For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business

Gamification is a fresh concept that has peaked in interest recently. The very concept of game thinking is innovating entire industries because it incorporates game theory with business strategies to create motivational tools within the workplace. This applies both internally and externally as companies are able to engage both their employees and customers, using the games to not only encourage behavior, but also to foster interest and loyalty. An example of this that we have tested is the Nike FuelBand which incorporates a point system to drive physical activity. The concept is one that has its niche within the industry and has potential for greater implementation.

This book is not a foolproof guide to revolutionizing business operations, nor does it provide a very encouraging view of gamification. Readers are continually reminded of the glaring failures that can stem from gamification, marring this compelling and interesting argument with continual red flags. The concept itself is intriguing, yet the book makes it clear that it is a very young concept that still needs to be researched and refined. While the book does help with understanding gamification and how it is applicable to business, there are no definitive steps for readers to take to implement the system in their own lives.

Millions flock to their computers, consoles, mobile phones, tablets, and social networks each day to play World of Warcraft, Farmville, Scrabble, and countless other games, generating billions in sales each year. The careful and skillful construction of these games is built on decades of research into human motivation and psychology: A well-designed game goes right to the motivational heart of the human psyche.

In “For the Win”, authors Kevin Werbach and Dan Hunter argue persuasively that gamemakers need not be the only ones benefiting from game design. Werbach and Hunter are lawyers and World of Warcraft players who created the world’s first course on gamification at the Wharton School. In their book, they reveal how game thinking—addressing problems like a game designer—can motivate employees and customers and create engaging experiences that can transform your business.

“For the Win” reveals how a wide range of companies are successfully using game thinking. It also offers an explanation of when gamifying makes the most sense and a 6-step framework for using games for marketing, productivity enhancement, innovation, employee motivation, customer engagement, and more.

In this illuminating guide, Werbach and Hunter reveal how game thinking can yield winning solutions to real-world business problems. Let the games begin!

“For the Win” offers a variety of tools and concepts that the reader can adopt in their own business. The system itself requires trial-and-error to find the proper mix of techniques and ideas that best fit the business. As a guide, this is most applicable to management class individuals who oversee the implementation of new ideas in a business.