In the business world, "gamification", the use of game thinking and mechanics in non game contexts, is not just about badges, leaderboards, and avatars. Gamification for business is about engagement, motivation, and loyalty. Playful game design techniques can cultivate deep emotional connections, high levels of active participation, and long-term relationships that drive business value. Together, social collaboration and gamification help companies reap great benefits - among them the ability to deepen customer relationships, drive operational efficiencies, innovate, and optimize the workforce. Using an innovative multimedia format, this book turns the inevitable alphabet soup of gamification terms into a gourmet delight with true business substance. Readers will no doubt find themselves exploring the book's concepts through the 60+videos, articles and lectures cited with tiny URLs and smart phone QR Codes, all of which jump off the printed page to provide further insights from recognized experts. Don't just read this book - experience it!

By tapping into the same psychology that keeps gamers glued to Minecraft or World of Warcraft, innovative organizations are creating their own engaging and flexible learning experiences. They're called Serious Games. This is a practical toolkit for those who want to learn about more serious games and how to apply them in the workplace.

"This book presents research on the most recent technological developments in all fields of knowledge or disciplines of computer games development, including planning, design, development, marketing, business management, users and behavior"--Provided by publisher.

With the continued application of gaming for training and education, which has seen exponential growth over the past two decades, this book offers an insightful introduction to the current developments and applications of game technologies within educational settings, with cutting-edge academic research and industry insights, providing a greater understanding into current and future developments and advances within this field. Following on from the success of the first volume in 2011, researchers from around the world presents up-to-date research on a broad range of new and emerging topics such as serious games and emotion, games for music education and games for medical training, to gamification, bespoke serious games, and adaptation of commercial off-the shelf games for education and narrative design, giving readers a thorough understanding of the advances and current issues facing developers and designers regarding games for training and education. This second volume of Serious Games and Edutainment Applications offers further insights for researchers, designers and educators who are interested in using serious games for training and educational purposes, and gives game developers with detailed information on current topics and developments within this growing area.

All new updated 2nd edition. Why should organizations learn more about business simulations and serious games?The answer is simple: They are engaging, applicable, contemporary, exciting, and best of all, they change behavior faster and more naturally. Simulations are not as complex to implement as they were even a few years ago. Creating a custom solution is not only far more effective but also now within reach of most companies. Shift: Using Business Simulations and Serious Games walks you through the process of deciding whether or not to use a business simulation, gamification, or serious game, helps you decide to build or buy, how to implement them, and how to create a sustainable program. Author William Hall, an award-winning Apple employee, writes with both humor and wisdom to distill years of experience in technology, gaming, and education into an easy-to-read guide for busy executives and managers. Simulations are a fun yet serious, challenging, and practical way to develop employees. Outcomes can include strategic alignment, strategic change, business acumen, leadership development, succession planning, and collaboration. You can change up a person's work environment and enable them to practice professional skills in real time with real people and actual scenarios. Shift: Using Business Simulations and Serious Games also answers questions like: How do you know if you need a business simulation, gamification, or serious game? What are some uses for business simulations and games? Can I use simulations to improve the performance of top executives? Should I find a developer or design one in house? What's a good budget for something like this? Even if you are already using business simulations, business gamification, or serious games, this guide will help you be more effective and save money. This is not a step-by-step technical jargon filled manual how to build mathematical models or simulations. Author William Hall assisted Steve Jobs prepare keynote presentations, and he delivers this topic with brevity, impact and charm. This is an easy to read, easy to digest, and easy to use introduction to business simulations and serious games. This is not a technical manual with steps how to build a business simulation. Editorial Reviews for Shift: Using Business Simulations and Serious Games "William Hall takes you on a practical journey on how business simulations and serious games can serve as a useful tool for today's learners. He is refreshingly candid and provides relevant questions and suggestions to aid the customer in deciding what the best learning solutions are for their organizations, and how best to implement them."- Dawn Moore, Commercial Learning Manager-Leadership Learning, AstraZeneca Biopharmaceutical "Bridging gaming and business is a terrifically exciting prospect, with untold potential for businesses and a multitude of untapped success stories - and starts with this book!" -- Carl Olivier, Principle PM Manager, Microsoft, Skype Division "This book provides keen insights and practical strategies for anyone looking to upgrade the quality of their training programs. It's enjoyable to read and packed with valuable information."-- Josh Gordesky, President of Game Plan Communications

"Ready to blow your mind? Spend 15 seconds reading Clark Aldrich's The Complete Guide to Simulations and Serious Games. Witty, fast-paced, and non-linear -- it's Spock meets Alton Brown." -- Lynne Kenney, Psy.D., The Family Coach This exciting work offers designers a new way to see the world, model it, and present it through simulations. A groundbreaking resource, it includes a wealth of new tools and terms and a corresponding style guide to help understand them. The author -- a globally recognized industry guru -- covers topics such as virtual experiences, games, simulations, educational simulations, social impact games, practiceware, game-based learning/digital game based learning, immersive learning, and serious games. This book is the first of its kind to present definitions of more than 600 simulation and game terms, concepts, and constructs.

Learn how to take the skills and knowledge you use to make games for entertainment to make serious games: games for education, training, healing, and more. "Serious Games: Games That Educate, Train, and Inform" teaches game developers how to tap into the rapidly expanding market of serious games. Explore the numerous possibilities that serious games represent such as the ability to teach military training in a non-lethal environment and the ability to convey a particular political viewpoint through a game's storyline. You'll get a detailed overview of all of the major markets for serious games, including the military, educators, government agencies, corporations, hospitals, non-profit organizations, religious groups, and activist groups. Discover the goals of each market, the types of games on which they focus, and market-specific issues you need to consider. Case studies of how professionals in these various markets utilize games provide ideas and inspiration as well as credibility for serious games. "Serious Games" shows you how to apply your game development skills to a new and growing area and also teaches you techniques to make even entertainment-based games richer and more meaningful.