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When gamification becomes part of must-see TV

by — Aug 26 '13

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TV networks that once used the phrase “Don’t touch that dial” as a way of maintaing user engagement may find gamfication works a lot better, as some pioneering Canadian programs are just starting to discover.

An article on InfoPresse last week looked at gamification as a part of an ongoing series about the ways TV is evolving. It profiles early success stories like an initiative on Radio-Canada’s Les Chefs, where viewers are prompted to share content and engage with it online in exchange for points that could win them a chance to taste the chefs’ creations. Learn more about how gamification is being explored by Great Game Heads and other shows, and some of the challenges the industry still faces. (If you don’t read French, pop the link into Google for a rough translation.)

There can be nothing so frustrating as trying to book a room at a busy facility, but a case study published by Midas shows how digital signage is helping. The firm profiles how interactive displays are used at the Livingston Centre, a building in Tillsonburg, Ont., that’s home to five partners and 12 associated agencies. When the schedule’s up there for everyone to see, there is much less confusion — and fewer arguments.

Most workshops only benefit the participants involved at the time, but Usability Matters is trying to share what was learned in a series of UX sessions it has held for the last several years with MaRS Discovery District clients. Read the first of the monthly blog series that focuses on a UX project with social networking service Hypejar.

Elsewhere:

Forbes contributor Frank Lockwood offers UX lessons from the Lord of the Rings

Andrzej Marczewski, a blogger based in the UK, wrote an interesting post on Gamasutra on why gamification projects can fail.

A research report from Hospitality Technology magazine shows digital signage ranking high in restaurants and hotels for both business impact and customer engagement.

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What did I miss? Send links, ideas, suggestions and other feedback at [email protected] or via Twitter @ShaneSchick and @TheCommerceLab

Image courtesy of Boians Cho Joo Young at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Shane Schick

Shane Schick is the editor of CommerceLab. A writer, editor and speaker who helps people create value with information technology. Shane is also a technology columnist with Yahoo Canada, an editor-at-large with IT World Canada, the editor of Allstream’s expertIP online community and the editor of a U.S. magazine about mobile apps called FierceDeveloper. Shane regularly speaks to CIOs and IT managers at events across Canada about how they can contribute to organizational success, and comments on technology trends as a guest on CBC, BNN, CTV and other programs.