The Gamification Quest

Ever wondered what goes into creating an immersive learning experience? Michiel Van Eunen, who launched our first GamiCon with an unforgettable escape room, shares his wisdom in this podcast. Catch him live at GamiConATX24 where he'll lead a can't-miss session on building engaging escape rooms for education

Explore the world of gamification with An Coppens, CEO of Gamification Nation, in an interview conducted earlier this year as part of our annual GamiCon48V (the ONLY online conference for the gamification of adult learning). An shares decades of insights, offering advice to those just starting out in gamification and game-based learning. This glimpse into her expertise previews the high-caliber speakers slated for GamiConATX24.

In this episode, we meet Pradeep U.N., a masterful weaver of narratives and gameplay, turning organizations into vibrant ecosystems where storytelling, gamification, and social learning converge to unlock a symphony of inclusion, innovation, and purpose. About Your Host: Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning). She is the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

In this episode, we meet Pradeep U.N., a masterful weaver of narratives and gameplay, turning organizations into vibrant ecosystems where storytelling, gamification, and social learning converge to unlock a symphony of inclusion, innovation, and purpose. About Your Host: Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning). She is the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

My guest is Artrell Williams and our topic is Taiyazukuri – A Tire Manufacturing Card Game that teaches tire manufacturing processes and terminology, fostering understanding through descriptions. It imparts Sumitomo Rubber USA's Mission, Vision, Values, and KPI impact on business. The deck serves multiple purposes, reinforcing key concepts for SRUSA staff to grasp the value stream, communicate discrepancies, and cut manufacturing waste costs. At the GamiCon event in NOLA in September, Artrell's project was awarded the People's Choice Award for “Low-Tech Design" – that's quite the accomplishment to win the hearts of your peers. Artrell Williams is a Presenter, Facilitator and Trainer with a passion for helping others grow and develop. Seeking additional opportunities for civic involvement. His areas of expertise include: Soft Skills Training, Sales and Sales Training, Customer Service Training, Coaching, Mentoring, and Humor. About Your Host:  Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning).  She is  the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

My guest is Artrell Williams and our topic is Taiyazukuri – A Tire Manufacturing Card Game that teaches tire manufacturing processes and terminology, fostering understanding through descriptions. It imparts Sumitomo Rubber USA's Mission, Vision, Values, and KPI impact on business. The deck serves multiple purposes, reinforcing key concepts for SRUSA staff to grasp the value stream, communicate discrepancies, and cut manufacturing waste costs. At the GamiCon event in NOLA in September, Artrell's project was awarded the People's Choice Award for “Low-Tech Design" – that's quite the accomplishment to win the hearts of your peers. Artrell Williams is a Presenter, Facilitator and Trainer with a passion for helping others grow and develop. Seeking additional opportunities for civic involvement. His areas of expertise include: Soft Skills Training, Sales and Sales Training, Customer Service Training, Coaching, Mentoring, and Humor. About Your Host: Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning). She is the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

My guests are Jamie Phillips, Celia Sellers, and Rebecca Arnett, and our topic is Creating a Cyber Security Escape Room. In this innovative Cyber Security Escape Room event, participants raced against time to thwart a hacker using social engineering, phishing, malware, and more. Designed for the curious, puzzle-loving, adventurous, and competitive, this team-based challenge involved solving 15 cybersecurity puzzles. It encouraged team building and social interaction, with participants either forming groups or being assigned to teams. Key game mechanics included achievement rewards like stickers and photos, advance priming through storytelling videos, communal discoveries, puzzle guessing, unlocking sequences, and strategic use of hints. The fastest team earned recognition and a certificate. The goal was to reinforce training on critical human risks in cybersecurity. Host: Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning). She is the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

My guests are Jamie Phillips, Celia Sellers, and Rebecca Arnett, and our topic is Creating a Cyber Security Escape Room.  In this innovative Cyber Security Escape Room event, participants raced against time to thwart a hacker using social engineering, phishing, malware, and more. Designed for the curious, puzzle-loving, adventurous, and competitive, this team-based challenge involved solving 15 cybersecurity puzzles. It encouraged team building and social interaction, with participants either forming groups or being assigned to teams. Key game mechanics included achievement rewards like stickers and photos, advance priming through storytelling videos, communal discoveries, puzzle guessing, unlocking sequences, and strategic use of hints. The fastest team earned recognition and a certificate. The goal was to reinforce training on critical human risks in cybersecurity. Host: Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning). She is the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

