Gamification in SharePoint 2013

“Gamification is integrating game dynamics & mechanics into non-game activities like a web site, content or collaboration platform to drive participation, engagement & loyalty among users.”

SharePoint 2013 provides gamification in the social collaboration space where users are encouraged to contribute content, share ideas or participate in discussion by rewarding them with special achievement points and badges.

SharePoint 2013 supports the following two gamification concepts out of the box.

1. Achievement Points
   
   A feature whereby users can get points for participation in activities such as creating or replying to a post. It is also possible to define levels a user can reach by collecting a specified number of points.
   
   
2. Badges
   
   A feature to provide the user a badge as a reward for recognition of his achievement in some area.

Both of these features can be made available using the "Community Site" template.

1. Create a Community Site via central admin or as a sub site using the available template.
   
   
   
   
2. The homepage provides a “Community tools” web part from where we can manage the achievement points & badges settings.
   
   
   
   
3. To work with Achievement Points, click on Reputation Settings.The page provides settings to define the point system as in the following.
   
   
   
   It also provides settings to define achievement levels as in the following:
   
   
   
   After defining the points system, click OK to save the settings.
   
   
4. Members of the community will be given the achievement points as defined in the settings once they participate.
   
   
5. To work with Badges, click on "Create Badges" from the Community Tools menu.
   
   
6. Two Badges are already created by default, you can choose to create new badges depending on requirements.
   
   
   
   
7. Badges can be assigned to members via the "Assign badges to members" link from the Community Tools menu.
   
   Further information on this is available at http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/40e97e/badges-for-contributors-in-sharepoint/
   
   
8. The Admin can view the progress of the members via the following:
   Site Settings > Community Administration, then go to Manage Members and click Admin View.
   
   
9. The Reputation score indicates the achievement points gained by the member.
   
   
   
   
10. Members can view their achievements by clicking the “Members” link on the homepage > "My Membership" web part.
    
    
    

Limitations with the features

1. Achievement Points
   
   These points can be awarded for participation in limited activates only. There is no provision to customize the awarding of points for activities like creating a document.
   
   
2. Badges
   
   
   1. A user can only have one badge. Giving a second badge takes away the first one.
      
      
   2. Badges are text only, SharePoint does not allow making graphical badges out of the box.

Conclusion

SharePoint provides very basic support for gamification. The badges and achievement points provide very limited customization support and are applicable within the Community site only, in other words the achievements of a user does not reflect his/her personal profile page.

Hence, SharePoint currently has miles to go before it can be acknowledged as a suitable target platform for building portals where gamification is the key requirement to motivate employees, create healthy competition among teams, generate buzz or social proof and encourage customer loyalty.