Using gaming principles for Community Engagement

September 2013

QED Strategies

Gaming for Good Works

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HOW MANY CLIENTS RECEIVE EMERGENCY FOOD FROM FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL & EASTERN NC?

• The FA system served by Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC provides emergency food for an estimated 545,200 different people annually.

• About 73,000 different people receive emergency food assistance in any given week.

Hunger is a big problem and growing…

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MANY CLIENTS REPORT HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES

• 40% of clients served by Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC report having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel

• 33% had to choose between paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage

• 37% had to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care

• 38% had to choose between paying for food and paying for transportation

• 37% had to choose between paying for food and paying for gas for a car

Hunger is a big problem and growing…

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While the current strategies are meeting or exceeding goals under normal circumstances, there is potential for substantial growth through a more comprehensive online strategy.

The Food Bank of Eastern North Carolina :

• Is currently increasing social media presence;

• Has recently invested in the redesigned of their website;

• Is exploring the potential for app development;

• Is actively looking for ways to develop strategy and increase online growth;

• Is currently experiencing an unprecedented need.

One way to do accelerate their online presence is by increasing engagement of current and potential donors, donor organizations and volunteers through interactive media. A positive and fun way to create engagement is through Gamification.

Meeting the need requires more donations and new channels

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Gamification, which is a relatively new technique in marketing, is a very effective way to increase engagement and loyalty with current efforts. It employs game theory with behavioral economics to create engagement.

Gamification provides:

• Site visitors with a method of understanding the value of your services through a hands on, social approach to fundraising

• Visitors can engage socially, compete, explore new ideas and achieve status in their organization through various activities that provide intrinsic achievement that directly benefits your organizational goals.

• Gamification makes the process of donation and/ or fundraising more interesting and fun through a structured goal oriented process that leverages personal investment to create real world economic benefits.

Increasing online and social media engagement is critical

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Examples of Gamification for Good Causes

The value of Gamification

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Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and Elon University recently released the results of a survey of more than 1,000 Internet experts, researchers and observers. About half of those who responded to the survey said the use of gaming mechanics, feedback loops and rewards to spur interaction and boost loyalty will gain ground between now and 2020.

"In addition to their uses for crowd-sourcing solutions, game-style approaches are expected to continue to make inroads in training, personal health, business and education," said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, in a press release. "The experts point out that game mechanics offer advantages in encouraging specific behavior and generating measureable feedback."

Why Gamification works

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8Gamification principles are largely based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Whenthe opportunity exists for mastery of a task, individuals look for an intrinsic reward associated with the task, their version of “fun”. Typically, their player type falls intoone of four categories.

Types of players

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About 80% of individuals are socializers. Killers, as you might expect want to win at all cost while achievers want the recognition of winning and explorerswant to understand how the game works. If you are interested in your typeclick on this link for a free evaluation:http://www.gamerdna.com/quizzes/bartle-test-of-gamer-psychology

80%

8% 8%

4%

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How can charity be a game?

Gamification uses elements of socialization , good will , curiosity and competitiveness to make activities more intrinsically appealing to a wide spectrum of people.

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How does it relate to your business model?

For a charity, Gamification creates a heightened awareness of your work and the opportunity for a larger donation network. It also lessens the “peak and valley” aspect of donations and increases the rate of donation.

Corporate Reputation

Charitable Donations Increase

Promotion and

Support for the Cause

Heightened Awareness and New

Volunteers

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How does it relate to a corporate charitable model?

For businesses, Gamification creates engagement and investment in activities that are important to your organization and its reputation. It provides a unique benefit to each participant as well as strengthening relationships within the organization.

Corporate Reputation

Charitable Donations

Loyal Employees

Leadership and Team Building

Expect real world issues

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Some organizations will believe that gamification is solely the realm of gamers: It’s a way to connect with 80% of the population and elicit feedback, create challenges and drive experiences that increase engagement, confidence and understanding of charitable practices. Be prepared to sell the value of team work and recognition to the organization.

Extrinsic rewards vs. intrinsic rewards: Always keep in mind that the best games provide laddered systems of challenges and rewards that are meaningful to participants and allow them the freedom to experience action and consequence. Extrinsic rewards are non-sustaining and if they are large, attrition will occur once rewards have been distributed. Don’t focus on extrinsic rewards (prizes) and use them sparingly.

Cheating: Games require rules and processes should account for the fact that some players will do anything to win. Be aware that some organizations will be highly competitive in the process.

Bargaining: Players will barter with one another in any game.