My guests are Jordan Dyson and Scott Provence and topic is their internationally award-winning project called Walk With Me. A wealth management firm was looking for ways to improve their organizational culture and address risks of declining client-service quality. Jordan and Scott created a two-step, game-based solution for this client: first, employees played a turn-based conversation game with an AI-powered chatbot that and then attended a live 50-minute debrief session where they learned about key empathetic behaviors, discussed their experiences. The program results showed double-digit improvement in evidence-based empathizing skills and participant mindset. Not only were employees exhibiting more empathetic behaviors in conversation, but their beliefs around their potential to enhance these abilities also saw measurable improvement over the course of the program. About Your Host: Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning). She is the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

My guests are Jordan Dyson and Scott Provence and topic is their internationally award-winning project called Walk With Me. A wealth management firm was looking for ways to improve their organizational culture and address risks of declining client-service quality. Jordan and Scott created a two-step, game-based solution for this client: first, employees played a turn-based conversation game with an AI-powered chatbot that and then attended a live 50-minute debrief session where they learned about key empathetic behaviors, discussed their experiences. The program results showed double-digit improvement in evidence-based empathizing skills and participant mindset. Not only were employees exhibiting more empathetic behaviors in conversation, but their beliefs around their potential to enhance these abilities also saw measurable improvement over the course of the program. About Your Host: Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning). She is the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

My guests are Bret Wardle and Michael Hyzy, and our topic is their book titled, Gamification for Product Excellence. After years of leading product strategy, management, and development, Mike realized gamification could be the ultimate game-changer for creating engaging products. Seeing an opportunity to share this powerful concept, he channeled his insights into his first book, Gamification for Product Excellence. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Bret is a seasoned Game/Software professional with over 15 years of experience in crafting immersive games, innovative software, and user-friendly apps. His passion lies in bridging the realms of design psychology in both gaming and software landscapes. About Your Host:  Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was repeatedly rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE from 2015-2020, and in 2021 and 2022 was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. Monica is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning).  She is  the author of the books Lipstick Lessons, What Were You Thinking?, Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences.

Bernardo Letayf and Roman Rackwitz are renowned gamification experts on the cutting edge of innovation with their latest project, TABI. With a passion for merging gaming principles with various fields, they bring extensive expertise to the world of technology and engagement. TABI, their groundbreaking software, promises to revolutionize user experiences, education, and employee motivation. Through gamified solutions, Rackwitz and Letayf aim to enhance engagement and productivity in diverse domains. Their podcast interview offers valuable insights into their visionary work, shedding light on how TABI is poised to reshape the way we interact with technology and engage with content. Hosted by Monica Cornetti: Monica works with individuals and organizations like yours who want to learn how to think playfully to change behaviors and achieve objectives. She is the President of Sententia, Inc. and leads the company's education and design projects at Sententia Gamification. She is also the Gamemaster of GamiCon (annual international conferences for the gamification of learning).  Monica is  the author of the books Lipstick Lessons; What Were You Thinking?; Totally Awesome Training Activities Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You; and co-author of Deliberate Fun: A Purposeful Application of Game Mechanics to Learning Experiences. Monica is hired for her skill as a gamification speaker and strategist and she and her company Sententia Gamification are considered at the top of the field in gamified and game-based learning design for corporate training and adult education.

In the case of the project that is the topic of today's podcast, Jim Piechocki woke up a dreadfully dull IT classification process training with a post-apocalyptic superhero story he had pitched years ago to Marvel about The Technicals, an alien race that takes over and outsources Earth. The gameplay:  You must learn how to create a keyword class to rescue Amazon and save the planet. About our Guest: Jim is a member of a small but growing breed of ATD-licensed developers who start with the acting talent, the humor, the broadcast-quality imagery, and entertainment value. He worked as a gag-writer for comic Tim Allen in Detroit, who taught him how to pare down physical comedy and dialog for maximum impact. His writing teachers Harlan Ellison and Walter Hill (The Terminator, 48 Hours) drilled into him the importance of getting it right in the first draft. Working on staff for Filmation on the He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon TV series, he learned the writer actually directs the animation. And he has found that everything from Greek, Roman, Viking and Indian mythology, can provide ongoing inspiration for gamified learning.

In the case of the project that is the topic of today's podcast, Jim Piechocki woke up a dreadfully dull IT classification process training with a post-apocalyptic superhero story he had pitched years ago to Marvel about The Technicals, an alien race that takes over and outsources Earth. The gameplay: You must learn how to create a keyword class to rescue Amazon and save the planet. About our Guest: Jim is a member of a small but growing breed of ATD-licensed developers who start with the acting talent, the humor, the broadcast-quality imagery, and entertainment value. He worked as a gag-writer for comic Tim Allen in Detroit, who taught him how to pare down physical comedy and dialog for maximum impact. His writing teachers Harlan Ellison and Walter Hill (The Terminator, 48 Hours) drilled into him the importance of getting it right in the first draft. Working on staff for Filmation on the He-Man and The Masters of the Universe cartoon TV series, he learned the writer actually directs the animation. And he has found that everything from Greek, Roman, Viking and Indian mythology, can provide ongoing inspiration for gamified learning.

