Professor Game Podcast | Rob Alvarez Bucholska chats with gamification gurus, experts and practitioners about education: Recent Episodes
Rob Alvarez Bucholska: Gamification and learning experiences expert, speake
Professor Game is a weekly podcast where we interview successful practitioners of games, gamification and game thinking that will bring us the best of their experiences to get ideas, insights and will inspire us in the process of getting students or trainees to learn what we teach.
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Episode Summary Travis Clapp, co-founder and CEO of Coursebox AI, joins Rob to explain how AI is reshaping course creation and delivery for a platform used in 180 countries with over 300,000 courses built on it. He walks through Coursebox's "Break My Brain" feature, an AI mode built for personalized, adversarial learning rather than points and leaderboards, and explains why the platform now generates in 10 minutes what used to take him days to compile by hand. Travis also shares two gamification experiments gone wrong, an overbuilt golf training module and a crossword in an endangered Aboriginal language, and where he draws the line between fun and function. Listeners come away with a clearer read on why surface-level game mechanics rarely move the needle, and what deep personalization through AI looks like in practice.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * Coursebox AI now generates the five-document compliance package Travis used to build by hand for RTOs in about 10 minutes, work that once took him days per client. * Coursebox's "Break My Brain" feature lets a learner, or Travis himself testing it on his own sales calls, get challenged and questioned by AI instead of clicking through a linear course, engaging Core Drive 3 (Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback) and Core Drive 4 (Ownership & Possession). * Travis's own team told him not to talk about leaderboards, points, certificates, or badges going into this episode, because platform-level leaderboards rarely produce deep engagement on their own, just a carrot on a stick. * A German trucking client turned Coursebox training into a fully hands-free, podcast-style experience so drivers could complete quizzes and assignments by voice while on the road. * Coursebox is used across 180 countries, has generated over 300,000 courses, and one flagship edX MOOC built on the platform reached more than 20,000 learners. * An early gamified golf training module Travis built in 2011 nailed the learner experience but got flagged internally as the most expensive, overpriced piece of work the company had shipped, a reminder that engagement design still has to answer to budget.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — Opening hook: "don't talk about leaderboards" * 1:18 — Travis Clapp's path to Coursebox AI * 2:42 — New fatherhood and running a global startup from Australia * 6:03 — Favorite fail: an over-engineered golf training module * 9:03 — A crossword in an endangered language, gamification taken too far * 10:57 — Why leaderboards and points rarely drive real engagement * 12:57 — "Break My Brain": AI's personalized deep-learning mode * 16:24 — Killing the step-by-step method for open, prompt-based design * 18:02 — Tesla's Grok, Porsche, and voice-driven learning everywhere * 20:55 — German truck drivers turning training into a podcast * 21:41 — AI risk, specialization, and what never depreciates * 27:20 — Book picks, favorite game, and where to find Coursebox AI
Recently funded and aiming for sustainable retention? Intro chat (no sales pitch): professorgame.com/chat
About Travis Clapp Travis Clapp is the co-founder and CEO of Coursebox AI, an AI course creation and training delivery platform used across 180 countries with over 300,000 courses created on the platform.
He spent 15 years as an instructional designer before building Coursebox, working with companies like Johnson & Johnson, Electrolux, Michael Hill, and SA Health. At Open Colleges, he built the five-document compliance packages by hand that every RTO needs; Coursebox now generates the same packages in 10 minutes.
One of his courses reached over 20,000 learners as a flagship edX MOOC. He knows what good learning takes because he spent years doing it the slow way.
Before Coursebox, he founded and ran a social-based LMS for seven years, which became the foundation for what Coursebox AI is today. Four years ago he launched Coursebox AI, not to automate course creation, but to get to the part that matters: delivery. The AI tutor, the grading, the 24/7 coaching, the outcomes. Course creation, in his words, is about 1% of what the platform does.
Travis still checks customer support messages at 4am.
Find Travis Clapp Online * Website: coursebox.ai * LinkedIn (Travis): linkedin.com/in/travisclapp * LinkedIn (Coursebox AI): linkedin.com/company/courseboxai * Instagram: instagram.com/coursebox.ai * TikTok: tiktok.com/@coursebox.ai * Facebook: facebook.com/courseboxai * X/Twitter: x.com/Coursebox_ai * YouTube: youtube.com/@CourseboxAI
Mentioned in This Episode Some links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- TOG / P&G gamification case study
- The Octalysis Framework
- Book: I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
- Book: The Millionaire Mind by Thomas J. Stanley
- Book: The Expectant Father by Armin A. Brott & Jennifer Ash Rudick
- Favorite game: SimCity 2000 (1993)
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real engagement programs: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Rob breaks down behavioral debt: the borrowed motivation hiding inside every legacy points, discount, or bonus program, showing why cutting an engagement program off cold is the fastest way to blow it up. He walks through JCPenney's collapse under Ron Johnson, a Fortune 500 rewards program employees now budget around like income, and how LATAM Airlines and Caixa Econômica Federal restructured their own behavioral debt using Octalysis Core Drives instead of switching it off. Listeners learn how to read their program's real balance sheet and start servicing behavioral debt without triggering a JCPenney-style default.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * JCPenney's Ron Johnson scrapped every discount and coupon overnight, replacing them with everyday low pricing; sales fell 25%, roughly $4.3 billion, and he was gone within two years. * Ron Johnson later admitted only 1% of JCPenney's sales happened without a discount, meaning 99% of purchases depended on coupons the company had just eliminated. * LATAM Airlines kept its miles intact but rebuilt the experience around Core Drive 7 (Unpredictability & Curiosity) and Core Drive 3 (Empowerment of Creativity & Feedback), driving a 153% increase in credit card acquisitions. * Caixa Econômica Federal's incentive program had drifted to roughly 10% participation before a rebuild around collective purpose pushed it to 90%, adding $1.06 billion in revenue. * Points tied to reaching performance targets ran on Core Drive 4 (Ownership & Possession) and Core Drive 8 (Loss & Avoidance), turning a reward employees didn't need into part of their household income.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — Behavioral debt hiding under green metrics * 0:25 — A Fortune 500 rewards program families budget around * 1:39 — Why most engagement advice assumes a blank slate * 2:51 — Why behavioral debt hides behind green dashboards * 3:29 — Borrowed motivation compounding like real interest * 4:17 — JCPenney's Ron Johnson cuts every discount overnight * 6:04 — Core Drives 4 and 8 inside the Fortune 500 case * 8:07 — Why behavioral debt has no repayment plan * 8:59 — Why you can't just switch off behavioral debt * 9:20 — LATAM Airlines: servicing debt while building the replacement * 11:23 — Caixa's jump from 10% to 90% participation * 12:37 — Closing: most loyalty programs are just debt service
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real engagement programs: professorgame.com/WildCD
Mentioned in This Episode * LATAM Airlines Gamification Case Study (The Octalysis Group) * Caixa Econômica Federal Banking Gamification Case Study (The Octalysis Group) * The Octalysis Framework * JCPenney's 2011-2013 "everyday low prices" strategy under CEO Ron Johnson
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Real cases pulled apart through the Octalysis Core Drives, sent to your inbox over a few days. Get the free guide: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Rob breaks down why the same reward can pull a team forward or quietly wreck it, using three cases where the design decided the outcome. He walks through a school in Caracas where escalating fines for late pickups made lateness worse, the sales bonus patterns that produce burnout and sandbagging, and The Octalysis Group's project with Procter & Gamble's distributor Navo Orbico, where a gamified ship upgrade tightened the feedback loop instead of paying for the sale. Along the way he separates two mechanisms that often get treated as one: a fine turning a moral obligation into a price, and the over-justification effect crowding out intrinsic motivation on the reward side. Listeners learn how to match the reward to the job it actually has to do, and when to hand off to something more durable.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * A school in Caracas replaced the moral weight of collecting your child on time with an escalating fine, and lateness went up instead of down. Core Drive 5 (Social Influence and Relatedness) stopped doing its job the moment the delay carried a price. * Gneezy and Rustichini's study "A Fine is a Price" documents the same reversal in day-care centers: a monetary fine for late pickups increased late pickups, and removing the fine did not bring them back down. * A standing sales commission with nothing behind it pays for the behavior forever. Reps chase the next check to make ends meet, and with no other motivation in the system, the commission burns them out rather than building anything durable. * Capped bonuses fail in two directions. Targets set too high get read as unreachable, so reps stop trying, and reachable targets get sandbagged, with closed-ready deals held into the next cycle so the company waits on revenue it wanted today. * In The Octalysis Group's project with Procter & Gamble's distributor Navo Orbico, ship upgrades inside Masters of the Endless Seas cut the roughly week-long CRM lag on seeing whether a sale landed, tightening the Core Drive 2 (Development and Accomplishment) loop instead of paying for the sale. Rob was not on the project team and saw it presented at Brighton. * Nearly every reward failure is one of two mistakes: treating the get-them-through-the-door reward as the whole engine, or bolting an extrinsic reward onto behavior that already had an intrinsic reason, which is where the over-justification effect crowds that reason out.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — The reward is a tool, not a motivator * 1:56 — The Caracas school that fined late parents * 2:45 — How a fine replaced a moral obligation * 4:07 — A Fine is a Price, Gneezy and Rustichini * 4:44 — When rewards do an honest job * 6:07 — Standing commissions and sales rep burnout * 7:07 — Bonus targets set too high to chase * 8:06 — Hitting the number, then sandbagging deals * 8:52 — The over-justification effect in action * 9:27 — P&G's Masters of the Endless Seas * 11:15 — Why the ship worked when the bonus failed * 12:20 — Choosing the reward that fits the job
Mentioned in This Episode * Core Drives in the Wild, the free guide with real cases analyzed through the Octalysis Core Drives * Episode 453: Why Users Agree But Never Start, where Rob covers the Procter & Gamble project in full * "A Fine is a Price" by Uri Gneezy and Aldo Rustichini, Journal of Legal Studies, 2000 * The Octalysis Group, and its project with Procter & Gamble's distributor Navo Orbico * Masters of the Endless Seas, the gamified world built for the Procter & Gamble sales rep network * The over-justification effect, and Core Drives 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the Octalysis Framework
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Frédéric Guitton, who leads sales and marketing at iTargetGolf after a career across banking, startups, financial services, and investment firms, explains how driving ranges are turning dead space into an interactive, gamified experience. He walks through the company's product line, including the iTarget Night Saber target that connects to Toptracer, Inrange, and Trackman through an API, the in-bay lights that fire when a player hits their target, and the new Cash Cup Golf hole-in-one contest played with RFID balls. Guitton lays out the three levers a driving range has for revenue, why post-COVID golf growth came from entertainment rather than traditional rounds, and how instant feedback keeps a player buying one more bucket. Listeners come away with a working model of physical gamification and a reminder that designing around real human behavior beats asking people to behave better.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * A driving range has only three levers for revenue, according to Frédéric Guitton: sell more balls, sell more food and beverage, or sell the balls for more money. Every engagement decision at iTargetGolf traces back to one of those three. * iTargetGolf's first targets were powder-coated metal and looked great, but ball picker staff bumped them and metal does not give, so it bent or broke permanently. The replacement is cut from utility sewer pipe and survives 400 to 500 pounds driving over it. * Post-COVID golf growth came from entertainment, not from more rounds on traditional courses. Guitton describes the driving range starting to replace the bowling alley as the family night out, which brings in an audience that never came to practice. * The iTarget Night Saber target connects through an API to Toptracer, Inrange, and Trackman ball tracking, so a landed ball triggers an animation within seconds. That instant feedback is Core Drive 2 (Development and Accomplishment) delivered in the physical world. * Choosing low voltage over high voltage took permitting out of the install path. A California range that signed in mid-June started its install roughly four weeks later, which turned an infrastructure decision into a sales advantage. * Guitton frames the B2B2C tension plainly: the range's success drives iTargetGolf's success, so the company treats itself as a consequence of its customers' results rather than a driver of them.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — Opening and introduction * 2:17 — Inside a week at iTargetGolf * 3:25 — Favorite fail: metal targets that bend * 6:34 — Sewer pipes and the strike point redesign * 9:01 — The four products iTargetGolf builds * 11:31 — How a general contractor started the company * 14:58 — Golf as entertainment after COVID * 15:57 — Three ways a driving range makes money * 17:46 — Making it fun and creating new golfers * 19:35 — Best practices: listen and stay locked in * 22:45 — Football intelligence and instant feedback * 27:47 — Outliers, favorite games, and goodbyes
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
About Frédéric Guitton Frédéric Guitton leads the sales and marketing strategy at iTargetGolf, where he is helping redefine the driving range experience through interactive down-range technology. He relocated from France to Central Florida in 1996 and built a career in banking before expanding into startups, financial services, and investment firms, developing experience across business strategy, operations, sales, marketing, and executive leadership. At iTargetGolf he works on a product line that combines interactive illuminated targets, skill-based cash prize games, and integrated ball-tracking technology to increase player engagement and open new revenue for golf facilities. His current focus is building scalable systems, strengthening customer relationships, expanding strategic partnerships, and positioning the company in the evolution of golf entertainment technology.
