Knowing the technical information of a product is essential when it comes to using it properly. However, getting to know and keeping in mind all that information can be an ordeal for anyone. One solution however, which primarily deals with the accessibility of technical information, is making waves: gamification marketing. By means of a reward-based system, the learner feels more involved and is more likely to assimilate information, which will inturn make your technical information more efficient.
Gamification Marketing: a reward-based system?
Gamification marketing is a technique that consists in applying fun and engaging elements to something that may not be quite as amusing as a game. The aim is to increase overall user engagement.
A common technique related to gamification is the attribution of rewards. Users can get points as they would for a loyalty card, or maybe more practical rewards like a better parking spot. This way, things feel far less like a boring and time consuming chore like they probably would have before.
Getting your teeth into the technical information of a product can be quite time-consuming and challenging for some. It’s in your best interest as a technical writer to avoid turning the experience into an ordeal. Instead, try making it engaging and fun!
Gamification Marketing takes a creative mind
Applying gamification marketing to technical communication will probably mean that you’ll have to call on your creative flair. You want to make the user carry on reading. Think of your technical information as educational material: the aim is to facilitate user learning and even to help them look for more precise information. In fact, integrating games into education is a strategy that is being deployed more and more in schools.
But can you make technical information about a product more entertaining? Several elements have been proven to stimulate learner’s brains more than others. :
- Visual : For users who have a visual memory. Images, pictograms and flash cards naturally help them to better process information.
- case studies : practice makes perfect ! By solving problems, users will understand the importance of the technical information and how useful it is
- quizzes : aiming to get good results, this will engage even more the learners. They can even lead to create some sort of competition, which is stimulating as well.
Gamification Marketing Leads to More Efficient Technical Communication
Because of their interactive nature, such stimulating elements will naturally make your technical information more efficient. Users will find it easier to learn and will be generally more focused. This interactivity will include the reader and inspire them to develop their technical knowledge.
For her Master’s thesis, Anna-Lotte Wienstroer tackled the topic of gamification marketing and led a study to find out whether it was more efficient than a traditional paper-based manual to learn technical information. In the end, it was concluded that employees learning through gamification made less mistakes than the ones with the paper copy . One thing that should be pointed out however : gamification was generally more effective for younger generations. Another issue raised was adapting the technical information to the target user.
To conclude, gamification marketing is one technique you can use to make your technical information more attractive to users of your product. If you let your creative skills run riot, your users will feel more engaged, and the technical information will be taken on board more efficiently and for longer periods of time.
References:
Anna-Lotte Wienstroer, “All fun and games”, October 2018
Theresa Pojuner, “Gamification and Technical Writing“, August 2012
