4 ms·

Ask HN: Gamification in Enterprise Products?

• harshalizee 4y ago
  As someone who uses a plethora of Enterprise softwares in my day job, I would absolutely hate any software that tries to gamify them. My ideal enterprise software would be one that would let me do my job with minimal hindrances, is very performance oriented, can easily automate parts that are used often and generally gets out of my way. Bonus points if the product doesn't constantly changes it's UI and process with every update. Hoxhunt is one of the softwares I encounter at my job that tries to gamify the process and I hate it with every fiber of my being.
  • moooo99 4y ago
    I'd generally agree with your take, but I think it is a bit more nuanced. I'd say wether gamification is a benefit in the context of enterprise software heavily depends on the kind of software. Are you trying to gamify core job responsibilities for employees? Stay away from gamification and try to build an application that works well with a polished user experience. If it is ones job to work with that application, having a well working application is usually joyful enough and gamification would usually just add unnecessary friction/distractions to an otherwise polished user experience. But I think gamification can be a net benefit if the software is trying to create a net benefit outside of core job responsibilities. I think gamifying something like energy saving, waste management, e learning, etc. could have a net benefit. Although there are definitely people working in that field, substantial improvements in that area usually require contributions from anyone.
• wahnfrieden 4y ago
  There's a popular HRIS tool that gives radical encouragement like "Right on!" to whatever company survey responses you're making, however negative, in addition to other typical gamification elements. Whatever the opposite of delightful is
• codegeek 4y ago
  I run an eLearning company and Gamification is mostly a gimmick unfortunately even though customers eat it up and it sells good. When asked how it helps, their answer usually can be interpreted as "We do boring stuff and users are forced to interact in the platform so we want to try and make it interesting even though they couldn't care less". One example "Compliance training in orgs".
• andrei_says_ 4y ago
  Gamification of stuff you’re forced to do is patronizing, possibly to the point of being insulting. Also, gamification in general is cheap manipulation. People know that the software is applying cheap manipulation on them. Humans are not birds or rats and gamification is not the magical food stuff that will make them push the lever over and over again. Our brains are more complex. Playing a game because one chooses to play a game has nothing to do with gamification. Most people work as to not starve and become homeless. Putting a smiley face on that is not the solution. Be more Kathy Sierra and less like Mark Z. Let people do their job and get out of their way.