Find the Guest Online * Website: itargetgolf.com * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fguitton * Instagram: @itarget_golf * TikTok: @itarget_golf * Facebook: iTargetGolf on Facebook
Mentioned in This Episode Some links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Recommended book: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
- Proposed guest: Scott Armstrong, involved with TGL, the indoor golf competition on ESPN
- Ball tracking platforms iTargetGolf integrates with: Toptracer, Inrange, Trackman
- Topgolf, referenced as the far end of the golf entertainment spectrum
- iTargetGolf products discussed: iTarget Night Saber, iTarget Strike Point, in-bay lights, and Cash Cup Golf
- Favorite game to watch: volleyball. Favorite sport to play: cycling.
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Want a sharper read on motivation design? Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, real cases decoded through this exact framework, one short email a day: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Rob argues that Black Hat motivation, the urgency and scarcity most designers treat as the villain, is the on-ramp that gets people to act at all. He breaks down the Octalysis Group's award-winning project with Procter & Gamble's distributor Navo Orbico, which reached 99.5% voluntary participation on a non-compulsory rollout and a 28.6% revenue increase by starting with pressure and handing off to meaning. Drawing on Ocean Hero as the rare frictionless exception, he shows why White Hat drives like Epic Meaning seldom start action on their own. Listeners learn the Black-Hat-to-White-Hat handoff and two diagnostic questions to test whether their own system can make the switch.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * The Octalysis Group's project with Procter & Gamble reached 99.5% voluntary participation on a non-compulsory rollout and a 28.6% revenue increase, evidence that Black Hat urgency and White Hat meaning work in sequence, not opposition. * In the Octalysis framework, Black Hat and White Hat motivation are not good and evil. Black Hat (urgency, scarcity, pressure) gets people to act now; White Hat (meaning, empowerment) makes them glad they stayed. * Relying only on grand meaning and Core Drive 3 (Empowerment of Creativity and Feedback) tends to produce a "someday," which in practice means never, because wanting to act is rarely a strong enough forcing function to overcome friction. * The P&G rollout launched using Core Drive 5 (Social Influence and Relatedness) as pressure: getting into the system meant tracking down colleagues for an access code, which sparked FOMO (Core Drive 8) and curiosity (Core Drive 7) rather than belief in a grand vision. * After the on-ramp, the system handed off to White Hat: reps became captains of trading ships, territories became open seas, and clients became colonies, activating Core Drive 1 (Epic Meaning) and Core Drive 2 (Development and Accomplishment). * Ocean Hero is the rare case where White Hat alone starts action, because switching a search engine is one click of near-zero friction, so Core Drive 1 can carry the behavior with no urgency at all.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — Opening hook: why products stall * 1:14 — The P&G result: 99.5% voluntary * 3:05 — Black Hat and White Hat serve different moments * 4:53 — The frictionless exception: Ocean Hero * 6:07 — Inside the P&G rollout * 7:30 — The handoff: reps become ship captains * 9:16 — When Black Hat never matures into more * 10:09 — Two diagnostic questions for your system * 11:27 — What a mistimed handoff looks like * 12:06 — Black Hat starts, White Hat sustains
Mentioned in This Episode * The Octalysis Group case study with Procter & Gamble's distributor Navo Orbico (Gamification Project of the Year, first presented in Brighton): 99.5% voluntary participation, 28.6% revenue increase * Ocean Hero, the search engine whose revenue funds clearing plastic from the oceans (a project supported by The Octalysis Group) * The Octalysis framework: Black Hat and White Hat motivation, and Core Drives 1 through 8 * Episode 446, the airline miles loyalty teardown * Episode 450, Amazon's internal AI leaderboard
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Michael Lukich, a marketing analytics leader with more than 20 years across consulting, data, and strategy, explains why the fix for a struggling team is almost never more effort. He walks through the closed-loop trap he built early in his management career, the systems thinking tools he now uses to find leverage points, and why over-measuring single marketing channels quietly starves the top of the funnel. Drawing on the Cabreras' DSRP model, Donella Meadows, and nearly 25 years at the poker table, he shows how to see a whole system instead of optimizing one piece to the detriment of the goal. Listeners come away with a practical way to map any system, pick a single North Star metric, and design loops that let a team improve on its own.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * Michael Lukich's early management trap was a closed loop with no exit: he could not step away until the team improved, and the team could not improve until he stepped away, which pushed him to 75-hour weeks before he redesigned the loop instead of adding effort. * Accepting work at roughly 70 percent of his own output, paired with a tighter review cadence, let his team feel the consequences of their own decisions and turned him from a micromanager into a player coach. * The "if you can't measure it, it doesn't exist" credo pushes budget toward easily measured lower-funnel channels and leaves the top of the funnel leaky, because no one can defend upper-funnel spend in a boardroom. The fix is whole-system measurement through multi-channel attribution and mixed models, not more measurement. * Zynga over-relied on data and stacked Black Hat Core Drives that drive urgency and scarcity, a reminder that an A/B test measures one week, not how a feature performs as a system over two years. * Derek and Laura Cabrera's DSRP model (Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, Perspectives) gives a four-part way to map almost any system, then find the bottleneck where one move has the biggest outsized effect. * Poker trains decision-making under uncertainty and incomplete information, including the faulty learning loop where playing well can still lose and playing poorly can still win, which is why Michael says half the frameworks in his book started at the poker table.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — The loop you cannot escape * 0:20 — Meet Michael Lukich: data, teaching, poker * 2:41 — Designing your own life as a system * 5:46 — Promoted into a trap with no exit * 11:14 — The marketing measurement trap * 13:53 — Frankenstein products, Zynga, and Black Hat * 17:34 — A practical system: pick one metric * 18:56 — Mapping systems with DSRP * 22:23 — The strategy dashboard and the North Star * 24:07 — James Clear, Ryan Holiday, and one book * 26:54 — Translation and poker as the perfect game * 30:25 — Where to find Michael and closing advice
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
About Michael Lukich Michael Lukich is a marketing analytics leader with more than 20 years across consulting, data, and business strategy, currently running marketing analytics for a major US marketing agency. He spent five years as an adjunct professor and has played poker for nearly 25 years, two habits that shaped how he thinks about teaching and making decisions under uncertainty. He writes the Stoic Systems Thinker newsletter, where ancient Stoic philosophy meets modern systems thinking, and is the author of the book of the same name. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife and two daughters.
Find Michael Lukich Online * The Stoic Systems Thinker (website and newsletter) * LinkedIn * The Stoic Systems Thinker on Substack
Mentioned in This Episode Some links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Thinking in Systems by Donella Meadows
- James Clear and Atomic Habits
- Ryan Holiday
- Poker
- The Stoic Systems Thinker by Michael Lukich
- Derek and Laura Cabrera's DSRP model (Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, Perspectives)
- Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
- Zynga
- The Octalysis Framework and Black Hat Core Drives
- Kaizen and Kaikaku (continuous improvement versus radical change)
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products, with one real-world example in your inbox each day: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Rob breaks down why disconnecting on vacation is so hard for driven people, and why it is a motivation problem rather than a willpower one. He maps the specific Octalysis Core Drives that keep high achievers tied to work during a break, including Core Drive 2 (progress addiction), Core Drive 8 (FOMO and Black Hat urgency), and Core Drive 1 (the mission needs me trap). Drawing on his own routine of leaving the phone at the apartment near the beach, he shows how to name each drive and switch off its trigger before the break starts. Listeners learn a pre-break diagnostic and how to design time off the same way they would design a user's exit from an engagement loop.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * Driven people stay tied to work on vacation because their Core Drives keep firing in the background. This is a motivation issue, which is why pure willpower so often fails to deliver real rest. * Core Drive 2 (Development and Accomplishment) shows up as progress addiction. With no momentum at work, a break can feel like your progress is being trumped, which pulls you back to the phone to make something move. * Core Drive 8 (Loss and Avoidance) is Black Hat motivation built on FOMO. The fear that something breaks, or that everyone else is still shipping, creates urgency and pushes you to check in even when nothing is wrong. * Core Drive 1 (Epic Meaning and Calling), the sense that the mission needs you, is the noble sounding trap. It can justify sacrificing rest you have earned, so naming it is what lets you stop it from firing back. * The fix is to design your break the way you would design a user's exit from an engagement loop: kill the notifications, remove the triggers (Rob leaves his phone at the apartment), and push yourself out instead of staying half in. * A real emergency that truly needs you is rare, roughly 0.1 percent of the time. Plan ahead, brief your team on what actually counts as an emergency, and trust them to handle the other 99.9 percent without you.
Topics Covered * [0:00] Why driven brains can't switch off * [0:49] Disconnecting is a motivation problem * [1:21] Core Drive 2: progress addiction * [1:54] Core Drive 8: FOMO and urgency * [2:30] Core Drive 1: the mission trap * [3:08] Name the drive, deactivate the trigger * [3:54] Leaving the phone at the beach * [4:50] Why productive resting backfires * [6:00] Design your break like an engagement loop * [6:36] Diagnose your pull-back drive first * [8:05] Rest is switching off the drives
Mentioned in This Episode * Core Drives in the Wild, Rob's free guide (one Core Drive example per day) * The Octalysis Group * The Octalysis Framework and its Eight Core Drives (Yu-kai Chou), the basis for Core Drives 1, 2, 5, and 8 discussed here
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
These engagement failures, and how to fix them, map directly onto the Octalysis Core Drives. Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Rob breaks down why Amazon shut down KiroRank, the internal leaderboard that scored staff on raw AI usage on its Kiro developer platform. He shows how stacking Core Drive 2 (Development & Accomplishment) and Core Drive 5 (Social Influence & Relatedness) produced flawless compliance toward the wrong target, a textbook case of Goodhart's law: once a measure becomes a target, it stops being a good measure. Drawing on the Octalysis Strategy Dashboard and Toyota's Five Whys, he lays out the one question to ask before you measure anything. Listeners learn to measure outcomes instead of activity, and how to keep a proxy metric from quietly getting gamed.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * Amazon shut down KiroRank, its internal leaderboard scoring staff on AI usage on the Kiro developer platform, after employees set autonomous AI agents on needless tasks just to climb the ranks and inflated the company's compute costs. * Goodhart's law explains the failure: when a measure becomes a target, it stops being a good measure. You get what you measure, not what you want, so raw AI usage climbed while productivity went unmeasured. * KiroRank stacked Core Drive 2 (Development & Accomplishment) through a progress bar and ranking, and Core Drive 5 (Social Influence & Relatedness) through public status, producing flawless compliance toward the wrong outcome. * The more powerful and expensive the tool being measured, the more a gamed metric costs you, which is why Amazon paid in real compute money rather than a rounding error. * The Octalysis Strategy Dashboard starts with business metrics by asking what outcome you actually want, using Toyota's Five Whys to move from "increase AI usage" to a result worth hitting, like productivity per employee. * Engagement is the value created for users and the business, not click counts or usage volume, which is why most dashboards measure activity when they should measure the outcome.
