Gamification Basics

Although the term gamification is relatively new, the concept has been around since well before the computer age. And beyond that, humans have enjoyed games since the beginning of recorded history. As with any knowledge, it is important to understand the past to lead toward the future. And rather than start in the early 2000s when the word gamification was first uttered, you should understand why humans enjoy games, and how they can make even mundane tasks feel like important accomplishments. By doing that, you can start to harness the power of gamification to build products that people love to use, talk about, and engage with regularly.

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to gamification
• History of gamification
• Key concepts of gamification
• Where gamification stands today