Writer, Agilist, Elder Geek
I hear a lot of talk lately about "gamifictation" – adding gamelike elements to non-gaming software and services. It may be achievements, titles, even controls – and the goal of course is to get people interested and using the software and services.
Let me state frankly that this is a great idea. I'm bang alongside it, and I wanted to explore just why I think it works, and why we need to pay attention to it:
As I noted in my last column on the subject, the Production Revolution (the ability technology gives us to make many media and technical products) isn't going to make everyone an instant author/artist/whatever. There were multiple limits, and the first limit I noted was some people don't have time time.
So let me continue, depressingly, on another factor that's going to keep the talented from realizing their goals. Technical Skill.
A quick bit of late breaking Geekery.
There's a sequel to that great article on the end of corporate IT. Go read!