Topics Covered * 0:00 - The $200 billion AI paradox * 0:27 - Goodhart's law and gamed metrics * 1:49 - The two Core Drives Amazon stacked * 2:39 - Flawless compliance, the wrong target * 3:38 - Amazon's KiroRank AI leaderboard * 5:11 - Measure the right thing, not usage * 5:38 - The Octalysis Strategy Dashboard * 6:12 - Toyota's Five Whys for metrics * 7:21 - When proxy metrics are unavoidable * 7:58 - Measure the outcome, not the activity * 8:33 - Get the Core Drives in the Wild guide
Mentioned in This Episode * Goodhart's law * The Financial Times report on Amazon's KiroRank leaderboard * Amazon's Kiro developer platform * The Five Whys (Toyota / lean operations) * A previous Professor Game episode on AI use and academic testing
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Struggling with retention, churn, or adoption in your product, service, or program? Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide and see how to apply real behavioral design to your engagement: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Alan Yeats, CEO of Pocket Sized Hands, a co-development game studio in Dundee, Scotland, explains why the best learning games start with play and add the curriculum second. He walks through real projects, a knife-crime prevention game stopped cold by school firewalls and a stem cell science game built with Cambridge University, to show how co-design keeps everyone pointed at the same goal. Alan argues that the job is to find the underlying play and the real "why" behind a request, not to cram years of lessons into one product. Listeners come away with a practical filter for any educational or engagement project: build a genuinely good game first, then weave the learning in so people actually engage.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * Pocket Sized Hands built a polished Jackbox-style game to steer young people away from knife crime, then hit a wall when school IT firewalls blocked the phone-to-screen connection the experience ran on. The end user is never the only stakeholder a product has to satisfy. * For Cambridge University, the studio corrected public misconceptions about stem cell science by running back-to-basics workshops to isolate the one message that mattered, rather than cramming an entire syllabus into a single game. * Alan Yeats's rule for education clients who want to throw the whole textbook at a game: make it genuinely fun first, then layer the lessons in, because curriculum with no play earns no engagement to teach against. * Co-design converts a client from someone who merely commissioned a product into an owner who evangelizes it, which is why Pocket Sized Hands opens projects with a workshop for facilitators and real users instead of a written spec. * Pitching the visual register openly, from a corporate LinkedIn-style progress bar to a fully magical world, lets a team test how far it can push a client before the client pushes back with "that is too much fun."
Topics Covered * 0:00 - Stop cramming textbooks into games * 0:16 - Meet Alan Yeats and Pocket Sized Hands * 3:16 - A knife-crime game blocked by firewalls * 5:23 - Design for the stakeholders you forget * 8:08 - The Cambridge stem cell game that worked * 9:03 - Make the game fun first * 10:40 - Co-design and finding the real problem * 12:33 - From corporate progress bars to magical worlds * 14:54 - Focus on the play, not the game * 16:25 - The future guest he would want to hear * 17:46 - Why Deep Work sharpens his focus * 19:04 - His superpower, favorite game, and final advice
Struggling with retention, churn, or adoption in your product, service, or program? Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide and see how to apply real behavioral design to your engagement: professorgame.com/WildCD
About Alan Yeats Alan Yeats is the CEO of Pocket Sized Hands, a co-development game studio based in Dundee, Scotland. He left school at 16 to work on games, dropped out of university, and founded the studio nine years ago. Since then, Pocket Sized Hands has helped ship titles including Pocket Mortys for Adult Swim, Oddworld: Soulstorm, and Bendy and the Ink Machine, working with clients ranging from indie developers to major publishers. The studio specialises in co-development, porting, networking, and live ops.
Find the Guest Online * Pocket Sized Hands: pocketsizedhands.com * Personal site: alanyeats.com * LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alanyeats * X (studio): @PKTSizedHands
Mentioned in This Episode Some links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
- Proposed future guest: someone who wants to use gamification but hasn't yet
- Recommended book: Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Favorite game: Ratchet & Clank 3
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real corporate cases: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Rob breaks down why enterprise AI adoption stalls even with paid licenses and training, while a group of students beat a locked, proctored exam with ChatGPT and no support at all. Reading both cases through the Octalysis Framework, he shows how the exam accidentally stacked Core Drive 8 (Loss & Avoidance), Core Drive 6 (Scarcity & Impatience), and Core Drive 2 (Development & Accomplishment) into a ferocious, if mispointed, motivation engine. The enterprise bought the most capable tool and surrounded it with zero motivation, so nobody opened the app. Listeners learn why AI adoption is a motivation problem wearing a tooling costume, and leave with a two-part diagnostic question to ask of any AI initiative.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * Students beat a lockdown, proctored, face-to-face online exam by getting ChatGPT to answer questions live through a Chrome extension, with no license, no training, and no change management. Adoption was instant, total, and creative enough to defeat the security. * The exam accidentally stacked three Black Hat Core Drives: Core Drive 8 (Loss & Avoidance, failing is high-stakes), Core Drive 6 (Scarcity & Impatience, one timed shot), and Core Drive 2 (Development & Accomplishment, clearing the hurdle to the grade). * Enterprises buy the paid license, training, IT support, and a leadership mandate, then adoption stalls because none of those things are motivation. There is no personal loss for ignoring the tool and no personal win for using it. * Motivation pointed at the wrong goal produces flawless adoption of exactly the behavior you did not want. The students aimed AI at passing, not learning, and got it. * As AI removes capability constraints, the human motivation layer becomes the only constraint left, which is why behavioral design matters more in the AI era, not less. * The diagnostic: ask what your team personally gains by using the tool and what they personally lose by ignoring it. If the honest answer is "nothing much either way," no rollout plan will save it.
Topics Covered * 0:00 - Students hacked a locked exam * 0:52 - Same tech, opposite outcome * 1:44 - Adoption was never the problem * 2:39 - The exam's accidental motivation engine * 4:31 - Almost entirely Black Hat motivation * 5:18 - Why the funded enterprise stalls * 6:30 - Adoption and direction both matter * 7:41 - Why behavioral design matters with AI * 7:55 - Your diagnostic question for today
Mentioned in This Episode * The Octalysis Framework, developed by Yu-kai Chou * ChatGPT (OpenAI) * Core Drives in the Wild, the Professor Game free guide
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide and see behavioral design applied to real products and services: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Eleanor Ross, Creative Director at Expert Theory and one of the youngest recipients of the National Training and Simulation Association's Top Under 40 award, breaks down how she designs wargames and simulations that put learners inside high stakes decisions instead of watching from the outside. She walks through the moment a Team USA group tried to buy Greenland mid game, the Logic, Function, Form framework she uses to build every simulation, and a year long Taiwan resilience exercise she ran for the Irregular Warfare Center. Listeners come away with two best practices that make any simulation stick, a debrief discipline and deliberate role reversal, plus a clear view of how AI tools now let a team produce news articles and role player materials in under ten minutes. Ross also makes the case that heavy topics like terrorism, invasion, and irregular warfare land harder when they are engaging, and that good design starts by deciding what people should feel when they walk out.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * In an early Arctic simulation run as an alpha test for the Canadian Department of National Defense, a Team USA group went off script and tried to buy Greenland, a move no one had prepared for, which forced Ross to build the response live. * Ross and her team at Expert Theory adjudicated that unplanned move and used their AI backend to produce news articles, tweets, and formatted materials for a role player in under ten minutes, a turnaround the wargaming community historically treated as impossible. * Her Logic, Function, Form framework stacks design like a pyramid: Logic defines what players should know and feel on the way out, Function defines the actors and goals that get them there, and Form covers constraints like the 30 or 90 minute time box. * A quality debrief is the most important best practice in simulation design, because the takeaways people carry out are set up by the structured discussion, not by the game itself. * Putting participants in roles they would never hold, such as US military officers playing the Somali government or the US embassy in a Fort Bragg deployment game, forces the perspective shift that makes the lesson land. * Ross builds her design philosophy on Rutger Bregman's Humankind and its claim that people are inherently good, using games to surface the nuances behind how opposing sides actually see themselves.
Topics Covered * 0:00 - A wargamer who hates video games * 2:59 - Inside a wargame designer's week * 4:18 - When Team USA tried buying Greenland * 7:45 - Why failure is a junior mindset * 13:02 - A Taiwan resilience wargame for DOD * 17:26 - The Logic, Function, Form framework * 20:34 - Best practices: debrief and role reversal * 24:30 - The books behind her design philosophy * 26:33 - Perspective taking through languages * 29:27 - Making heavy topics engaging * 31:12 - Her favorite game: Votes for Women * 33:01 - Building games in six minutes with Providence
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide and see behavioral design applied to real products and services: professorgame.com/WildCD
About Eleanor Ross Eleanor Ross is Creative Director at Expert Theory, an AI powered simulation startup building immersive learning experiences for clients including the U.S. Department of Defense, Johns Hopkins, Duke, Georgetown, and Penn State. She designs and facilitates simulations that restore agency to learners by placing them inside complex, high stakes decisions, and her co-authored research with the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology and Education Center has shown that simulations measurably deepen learning while strengthening confidence, teamwork, and decision making. She chairs programming for the Women's Wargaming Network and is one of the youngest ever recipients of the National Training and Simulation Association's Top Under 40 award. Her work focuses on the Arctic and high north, irregular and gray zone warfare, and leadership.
Find the Guest Online * Expert Theory (website) * Eleanor Ross on LinkedIn * Expert Theory on LinkedIn
Mentioned in This Episode * The Art of Wargaming by Peter Perla * Humankind by Rutger Bregman * Votes for Women, Eleanor's favorite game (by Fort Circle Games) * Proposed future guest: Yuna Wong * Proposed future guest: John Curry * Providence, Expert Theory's platform for building games in minutes
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Rob breaks down why the most durable loyalty has almost nothing to do with points, contrasting a typical airline miles program with a neighborhood barber who keeps a customer for ten years with no app, no tiers, and no expiring rewards. He shows how the same Core Drive can run in opposite directions: airline programs fake Core Drive 4 (Ownership and Possession) with a points balance they control and devalue, while the barber builds real ownership through a relationship the customer actually owns. Along the way he names the over-justification effect, the moment a relationship becomes a calculation, and how Black Hat motivation can win in the short term while quietly corroding loyalty. Listeners come away with a clear diagnostic and a way to tell a real loyalty program apart from a price promotion on a delayed schedule.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * Most loyalty programs build a transactional dependency rather than loyalty: the customer ends up loyal to the points, not the brand, so the moment a competitor offers more points they defect. * Airline miles run on a Black Hat stack of Core Drive 4 (Ownership and Possession), Core Drive 6 (Scarcity and Impatience) through tier status, and Core Drive 8 (Loss and Avoidance) through expiring miles, which shifts the flyer from chasing something they want to avoiding a loss. * The over-justification effect is the damage mechanism: a flyer who genuinely liked an airline starts booking the worse flight (longer, worse time, sometimes pricier) purely because it earns miles, the moment the relationship becomes a calculation. * A relationship turned into a calculation is trivially beatable. A competitor with a slightly better offer doesn't just win one trip, it reveals there was never loyalty to begin with. * A ten-year barber relationship survives real inconvenience (further away, closer cheaper options nearby) using the calm side of the same Core Drives: Core Drive 5 (Social Influence and Relatedness) plus genuinely owned personalization the customer cannot port to a competitor. * The diagnostic: strip the points, discounts, and digital rewards entirely. If the honest answer to "why would anyone stay" is nothing, it isn't a loyalty program, it's a price promotion with a delayed payment schedule.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — Loyalty to the points, not the brand * 1:16 — The Black Hat machinery of airline miles * 2:25 — The over-justification effect in action * 4:13 — The ten-year barber with no points * 5:11 — Same Core Drive, opposite direction * 6:12 — Inverting Core Drive 8 into a safe choice * 7:36 — Run the strip-the-points diagnostic
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
Mentioned in This Episode * Core Drives in the Wild (Professor Game free guide) * The Octalysis Framework and its Core Drives (Yu-kai Chou) * Black Hat and White Hat motivation * The over-justification effect
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Victoria Ichizli-Bartels, author of fourteen books on gameful living and coiner of the term "self-gamification," explores how the role of the tabletop RPG game master maps onto the inner conversation we have with ourselves. She walks through Jill Bolte Taylor's "brain huddle" concept (a 90-second pause that resolves inner conflict by letting the 12 different players in our heads come to the table), three diagnostic questions for stressful moments ("what is happening inside myself," "who is talking," and "what is the goal of this person"), and a Justin Alexander hack borrowed from RPG handbooks: instead of treating a stressful thought as a crisis, respond with "yes, this can happen, now what do you do?" Listeners come away with practical reframes for daily self-management and a clearer way to spot which inner player is driving a given thought.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * Jill Bolte Taylor's "brain huddle" concept proposes that 90 seconds of pause is enough to resolve inner conflict, by letting the different characters in our heads (which Victoria counts as roughly 12 distinct players, including self-leader, self-coach, game designer, and game master) come together and find an appropriate response. * The single most useful diagnostic question for a stressful moment is "what is happening inside myself," followed by "who is talking" and "what is the goal of this person" — the third one usually reveals that the inner voice is trying to protect or train you, not sabotage you. * Justin Alexander's RPG game master hack, "yes, this can happen, now what do you do?", reframes intrusive or stressful thoughts (like "I want to quit my job") from a crisis into an exploration, which usually reveals you don't want the extreme outcome — you want a smaller change. * RPG handbook rules ("respect your co-players, be patient, be curious, be open-minded") map directly onto self-talk. Open-mindedness toward your own impulses is the rule most people break without noticing. * Victoria connects RPG engagement to Core Drive 7 (Unpredictability and Curiosity): players love active play and surprise inside games but resent it in life, even though the underlying motivator is identical. Recognizing this changes how you experience unexpected events. * The strategic-game metaphor of map exploration ("the land becomes lighter as you pay attention") and cool-down phases (planting crops after taking a castle) gives a concrete vocabulary for energy management between high-output and recovery days.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — Opening hook on RPG surprise * 0:25 — Welcome and guest reintroduction * 1:51 — 14 books in and still surprised * 4:06 — Writing about TTRPGs without playing them * 6:47 — The game master inside your head * 9:48 — Why RPGs are collaborative storytelling * 12:22 — Is there a map of the mind * 16:47 — Rules of the inner RPG * 18:29 — The 12 players inside us * 19:05 — The 90-second brain huddle * 23:30 — Self-care hacks from RPG handbooks * 25:37 — The yes-this-can-happen reframe * 26:56 — Closing thoughts and what is next
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
About Victoria Ichizli-Bartels Victoria Ichizli-Bartels is a writer, coach, and consultant with a background in semiconductor physics, electronic engineering (Ph.D.), information technology, and business development. While not a traditional gamer, Victoria coined the term "self-gamification," a gameful, playful approach to self-care and self-help that combines anthropology, kaizen, and gamification to enhance quality of life. With over a decade of experience living gamefully, she is the author of fourteen books and the instructor of two online courses on turning life into fun games. Victoria grew up in Moldova, lived in Germany for twelve years, and since 2008 has been based in Aalborg, Denmark, with her husband and two children.