Design Elements

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Immediate feedback and rewards that mirror the success of the players strategy

Structure that progresses with challenges that

change according to the user’s skill

Support and competitionthat creates reward for successful completion of tasks Platform and tools that

are easy to learn, fun and encourage engagement

Make it interesting

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Game Mechanics: Should support the parameters of the actual activities. If they are weak the virtual game will identify the weaknesses as well and the game may be exploited.

Sustainability: Requires that the game has dynamics with unexpected outcomes. Systems of reward and support should be in place to alleviate boredom or a feeling of defeat.

Make it interesting

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Successful gaming must have a laddering of accomplishments and must provokereal life emotions with pauses for thresholds and triggers that relieve boredom.

Intrinsic experiences with extrinsic reward create engagement

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Common techniques applied to gamification projects:

•achievements/badges•levels•leaderboards•progress bars•activity feeds•avatars able to learn and achieve status•real-time feedback•virtual currency •gifting•trophy case•challenges and quests (research, helping others may earn virtual dollars)•embedding small mini games within other activities.

Leaderboard

RK PLAYER EVENTS EARNINGS

1 RMcIlroy 16 $8,047,952.00

2 TWoods 19 $6,133,158.50

3 BSnedeker 22 $4,989,739.00

4 JDufner 22 $4,869,303.50

5 BWatson 19 $4,644,996.50

6 ZJohnson 25 $4,504,244.00

7 JRose 19 $4,290,929.50

8 PMickelson 22 $4,203,821.50

9 HMahan 23 $4,019,193.00

Creating flow in the gamification

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[13]The actions of the game must create investment. The triggers must have a degreeof surprise with unpredictable consequences calibrated to the experience. That mightinclude extrinsic rewards or barriers that must be conquered. The motivation, ability and triggers(M.A. T.) must match the level of engagement attached to the player.

M.A.T.

Creating flow in the gamification

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A flow state can be entered while performing any activity, although it is most likely to occur when one is wholeheartedly performing a task or activity for intrinsic purposes. Flow theory postulates three conditions that have to be met to achieve a flow state:

• The task must exhibit a clear set of goals and progress. This adds direction and structure to the task.

• The task at hand must have clear and immediate feedback. This helps the person negotiate any changing demands and allows him or her to adjust his or her performance to maintain the flow state.

• One must have a good balance between the perceived challenges of the task at hand and his or her own perceived skills. One must have confidence that he or she is capable to do the task at hand.

Creating flow in the gamification

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Pervasive Computing and GamescaptionAspect Support through Pervasive Computing

Concentration Pervasive games should support the players in the process of switching between in-game tasks and surrounding factors of importance.

ChallengePervasive games should stimulate and support the players in their own creation of game scenarios and pacing. Pervasive games should help the players in keeping a balance in the creation of paths and developments in the game world, but not put too much control or constraints on the pacing and challenge evolving.

Player Skills Pervasive games should be very flexible and enable the players' skills to be developed in a pace set by the players.

ControlPervasive games should enable the players to easily pick up game play in a constantly ongoing game and quickly get a picture of the current stat using the game world (in order to assess how the state of the game has evolved since the player last visited the game world).

Clear Goals Pervasive games should support the players in forming and communicating their own intermediate goals.

ImmersionPervasive games should support a seamless transition between different everyday contexts, and not only imply or require player actions that might result in a violation of normal social norms in everyday contexts. Pervasive games should enable the player to shift focus between the virtual and physical parts of the game without losing too much of the feeling of immersion.

SocialInteraction Pervasive games should support and enable possibilities for game oriented, meaningful and purposeful social interaction within the gaming system. Pervasive games should incorporate triggers and structures (e.g., quests and events, factions, guilds, or gangs) that motivate the players to communicate and interact socially

Designing the Game

Site Entry/Log-in Registration

Choose Avatar See Team and Corporate RankSee Rank to Peers

Start Mountain Climb Level 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Donate $$1 = 1ptYearly $60 = 90pts.

Donate Special Needs 1 item = 3pts

Support a Family- $401 week = 50pts

Donate FoodI item = 2pts

Volunteer1 Hr. = 10 pts.

Recruit Friends and Family25 pts. per contribution

Level 2 (Choose at least 2)

Become aGroup Leader10 pts. PP

Watch Video On HungerForward the videoto 5 Friends – 15 pts.

Add choice fromLevel 1 pts. + 25

Sign up at grocery website to donate$1 at each purchase for 2 added pts. per visit.

Level 3 Take your team to the top of the mountain

Sponsor School Food Drive200 pts. per/50 items

Super Volunteer25 hrs. = 100 pts.

