Gamification – One of our core pillars

These reactions are driven by several foundational elements, with gamification being a key one. Others include strong visual elements and our commitment to simplicity. When we design business simulations, it’s all about simplification and exaggeration — painting with broad strokes to create a caricature of reality.

Our participants thrive on the blend of simplicity, visual feedback, and a sense of control. This cocktail triggers a dopamine rush and ignites their desire to learn.

• Control - When participants feel in control of what’s happening, their motivation increases. They make decisions and immediately see how those decisions impact results. Clear and predictable consequences are essential to maintaining that feeling of control.

• Simplicity - By simplifying problem descriptions, we shift focus to decision-making and outcomes rather than understanding the problem itself. Simplicity also applies to game mechanics — usually revolving around one or two key resources that must be managed to achieve success (or at least the hope of it).  

• Visualization - When progress and results are communicated visually and in real time, motivation increases. Imagine gaining the ability to interpret a financial statement in just a second or two — that sense of rapid skill development motivates learners to keep going. “If I’ve come this far already, where could I be in another hour?”

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It works!

When we first started exploring business simulations, the term "gamification" didn’t even exist. We were simply fascinated by how engaging board games could be — even those involving money — while traditional finance education at universities was utterly lacking in engagement.

We experimented with different models, and from those early trials, we developed the foundation for the business simulations that, 35 years later, still generate the same enthusiastic feedback you read earlier.

Today, we use the term gamification freely — even if it ruffles the feathers of self-appointed language purists. But as far as we know, there still aren’t a perfect equivalents in all languages that captures the full meaning.

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Why It works

At the heart of gamification lies motivation — but what fuels motivation and enthusiasm? There are several theories. According to Scientific American, key factors include:

• Autonomy – When people feel they have control over their own fate, they’re more motivated to succeed. Autonomy drives persistence and effort over time.

• Value – When people see value in an activity and are genuinely interested in the subject, motivation soars. In simple terms: if you care, you’ll try harder.

• Competence – As people develop skill in an area, they become more motivated to continue growing. Studies consistently show a strong link between a sense of competence and the desire to improve.

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Eyes on the prize!  

Gamification taps into two key types of motivation:

• External (e.g., money or grades)

• Internal (e.g., personal satisfaction or joy)

The magic happens when both are present. The thrill of winning goes a long way — but we also need some form of reward, recognition, or prize to sustain engagement.

Gamification is ultimately about motivation — the desire and drive to act. This drive is fueled by dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain that plays a key role in the reward system. Your body releases dopamine when you experience something pleasurable or satisfying.

But here’s the twist: you don’t have to actually win for dopamine to kick in. Just believing that you might win is enough. In a way, dopamine allows you to "pre-experience" the thrill of success. The more dopamine is released, the higher your motivation.

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A few final stats

• • Gamification in learning increases engagement by up to 48%
  
  
  • Studies show gamification can improve knowledge retention by as much as 90%
  • Gamified learning boosts student performance by 35%
  • When used in e-learning, gamification raises course completion rates to 90%
    (compared to just 25% without gamification)
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Get in Touch
We’d love to tell you more about how we can help you trigger a dopamine tsunami in your organization.