Gamification and Playful Design: Exploring the Design Space for Business, Teaching, and Sports
Overview
Abstract
Playful design and gamification are methods that incorporate elements from video games (such as levels, achievements, or avatars) to enhance the appeal of real-world applications. By leveraging such features, playful design and gamification can drive participation, improve user experiences, and create lasting behavioral changes. These methods have potential applications in several fields, including business, education, and even in physical training and rehabilitation. Despite long-standing successful examples, such as bonus programs or step counters in smartwatches, their full potential remains underutilized.
In this seminar, we will explore several best practices from both design courses and real-world applications. Additionally, we will examine the foundational models of current solutions and delve into the psychological and cognitive aspects of gamification and playful design, such as motivation, engagement, and task load.
Speaker Biography
Oliver Korn is a professor of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) at Offenburg University, Germany, and founder of the Affective & Cognitive Institute (ACI). He is also dean for research and directs the OGFLab startup center. A certified project manager and Senior Member of ACM, his research includes Context-aware Systems, Assistive Technologies, Affective Computing, Virtual Worlds, and Gamification.
At ACI, he leads an interdisciplinary team to create intuitive systems that adapt to users’ contexts and emotional states, focusing on engagement and enjoyment. A special focus lies on vulnerable groups. He established the bachelor’s program “Virtual Worlds & Game Technologies” in 2023 to align with this vision.
His research has been featured in ACM CHI, ASSETS, and many more. He has edited two Springer books, produced a science comic, and chaired ACM PETRA (2018–2021). Currently, he is a visiting professor at the School of Information at UC Berkeley.