Must begin at Level 1 – Bonus: Write a recommendation for a co-worker to HR and get 5 pts.

See Rank to Peers

See Team and Corporate Rank

See Team and Corporate Rank

See Rank to Peers

Create a Community Initiative 150 pts.

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Become a Spokesperson 40 pts. per Presentation

Manage a Charity Auction

TBD

Structure of the Game

Site Entry/Log-in Registration (Landing Page)[Streamline page requiring only a sign-in with visuals of hungry people and people receiving food]

Page 2 The Challenge

See Team and Corporate RankMountain with teams and corporate ranksShowing competitive position

See Rank to PeersMountain with peer icons for competitive rank

Start Mountain Climb Level 1 (Choose 1 or More)

Donate $$1 = 1ptYearly $60 = 90pts.Achievers

Donate Special Needs 1 item = 3ptsExplorers/Social

Support a Family- $401 week = 50ptsKillers/Achievers

Donate FoodI item = 2ptsSocial/Explorer

Volunteer1 Hr. = 10 pts.Social/Explorer

Recruit Friends and Family25 pts. per recruit Social

Level 2 (Choose at least 2)

Become aGroup Leader10 pts. PP[Achievers]

Watch Videos On HungerForward the video(s)to 5 Friends – 15 pts.[Explorers]

Add choice fromLevel 1 pts. + 25[Killers/Achievers]

Sign up at grocery website to donate$1 at each purchase for 2 added pts. per visit. [All] Level 3

Take your team to the top of the mountain

Sponsor School Food Drive200 pts. per/50 items Killers/Achievers/Socializers

Super Volunteer25 hrs. = 100 pts.Socializers

Must begin at Level 1 – Bonus: Write a recommendation for a co-worker to HR and get 5 pts.

See Rank to Peers

See Team and Corporate Rank[Socializers/Explorers/Killers]

See Team and Corporate Rank

See Rank to Peers [Achievers/Killers]

Create a Community Initiative 150 pts. Achievers/Explorers

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Become a Spokesperson 40 pts. per Presentation[Socializers]

Manage a Charity Auction

TBD

Feedback Loops

Site Entry/Log-in Registration (Landing Page)[Streamline page requiring only a sign-in with visuals of hungry people and people receiving food]

Page 2 The Challenge

See Team and Corporate RankMountain with teams and corporate ranksShowing competitive position

See Rank to PeersMountain with peer icons for competitive rank

Start Mountain Climb Level 1(Choose 1 or More – Badges Awarded for Completion, Top Performers, Plus prizes

Donate $$1 = 1ptYearly $60 = 90pts.Achievers

Donate Special Needs 1 item = 3ptsExplorers/Social

Support a Family- $401 week = 50ptsKillers/Achievers

Donate FoodI item = 2ptsSocial/Explorer

Volunteer1 Hr. = 10 pts.Social/Explorer

Recruit Friends and Family25 pts. per recruit Social

Level 2 – Progress of MasteryProgress Bars on Rank Table, Badges, Plaque, Vacation Hours Bonus, Team Badges Become a

Group Leader10 pts. PP[Achievers]

Watch Videos On HungerForward the video(s)to 5 Friends – 15 pts.[Explorers]

Add choice fromLevel 1 pts. + 25[Killers/Achievers]

Sign up at grocery website to donate$1 at each purchase for 2 added pts. per visit. [All] Level 3

Corp Recognition, Rank Feature, Vacation Days(2), Plaque, CEO Presentation, Private Chef In-Home Meal

Sponsor School Food Drive200 pts. per/50 items Killers/Achievers/Socializers

Super Volunteer25 hrs. = 100 pts.Socializers

Create a Community Initiative 150 pts. Achievers/Explorers

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Become a Spokesperson 40 pts. per Presentation[Socializers]

Manage a Charity Auction TBD

Achiever/Explorers/

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Dashboarding

32 members of your team

have contributed

92 Volunteer

hours

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$ 725

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Dashboarding

You are 25 points from the top ranking. Did you know referring friends will earn you points?

Video Review

Special Needs Donor

Grocery Visits

PlayersTampa

Review our volunteer programs today and earn 5

points just for looking

2 points

Watch: The Need ( 5 Minutes)

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Food Donor

Example of game mechanics

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The employee choses one or more options (as previously described )and receives points that lead to badges and rewards. There are multiple ways to earn points that can be combined to suite the individuals time and resource availability.

