At the WPO conference on May 6, 2017, the keynote speaker was Jane McGonigal
The Engagement Economy. She is from game and research development for Institute of the Future.
- When game designer Jane McGonigal found herself bedridden and suicidal following a severe concussion, she had a fascinating idea for how to get better. She dove into the scientific research and created the healing game, SuperBetter. In this moving talk, McGonigal explains how a game can boost resilience — and promises to add 7.5 minutes to your life
https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_the_game_that_can_give_you_10_extra_years_of_life
- Games like World of Warcraft give players the means to save worlds, and incentive to learn the habits of heroes. What if we could harness this gamer power to solve real-world problems? Jane McGonigal says we can, and explains how
https://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world
Her talk this morning was about gaming and its use in the workforce. Although many employees use company resources to play games, gaming itself benefits all since there is a part of the brain that fires up and keeps it active and engaged. It develops super empowered, hopeful individuals.
She concludes that the opposite of work is not play, but depression.
The challenge for employers is to take these people and make them empowered at work.
She said that Pokemon Go energized players and when applied to a business context teaches us that:
- There are, “On demand chances to succeed”
- That nothing is scarce (there is plenty to go around)Therefore, there is a built in collaboration radar.
- And the hope that there is always something around the corner (that is fun and exciting).