Using Fun to Change Behavior
I participated in a Gamification course (please see my review of For the Win by Kevin Werbach, the course leader) created by Wharton School of Business and delivered on Coursera, an MOOC (massive online open course). During the course, we were shown case studies of companies that are using fun to change behavior. If you are working in industries such as the environment, health and fitness, and food, and want people to change their behaviours and lifestyles, how might you use fun? How might you use fun to assist in process changes and systems implementation?
Here are examples of using fun to change behaviour:
The Piano Stairs – TheFunTheory.com
The intent of the Piano Stairs is to get people taking the stairs and getting exercise instead of the escalator. Sixty-six percent more people than was normal took the piano stairs over the escalator.
If you cannot view the YouTube video, click here.
Teknosa & Forum Istanbul Piano Stairs – Piyano Merdivenler 2010
If you cannot view the YouTube video, click here.
The World's Deepest Bin – TheFunTheory.com
The intent is to get people to throw their garbage into the bin to keep the environment clean. During one day, 72 kilograms of garbage was collected in the bin – that was 41 kilogram more than a regular bin that was a short distance away. That is 230 percent more garbage collected.
If you cannot view the YouTube video, click here.
One of the things that I would love to see is for more people to read books. To make reading fun, perhaps I could provide information on how people could start book clubs for professional development within their organizations, and make sure that food and community building are components. In addition, I came across a brilliant idea yesterday where you can have Little Free Libraries in your community. I would like to take one to Jamaica in the summer – I certainly have a lot of books that I am willing to part with for others to enjoy, and imagine the conversations that are sparked. Making a process fun doesn’t have to cost a lot of money if you are creative. How might you incorporate elements of fun to change behaviors at work to get others to act in a certain way? Can fun be used for real behavior modification?
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