Walt Disney assembled a new category of designers, engineers, and artisans called Imagineers. These daring creators continue to balance their technical design chops with imagination, storytelling, and insatiable curiosity. Their blue-sky thinking has resulted in parks, shows, rides, cruise ships, and resorts that don't just contain stories like a stage in a theater but actively tell those stories. Not a bad goal for your next training program.  How can you use the imagineering pyramid in your course design and delivery?

As part of a bigger effort to offer an asynchronous, summer faculty development program, the Center for Instructional Innovation at Augusta University developed a 2-part, 6-week program on Multimedia and Motivation in Student Learning. The first half of the program was a 3-week course on the Science of Motivation and Game-Based Learning. The course was NASCAR or stock car race themed with 68 faculty members being divided into “pit crews” of 5 members. Each week (lap) presented the Pit Crews with content and “driving missions” that supported broader learning objectives. About our Guest: Jeff Mastromonico has been teaching, developing multimedia, and working in instructional design in the higher ed space for over 20 years. He currently is the Director of the Center for Instructional Innovation at Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia. He has a Masters of Education in Educational Technology from the University of South Carolina and a second-level certification in Gamification from Sententia. Lynsey Steinberg is one of the 300 board-certified medical illustrators. Lynsey graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a Masters of Science degree from the Medical College of Georgia and earned her board certification in 2016. Lynsey has been able to experience hands-on surgery in the operating room, develop virtual reality, 3D printing, animation, gamification, and graphic design while working directly with students, faculty, and staff. As a team member, she believes in creating engaging work with a passion for creative problem solving through collaboration, inspiration, and innovation.

As part of a bigger effort to offer an asynchronous, summer faculty development program, the Center for Instructional Innovation at Augusta University developed a 2-part, 6-week program on Multimedia and Motivation in Student Learning. The first half of the program was a 3-week course on the Science of Motivation and Game-Based Learning. The course was NASCAR or stock car race themed with 68 faculty members being divided into “pit crews” of 5 members. Each week (lap) presented the Pit Crews with content and “driving missions” that supported broader learning objectives. About our Guest: Jeff Mastromonico has been teaching, developing multimedia, and working in instructional design in the higher ed space for over 20 years. He currently is the Director of the Center for Instructional Innovation at Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia. He has a Masters of Education in Educational Technology from the University of South Carolina and a second-level certification in Gamification from Sententia. Lynsey Steinberg is one of the 300 board-certified medical illustrators. Lynsey graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a Masters of Science degree from the Medical College of Georgia and earned her board certification in 2016. Lynsey has been able to experience hands-on surgery in the operating room, develop virtual reality, 3D printing, animation, gamification, and graphic design while working directly with students, faculty, and staff. As a team member, she believes in creating engaging work with a passion for creative problem solving through collaboration, inspiration, and innovation.

Paycor wanted an exciting experience to enhance their new hire program. Tracey created a wildly popular escape room game to review their day's content and promote teamwork.  Her first version was an in-person pop-up escape room but when COVID hit, she had to pivot to rethink and redesign it to be a virtual escape room but preserve the most fun parts. About our Guest: Tracey Stokely is the principal instructional designer at Paycor in Cincinnati, Ohio. Paycor is an HR technology company that provides business leaders with the HCM software tools, expert advice, and responsive service so they can make a difference in their organizations. She specializes in eLearning design and development. Tracey's learning and development experience includes the software, contact center, and electronics industries. Tracey is a member of the Learning Guild, won Best Mobile Solution at DemoFest at the 2019 DevLearn Conference, and has been a speaker at several conferences.

Paycor wanted an exciting experience to enhance their new hire program. Tracey created a wildly popular escape room game to review their day's content and promote teamwork. Her first version was an in-person pop-up escape room but when COVID hit, she had to pivot to rethink and redesign it to be a virtual escape room but preserve the most fun parts. About our Guest: Tracey Stokely is the principal instructional designer at Paycor in Cincinnati, Ohio. Paycor is an HR technology company that provides business leaders with the HCM software tools, expert advice, and responsive service so they can make a difference in their organizations. She specializes in eLearning design and development. Tracey's learning and development experience includes the software, contact center, and electronics industries. Tracey is a member of the Learning Guild, won Best Mobile Solution at DemoFest at the 2019 DevLearn Conference, and has been a speaker at several conferences.