Find the Guest Online * Website: https://www.victoriaichizlibartels.com/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriaichizlibartels/ * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/optimistwriter * Substack: https://selfgamificationclub.substack.com/
Mentioned in This Episode * Be Your Best Game Master by Victoria Ichizli-Bartels (the book this conversation is built around) * So You Want to Be a Game Master by Justin Alexander * Whole Brain Living by Jill Bolte Taylor (the "brain huddle" concept and the four-characters model) * The 5-Minute Perseverance Game by Victoria Ichizli-Bartels (her first book, published 10 years ago) * Actual Real Life Role-Playing Games by Victoria Ichizli-Bartels * 10,000 Hours of Play by Yu-kai Chou * A.J. Jacobs and his life-as-experiment / puzzler books * Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and tabletop RPGs in general * Story Cubes (the dice-and-pictures storytelling game) * Core Drive 7 — Unpredictability & Curiosity (Octalysis)
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
Episode Summary Tetiana Kobzar, product designer with 18 years of experience and creator of the Comportance Framework, joins Rob to share how behavioral design turns clinical and educational software into products people actually want to use. She walks through the seven steps of Comportance (goal, baseline, emotion, hypothesis, minimum validation, cadence, and iteration) and shows how it shaped a gamified speech therapy app for Alder Hey Children's Hospital and a mini-game replacement for 27 cognitive assessment tests. The conversation covers why founders overload products with functionality, why Duolingo's Black Hat motivation works for some users and burns out others, and how Octalysis fits inside a wider behavioral design practice. Listeners leave with a practical structure for designing engagement and a sharper read on when game-based beats gamified.
About the Host Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Key Takeaways * The Comportance Framework runs seven steps in order: define the goal, set the baseline metrics, design the emotion (motivation and positioning), state one hypothesis, build the minimum validation, set the measurement cadence, and iterate. Most founders skip the goal and emotion steps and jump straight to functionality. * Tetiana's team at Alder Hey Children's Hospital replaced weekly-only speech therapy with a gamified app where clinicians set tasks as mini games, letting kids practice pronunciation between sessions while the therapist tracks progress. * A separate Tetiana project replaced 27 pen-and-paper cognitive assessment tests with mini games on tablets, capturing extra signal (timestamps, finger tremor, voice recordings) that paper tests cannot measure. * Most products fail not because users are irrational but because founders treat them as rational agents. Behavioral biases and cognitive overload kill engagement faster than missing features. * The Pareto trap in client work: founders spend 80% of their attention on the 20% of clients who complain, while the 80% of healthy clients who quietly bring most of the revenue get under-served. Reverse the ratio to protect recurring revenue. * Duolingo's streak mechanic is heavy Black Hat motivation. It drives high retention but creates rage-quit risk: a user who loses a 4,000-day streak rarely returns. The near-miss has to threaten loss without delivering it. * Game-based design (where the experience itself feels like a game) opens more creative options than gamification (points, badges, leaderboards bolted onto a non-game product), but both belong inside a wider behavioral design practice.
Topics Covered * 0:00 — Why Duolingo's Black Hat motivation backfires * 0:24 — Rob's intro and the Core Drives in the Wild guide * 2:47 — Daily life after the acquisition * 4:14 — Favorite fail: design for the end game * 8:16 — Alder Hey speech therapy app and 27 cognitive tests as games * 11:26 — Game-based versus gamified, and where the line blurs * 15:44 — Where Octalysis fits inside the Comportance Framework * 17:11 — The seven steps of Comportance, walked end to end * 23:50 — Cognitive overload and treating users as humans * 27:24 — Duolingo streaks, near-miss design, and rage-quit risk * 31:42 — Book picks: Cialdini, Yu-kai Chou, Don Norman * 33:29 — Civilization, board games with the kids, final advice
Get the free Core Drives in the Wild guide, behavioral design applied to real products: professorgame.com/WildCD
About Tetiana Kobzar Tetiana Kobzar is a product strategist and behavioral designer with 18 years of experience building software for healthcare, wellness, and education. She is the creator of the Comportance Framework, a seven-step methodology that brings behavioral science structure to product design. Her recent work includes a gamified speech therapy app for Alder Hey Children's Hospital and a tablet-based replacement for 27 cognitive assessment tests, and she shares behavioral design ideas through her #BehaviouralDesignThursday LinkedIn series and industry talks.
Find the Guest Online * LinkedIn * Tetiana-kobzar.com * Instagram * TikTok
Mentioned in This Episode * Proposed guest: someone from Duolingo * Recommended book: Actionable Gamification by Yu-kai Chou * Recommended book: Influence by Robert B. Cialdini * Recommended book: The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman * Favorite game: Civilization series * Duolingo Is Not A Free Language Learning App, It Is... (The Octalysis Group) * Alder Hey Children's Hospital speech therapy app (Tetiana's project) * Comportance Framework (Tetiana's seven-step methodology) * Octalysis Framework by Yu-kai Chou
Free Resources and Get in Touch * Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Free Guide * Get Daily Value on Your Email * Let's chat about your gamification project * YouTube * LinkedIn * Instagram * Facebook * Start Your Community on Skool for Free * Ask a question
Don't experiment on your own revenue with broken game mechanics. Get our guide "Core Drives in the Wild" to learn how to apply real behavioral science to your product: professorgame.com/WildCD
Most apps lose 77% of their users within the first three days because they treat onboarding like a tax audit instead of a human journey. In this episode, Rob Alvarez breaks down why your "helpful" 15-step toolkit might actually be causing cognitive friction and driving users away. By moving from function-focused design to human-focused design, you can transform a bounce into a lifelong advocate. Rob explores the "Christmas Magic Mistake," the "Hello World" principle for instant wins, and the "Miyagi Method" of scaffolding to ensure your users actually want to come back for Day 2.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Core Drives in the Wild Free Guide
- The Magic Doesn't Start Where You Think It Does (Christmas experience episode)
Lets's do stuff together!
- Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Guide
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
Identify the exact strategies Sharon and Rob discussed so you can start increasing engagement in your own projects today. Grab our Core Drives in the Wild guide for free professorgame.com/WildCD
What if the secret to solving real-world isolation or preventing misconduct wasn't more rules, but better play? Sharon Wood, a veteran gaming executive who helped launch the original Grand Theft Auto, joins us to discuss her shift from commercial hits to "Serious Games" with a scientific edge. We explore the neurological reality that the brain cannot distinguish between real and virtual experiences, making games a potent tool for building empathy and confidence. From memory care apps that reunite families to clinical trials in schools, this episode moves past the "points and badges" surface of gamification to show how progressive mastery actually changes lives.
Sharon Wood is a seasoned gaming executive with over four decades of experience spanning sports marketing, entertainment, media, and video game development. Her career began in the fast-paced world of sports and entertainment marketing before she entered the gaming industry in 1996 during PlayStation's early days, where she orchestrated groundbreaking partnerships between major brands like Pepsi and Frito-Lay and video games.
Most notably, Sharon launched the original Grand Theft Auto on a modest marketing budget. While defending the controversial title in the media, she consulted with psychologists and discovered something surprising: games could actually provide safe environments for exploring moral concepts rather than encouraging negative behaviors. This revelation changed everything. Inspired by gaming's positive potential, Sharon collaborated with a psychologist around 2012-2013 to create "Luminous," a game designed to help women and girls build self-confidence. Within months of launch, it became a top-five app in 34 countries.
This success led Sharon to found Happy People Games (HPG), a company dedicated to creating "serious games": interactive experiences that merge scientific evidence with engaging gameplay to deliver real-world benefits beyond entertainment. Unlike simple gamification with badges and points, HPG builds games that create progressive mastery experiences, harnessing the natural reward response from achievement and channeling it toward positive outcomes.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Websites:
- happypeoplegames.com
- thenewforevers.com
- Instagram: @thenewforevers
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Christian Svensson
- Favorite game: Tekken
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
Don't experiment on your own revenue with broken game mechanics. Get our guide "Core Drives in the Wild" to learn how to apply real behavioral science to your product: professorgame.com/WildCD
Most companies treat user churn as a data problem, but looking at "where" someone leaves doesn't explain "why" they lost interest. We break down the "Engagement Leaks," a phenomenon where record-breaking marketing spend fails to fix a product that is effectively a sieve for users. By analyzing the high-touch onboarding of Superhuman, the "novelty hangover" of Robinhood's digital confetti, and the legendary community design of Harley-Davidson, this episode reveals how to use the Octalysis Framework to plug leaks in different stages of the user journey. A masterclass in transitioning from a product people merely start to one they actually stay with.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Superhuman
- Robinhood
- Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.)
- The Octalysis Group
Lets's do stuff together!
- Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Guide
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
Exploring gamification for your product or org? Let's chat → professorgame.com/chat
We sit down with product leader and author Nesrine Changuel to explore the behavioral science of "Product Delight." Nesrine pulls from her extensive experience at tech giants like Google and Spotify to explain why emotional connection cannot be treated as an afterthought in product design. By distinguishing between purely functional requirements and deep emotional motivators, she reveals how features like Google Chrome's inactive tabs or Spotify's curated playlists solve core psychological needs rather than just technical problems. You can walk away with actionable frameworks for removing user friction, anticipating needs, and asking the ultimate design question: "If my product were a human, how would the experience be better?"
Nesrine is a product coach, trainer, speaker, and author the author of Product Delight Book. With a background in research and over a decade of product experience, she has built products used by millions like Google Chrome, Google Meet, Spotify, and Skype. Nesrine is known for her focus on emotional connection and user delight. Today, she helps teams create products people don't just use, but truly love.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: nesrine-changuel.com
- LinkedIn: Nnesrine Changuel
- Product Delight Book
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Elena Verna
- Recommended book: Emotional Design by Don Norman
- Favorite game: DiXit
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
Master the science of motivation and see how top experts do it right. Get the free 9-day "Core Drives in the Wild" email sequence here: professorgame.com/WildCD
We break down three massive gamification disasters from 3 huge companies to reveal exactly what happens when we ignore behavioral science. We explain how well-intentioned features like leaderboards and point systems can accidentally create toxic work environments or destroy thriving communities. By applying the Octalysis framework, we highlight the dangers of relying too heavily on Black Hat motivation and extrinsic rewards without balancing them correctly. You will learn how to design systems that drive genuine engagement rather than building expensive burnout traps.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Lets's do stuff together!
- Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Guide
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
Wondering if Octalysis fits your challenge? Quick intro chat → professorgame.com/chat
Most companies rely on traditional design thinking to build their products. That assumption is exactly why their retention rates flatline. In this episode, Rob Alvarez sits down with Joris Beerda, CEO of The Octalysis Group, to unpack the five-step Octalysis design process that drives engagement for Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft and Porsche. They discuss the critical difference between human-centered and human-focused design, the mechanics of building a high-functioning loyalty loop, and how to prioritize features using the "Biggest Bang for the Buck" model. If you want to move beyond simple points and badges to build experiences users genuinely care about, this conversation lays out the exact blueprint.
