
members, mitosis
Revenue and scalability in pod-size
instead of individual HC
Fend off competition through all of
the above
The Pod Model
Client Loop
Increased Performance:
- Speed
- Quality
- Product Impact
- Autonomy
Trust
- Feedback Loop
- Joint Action Plan
- Proactive Culture
Transparency
- Tracking Tools
- Weekly Status Report
- Retrospectives
Client Buy-In:
- Aligning on client standards
(What Good Looks Like)
- Jointly setting KPIs
- Team Assessment (Core Members)
- Onboarding + Domain Knowledge
Model
Behavior
PARTNERSHIP
Visibility &
Transparency
Track &
Monitor
Timely
Communication

8. Game of Pods
Pod & Personal Badges
Lay pod foundation:
Earn Pod Badges
Reach milestones:
Earn Trophies
Track Personal Growth &
Community Contributions::
Earn Personal Badges

9. Game of Pods
+
Tools

10. START
Phase 0 Phase 1 Phase 2
Earn Pod Badges
- Velocity (20 XPs)
- Quality (20 XPs)
- Autonomy (10 XPs)
- Product/Business KPIs (20 XPs)
- New Guild in the pod (30 XPs)
Reward Merit: Celebrate
- Team Celebration Event
- Social Sharing of Success
- Leaderboard updates (XPs)
- Career Opportunities for Pod Members
Reach milestones: Earn Trophies
- KPI Improvement Targets (200 XPs)
- POD Mitosis (100 XPs)
Earn Personal Badges
- Interviews (20 XPs)
- Thought Leadership (20 XPs)
- Certifications (30 XPs)
Reach new Maturity Level
based on earned XPs
- Rookie: 0 - 200 XPs
- Amateur 200 - 400 XPs
- Proficient: 400 - 600 XPs
Soft Launch LaunchBeta Launch
Game of Pods
Kick Off