Ethics of Gamification

Preparation

Read the “Gamified Life” by Vincent Gabrielle.

Optional: Consider also reading:

• Have Retail Investors Been Treated Fairly in the World of Stocks and Shares?
• How Uber Uses Psychological Tricks to Push Its Drivers’ Buttons
• The Rise of the Worker Productivity Score

In Class

Task 1: Group Discussion

The instructor will guide you through a discussion about the ethics of gamification.

Task 2: Fix It

In groups of 3 or 4, work to improve the Disney work tool from the article. Describe:

1. The user incentives
2. How the game is scored
3. What elements will be added or removed so the system is less manipulative and exploitative

Try to keep the tool useful and interactive, while increasing productivity.

Share Your Thoughts

After your discussion is complete, have someone from your team write your proposed changes to the Disney work tool on the board.

Task 3: Research Another Gamified Activity

You should complete this activity individually.

Choose a different example of gamification to research (i.e., other than the Disney work tool). You can choose from examples in the readings, the discussion, or from searching online. You should research a non-game activity that has been gamified (e.g., driving for Uber). Don’t research something that is simply a game itself (e.g., Fortnite). Read and link to at least two articles about the gamified activity.

Fill in and submit the template shown below. Write at least a few sentences for each question.

Template

• What activity is being gamified?
• What game-like elements are employed to gamify the activity?
  • Make a connection to the elements of the Octalysis framework, which was mentioned in the Duolingo article
• Who benefits from the gamification?
• In your opinion, is the gamification merely persuasive, or does it cross the line into manipulation?
• What changes could be made to the gamification to make it less manipulative?
• Also, include a references section with links to at least two relevant articles

Submit

Upload a PDF to Canvas containing:

• Your name
• Your filled-in template, answering questions about the gamified activity you researched for Task 3
• Thoughts on how this class could be improved in the future

Learning Goals

• Gain awareness of real-world examples of gamification
• Consider ethical considerations that arise from gamification
• Practice mitigating challenges associated with gamification
• Develop oral and written communication skills

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Harvard’s CS179 materials, which served as a basis for this activity.