Joris Beerda is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Octalysis Group. As a world-leading expert in Human-Focused Design and Octalysis Gamification, Joris' global career in creating engagement spans across 20 years, 15 countries and 7 languages. He has designed Human-Focused experiences for dozens of Fortune 500s as well as medium-sized companies. Joris is also a well known Keynote Speaker on Gamification in many renowned conferences throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- LinkedIn: Joris Beerda
- The Octalysis Group
- The Octalysis Group Case Studies
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Daniel Kahneman or Richard Thaler
- Recommended book: Why Everyone Else is a Hypocrite by Robert Kurzban
- Favorite game: Heroes of the Storm
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
Don't experiment on your own revenue with broken game mechanics. Get our guide "Core Drives in the Wild" to learn how to apply real behavioral science to your product: professorgame.com/WildCD We dismantle the myth that simply adding points, badges, and leaderboards will fix a broken product. We explore why superficial rewards often lead to a 90% failure rate in corporate gamification and cause dangerous spikes followed by massive engagement crashes. By contrasting Google News's failed badge system with Wikipedia's intrinsic motivation model, we highlight the critical shift from transactional features to human-focused behavioral science. You can learn how to balance White Hat techniques like Epic Meaning with Black Hat mechanics like Scarcity to build long-term retention without burning out your user base. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Links and resources Google News: https://news.google.com Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com The Octalysis Group: https://octalysisgroup.com Lets's do stuff together! Core Drives in the Wild: Professor Game Guide Let's chat about your gamification project YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Start Your Community on Skool for Free Ask a question
Have a product challenge around retention? Quick intro chat → professorgame.com/chat
Leif Sorensen reveals why most corporate learning games fail. We discuss the "magic powder" fallacy, where companies try to cram too many behavioral frameworks into a single experience. Leif breaks down his process for building AI-generated learning games at Actee and explains why focusing on the transfer of learning is the real secret to changing behavior. The episode also explores the post-COVID failure of traditional LMS platforms and how facilitators can run better sessions by focusing on player engagement instead of memorizing game content.
Leif Sørensen is the founder and owner of Actee, a global platform using games to develop soft skills and support learning and change in organizations. He works closely with companies, consultants, and learning professionals to design engaging, research-based learning game experiences. Leif is a frequent speaker and podcast host, focusing on gamification, leadership, and how games can make complex topics easier to understand and act on.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: Actee.com
- LinkedIn: Leif Sorensen
- Instagram: @acteeglobal
- Spotify: The Learning Edge - Gamification and L&D
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Sune Gudiksen
- Recommended book: Transfer of Learning by Robert E. Haskell
- Favorite game: Derby
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you're implementing AI and want to realize that promised ROI, let's see if Octalysis fits → professorgame.com/chat
Breaking down why most AI projects fail despite being technically flawless. The problem isn't the code; it's the lack of behavioral design. By applying the Octalysis Framework, we see how to move away from "Black Hat" implementations that trigger resistance and identity threats. Instead, we shares how to design AI as an individual contributor's superpower. It is a deep dive into balancing short-term Black Hat-driven data bumps with long-term White Hat engagement to ensure your team feels like masters of their craft rather than data entry clerks for an algorithm.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Let's implement AI successfully leveraging Octalysis Behavioral Design professorgame.com/chat
- How gamifying AI shapes customer motivation, engagement, and purchase behavior
- Harmonizing human-AI synergy: behavioral science in AI-integrated design
- Digital tracking, gamification, social media, and AI: How technology influences motivation
- AI-Driven Gamification Approaches: Enhancing Engagement Through Intelligent Systems
- Some of The Octalysis Group's resources:
- Why Your Sales Leaderboard is Killing Performance (And What AI-Driven Motivation Actually Looks Like)
- How AI Loyalty Programs are Rewriting Loyalty
- Why Corporate Learning Platforms Fail (AI Corporate Learning)
- AI-Powered Behavioral Design for Customer Loyalty
- The Fintech Engagement Crisis: Why AI Without Behavioral Design Creates Apps Nobody Uses
- AI Powered FMCG Loyalty: Escaping the Points Trap with Behavioral Design
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
I've interviewed hundreds of experts and now lead Engagement Strategy (EU) at TOG. If you want help applying this, start here: professorgame.com/chat
Can a leader truly be effective without ever presenting a single slide? Clark Aldrich returns to the show to dismantle the "expert-led" model of management and education. He introduces Socratic Cards: a physical tool designed to replace passive consumption with active, high-stakes inquiry. By shifting the responsibility of learning from the teacher to the learner, Clark explains how organizations can transition from "easily replaceable employees" to "heroic tribes" that thrive on peer mentorship and meaningful challenges.
Clark Aldrich is a past guest (episode 94 and 127) and is the award-winning creator/author/founder of Short Sims, Unschooling Rules, The Complete Guide to Simulations and Serious Games, and Gartner's eLearning coverage. Aldrich's sims and games have been covered extensively, including by The New York Times, ABC, CBS, NPR, ESPN, and CNN.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: socraticcards.com
- LinkedIn: Clark Aldrich
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
Have a product challenge around retention? Quick intro chat → professorgame.com/chat
Stop feeling like you're grinding without a progress bar. In this episode, we explore the behavioral science of "leveling up" in real life to combat burnout and invisible growth. By applying the Octalysis Framework we discusse how to map your career as an evolving skill tree. Whether you are a product leader looking to build meaningful user progression or an individual seeking to reclaim your "Player 1" status, this episode provides a blueprint for turning disjointed milestones into a cohesive, high-functioning journey of mastery.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- The Octalysis Framework
- Yu-kai Chou's first episode on Professor Game!
- 10000 Hours of Play by Yu-kai Chou
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
Looking forward to reading or hearing from you,
Rob
Recently funded and aiming for sustainable retention? Intro chat (no sales pitch): professorgame.com/chat
What if your research team worked like a raid party? Raul Mora shares how bringing gamer language and MMORPG structures into academia boosted clarity, motivation, and long-term commitment. This conversation explores community design, role-based engagement, and why listening to gamers is the most underrated retention strategy in education.
Raúl is a professor at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín, Colombia, now also teaching remotely from Trondheim, Norway. He's been in education for over 30 years, including time as a school and English teacher and as a college professor. His research explores second language literacy practices in the city, digital spaces, and schools.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Webs:
- Guest: elpatronhimself.net
- Research Lab: lslp.org
- LinkedIn: Raúl Mora
- Instagram: @lslplegion
- TikTok: @lslplegion
- Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/elpatronhimself.bsky.social
- Book: Understanding Second Language Users as Gamers
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Antero Garcia
- Recommended book: What Video Games Have to Teach Us by James P. Gee
- Favorite game: Mortal Kombat
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
I've interviewed hundreds of experts and now lead Engagement Strategy (EU) at The Octalysis Group. If you want help applying this, start here: professorgame.com/chat
Why do people ignore things they know are good for them and obsess over games instead? In this episode, we introduce the Octalysis Framework, unpacking the eight core drives of human motivation and explain how human-focused design leads to stronger engagement, higher retention, and better-designed products, platforms, and learning experiences.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- The Octalysis Framework for Gamification & Behavioral Design
- Octalysis Prime on YouTube by Yu-kai Chou
- Actionable Gamification by Yu-kai Chou
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- YouTube
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Ask a question
If you're considering gamification for engagement, retention, or loyalty, I'm happy to compare options with you: professorgame.com/chat
The biggest impact of gamification often happens in the least obvious places. In this episode, Rob Alvarez talks with David Dand about using game-inspired strategies in recruitment, leadership, and employee experience to attract better-fit talent, reduce churn, and build stronger, more human organizations, even in highly traditional sectors.
David is the Founder and Managing Director of Coreus, a boutique hiring services provider based in Brighton. Coreus specialises in helping professional SMEs tackle critical talent challenges and is experienced in the complexities of recruiting in skilled, competitive, and often highly regulated markets. David is a CIPD-qualified HR and recruitment expert with a career spanning global firms such as EY, AXA, and Roche, with a focus on cultural fit, leadership assessment, and career coaching. He lives in the South Downs near Brighton, UK, with his wife and their three mischievous children. His interests include music, travel, and sport.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: Gamification in Recruitment | Coreus
- LinkedIn:
- Personal: David Dand | LinkedIn
- Company: Coreus
- Instagram: @coreus_talentacquisition
Links to episode mentions:
- Recommended book: Hiring Success by Jerome Ternynck
- Favorite game: Chess and Football
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- YouTube
- Ask a question
You'll get the same 14-day free trial either way—but if you use my link, you'll also be supporting Professor Game: 👉 professorgame.com/openyourskool
What if learning felt less like burnout and more like leveling up? We welcome Tom Vorselen, founder of The Study Coach, to explore how active learning, mindset shifts, and gamified structures help students and professionals overcome procrastination, manage time better, and achieve results without overwhelm.
Tom Vorselen is the founder of The Study Coach, a global coaching brand helping students and working professionals overcome procrastination, master time management, and study smarter with proven science-based methods. After struggling with poor grades and burnout during university, Tom transformed his own approach using evidence from cognitive psychology and neuroscience, eventually graduating with top marks and turning his system into a full-time mission. Today, The Study Coach supports learners in over 40 countries through personalized coaching, online programs, and workshops focused on efficiency, focus, and mindset. Tom's methods have helped thousands of students from medicine to business to engineering achieve higher results in less time and regain confidence in their ability to learn, grow, and perform at their best.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Study Breakthrough Bundle: Send a DM to @the_studycoach on IG and send the word PROFESSOR
- Website: tomsteam.nl
- LinkedIn: Tom Vorselen
- Instagram: @the_studycoach
- TikTok: @the_studycoach
- Facebook: tom.vorselen
- YouTube: youtube.com/@the_studycoach
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Dan (A Team Member)
- Recommended book: Level Up by Rob Dial
- Favorite game:
- Call of Duty series
- Fifa (FC nowadays)
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- YouTube
- Ask a question
In this heartfelt episode, Rob reflects on the profound impact his father, Mariano Alvarez, had on his life, particularly as a prominent actor in Venezuela. As he commemorates the 25th anniversary of his father's passing, Rob shares personal anecdotes that highlight the lessons he learned from Mariano, including the importance of believability in storytelling, the value of physical fitness, and the significance of generosity. Through his father's legacy, Rob connects these lessons to his work in gamification, emphasizing how immersive experiences can evoke empathy and engagement in audiences.
Rob also reminisces about their shared love for superheroes and video games, illustrating how these interests were nurtured by his father. He discusses the influence of Mariano's career in theater and film, and how it shaped his understanding of performance and audience connection. Ultimately, this episode serves as a tribute to Mariano's life and the enduring lessons that continue to inspire Rob in both his personal and professional endeavors.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links and Info
- Mariano Alvarez Wikipedia
- Mariano Alvarez IMDb
- Homenaje a Mariano Alvarez - Detrás de las Cámaras
- Jose Gregorio Hernandez (one of the characters he represented)
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- YouTube
- Ask a question
In this rare and deeply personal episode, Rob steps away from the traditional gamification conversation to speak as a Venezuelan. Blending lived experience, political involvement, and game-thinking principles, Rob reflects on the cost of doing everything "by the rules," the exhaustion of democratic paths, and why this moment matters so deeply to millions of Venezuelans around the world.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
If you're considering gamification for engagement, retention, or loyalty, I'm happy to compare options with you: professorgame.com/chat
What if gamification isn't about rewards at all? James Portnow joins the Professor Game Podcast to explain why intrinsic engagement, thoughtful iteration, and strong design goals matter more than mechanics. From YouTube education to tabletop games, this conversation is packed with insights on building experiences people truly care about.
James Portnow is a Game Designer by trade, who's worked on games ranging from the Call of Duty Series to League of Legends to Farmville. His latest project, Cyberpunk Legends (the official Cyberpunk co-op card game), Kickstarted for over a million dollars, putting it in the top 1% of kickstarters ever created. He is also the creator of one of the most popular YouTube channels on history, Extra History. He's spoken at universities and corporations around the world and at conferences ranging from GDC to PAX to SXSW. He's been quoted in the New York Times and Time Magazine, published by Oxford University Press and has taught at the Masters and Bachelor's level.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: nightcrewgames.com
- LinkedIn: James Portnow
- Instagram:
- @night.crew.games
- @extracredits
- TikTok: @night.crew.games
- Facebook:
- nightcrewgames
- ExtraCredits
- Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nightcrewgames.bsky.social
- YouTube:
- Extra Credits
- Extra History
- Other links: kickstarter.com/projects/cyberpunklegends/cyberpunk-legends-into-the-night
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest:
- Richard Garfield of Magic The Gathering
- Designer on Candy Crush - Perhaps David Darabian?
