How can I use gamification to encourage people to complete mundane but required tasks?

Question

I am looking for ways to improve the likelihood people will perform mundane but required tasks. I am looking into gamification techniques.

One of the tasks for my organisation is to complete required short online learning courses (think Health and Safety, Security Awareness, Risk Management, Company culture). We often find it a struggle to ensure everyone completes the required courses on schedule.

Admittedly the courses themselves can be a little dry. I can't change that yet. However I want to find some ways to improve the rate at which people complete the tasks.

I am familiar with gamification techniques and concepts. I am hoping for some specific advice on which ones might work in this situation and what I need to keep in mind when implimenting them.

Answer 1

tl;dr: Gamify the courses, not their completion

"the courses themselves can be a little dry"

Changing that should be your first and foremost concern.

While you might not be able to take any influence on the subject of the course, you sure can improve its presentation by way of

• infographics,
• user interaction,
• formatting,
• …

You can gamify dull tasks all you want – it won't have even nearly the same impact as working on making them bore the user less.

So, from a cost-to-benefit perspective, achievments and badges are the last thing you should be worried about right now.

Answer 2

The simplest approach might be to implement achievements. Some examples:

• First course completed.
• First course completed in each category.
• All courses completed in a given category.
• All courses completed.

Then you need a way that encourages people to show these achievements off to each other - now that could be the hard part as if the courses are mandatory people will regard completing them a chore and you don't really want to boast that you've completed a chore.

An alternative might be to tie having internet access at their desk computer (or some other perk/reward) to the completion of the courses:

• Complete 10% of the courses => get internet access for half an hour at lunchtime
• Complete 100% of the courses => get internet access for 2 hours to be taken at any time during the day.