In 2020, Everything Will Be a Game

The page argues that gamification is already part of everyday life and will spread further by 2020. It points to badges, points, and mobile tracking in ordinary tasks, health programs, and business settings, and says these systems can motivate teams and make routine work more useful.

Reading notes

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• IEEE is cited as predicting that 85% of daily tasks will include game elements by 2020.
• The text says gamification is already present in organizations such as the Boy and Girl Scouts through merit badges.
• It gives Facebook, Foursquare, and Yelp check-ins as examples of people earning badges or becoming a venue’s mayor.
• Richard Garriott is quoted saying mobile devices will be the hub for the games people play during a normal day.
• Healthcare is described as an area where games teach basic medical procedures and employers reward healthy behavior with points.
• Those points can be exchanged for insurance discounts or other monetary rewards.
• The page says a healthy workforce can bring higher productivity, fewer sick days, and fewer medical claims.
• IEEE member Tom Coughlin is quoted saying work points may affect raises or office assignments by 2020.
• The text says management can use quantifiable results and employees can see performance in real time.
• Google’s Niantic Labs is cited for Ingress, where players send location and movement data while submitting photos of art or architecture.
• The page says this lets Google collect data on places its Maps cars cannot reach.
• It concludes that games can motivate teams, give meaning to mundane tasks, and promote positive habits.