- Jonathan Blow
- The Slay the Spire guys - Mega Crit
- Recommended book:
- Poetics by Aristotle
- Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
- The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
- Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard
- Favorite game: Magic The Gathering
Want to run away from destroying an experience? Happy to brainstorm → professorgame.com/chat
A magical Christmas experience in Madrid almost collapsed because of one overlooked detail. We break down a real-world holiday experience through the stages of gamification, and reveal where confusion can destroy even the most beautiful experience.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- El Manantial de los Sueños
- 4 Phases of a Player Journey
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you're considering gamification for engagement, retention, or loyalty, I'm happy to compare options with you: professorgame.com/chat
What if your bio was more than a skills list and your job hunt felt like a well-designed game? We explore with our guest Jade Arthur how to gamify the job search for the games industry, creating stories, systems and mindsets that boost confidence, visibility and long-term career engagement.
Jade is a language and mindset coach for job seekers in gaming. She helps job seekers take down the villains in their job search like the "Cover Letter Crusher" and the "Interview Assassin." Her mission is to give job seekers the knowledge to authentically express their value and vision while finding joy in the process.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: make-the-grade-with-jade.lovable.app
- LinkedIn: Jade Arthur
- Instagram: @makethegradewithjade
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guests: Bruno Frasca
- Recommended book: Made to Stick by Dan and Chip Heath
- Favorite game: Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Exploring useful streaks for your product or org? Let's chat → professorgame.com/chat
Why do streaks motivate users at first but eventually push them away? Rob explores the psychology behind collapses, the dangers of existing habit metrics, and practical ways to redesign streaks so they support, not sabotage, long-term engagement. Perfect for product leads, community builders, and behavior designers.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Duolingo (language learning & streak mechanics)
- Happier Meditation (formerly 10% Happier)
- Streaks (habit-tracking app)
- Finch (self-care & habit-tracking app)
- Octalysis Framework (gamification & Core Drives)
- Abstinence Violation Effect (psychology of lapses)
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Retention or loyalty on your roadmap? Happy to brainstorm → professorgame.com/chat
We unpack the "tell the cab driver where to go" strategy, health quests, and the eight magic words that shift self-talk from guilt and shame to possibility and lasting change on this chat with Stamina Lab CEO Glen Lubbert. We discuss how to turn health and well-being into a game you can actually win.
Glen is the co-founder and CEO of Stamina Lab, a health tech company that helps people create lasting well-being—not through willpower, hacks, habits, or fixing themselves—but by building on the inner resources and skills they already have. His company combines solution-focused health coaching, behavior science, and personalized data to improve energy, focus and resilience—without the usual shame or overwhelm.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: staminalab.io
- LinkedIn: Glen Lubbert
- Instagram: @staminalab.io
- X/Twitter: @glenlubbert
- YouTube: youtube.com/@staminalabTV
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Dr. Deborah Teplow
- Recommended book: Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia
- Favorite game: The Five Crowns Card Game
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Exploring behavioral design without shaming? Let's chat → professorgame.com/chat
In this episode, we break down the wild world of "confirm shaming": manipulative, guilt-driven prompts apps use to push you into saying yes. From hilarious to downright unethical examples, we unpack why these dark patterns harm long-term loyalty and how to use motivation ethically to build real engagement and retention.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Confirmshaming.tumblr.com
- deceptive.design
- Ethics in Game-Based Solutions and Gamification | Episode 153
- Andrzej Marczewski Doing Ethics In Gamification | Episode 161
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Build a thriving, monetized community—without chasing members or cranking out content 24/7.
Join us for free: 🏡 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
When is failure the first step to real success? In this episode, Matt Dalio, founder of Endless Studios, shares how a dream project collapsed—and sparked a breakthrough. Discover how building games, not just playing them, helps kids master coding, design, and 21st-century skills. From pragmatic lessons on profitability to testing assumptions cheaply, Matt reveals how to turn ambitious visions into lasting, scalable impact.
Matt is the founder of Endless, which is fighting for a world in which every kid is a creator. Endless Studios is a youth game making studio built to introduce youth to 21st Century skills like coding and design. Matt's mantra is that if you can engage them, you can teach them. His second mission is to make that available to everyone in the world by addressing the device and internet gap, which is the work of the Endless Foundation. Matt dreams of a world in which every kid can shape their technology instead of being shaped by it.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: endlessstudios.com
Links to episode mentions:
- Recommended book:
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
- The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
- Favorite games:
- Civilization
- Sim City
- Plague
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Aiming for sustainable retention? Intro chat (no sales pitch): professorgame.com/chat
Eight years, 420 episodes, and countless insights later: we celebrate the incredible journey of the Professor Game Podcast. From humble beginnings to becoming the #1 gamification podcast in the world, this episode dives into consistency, growth, and what's next for the Engagers community.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Episodes mentioned:
- Episode 000
- Episode 1 with Yu-kai Chou!
- Episode 2 with Scott Reinke, winner of the Educational Gamification Project of the Year 2016
- Professor Game, the world's #1 gamification podcast, is recognized by independent rankings such as MillionPodcasts, Feedspot, Player.fm, and others like ListenNotes.
- Gamification World Congress, this is the most official reference still online I could find!
- The Octalysis Group
- Community Building Resources: Game of Skool Community
- Social Media and Contact Information:
- Professor Game YouTube Channel
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Build a thriving, loyal community—without chasing members or cranking out content 24/7.
Join us for free: 🏡 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
From theme parks to zines, Andy & Jeff Crocker reveal how analog thinking powers modern engagement. We explore Infinite Right Answers, designing for collaboration, embracing imperfection over performance, and a field-tested model (confidence + generosity) that boosts motivation, loyalty, and community value.
With roots firmly planted in the worlds of theatre and themed entertainment, Mister & Mischief (a.k.a. Jeff and Andy Crocker) create fun-forward journeys beyond the fourth wall. With an unexpected blend of storytelling and real-world engagement, the husband-and-wife team help foster curiosity and connection through immersive experiences that encourage participants to revisit an opportunity to play pretend. Think of them as your extroverted friends that allow anyone a safe place to step out of their shell and explore in places they'd otherwise never go. Jeff and Andy have created experiences for clients including Universal Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering and their award-winning work has been praised by The New York Times, Broadway World and No Proscenium. They were recently named in Blooloop's International list of Top 50 Immersive Influencers
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: misterandmischief.fun
- LinkedIn: Mister & Mischief
- Instagram: @misterandmischief
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Exploring gamification for your product or org? Let's chat → professorgame.com/chat
We dive into the fascinating overlap between product thinking and gamification. By bridging Marty Cagan's product discovery mindset with the Octalysis framework, we uncover how to build not just functional products — but ones users love coming back to.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Some public references to the Octalysis Framework and the process discussed:
- The Strategy Dashboard for Gamification Design
- Using the Octalysis Framework to Understand What Game Design Techniques to Use
- Intro to the Battleplan Spreadsheet within Octalysis Design
- References to Marty Cagan and his works and principles through Silicon Valley's Product Group (SVPG):
- Principles
- Discovery vs. Delivery
- Markers of an Empowered Product Team: A Talk by Marty Cagan
- The Product Discovery Plan
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Want your members to actually stick around and engage without burning out or guessing what works?
Join our free community of retention-focused leaders: 👥 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What happens after "going viral"? Doug Weitzbuch (Housel) breaks down the Wordle-style mechanics, player feedback he wishes he'd acted on sooner, and the roadmap to localized, high-intent engagement. Practical lessons on PR, streaks, and turning play into business outcomes.
Doug Weitzbuch is a television producer with credits on hit series including Hell's Kitchen, World of Dance, Lip Sync Battle, and Duck Dynasty. After producing Netflix's Buy My House, a Shark Tank–style real estate series, he created HOU$LE, the viral daily house-price guessing game often described as "Wordle for Real Estate." He currently produces FOX's The 1% Club, hosted by Joel McHale. Doug lives in Los Angeles with his wife (a real estate agent, naturally) and their two kids.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: housle.house
- LinkedIn: Doug Weitzbuch
- Instagram: @housle.house
- TikTok: @housle
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Andrew Chen A16Z Speedrun
- Recommended book: The All In Podcast
- Favorite game: NYT mini games!
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Exploring gamification for your product or org? Let's chat → professorgame.com/chat
No, there was no epic showdown, just a powerful new alliance. Rob joins The Octalysis Group and reveals how this new chapter amplifies his mission to make gamification practical, ethical, and impactful. Plus, what stays the same on Professor Game.
Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- The Octalysis Group Team
- The Octalysis Group Welcomes Rob Alvarez
- Octalysis Design Challenge by Rob
- Yu-kai Chou is episode 001 of Professor Game
- Yu-kai Chou's 10k HP new book episode
Lets's do stuff together!
- Let's chat about your gamification project
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Game of Skool Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Want your members to actually stick around and engage without burning out or guessing what works?
Join our free community of retention-focused leaders: 👥 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What if your game character could earn you royalties? Jaime Schwarz unpacks co-creation, interactive media, and why the next frontier of engagement lives in the IP economy. A must-listen for future-focused creators!
After an award winning 15 years as a copywriter and creative director for NYC agencies, Jaime Schwarz dove into Web3, first by filing the worlds first NFT patent in 2017 and then by founding brand therapy teaching brands to speak for themselves. After co-founding 7 startups from then till 2022, Jaime co-founded the Team Flow Institute using employee intelligence and Parallel Worlds, the first spatial transformation company. With his patent granted he is now also the founder of MRKD.dj ensuring DRRM (digital rights and royalties management) by smart contracting the samples themselves for infinite drops. On the roadmap is MRKD.worlds which expands stories across media using the same name chain as MRKD.dj to ensure interoperability and equitable co-creation across an open spatial web.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: MRKD.dj
- LinkedIn: Jaime Schwarz
- Instagram: @mrkd.dj.remix
- Other Webs:
- Brandtherapy.coach
- TeamFlow.institute
- parallelworlds.us
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Build a thriving, monetized community—without chasing members or cranking out content 24/7.
Join us for free: 🏡 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Thinking of trying Skool? Use my link to get the 14-day free trial (same as direct)—and you’ll also be supporting my work: 👉 professorgame.com/openyourskool
Content is not king. In this episode, we unpack the 3 key “engines” that turn passive followers into engaged community members. If you’re tired of content burnout and ready to build something meaningful, this one's for you.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links and Info
- Free Resources to try this out: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
- Try Skool for free: professorgame.com/openyourskool
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Build a thriving, monetized community—without chasing members or cranking out content 24/7.
Join us for free: 🏡 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Vice President at Unity and author of The Career Game Loop, Jessica Lindl shares how game-based strategies build better communities, improve retention, and drive real impact.
Jessica Lindl is the Vice President of Ecosystem Growth at Unity Technologies, where she leads global efforts to empower creators, learners, and professionals through transformative, game-inspired solutions. With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of gaming, education, and workforce development, Jessica has helped millions of learners build meaningful careers. She is also the author of The Career Game Loop: Learn to Earn in the New Economy, a groundbreaking book that applies game design thinking to real-world career growth. Jessica is a Pahara-Aspen Fellow and serves on advisory boards for GSV Ventures and Jobs for the Future.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in community building and education. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Websites:
- Unity.com
- careergameloop.com
- LinkedIn: Jessica Lindl
- Instagram: @career_game_loop
- TikTok: @careergameloop
- YouTube: youtube.com/@CareerGameLoop
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Jane McGonigal
- Recommended book: Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal
- Favorite game: The Legend of Zelda
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Your next viral title is already written. Get the free sheet: 👉 professorgame.com/YT-Title-Spreadsheet
Curious about Skool? Grab the 14-day free trial through my link (and it helps me keep creating resources for you): 👉 professorgame.com/openyourskool
Think ads are the only way to grow your community? Think again. Rob reveals how he grew his community to 140+ members with $0 in ad spend—using three powerful, game-inspired strategies you can start today.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- YouTube Titles Spreadsheet: professorgame.com/YT-Title-Spreadsheet
- Start your community on Skool: professorgame.com/openyourskool
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
👉 Build a thriving, playful community—without chasing members or creating endless content.
✨ Get started free with our community The Game of Skool: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Magic in the Mundane: Sarah Iverson on Gamifying Wellness Discover how Sarah Iverson transforms personal growth into playful adventures through wellness escape rooms, storytelling, and creative game design.