With the pandemic, facilitator-led corporate training was pushed to virtual platforms and many companies and freelances were not equipped to deliver experiential learning online. Gaminar.net is a platform that enables educators to deliver serious games involving business and soft skills simulations online providing a seamless experience both for Facilitators and Participants. Gaminar.net now has over 800 users who deliver their gaminars/simulations to their clients taking their virtual sessions to a higher level of engagement and training effectiveness. About our guest:  Fernando Mendes is a highly motivated and enthusiastic learning and development professional with over 20 years of experience in Organizational Development projects across Africa, North America, Europe, and the UAE. Passionate about learning, he is the author of the book Start IUPI, a manual for teachers and parents on how to leverage entrepreneurial skills using simple and pragmatic games and exercises. He is a trained standup comedian, and he brings his art of storytelling and performing into his training sessions, thereby making the sessions highly interactive and enabling higher learning retention.

With the pandemic, facilitator-led corporate training was pushed to virtual platforms and many companies and freelances were not equipped to deliver experiential learning online. Gaminar.net is a platform that enables educators to deliver serious games involving business and soft skills simulations online providing a seamless experience both for Facilitators and Participants. Gaminar.net now has over 800 users who deliver their gaminars/simulations to their clients taking their virtual sessions to a higher level of engagement and training effectiveness. About our guest: Fernando Mendes is a highly motivated and enthusiastic learning and development professional with over 20 years of experience in Organizational Development projects across Africa, North America, Europe, and the UAE. Passionate about learning, he is the author of the book Start IUPI, a manual for teachers and parents on how to leverage entrepreneurial skills using simple and pragmatic games and exercises. He is a trained standup comedian, and he brings his art of storytelling and performing into his training sessions, thereby making the sessions highly interactive and enabling higher learning retention.

Many GamiCon participants care about awards and would like to have the prestige that comes with winning an award. But how do you know if your gamified learning solution is award-worthy?  How do you articulate the value your solution(s) delivered to the organization? Can you describe the problem your training solution helped solve? Our panel of judges is also award-winning designers who will share their secret sauce for success with you!

Many GamiCon participants care about awards and would like to have the prestige that comes with winning an award. But how do you know if your gamified learning solution is award-worthy? How do you articulate the value your solution(s) delivered to the organization? Can you describe the problem your training solution helped solve? Our panel of judges is also award-winning designers who will share their secret sauce for success with you!

A Player Journey can be used to guide players towards specific goals and deciding which journey you want to send players on is only the start.  Let's look deeper into what Player Journey can help you to achieve. The player journey is supposed to be fun, but for it to be fun it must be planned.  A good journey will have twists and turns, BUT can you go overboard?  Create, test, and review your player journey. Try your hand at creating a chatbot? Bring it on!

How can you use a motivation driver's perspective to test your game designs in a more integrative way?  Step 1:  Be aware of and consider the complexity of the mind of your user. What moves, excites, and challenges your players while they're inside your system? Check the different qualities of how your player feels and thinks while playing. Playtest your prototypes so that you can iterate and make the best of your learners' motivational drivers for your design!

How can you use a motivation driver's perspective to test your game designs in a more integrative way? Step 1: Be aware of and consider the complexity of the mind of your user. What moves, excites, and challenges your players while they're inside your system? Check the different qualities of how your player feels and thinks while playing. Playtest your prototypes so that you can iterate and make the best of your learners' motivational drivers for your design!

Ever wonder why genius supervillains fail to take over the world? In this session, use game-play and business-based research to accomplish your own version of world domination.  More than just a hands-on learning session, this playshop will also give you ready-to-deploy tools you can use to set and achieve actual business goals within your teams and your organization. Through case studies and interactive exercises, award-winning trainer Scott Provence will show you how you too can take over the world.

Ever wonder why genius supervillains fail to take over the world? In this session, use game-play and business-based research to accomplish your own version of world domination. More than just a hands-on learning session, this playshop will also give you ready-to-deploy tools you can use to set and achieve actual business goals within your teams and your organization. Through case studies and interactive exercises, award-winning trainer Scott Provence will show you how you too can take over the world.

Including compelling characters in your games creates opportunities for fostering a sense of connection, empathy, ownership, and meaning for learners while they experience the narrative you designed.  Learn how characters contribute to your games. Build a character with their own physical, social, and psychological blueprint and then build the structure for a narrative based on what drives that character. Play with examples of how to incorporate and use characters in games and other gamified experiences. About our guest: Hadiya Nuriddin has two decades of experience in learning strategy, instructional design, eLearning development, and facilitation. She worked in corporate learning before choosing to found her firm, Duets Learning, where she's worked with a wide array of companies on a variety of topics. She speaks at events and industry conferences and travels teaching courses for the Association for Talent Development (ATD). Hadiya holds an MEd in curriculum studies, an MA in writing, and the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) designation. She is the author of the book StoryTraining: Selecting and Shaping Stories That Connect, published by ATD.

