Small Gamification Part 4: EM Strasbourg Business School

0 Comments

Following up on the FedEx gamified charging station, I want to talk about a great small gamification example in a public space that I have experienced.

In January 2016 I visited the EM Strasbourg Business School as part of an educational trip organised by the University of Brighton. One of the first things I noticed walking into the university premises were these arrow stickers placed on the floor.

The arrows were pointing towards the entrance of the main building and they simulated a computer loading screen. So as you walk to the entrance, the arrows give you feedback on how far away you are. EM Strasbourg Business School was loading right in front of your eyes!

It may sound like something very simple but I think it was very effective. It made me think how small changes in public spaces could improve the way people feel towards them and can change behaviour and attitude towards them. It also says “you will find open minded people in this building” which is something always exciting for me.

The reason this case study is particularly interesting to me is that at the time I knew nothing about gamification. It engaged me nonetheless and I took some photos because I really liked it. Fast forward some months later and I am in a classroom learning about gamification from Pete when it suddenly strikes me that I had already experienced gamification in a public space. The loading arrows then inspired me to think of a project for this module that was not digital and could be applied in supermarkets and public spaces. Looking back I think that my whole idea was based on the loading arrows.

What I am trying to point out is that small gamification can inspire a bigger project or even be part of your prototyping. Try out something small before you go on and plan a bigger project, see if it works and why. Go out there and look for inspiration!

Send us more small gamification examples on @gamifiplus on Twitter

About the author 

Pete Baikins

Pete Baikins is an international authority on gamification, a lifelong gamer, successful entrepreneur and a lecturer. As CEO of Gamification+ Ltd he mentors and trains companies world-wide on the use of gamification to solve business challenges. Gamification+ won the Board of Trade Award from the UK's Department of International Trade in January 2019.

Pete is co-host of the health gamification podcast Health Points and is also Chair of Gamification Europe, the annual conference for Gamification practitioners.

Pete is an Honorary Ambassador for GamFed (International Gamification Confederation), having previously been the Chair from 2014 to February 2019, whose aim is to spread best practices within and support the gamification industry.

After 15 years as a Lecturer on gamification and entrepreneurship at the University of Brighton he now guest lectures on Gamification at King’s College London and at ESCP Europe at post-graduate and under-graduate levels.

Over the past 20 years Pete has built and sold two businesses. One was in security software and the more recent one was a telecoms and internet connectivity business. He is also an Ambassador for Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce in the UK.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
Subscribe to get the latest updates
>