Sarah Iverson is the founder of Curious Sunshine, a play-based wellness initiative that transforms personal growth into an imaginative adventure. A multidisciplinary artist, graphic designer, and holistic coach, Sarah fuses her love of puzzles, storytelling, and wellness to create experiences that spark joy, reflection, and real change. Backed by a B.A. in Art and a Master’s in Environmental Leadership, Sarah’s work lives at the intersection of creativity and consciousness. Through Curious Sunshine, she develops escape rooms, courses, and coaching programs that help people move from stuck to sparked—using play as the engine for transformation. Whether it’s decoding riddles or unblocking old patterns, Sarah invites you to explore the magic of your mind, one curious step at a time.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: curioussunshine.com
- LinkedIn: Sarah Iverson
- Instagram: @playfullysarah
- YouTube: playwithcurioussunshine
Links to episode mentions:
- Recommended book: The Playful Intelligence by Anthony T. DeBenedet
- Favorite game:
- Paper Mario series
- Sudoku
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Health and Safety 🔥 training is a drag and ineffective or expensive and dangerous ☠️... Or is it? Check out what's possible with our sponsor Ludus and their Free Guide: professorgame.com/free-ludus-guide
Or just book a free VR demo. Warning: you might end up liking Health and Safety training... professorgame.com/ludus-vr-demo
Hearing this only? Check out the video episode on our web or straight on YouTube
On this sponsored episode, we dive into the world of VR-based health and safety training with Ludus. You'll get a behind-the-scenes peek into my home HQ as I test five of their standalone VR/AR simulations — from firefighting to CPR and even recycling! I share honest, hands-on impressions of how they look, feel, and function, including what works, what could be clearer, and how gamified experiences like these can truly enhance engagement and learning.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links and Info
- Free Demo with Ludus: professorgame.com/ludus-vr-demo
- Health and Safety Training with Ludus VR Free Guide: professorgame.com/free-ludus-guide
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free
- Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Don’t guess your next title – get the proven ones for free: 👉 professorgame.com/YT-Title-Spreadsheet
Want your content to actually get seen? I paid five growth experts to reverse-engineer how to grow a community—without spending a cent on ads. In this episode, I reveals the three biggest levers.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Want titles that actually earn clicks? Grab the free spreadsheet!
- Why Hooks Are So Important by Alex Hormozi
- Start Your Community on Skool for Free (and help Professor Game without paying anything)
Lets's do stuff together!
- Optimize YouTube Titles Spreadsheet
- Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Book a free 1:1 call to create your personalized gamification game plan: 🎯 professorgame.com/discoverycall
Can games teach students to navigate politics and power? Kerry Flanagan-Owen from the Bill of Rights Institute says YES—and she’s showing us how playful learning is transforming civics education in classrooms across the U.S.
Kerry Flanagan-Owen is the Senior Manager of Learning Design at the Bill of Rights Institute, where she leads the development of free K–12 civics, government, and U.S. history resources. With a background in teaching and instructional coaching, Kerry brings deep expertise in designing engaging, inquiry-driven experiences for classrooms nationwide. Most recently, she spearheaded the creation of a series of card-based games as part of the Institute's Government and Politics: Civics for the American Experiment curriculum, using play to bring abstract civics concepts to life for high school students.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: billofrightsinstitute.org
- LinkedIn: Kerry Flanagan-Owen
- LinkedIn: Bill Of Rights Institute
- Instagram: @brinstitute
- Facebook: facebook.com/BillofRightsInstitute
- X/Twitter: @brinstitute
- YouTube: youtube.com/user/BillofRightsInst
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Dr. Susan Rivers Game Design and SEL Psychologist and GBL
- Recommended book: The Power of Play by David Elkind
- Favorite game: Space Team and Cranium
- Peter Williamson Episode
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you feel like your inner explorer’s been benched for too long... you’re not alone. We’re rebuilding new learning quests inside a Skool group. Might be your next side quest. 🎯 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Education wasn’t built to empower—it was built to control. In this episode, Rob Alvarez breaks down how education evolved into a grind loop and how we can flip the system using gamification. If you've ever felt like your inner explorer got benched, this one's for you.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Peter Gray's article: A Brief History of Education
- Our community to rekindle curiosity, play and exploration
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- Community
- YouTube
- Ask a question
🚀 Want your community buzzing and bringing in more revenue? Snag my free mini course with 3 killer gamification hacks: professorgame.com/freebie-3-gamification-hacks
Forget trust falls and awkward icebreakers. Alex Suchman is redefining the workplace with intentional play. Tune in to find out how one game changed a manager’s mindset—and why play may be the missing ingredient in your team culture.
Alex Suchman is the CEO and co-founder of Barometer XP, whose mission is to create cultures where people are excited about their work because they feel a strong sense of purpose and belonging. She uses games and play to strengthen interpersonal dynamics, such as trust, accountability, and psychological safety, into the workplace.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in community building and education. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: barometerxp.com
- LinkedIn: Alex Suchman
- Play Concierge Platform: barometerxp.com/concierge
Links to episode mentions:
- Recommended book: Predictable Success by Les McKeown
- Favorite game: The Mind
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Get access to over $1,000 worth of retention and gamification strategies, templates, and live sessions—for free.
All inside our Professor Game community: 🎁 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What happens when a powerful game opens Pandora’s box? Elisa Navarro Chinchilla shares the highs, lows, and serious challenges of designing games for real-world impact—from schools in Mexico to reforestation efforts in Afghanistan.
Elisa Navarro Chinchilla is the CEO and co-founder of Gold Bug Interactive and a veteran educational video game developer with more than 25 titles under her belt. Her most recent projects include Dino Dance for PBS Fred Rogers, Sabz, a reforestation game for Afghanistan; Protection, a tabletop game to teach Results Based Protection for InterAction; Chuka: Break the Silence, developed for the Education for Justice initiative of the UNODC, that leverages social and emotional learning to help prevent domestic violence, and consulting for Project 21, FES, to develop a game for youth participation, governance and citizenship in the MENA region. Convinced of the power of games to support underprivileged contexts through collaborative learning, she has received several national grants in Mexico (Fonca, Procine, Prosoft) to create educational experiences with networked technology, alternate reality games, and digital literacy workshops. Her games challenge players to develop resilience through problem solving, stimulate critical thinking, and practice transferable skills. Elisa has an MA from the Institute of Education at UCL, UK.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in community building and education. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: goldbuginteractive.com
- Website: seriousplayconf.com
- LinkedIn: Elisa Navarro Chinchilla
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Gonzalo Frasca
- Recommended book: What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy by James Paul Gee
- Favorite game: Puerto Rico
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Click the link below to book a quick 10–15 minute chat with me.
No sales, no pressure—just ideas and clarity on how to engage your community and grow revenue. 🗓 professorgame.com/discoverycall
What do sticky communities and addictive games have in common? We break down two powerful design moves to build a community you love showing up to—and one your members will too.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links and Info
- Book your clarity call: professorgame.com/discoverycall
- Start your own community on Skool and take advantage of the perks of using this link: professorgame.com/openyourskool (let me know on a DM in Skool)
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Build a thriving, loyal community—without chasing members or cranking out content 24/7.
Join us for free: 🏡 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Crushing churn in the classroom? It starts with embracing AI. Rob Alvarez is joined by Dr. Matt Metzger to explore how AI can revamp higher education—boosting motivation, retention, and engagement while staying human-centered. No tech expertise required, just a willingness to rethink learning.
Dr. Matthew R. Metzgar, PhD, is a Clinical Professor of Economics at UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business and an award-winning teacher who develops and delivers undergraduate and MBA courses focused on real-world applications and innovative pedagogy. He is the author of a new book, "The Overnight AI Educator: Transform Your Course in 24 Hours". His research spans the effectiveness of teaching methods and the economics of obesity, and as a Gambrell Faculty Fellow he is leading a study on employee ownership’s impact on the racial wealth gap in the Charlotte region. He co-chairs the Heterodox Academy Campus Community, facilitates the Constructive Dialogue Faculty Learning Community, and has been interviewed on labor-market shortages at both local and national levels. Dr. Metzgar earned his PhD from the University of Tennessee, an MBA from Wheeling Jesuit University, and a BS from West Virginia University.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: overnight.education
- LinkedIn: Matt Metzgar
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🚀 Want your community buzzing and bringing in more revenue? Snag my free mini course with 3 killer gamification hacks: professorgame.com/freebie-3-gamification-hacks
“Sometimes your idea isn’t broken — it’s just not ready yet.” In this immersive episode, Dain joins Rob to explore how interactive storytelling can drive real-world impact, from failed game prototypes that resurrected years later to transforming news stories into joyful community games. Tune in for deep insights on designing for emotion, embracing iteration, and why sometimes a pamphlet beats an app.
dain saint (he/they) is a Philly-based storyteller, designer, and creative director making beautiful immersive experiences. They run Reckless Magic, an interactive storytelling label, and curate Futurefull, an interfuturist storytelling collective.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in community building and education. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: dainsaint.com
- LinkedIn: Dain Saint
- Instagram: @dainsaint
Links to episode mentions:
- Recommended book:
- Immersive Storytelling for Real and Imagined Worlds by Margaret (Imagineering)
- Emerging Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown
- Favorite game:
- Hades
- Roll For Shoes
- Tag!
- Football / Soccer
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
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🚀 Want your community buzzing and bringing in more revenue? Snag my free mini course with 3 killer gamification hacks: professorgame.com/freebie-3-gamification-hacks
What if your life was a game—and you had the playbook to win? In this episode, gamification expert Yu-kai Chou returns to share his new framework, 10K HP (10,000 Hours of Play), and how aligning your purpose, role, and daily actions can unlock real-life legendary success. 🎮💥
Previous episodes with Yu-kai:
- Yu-kai Chou and how to do gamification with Octalysis
- Yu-kai Chou Creating Frameworks including REMOTE
- Octalysis Prime is a Big Part of Yu-kai Chou’s Life Mission
- Yu-kai Chou Bringing Gamification Balance for Kids
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in community building and education. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- 10,000 Hours of Play: Unlock Your Real-Life Legendary Success Yu-kai's new book!
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- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
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Want help creating online revenue—without needing like a thousand different tools?
Book a free 1:1 call to create your single platform revenue-creating online community: 🎯 professorgame.com/discoverycall
Tired of juggling tools to run your online business? We break down why Skool is a game-changing platform for building and scaling online communities and offer a tour of its features, benefits, and real earning potential. Plus, learn how to go beyond tech and design for retention and revenue with the right strategy.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Create your own community in Skool with my help
- Book Your FREE Clarity Call
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- Book Your FREE Clarity Call
- YouTube
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If you're struggling to make more money with your online community, check out my FREE resources to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What can a 40-year-old machine teach us about loyalty, engagement, and creative freedom? In this episode, Jesper Juul returns to the Professor Game Podcast to talk about his new book Too Much Fun, diving deep into the legacy of the Commodore 64.
From hacking and game development to subculture and hardware design, Jesper unpacks the "five lives" of the C64 and what they reveal about user retention, tinkering, and systems that last. If you're designing for engagement today, this is a nostalgia-fueled masterclass in getting it right—and where we started getting it wrong.
Jesper Juul is a video game theorist and occasional developer working at the Royal Danish Academy. He has previously taught at MIT and New York University. His books include Half-Real, and recently “Too much Fun” about the Commodore 64, his first computer, on which he wrote games and demos. Here's his first episode on the podcast: Jesper Juul and Handmade Games
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in community building and education. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: jesperjuul.net
- X/Twitter: @jesperjuul
- BlueSky: @jesperjuul.bsky.social
Links to episode mentions:
- Jesper's new book: Too Much Fun: The Five Lives of the Commodore 64 Computer
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Click the link below to book a quick 10–15 minute chat with me.
No sales, no pressure—just ideas and clarity on how to engage your community and grow revenue. 🗓 professorgame.com/discoverycall
Strategy Meets AI Game design + AI = game changer. In this episode, Amy Jo Kim returns to share how she’s combining decades of design wisdom with cutting-edge AI to build smarter, faster onboarding and retention systems. If you're struggling with churn, this conversation is your blueprint to better systems, better questions, and better engagement.
Previous episodes with Amy Jo Kim:
- Amy Jo Kim shows the importance of finding the fun as a game designer
- Amy Jo Kim's Game Thinking Masterclass 2019
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- AI Journey Maker
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- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
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🚀 Want your community buzzing and bringing in more revenue? Snag my free mini course with 3 killer gamification hacks: professorgame.com/freebie-3-gamification-hacks
Why are your members disappearing—even when you’re doing everything “right”?
Rob breaks down the real reasons communities lose members, even when packed with great content. Drawing from what successful games do to keep players hooked, you'll learn the 3 invisible traps that quietly destroy retention—and what to do instead.