Including compelling characters in your games creates opportunities for fostering a sense of connection, empathy, ownership, and meaning for learners while they experience the narrative you designed. Learn how characters contribute to your games. Build a character with their own physical, social, and psychological blueprint and then build the structure for a narrative based on what drives that character. Play with examples of how to incorporate and use characters in games and other gamified experiences. About our guest: Hadiya Nuriddin has two decades of experience in learning strategy, instructional design, eLearning development, and facilitation. She worked in corporate learning before choosing to found her firm, Duets Learning, where she's worked with a wide array of companies on a variety of topics. She speaks at events and industry conferences and travels teaching courses for the Association for Talent Development (ATD). Hadiya holds an MEd in curriculum studies, an MA in writing, and the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) designation. She is the author of the book StoryTraining: Selecting and Shaping Stories That Connect, published by ATD.

A client asked Mahesh Joshi if he could gamify a one-day seminar to generate greater interest in the material. The resultant product is a card game—BiggieBills—is a patented, interactive, and dynamic strategic thinking game. In this episode, Mahesh and Monica walk through the process from the first request to the implementation of the gamified program and iterations along the way. About our guest: Mahesh P. Joshi is an academic, an entrepreneur, and a consultant. He was the founding Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the School of Business, George Mason University. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Global Strategy and Entrepreneurship, the School of Business, George Mason University. He is also the President of Joshi International, Inc., a consulting firm that provides strategic and entrepreneurial advice to clients. As an entrepreneur, he launched his first business in 1994, and since then has been involved in more than 10 startups. Recently he has launched a new venture with a vision to improve strategic thinking across corporations through the creation of a patented and interactive digital strategic thinking system through gamification (https://biggiebills.com/).

A client asked Mahesh Joshi if he could gamify a one-day seminar to generate greater interest in the material. The resultant product is a card game—BiggieBills—is a patented, interactive, and dynamic strategic thinking game. In this episode, Mahesh and Monica walk through the process from the first request to the implementation of the gamified program and iterations along the way. About our guest: Mahesh P. Joshi is an academic, an entrepreneur, and a consultant. He was the founding Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the School of Business, George Mason University. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Global Strategy and Entrepreneurship, the School of Business, George Mason University. He is also the President of Joshi International, Inc., a consulting firm that provides strategic and entrepreneurial advice to clients. As an entrepreneur, he launched his first business in 1994, and since then has been involved in more than 10 startups. Recently he has launched a new venture with a vision to improve strategic thinking across corporations through the creation of a patented and interactive digital strategic thinking system through gamification (https://biggiebills.com/).

And our topic today is centered on highly engaging and effective projects that Deirdre and her team have created for clients. We're going to explore together -  How Scenario-Based Learning and Gamification are Great Partners for High Impact Learning.  About Our Guest:  In 2014, Deidre established Game2Change Consulting Services to bring gaming, play, and experiential learning to the changing workforce. Since its inception, Game2Change has pioneered a new methodology in change and learning across multiple and diverse teams in South Africa; Her current focus is to continually learn, improve, and innovate her current foundation; thereby contributing towards equipping the South African and African workforce to adapt and thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn. 

And our topic today is centered on highly engaging and effective projects that Deirdre and her team have created for clients. We're going to explore together - How Scenario-Based Learning and Gamification are Great Partners for High Impact Learning. About Our Guest: In 2014, Deidre established Game2Change Consulting Services to bring gaming, play, and experiential learning to the changing workforce. Since its inception, Game2Change has pioneered a new methodology in change and learning across multiple and diverse teams in South Africa; Her current focus is to continually learn, improve, and innovate her current foundation; thereby contributing towards equipping the South African and African workforce to adapt and thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Covid-19 brought tremendous disruption to the world of physical corporate training. Jimbo Clark tells us how he took a course that required participants to construct a physical box, and pivoted it to being a digital experience that was just as engaging. He shares lessons learned from this experience so you can avoid going through the same growing pains. About our guest: Jimbo Clark is the founder of InnoGreat, a consulting firm which focuses on creativity and innovation in the decision-making process. He helps leadership teams and organizations solve challenging situations with improved thinking aligned to a shared vision of the future. Jimbo has worked with more than 40 Fortune 500 companies in more than 25 countries. He has trained and certified 200 facilitators in his methodology, and is equally capable in face to face or virtual delivery. Jimbo is the creator of Thinking in and Out of the Box, a mindset improvement tool used around the world to increase creativity, empathy and inclusion. He is also co-founder of Brains on the Beach with whom he co-created the ClockWise creative innovation methodology. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Covid-19 brought tremendous disruption to the world of physical corporate training.  Jimbo Clark tells us how he took a course that required participants to construct a physical box, and pivoted it to being a digital experience that was just as engaging.  He shares lessons learned from this experience so you can avoid going through the same growing pains. About our guest: Jimbo Clark is the founder of InnoGreat, a consulting firm which focuses on creativity and innovation in the decision-making process. He helps leadership teams and organizations solve challenging situations with improved thinking aligned to a shared vision of the future. Jimbo has worked with more than 40 Fortune 500 companies in more than 25 countries. He has trained and certified 200 facilitators in his methodology, and is equally capable in face to face or virtual delivery. Jimbo is the creator of Thinking in and Out of the Box, a mindset improvement tool used around the world to increase creativity, empathy and inclusion. He is also co-founder of Brains on the Beach with whom he co-created the ClockWise creative innovation methodology. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn. 

