Core Concepts of Gamification

Outstanding presentation from Amy Jo Kim, an adjunct professor of Game Design at USC’s Digital Media school, recently named top US-based game design school. She’s also the author of Community Building on the Web (2000), a design handbook for digital communities that’s used worldwide at game studios & universities.[Email Amy]. This presentation was delivered at Casual Connect Seattle, July 2011.

A few of the highlights of the presentation and how they compare to sales and marketing:

1. “What are your social engagement words?” As I reviewed the list, I started to think how I (we maybe) use the words in the acting stage versus the interacting stage. Look at the content that you create to include letters, marketing materials, emails, even your phone calls and your presentations. Decide where the words you use fit in the matrix. Are you spending your time in expressing and competing blocks or in exploration and collaboration?
2. When you review your customers’ lifecycle are you keeping them engaged at the level that is currently required?
3. Within the lifecycle is your engagement loop building positive emotions?
4. Does your sales and marketing efforts (mechanics) create the emotions that drive action and engagement?
5. Does the customer see his progression of the knowledge he has gained or the knowledge transfer that has occurred?
6. Are you lighting the way for your customer to learn and master your product or service?
7. Are you allowing them to dig deeper challenging your knowledge and product or service?

My mind map from the presentation:

Feel comfortable that Gamification will not turn the world upside down. It only provides us a structure to develop customers’ experiences around. Many of us may already be doing it. Most of us probably have a long way to go. So are you a Newbie, Regular or an Enthusiast at Gamification?

Related Information:
In love with your products more than your customers?
Is every Boardroom discussing Gamification? Is yours?
Games maybe your only chance to attract the best and brightest talent
In love with your products more than your customers?

Mindmap of the Five Dysfunctions of a Team

This is a five part afternoon series depicting the mindmaps that I have created on the books of Patrick Lencioni. His website and company, The Table Group offers additional information on these subjects.

This Mindmap was constructed during the listening of the book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable (J-B Lencioni Series). From an Amazon reviewer:

This book is helpful to anyone who serves on a team and specifically helpful for team leaders. You will see yourself and your team in this book. More than that, you will find specific steps you can take to make your team better. Through a real life fable, Pat leads you through the steps you need to take to move a team from dysfunction to health. You will find a clear model as well as examples that are as relevant as your last meeting.

As I read this book I discovered:

1. A vocabulary I can use with my team to discuss dysfunction.
2. A self-analysis that will get the discussion started.
3. A clear model for implementation.

As a team leader, this book challenged me to:

1) Lead selflessly
2) Take risks
3) Encourage conflict
4) Embrace the power of meetings
4) Direct my team around a common theme

This book is simple, practical and filled with wisdom. Highly recommended.

Related Information:
Teamwork and Collaboration thru the eyes of Cisco
PDCA from the Outside-in
What is a great Team?
SALES PDCA Framework for Lean Sales and Marketing

Mindmap on the 4 Obsessions of Extraordinary Executive

This is a five part afternoon series depicting the mindmaps that I have created on the books of Patrick Lencioni. His website and company, The Table Group offers additional information on these subjects.

This Mindmap was constructed during the listening of the book, The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive: A Leadership Fable where the author explains how healthy companies can make themselves smarter, but unhealthy organizations squander intellectual advantage through infighting and cross-purposes.

Related Information:
Virtual Organizations will change the Org chart
Allowing Individual Kaizen is Essentially Respect for People.
Continuous Improvement Sales and Marketing Toolset
Best way to prototype your Value Proposition