Gamification as a research method at the 2023 The Millennium Project Planning Dubai

Gamification as a research approach or method involves incorporating elements of game design in futures research studies and education. There are several benefits and advantages to using gamification in futures research:

• Increased Engagement: Gamification can make research more engaging and enjoyable for participants. By turning the research process into a game, participants are more likely to be motivated and actively participate in the study.
• Improved Learning and Retention: In educational research, gamification can enhance learning outcomes. Games often require problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making, which can lead to better understanding and retention of information.
• Enhanced Motivation: Gamification can boost motivation by giving participants clear goals, feedback, and rewards. This can be especially useful in longitudinal studies or studies requiring repeated participant interactions.
• Data Collection: Gamified research methods can facilitate data collection, especially in areas where obtaining accurate information through traditional surveys or interviews might be challenging. For example, gamified simulations can provide insights into decision-making processes.
• Real-time Feedback: Games can provide real-time feedback to participants, allowing researchers to gather data on performance, decision-making, and behavior as it happens. This can be valuable for studies that require immediate feedback.
• Customization: Gamification can be customized to suit the specific research goals and objectives. Researchers can design games that align with their research questions and hypotheses.
• Longitudinal Studies: Gamification can be useful in long-term studies where participant engagement might decline over time. Games help maintain interest and participation throughout the study.
• Behavior Modification: Gamification can influence and modify participant behavior in a controlled manner. 
• Accessibility: Digital games and gamified research methods can often be easily accessed by participants, making it convenient for both researchers and study participants.
• Fun and Enjoyment: Research participation can be perceived as a chore or boring by some individuals. Gamification can transform the experience into a more enjoyable activity, leading to higher response rates and better data quality.
• Social Interaction: Multiplayer or social elements in gamified research can facilitate collaboration and interaction among participants, leading to richer data and insights.
• Ethical Considerations: Gamification can be used to address ethical concerns in research by providing informed consent, ensuring privacy, and maintaining participant anonymity within a game-based context.

While gamification offers many advantages, it’s essential to carefully design and implement gamified research methods to ensure they align with the research objectives and ethical standards. Additionally, not all research questions or contexts may be suitable for gamification, so researchers should consider the appropriateness of this approach for their specific study.

 

Reflections of Shermon Cruz from The Millennium Project Philippines Presentation: 

I love how fluid, node-oriented, emergent, trust-based engagement, CEO plus movement type The Millennium Project is! Recently, I had the pleasure of sharing updates and provocations with TMP, presenting ideas that could potentially reshape the landscape of their influential reports, such as the State of the Future Index, Work and Tech 2050, and Artificial General Intelligence.

One of the exciting propositions shared with TMP involved the integration of the Dreams and Disruptions Game Model into their renowned reports. The idea is to infuse a gamified approach into forecasting and leveraging the game’s unique blend of randomness, imagination, and participatory engagement to unlock novel perspectives on the future.

The plan is to craft customized versions of the Dreams and Disruptions Game for specific projects and domains within the TMP. This tailoring ensures that the game becomes a versatile tool, finely tuned to extract insights and scenarios that align precisely with the nuances of each unique endeavor undertaken by TMP. 

As TMP continues to evolve and embrace novel methodologies, the fusion of gamification, customization, and AI represents a bold leap into the future of foresight. The dynamic nature of this collaboration promises to enrich the content of TMP’s influential reports and inspire a new era of participatory, imaginative, and trust-driven engagement in shaping our shared tomorrows. The journey has just begun, and the prospects are as limitless as the futures we collectively envision.”