An international classroom teacher of many years, Eric Nelson joins us to explore how gamification can be used to tackle tricky classroom problems, create alternates to traditional letter grades, and assess content mastery in new ways. Monica and Eric tackle the unique challenges facing teachers in the age of Covid, and how gamification can ease some of these growing pains. About our guest: Eric Nelson has a Masters degree in Marine science from the university of Miami, and another in Science Education from the University of Iowa. He was a teacher at the Disney planned community of Celebration, where he was named Teacher of the Year, and helped with the creation of Animal Kingdom. He has taught for a total of 26 year in countries such as The Marshall Islands, Taiwan, India, Korea, and Vietnam. He is the founder of The Gamification Schoolhouse, which creates gamified classroom curriculum, and offers training and mentorship programs. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

An international classroom teacher of many years, Eric Nelson joins us to explore how gamification can be used to tackle tricky classroom problems, create alternates to traditional letter grades, and assess content mastery in new ways.  Monica and Eric tackle the unique challenges facing teachers in the age of Covid, and how gamification can ease some of these growing pains. About our guest: Eric Nelson has a Masters degree in Marine science from the university of Miami, and another in Science Education from the University of Iowa.  He was a teacher at the Disney planned community of Celebration, where he was named Teacher of the Year, and helped with the creation of Animal Kingdom. He has taught for a total of 26 year in countries such as The Marshall Islands, Taiwan, India, Korea, and Vietnam.  He is the founder of The Gamification Schoolhouse, which creates gamified classroom curriculum, and offers training and mentorship programs. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn. 

Tim Dickerson is like many Sententia learners (roughly 50% if you want a number), he ended up in instructional design by happenstance more than choice.  In this episode Monica and Tim talk about what particular gems of gamification wisdom were the most meaningful to him, and why you should rush to failure as fast as possible. About our guest: Tim Dickerson has been in the instructional designer for Karmak, Inc. for just over 4 years. Tim started at Karmak in July 2005. Previously to joining Karmak's eLearning team, Tim worked as an implementation specialist, application specialist, and partner solution specialists. Tim has always enjoyed when his previous positions involved educating either coworkers or customers. Tim mixes his real-life experience, from previous positions with the instructional design methods he is learning and adapting now, to create learning that empowers, instructs, and connects with learners. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn. 

