Lessons from Games we can use in Training

Fascinating article in T+D (ASTD's journal) from May 2011 regarding three important lessons to be learned from games / game designers / gamers - and how they can be applied to training.

1 - Define a starting point and objective, but not the path to be taken 

The author (Ben Betts) correctly points out that in a video game there are many ways to "get to the next level." Some will get you there faster than others. Some will be better than others. But each path the gamer takes is a lesson learned. So repeated exposure to the environment, while they are trying to figure out how to get to the 'answer,' is a great way to developing reasoning, problem solving and decision making - things that we are sorely lacking in most employees, you'll no doubt agree.

2 - Measure the experience, not the journey

Too often we are are consumed with how long the training has taken to accomplish. As trainers we say "this should take 30 minutes to learn;" as learners we say "only 20 more slides until I am finished!"  These "goals" aren't learning goals at all. Instead, by tracking progress against accomplishing objectives or against peers, we can keep the focus on the journey and the experience. Games often award "experience points" - you actually earn more points by taking longer to play the game, because you encounter and experience more things in the environment.  Using this methodology helps to prevent people from finding the shortest route to "the end."

3 - The learning process is you "against" a peer - not you "against" the computer

The learning process needs to have a social element. Once you beat the computer you can say you have won. But when  you are competing against another person, or multiple persons, there will be an element of the unknown. Different players bring different strategies one has to adapt to. The process you used yesterday may not be the process that works in your favor today.

It all makes sense and is very exciting... now, how to put it in to practice?