Participants can monitor their ranking, team ranking and corporate ranking. They can combine activities to maximize points or work individually. They receive badges for certain activities or combinations of activities that lead to team influence or donation thresholds. Ultimately, the mechanics lead to intrinsic value of accomplishment.

Rewards

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Rewards for: Organizational participation of 95% – Plaque/Team/Badges Winning team within a region: $50 gift certificate per participant/Badge/Plaque Winning team within an organization: Organizational award/Trophy Winning Organization by region: Trophy/Press/Free Lunch/Badges/T-Shirts

Individual – Level 3: Award Presentation/Plaque/Durham Bulls Reserved Party or 2 tickets to Panthers game and announcement at game/Badge Individual - Level 2: Pizza and Movie Night Gift Certificate /Badge (2) Individual – Level 1: Badge Individual Leaderboards are geared to performance by start date not grand totalsAll Organizations and Participating Individuals Receive a Badge that can be used for LinkedIn orother professional achievement sites

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Charity metrics

The charity has a dashboard on which they upload checklists of needed items and quantities of those items. It updates in real time as donations are made.

The charity has each a screen for each business and aggregate data screens that track contributions by quantity, cash contributions, and orders processed

The charity can add or remove items as their quotas are filled and they can create wish lists for additional items

Charities can respond to individuals or corporate representatives to answer questions.

Charities can track volunteer sign-ups, post schedules and confirm participation.

Dashboards track weekly quantities so that charities can prepare for delivery*

* Additional information of food delivery later in this document

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Corporate metrics

The corporation dashboard shows their up to date contributions and how they rank compared to their peer group of similarly sized organizations in their region.

The corporation can access the charity leaderboards to see how they track among all participating organizations in their region

The corporation can track internal leaderboards and teams for product, cash and volunteer hours contributions

The corporation can award charity based badges or points to teams or individuals who exceed goals. They may also choose to provide incentives to top contributors.

Corporations who reach their tier participation rate will be recognized with all participants receiving recognition.

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Individual metrics

Participants can elect to use screen names or personal identifiers. Each employee will be included in their departments roster unless they opt out.

Participants will have access to leaderboards and will receive badges based on the completion of certain tasks. They may be otherwise incented during the game.

All activities related to the individual will be logged on the site with participants receiving extra credit for volunteer hours worked, cash donations and recruitment of other participants. Each department will have a team leader.

All participants will begin at Level 1 and will earn their way to higher levels. Those reaching the top two levels will receive special corporate recognition.

Individuals with the highest donation totals will receive charity and corporate recognition. Those individuals may also receive additional awards.

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Charting of contributions

An info share site is provided that shows the percentage of participation by company and to date contribution.

Because this is a game, the players who contribute themost will be identified by screen name and company ona leaderboard with their total to date contribution. They may add points by volunteering as well.

Employees who contribute the most will receive badges that can beadded to their LinkedIn profiles or other areas of accomplishment.

Employees may become group leaders in their company and recruit donations. Thoseemployees will receive bonus credit for all donations that they sponsor.

Companies who reach their target goal of contributing employees will receive bonus points and employee rewards.

The highest contributing companies will receive a plaque, press release and will be listed on the charity’s website as a major donor.

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Delivery of products

The optimal way to handle the food pick-up is to partner with a local grocer. The processed food orders can be routed directly to them where they can order the food by the case and deliver it to your door.

By doing this you reduce: labor costs for the grocer, guarantee that the food will be available, will arrive when you expect it, labor and fuel costs.

By scheduling volunteers on the days the food truck arrives, you can match that labor to your existing schedule and maintain your daily routine and activities.

If the program is staggered among businesses across a time period you can also control storage and expiration date issues. This will make it more likely that you will reduce shortages during peak periods of need.

Highlight your unique activitiesto create engagement

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Highlighting activities that set you apart from other charities is one way to attractnew organizations and retain existing ones

Example: Diabetics and Sodium Sensitive Create a special menu for people who have medical conditions that warrant dietary restrictions.

Create meal blocks with special incentivesfor donators to these plans

Create a “college cafeteria” meal plan thatsponsors meals for one person or family for a specified time

Creating an ROI for gamification

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Determine your core ROI metrics - These should be the same ones you are using to measure your existing program, namely those that most closely map to revenue.  For example:

Can Collection – How much do you save in program management with an online program? How much cost is there to maintaining the program?

Determine your lift goals –Review your average campaign performance and plan for your gamification strategy to drive a lift in current donation metrics. What factors limit your employees donations?

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For more information:

Ellen Woods

Principal Consultant QED Strategies

(919).783.5194 ewoods@qedstrategies.com

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