Tim Dickerson is like many Sententia learners (roughly 50% if you want a number), he ended up in instructional design by happenstance more than choice. In this episode Monica and Tim talk about what particular gems of gamification wisdom were the most meaningful to him, and why you should rush to failure as fast as possible. About our guest: Tim Dickerson has been in the instructional designer for Karmak, Inc. for just over 4 years. Tim started at Karmak in July 2005. Previously to joining Karmak's eLearning team, Tim worked as an implementation specialist, application specialist, and partner solution specialists. Tim has always enjoyed when his previous positions involved educating either coworkers or customers. Tim mixes his real-life experience, from previous positions with the instructional design methods he is learning and adapting now, to create learning that empowers, instructs, and connects with learners. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Our topic today is centered on what Richard and eLearning Brothers do best -  Help You to Become an eLearning ROCKSTAR™ - help you build content that is engaging, interactive, and inspiring. You can see an example of ROCKSTAR eLearning if you download the case study that accompanies this podcast at thegamificationquest.com Gamified Workplace Safety & Emergency Training. Team members report that the new approach to training is the most fun compliance training they have ever completed and they appreciate the option to review full resources only for sections they were unfamiliar with, which streamlined training time—keeping the team member engaged and moving through the training. About our guest: Richard Vass is the VP of Customer Success at eLearning Brothers.  He is a dynamic, experienced consultant and professional facilitator with over 25 years in the field of human performance and development. As co-founder and director of customer experience at eLearning Brothers, Richard has forged relationships with leaders in the field of professional learning services and has provided significant contributions to an impressive list of clients. In 2008 Richard was recognized by the Association of Talent Development (ATD) as a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Our topic today is centered on what Richard and eLearning Brothers do best - Help You to Become an eLearning ROCKSTAR™ - help you build content that is engaging, interactive, and inspiring. You can see an example of ROCKSTAR eLearning if you download the case study that accompanies this podcast at thegamificationquest.com Gamified Workplace Safety & Emergency Training. Team members report that the new approach to training is the most fun compliance training they have ever completed and they appreciate the option to review full resources only for sections they were unfamiliar with, which streamlined training time—keeping the team member engaged and moving through the training. About our guest: Richard Vass is the VP of Customer Success at eLearning Brothers. He is a dynamic, experienced consultant and professional facilitator with over 25 years in the field of human performance and development. As co-founder and director of customer experience at eLearning Brothers, Richard has forged relationships with leaders in the field of professional learning services and has provided significant contributions to an impressive list of clients. In 2008 Richard was recognized by the Association of Talent Development (ATD) as a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Use the Game Based Learning Design Wheel, which combines the scientific principles of learning theories, game design, and theories of motivation and behavior into a practical model to design gamification solutions that contribute to learning. Developed by Living Story and used for years to design serious games for learning, Michiel and Karen will take you through the process of making your own serious game or gamification for your adult education or corporate training program in 9 clear steps.  Want to know more about the Game Based Learning Design Wheel? About our guests: Michiel van Eunen | Experience Designer Seasoned player in the field of gamification & game-based learning. Since running his first project (The Hunt) in 2003, he made and played over 50 different formats with thousands of people, groups, teams and companies worldwide. Ranging from serious games to escape rooms, Michiel loves to design games that use the immense power of play in the real world. He has the privilege witnessing tons of teams playing games and he loves to inspire others with what he learned from that. Karen Sikkema | Game-Based Learning Expert Karen is experience designer, escape room designer and gamification designer for cultural heritage. She specializes in game-based learning and developed the Game-based Learning Design Wheel. After working as a consultant and innovation manager, she joined Living Story 12 years ago and gained an enormous amount of experience in entrepreneurship, game design and gamification. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Use the Game Based Learning Design Wheel, which combines the scientific principles of learning theories, game design, and theories of motivation and behavior into a practical model to design gamification solutions that contribute to learning. Developed by Living Story and used for years to design serious games for learning, Michiel and Karen will take you through the process of making your own serious game or gamification for your adult education or corporate training program in 9 clear steps. Want to know more about the Game Based Learning Design Wheel? About our guests: Michiel van Eunen | Experience Designer Seasoned player in the field of gamification & game-based learning. Since running his first project (The Hunt) in 2003, he made and played over 50 different formats with thousands of people, groups, teams and companies worldwide. Ranging from serious games to escape rooms, Michiel loves to design games that use the immense power of play in the real world. He has the privilege witnessing tons of teams playing games and he loves to inspire others with what he learned from that. Karen Sikkema | Game-Based Learning Expert Karen is experience designer, escape room designer and gamification designer for cultural heritage. She specializes in game-based learning and developed the Game-based Learning Design Wheel. After working as a consultant and innovation manager, she joined Living Story 12 years ago and gained an enormous amount of experience in entrepreneurship, game design and gamification. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Gamification designs for learning should use the full potential of feedback rules and feedback loops for engagement. Feedback is a key aspect in game design, not just to direct behavior, but also to give discernable cues to the players on their performance and aspects to improve. A good gamification design knows how to nudge behavior, but a great gamification design creates meaningful learning cycles that engage through the use of multiple feedback rules. These feedback systems can create loops that accrue power or knowledge and that can relate to meaningful rewards or game outcomes. Learning how to design this feedback loop improves the learning curve of your players in a meaningful way. About our guest: Javier Velasquez studied Literature and a Master's in Literature at Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. His professional studies helped him understand how to analyze media in a systemic way, as his main concerns were interdisciplinary studies. Since 2012 he shifted towards game design and founded a board game publisher, Azahar Games. In 2013 he assisted the GSummit and started making research on game design and gamification. Alongside his sister, Ana María Velasquez, a PhD in Human Development and Motivation, they started working on a Gamification framework (BEM) that used the idea of feedback and intrinsic motivation in its core. This framework has been validated in different fields, like innovation, human resources, loyalty campaigns, and specially in education, which is a big part of their intrinsic motivation. Javier sees Gamification not as a tool of design, but as a field with paradigms and objects of study that go beyond the use of standardized mechanics.   The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.  

