By: Philippe Delespesse
A serious game based on innovation methodologies can be an extremely useful tool at different phrases of implementing innovation in a company. Let’s take a look at how to implement gamification into your innovation strategy.
Gamification can help at different phases in the innovation process
Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of gamification. It promotes disinhibition, reduces prejudice, encourages cross-disciplinary teamwork and co-creation, helps groups with very different profiles to speak the same language and achieves a level of engagement that drives participants to go one step further. These benefits are particularly important when it comes to ensuring success in creative thinking and innovation.
In countries where companies have already made gamification part of their day-to-day, they know that it can bring specific benefits beyond having a bit of fun and simple teambuilding.
Gartner studies highlight that 70% of companies on the Forbes Global 2000 list are currently using gamification techniques and that 50% of innovation processes will be gamified in the coming years.
At what stage in an innovation process can you bring in gamification?
To optimise creative sessions. The benefits listed above are essential for boosting creativity. For instance, a game like Binnakle The Expedition is not just about generating ideas. It covers all phases in the process and is based on a proven methodology that has been gamified.
To optimise co-creation. Playing is a tool that lets you eliminate hierarchies and foster collaboration between very different profiles. Serious games use the universal language of playing and methodologies that allow people with very different profiles to collaborate and understand each other.
To start an innovation project. Binnakle Mission 0 is used to kick off a project by identifying, defining and agreeing on challenges. It also helps players find new avenues to explore.
To improve innovation hackathons. Nothing motivates members of a group more than getting them to play with a shared challenge. And if they are competing, the results will be even better. A serious game for a kick-off activity with a group will also generate the balance you need between motivation and practical results.
For an innovative training format. People are tired of classic training formats. Including a serious game for innovation to train people on creativity and innovation makes them more motivated to learn the methodology and helps them better assimilate the concepts involved.
To identify profiles for innovation projects. When someone is playing, they lose all pretense. People let themselves go and show you their real profile, which may be hidden in a formal meeting. Serious games for innovation can help you identify the most ground-breaking profiles, empathy and leadership skills, strategic thinking and more. That way, you can put each person in the right role in the innovation process.
In short, a serious game based on innovation methodologies can be an extremely useful tool at different phrases of implementing innovation in a company.
BINNAKLE is a serious games company that helps businesses drive innovation and transformation. Binnakle serious games are based on methodologies that have been proven over 15 years in leading companies in different countries operating across all sectors.
About the author
CEO and Founder Binnakle Innovation Games and co-organizer of Gamification Day
Degree in Management and MBA from the Solvay Business School (Belgium). More than 11 years experience in marketing and sales departments at Unilever and Henkel, before being in charge, as Director, of the launch of Movendus.com, internet portal participated by relevant Spanish companies.
In 1992, co-founder of Inteligencia Creativa, consulting company helping companies to boost and systematize their creative thinking and innovation.
Since then he has facilitated workshops, trainings and innovation projects with more than 5.000 participants from more than 100 companies in different sectors and countries (Danone, Novartis, Repsol, Boeing, Pepsi, Henkel, Kellogg’s, L’Oreal, Orange, Repsol, Unilever, Yahoo, Allianz,…)
Co-founder of Binnakle Innovation Game in 2014, launching Binnakle The Expedition, the serious game that won the Gamification World Congress Award in 2015. In 2019 Binnakle launched a second Serious Game, Binnakle Mission 0, to help companies to identify and reframe challenges to open new ways to solve them.
Speaker in many International Meetings, Congresses and Corporate Events about Innovation, Creativity and Gamification.
Twitter: @Intcreativa
Blog: blog.inteligenciacreativa.com
Inteligencia Creativa Website: www.inteligenciacreativa.com
Binnakle Innovation Games Website: www.binnakle.com
Featured image courtesy of the author.