The 21st century has presented us with a series of challenges that test our most deeply held beliefs. Perhaps this challenge isn’t so obvious to younger generations. However, several transformations are underway today that promise to become the standard for various processes. Among these innovations affecting different activities is gamification. We can define it as the trend of driving a wide range of processes by leveraging the principles of games, whether board games or video games.
On your end, you’ve surely already encountered at least one example of this trend. Whether in training, a productive task, or fieldwork, game-based practices have been introduced to boost consumer participation in market research processes. Given its trajectory and the questions surrounding its relevance, this week we’ve listed four topics related to gamification in our field.
Meeting Objectives. When we were in school, it’s very likely that our grades felt more like a punishment than an intermediate step on the path to becoming responsible citizens. One way to counter the perception of boredom after fulfilling obligations is to transform them into playful missions. In this way, objectives that were previously seen merely as dry and impersonal burdens become appealing. Establishing an achievement board can reverse negative participation trends in a very complex and lengthy study.
Building habits. A major challenge in many long-term research projects is retaining participants. Even if the study protocol is designed with incentives such as monetary compensation or tangible gifts, it’s true that many people don’t adhere to a study with sufficient commitment because they have a life interspersed with temporary projects. Introducing gamification into fieldwork greatly increases the completion rates of brand and consumer awareness tasks.
Creating communities. When applying qualitative methodologies, we often need participants in a protocol to interact in order to achieve our research goals. In regular situations, this interaction doesn’t usually occur organically, even with a moderator. Therefore, introducing gamified techniques can make all the difference, as it fosters active and meaningful interaction. In any case, careful attention must be paid to ensure that the goals are met without additional bias.
Fun. This aspect might be problematic for purists in our field. Research, whether market research or not, is generally conceived as an objective task, conducted with a rigid and serious approach that often discourages more flexible individuals. With proper planning, it’s possible to achieve most of the benefits of both worlds: the objectivity of a study combined with the enjoyment of the people collaborating on our analysis and data collection.
As long as the relevant requirements for study design are met, any stimuli that offer the greatest likelihood of achieving our goals within the available time and resources will always be welcome. Of course, there will be scenarios where gamification is counterproductive and therefore best avoided. However, in other circumstances, it should be given a chance, both in the field and within the internal processes of our work.
At Acertiva, we are aware of this trend and are prepared to implement it when necessary, and even to use it as a subject of study in Market Research. Thanks to our two decades of experience, we have built a team of analysts and strategic partners who can help you meet your needs for understanding brands and people in LATAM. Contact us today. This could be the first step in your next success story.
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