Gamification designs for learning should use the full potential of feedback rules and feedback loops for engagement. Feedback is a key aspect in game design, not just to direct behavior, but also to give discernable cues to the players on their performance and aspects to improve. A good gamification design knows how to nudge behavior, but a great gamification design creates meaningful learning cycles that engage through the use of multiple feedback rules. These feedback systems can create loops that accrue power or knowledge and that can relate to meaningful rewards or game outcomes. Learning how to design this feedback loop improves the learning curve of your players in a meaningful way. About our guest: Javier Velasquez studied Literature and a Master's in Literature at Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. His professional studies helped him understand how to analyze media in a systemic way, as his main concerns were interdisciplinary studies. Since 2012 he shifted towards game design and founded a board game publisher, Azahar Games. In 2013 he assisted the GSummit and started making research on game design and gamification. Alongside his sister, Ana María Velasquez, a PhD in Human Development and Motivation, they started working on a Gamification framework (BEM) that used the idea of feedback and intrinsic motivation in its core. This framework has been validated in different fields, like innovation, human resources, loyalty campaigns, and specially in education, which is a big part of their intrinsic motivation. Javier sees Gamification not as a tool of design, but as a field with paradigms and objects of study that go beyond the use of standardized mechanics. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Why is a well crafted player journey such an essential part of gamified instruction?  Bernardo is joining us today to promote his workshop that he will be giving at Gamicon 2020 about player journey creation.  Learn how a well crafted player journey will reward mastery, as well as how critical it is to balance an extrinsic rewards system.  Should everyone get a trophy?  About our guest: Bernardo is a gamification expert, trainer, and international speaker with a specialty in Web and UX design/development.  He was inspired to create the BLUErabbit educational platform by his own negative experiences as a student and a belief that every learner in the world deserves better.  His mission is to transform education because he believes that it is overdue for an evolution.  "Passing a class isn't learning" The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Why is a well crafted player journey such an essential part of gamified instruction? Bernardo is joining us today to promote his workshop that he will be giving at Gamicon 2020 about player journey creation. Learn how a well crafted player journey will reward mastery, as well as how critical it is to balance an extrinsic rewards system. Should everyone get a trophy? About our guest: Bernardo is a gamification expert, trainer, and international speaker with a specialty in Web and UX design/development. He was inspired to create the BLUErabbit educational platform by his own negative experiences as a student and a belief that every learner in the world deserves better. His mission is to transform education because he believes that it is overdue for an evolution. "Passing a class isn't learning" The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Our topic today is:  Practice Self-Gamification or we could turn that title into How to Play the “Turn Your Life into Fun Games” Game You are going to appreciate the program today as you learn how and why to turn your life into a game. Why would you do that?  One reasons to turn any project into a game is that when you no longer focus on upsets and complaints, you save an enormous amount of time. About Our Guest:   Victoria is a writer, instructor, and consultant with a background in semiconductor physics, electronic engineering (with a Ph.D.), information technology, and business development. While being a non-gamer, Victoria came up with the term Self-Gamification, a gameful and playful self-help approach bringing anthropology, kaizen, and gamification-based methods together to increase the quality of life. She approaches all areas of her life this way. Due to the fun she has, while turning everything in her life into games, she intends never to stop designing and playing them. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

Our topic today is: Practice Self-Gamification or we could turn that title into How to Play the “Turn Your Life into Fun Games” Game You are going to appreciate the program today as you learn how and why to turn your life into a game. Why would you do that? One reasons to turn any project into a game is that when you no longer focus on upsets and complaints, you save an enormous amount of time. About Our Guest: Victoria is a writer, instructor, and consultant with a background in semiconductor physics, electronic engineering (with a Ph.D.), information technology, and business development. While being a non-gamer, Victoria came up with the term Self-Gamification, a gameful and playful self-help approach bringing anthropology, kaizen, and gamification-based methods together to increase the quality of life. She approaches all areas of her life this way. Due to the fun she has, while turning everything in her life into games, she intends never to stop designing and playing them. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.

An art history course developed for Alverno College based on a challenge to save art works of five ancient cultures from oblivion and thereby save the memory of those cultures.  About Our Guest:  Marilyn Zwissler started out as a product trainer, found out it was a profession, and is now a performance improvement professional. Along the way, she earned her Master's Degree in Organizational Development and is a certified Learning and Development Professional (CPLP). Games and how people learn through experience has always intrigued her. Last year she graduated from Sententia's Journeyman program and started an online course program for Alverno College based on a game concept. She calls her course The Great Art Quest. The Gamification Quest Podcast Host is Monica Cornetti, President of Sententia, Inc. (www.SententiaGamification.com) and GameMaster of GamiCon - The Annual International Conference for the Gamification of Learning (www.GamiCon.us). Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.