This document discusses applying principles of game design to organizational design. It outlines how games use clear goals, meaningful choices, frequent feedback and a system of rules and behaviors to motivate players. The speaker argues organizations can apply similar principles to motivate employees by giving them autonomy through minimal rules, frequent feedback on progress, and recognition for contributions. The framework is analyzed by brainstorming with employees, adding prototyped rules based on their feedback, and testing resulting behaviors to refine the system. The goal is to design new ways of working that are engaging like games.

1. Designing the Rules for High
Performance: Applying Computer
Game Design to Organizations
Jeroen van Bree
ISPI-EMEA Conference 2010
Gothenburg, 2 October 2010

2. 1972

13. Courtesy of Apple

15. MMOG

16. Massively
Multiplayer
Online
Games

19. Average age: 31_

20. Average age: 31
32% women_

21. Average age: 31
32% women
Hours played per week: 21_
source: Nick Yee, et AL., 2010

22. Games and Real Life
© 2004 Cao Fei

24. technology

25. technology
behavior

26. technology
behavior
design

27. technology
behavior
design

30. 23

31. 24

32. 25

33. 26

34. 27

35. 28

36. 29

37. 30

38. 31

39. 32

40. 33

41. 34

42. 35

44. 37

45. 38

46. 39

49. complementarity

52. signaling

53. meritocracy

55. proficiency

58. self management

60. technology
behavior
design

61. technology
behavior
design

62. technology
behavior
design

63. Gilian Laub for The New York Times

65. game mechanics

66. points

67. points
leaderboard

68. points
leaderboard
rewards

73. points
leaderboard
rewards

74. points
leaderboard competition
rewards

75. points
leaderboard competition
rewards recognition

77. replay value

78. goals
strategy
choice
feedback

79. clear goals
strategy
choice
feedback

81. clear goals
strategy
choice
feedback

82. clear goals
strategy
meaningful choice
feedback

86. clear goals
strategy
meaningful choice
feedback

87. clear goals
strategy
meaningful choice
direct feedback

89. clear goals
strategy
meaningful choice
direct feedback

90. clear goals
strategy
recoverable
meaningful choice
loss
direct feedback

94. clear goals
strategy
recoverable
meaningful choice
loss
direct feedback

95. technology
behavior
design

96. technology
behavior
design

97. technology
behavior
design

98. rule set
source: Van Mastrigt, Salen & Zimmerman

99. declarative content
rule set

100. declarative content
rule set

101. declarative content
rule set

102. game play
declarative content
rule set

103. game play
declarative content
rule set

104. game play
declarative content
rule set

105. Game Design
game play
rule set

106. Game Design
game play
rule set

107. game play
rule set

108. game play
test
rule set

109. game play
test
adjust
rule set

110. Second-order Design
game play
test
adjust
rule set

111. New Ways of Working

112. New Ways of Working

113. New Ways of Working

114. New Ways of Working

116. freedom

119. To a large extent, your company is being
managed by long-departed theorists who
invented the conventions of “modern
management” back in the early years of
the 20th century.
- Gary Hamel

120. freedom

121. freedom

122. freedom
structure

123. freedom
minimal structure
structure

124. minimal structure

125. rule set

126. game play
rule set

127. behavior
rule set

128. behavior
rule set

129. behavior
rule set

130. Design New Ways of Working
behavior
test
adjust
rule set

132. Analysis of the framework

136. contributions

137. contributions
funding

138. contributions
funding knowledge

143. points
leaderboard
rewards

144. contributions
funding knowledge

145. contributions
funding knowledge

146. Analysis of the framework

147. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorm with the PLAYERS

152. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorms with the
PLAYERS

153. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorms with the
PLAYERS
Add RULES

154. contributions
funding knowledge

155. The only knowledge we have in-house is about
brand management and community management.
contributions
funding knowledge

156. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorms with the
PLAYERS
Add RULES

157. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorms with the
PLAYERS
Add RULES
Paper prototyping

158. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorms with the
PLAYERS
Add RULES
Paper prototyping

159. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorms with the
PLAYERS
Add RULES
Paper prototyping
Playtest BEHAVIOR

164. clear goals
strategy
recoverable
meaningful choice
loss
direct feedback

165. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorms with the
PLAYERS
Add RULES
Paper prototyping
Playtest BEHAVIOR

166. Analysis of the framework
Brainstorms with the
PLAYERS
Add RULES
Paper prototyping
Playtest BEHAVIOR
Refine rule set

167. Jeroen van Bree
jeroen.vanbree@ynno.com
M +31 (0)6 5318 7512
http://twitter.com/jeroenvanbree
http://ideas.ynno.com/topics/games-at-work
Orteliuslaan 9
3528 BA Utrecht
The Netherlands
info@ynno.com
T +31 (0)30 767 05 00

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