No gimmicks. No burnout. Just practical, game-inspired strategies to re-engage your members and boost community revenue.
Grab the free Retention Hacks Guide above to start implementing today!
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in community building and education. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
🚀 Want your community buzzing and bringing in more revenue? Snag my free mini course with 3 killer gamification hacks: professorgame.com/freebie-3-gamification-hacks
What happens when role-playing games become a leadership development tool? In this episode we interview Joe, founder of GameNamic Leadership, to explore how tabletop RPGs can unlock transformational learning, reshape team dynamics, and deliver lasting cultural change. From piloting immersive retreats to coaching teams in real time, Joe shares how combining leadership coaching with roleplay doesn't just gamify learning—it changes how people show up at work.
Dr. Joe Lasley is an Assistant Professor of Leadership and Organizational Studies at the University of Southern Maine and the Founder of Gamenamic Leadership, where he merges academic rigor with the imaginative power of tabletop role-playing games to transform how individuals and teams learn to lead in the real world. He is an International Coaching Federation certified Leadership Coach, has a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies, and degrees in Organizational Psychology, Higher Education Administration, and Organizational Communication. In academia, Joe designs and teaches courses on leadership development, systems thinking, organizational and group dynamics, with a focus on experiential and transformational learning. He has published peer-reviewed aresearch on leadership development through role-playing games, led action research projects, and regularly presents at national and international conferences including International Leadership Association, National Communication Association, and North American Simulation And Gaming Association.
As a consultant, Dr. Joe created LeadRPG, an innovative method that blends leadership development with tabletop role-playing games to build emotionally intelligent, adaptive leaders and creative teams. With the LeadRPG Team, he has developed immersive retreats, facilitated custom programs for mission-driven organizations and tech leaders, and produced game-based toolkits used for leadership coaching, team development, and reflective practice.
With expertise spanning group dynamics, adaptive leadership, and game-based learning, Dr. Joe is committed to helping people unlock their potential, co-design shared experiences, and navigate complexity with creativity, purpose, and play.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: gamenamic.org
- Retreats: gamenamic.org/retreat
- LinkedIn: Joe Lasley
- LinkedIn: GameNamic Leadership
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Gijs
- Recommended book: Playing and Reality by D.W. Winnicott
- Favorite game: Age of Wonders 4
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
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- Ask a question
🔥 Losing users? Get free, expert-backed resources to boost retention with gamification: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What happens when a teacher turns history into a simulation? We interview Swedish educator Anders Kjellberg, who co-created The Great Gambit, a role-playing simulation designed to help students understand the driving forces behind conflict—and how to prevent war. From sweaty failures to empowering classroom dynamics, Anders shares what worked, what didn’t, and how learning through games can activate students like never before.
Anders works as a teacher in Swedish upper secondary school. His main subjects are History and Swedish but he is also part of the school's educational steering group and takes part in a collaborational project with other Nordic upper secondary shools.
Apart from being a teacher, Anders is a musician, playing mostly bass, guitars and syntheizsers in several of bands and records a lot of music in his house up in the Swedish forests.
Together with his friend Zhenya Luchaninau, he has created an educational tool/simulation to be used in history class in upper secondary school, called "The Great Gambit". The scene is a tumultous transitional period in Europes history, dealing with the years between 1871 and 1914: the build up to World War One. The purpose of the game is, to put it short: make the students understand the driving forces behind conflicts and wars and, hopefully, teach them to understand how a society can avoid such things.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: thegreatgambit.com
- LinkedIn: Anders Kjellberg
- Facebook: The Great Gambit Community
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Neil Young
- Recommended book: Hang City (In Swedish)
- Favorite game: Who Knows Where
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- FREE Gamification Resources!
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🔥 Losing users? Get free, expert-backed resources to boost retention with gamification: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
How do you gamify learning without losing the learning? We talk with Bram about designing Minecraft-powered learning experiences that actually work. From working with NASA to teaching democracy through play, he reveals how chunking content, building tutorials, and collaborating with subject matter experts creates game-based learning that sticks.
Bram Wulteputte is a Co-founder and the Head of Education at Shapescape, a company merging education with the immersive world of Minecraft. With years of experience in games and gamification, Bram has built educational experiences that don’t just engage—they inspire. Through Shapescape’s partnership with Minecraft Education, he’s been shaping unique content that bridges fun and learning, resonating with audiences around the globe. From guiding strategy to developing immersive curriculums, Bram has hands-on insights into how gamification can unlock new dimensions in both education and business.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
Website: shapescape.com/education LinkedIn: Bram Wulteputte X/Twitter: @BramWulteputte
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Justin Edwards (from Minecraft Education)
- Recommended book:
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- Start With Why by Simon Sinek
- Favorite game:
- Overwatch
- Minecraft
Lets's do stuff together!
- FREE Gamification Resources!
- YouTube
- Ask a question
🔥 Losing users? Get free, expert-backed resources to boost retention with gamification: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What if learning felt like playing — and retention was built into the design? In this episode, Rob interviews Aldi Agaj, CEO of Alter Learning, who shares how his team builds educational video games in collaboration with scientists, educators, and developers. From failures to scaling 40+ games, Aldi reveals how passion, teamwork, and gamification fuel long-term engagement and real-world impact in education.
Chief Executive Officer of AAK Tele-Science , And CEO of Alter-Learning Educational Platform from since 2020. He's an Entrepreneurial Chief Executive Officer, experienced in founding companies in domestic and international marketplaces. Facilitator and builder of world-class technology. Provides technical and visionary leadership for technology company offering a Cloud-Based Platform as a Service (SaaS) for Scientific Research.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
-
- Website: alter-learning.com
- LinkedIn: Aldi Agaj
Links to episode mentions:
-
- Recommended book: Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Favorite game: Volleyball
Lets's do stuff together!
-
- FREE Gamification Resources!
- YouTube
- Ask a question
🚀 Want your community buzzing and bringing in more revenue? Snag my free mini course with 3 killer gamification hacks: professorgame.com/freebie-3-gamification-hacks
Tired of watching great customers walk away? We reveal how gamification can transform retention, skyrocket engagement, and massively increase your customer lifetime value—without resorting to gimmicky rewards.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Episode Links:
3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
Lets's do stuff together!
- 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
🔥 Losing users? Get free, expert-backed resources to boost retention with gamification: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
From clueless to collaborative in one session? That’s the power of a well-designed Tabletop RPG. Rob Alvarez sits down with Anthony Kurza, creator of the SAN model and higher ed coach, to explore how role-playing games can unlock retention, connection, and deep learning—both inside and outside the classroom.
Anthony Kurza is a game designer specializing in tabletop role-playing games and an educator in higher education. His work bridges storytelling, game mechanics, and immersive learning, creating experiences that foster social-emotional learning and critical thinking. As an adjunct professor and College Life Coach and Florida State University, he helps students explore the power of collaborative storytelling, while his research focuses on how TTRPGs can be used as educational tools. He has also developed his own TTRPG system and is eager to share it with the world—whether through publishing, workshops, or partnerships that bring games into new spaces. His goal is to make storytelling and role-playing more accessible, engaging, and transformative for players and educators alike.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: kurzplaysgames.itch.io
- LinkedIn: Anthony Kurza
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guests:
- Joe Lasley
- Garrett Munro and Maryanne Cullinan
- Sarah Lynne Bowman
- Corbin Nall
- Delaney Sills
- Ali Watts
-
Recommended books:
- Transformational Role-playing Game Design by Sarah Bowman (and its free!)
- Monsters, Aliens and Holes in the Ground by Stu Horvath
-
Favorite games:
- Dread
- Alice is Missing
Lets's do stuff together!
- FREE Gamification Resources!
- YouTube
- Ask a question
🔥 Losing users? Get free, expert-backed resources to boost retention with gamification: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Why do players stay hooked for 100+ hours in games like The Witcher 3? It's not just gameplay—it's story. Rob Alvarez is joined by Jakub Szamalek, the master narrative designer behind gaming's most iconic worlds, to unpack the secrets of choice, emotion, and retention through storytelling.
Jakub Szamalek is an award-winning narrative designer and writer, best known for his work on The Witcher III: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077. Jakub has played a key role in shaping some of the most emotionally immersive and critically acclaimed storylines in modern gaming, blending deep lore, player-driven choices, and unforgettable characters.
Beyond games, Jakub is also a novelist and a passionate storyteller who understands how narrative can hook people—and keep them coming back. Today, we’ll explore what makes interactive stories so powerful, and what we can learn from games like The Witcher to design better, more engaging experiences in other fields.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Next game is The Blood of Dawnwalker
- His book Inner Space is coming in July
Lets's do stuff together!
- FREE Gamification Resources!
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What happens when a perfectly balanced gamification system fails with users? Alireza Ranjbar Shourabi shares this shocking experience and unpacks how cultural nuances, hidden perceptions, and behavioral insights can make or break your engagement strategy.
Starting in high school, Alireza used computers as a means to create and play games, first diving into programming and then exploring 2D and 3D art. Eventually, he discovered his true passion in game design, which sparked a deep curiosity about human behavior. With this newfound interest, he went for psychology, sociology, behavioral economics, and persuasive design, continually learning about motivational theories like Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Flow, and the Fogg Behavior Model, as well as every aspect of behavioral economics available. Soon enough, he realized these principles and insights could be applied outside of games as well. This revelation led him to design engagement solutions and gamified campaigns across a variety of fields, including Fintech, E-learning, E-health, Open Innovation, and even offline advertising. With experience in designing for diverse platforms and genres, Alireza has contributed to nearly every area of gamification and game development, from systems design, AI, and UX to marketing and monetization. However, economy and balance—the 'hidden' yet crucial elements of experience design—have always been his primary focus and specialty. For him, design is about striking a balance between a fun, fair player experience and sustainable monetization for a successful business. Above all, he views players as complex individuals with limitless dimensions, constantly seeking to understand and interpret the behavioral data collected from in-game interactions—and beyond.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- LinkedIn: Alireza Ranjbar Shourabi
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guests:
- Joris Dormans
- BJ Fogg
- Recommended books:
- Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design by Joris Dormans
- Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
- Favorite game: Journey
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Badges won’t cut it. Katie Patrick reveals how focusing on feedback loops, imagination, and measurable actions makes climate programs actually work. Join us to explore how to crush environmental inaction with game-inspired design.
Katie Patrick is an Australian-American environmental engineer and climate action designer. She's author of the books How to Save the World and Zerowastify and hosts a podcast where she investigates the academic research in environmental psychology.
Katie specializes in the design of getting people to change. She applies gamification and behavioral science in a way that dramatically increases the adoption of environmental programs and has worked with organizations including UNEP, NASA JPL, Stanford University, U.S. State Department, Google, University of California, Magic Leap, and the Institute for the Future.
Katie started UrbanCanopy.io, a map-based application that uses satellite imaging of urban heat islands and vegetation cover to encourage urban greening and cooling initiatives. She is also the co-founder of Energy Lollipop, a Chrome extension and outdoor screen project that shows the electric grid's CO2 emissions in real time.
She was CEO of the VC-funded green-lifestyle magazine Green Pages Australia and was appointed environmental brand ambassador by the Ogilvy Earth advertising agency for Volkswagen, Lipton Tea and Wolfblass Wines.
She has served on the board of Australia’s national eco label, Good Environmental Choice Australia, and won the Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year Award for entrepreneurship. After graduating from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology with a B.Eng in Environmental Engineering, she worked as an environmental design engineer for building engineers WSP in Sydney on some of the world’s first platinum-LEED-certified commercial buildings.
Katie lives in Silicon Valley with her young daughter, Anastasia.
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Forget hacks—behavioral change starts with better behavior selection. In this episode, Jason Hreha and Rob Alvarez explore how psychometrics can help align strategies with personalities for meaningful, lasting impact in business and life.
For close to 15 years, Jason has been applying behavioral science research and methodologies to solve hard problems in the technology world. He is the founder and CEO of Persona, The Talent Company. They are the world's leading provider of elite non-technical talent. Jason is also a senior advisor at Edelman, a global communications firm, where he provides behavioral science insights and guidance to clients across various industries and sectors.
Jason's passion is to create products and services that empower people to achieve their goals and improve their lives. He has co-founded and led several successful startups, such as Kite.io, a mobile search company that was acquired by Quixey, and Dopamine, the first tech-focused applied behavioral science firm. Jason has also served as the global head of behavioral science at Walmart, where he co-founded and built the Walmart Behavioral Science Team. Additionally, he is the creator of Behavioral Strategy, an interdisciplinary approach to ensuring that behavioral research is incorporated into new products and initiatives from the strategic planning phase. The goal of Behavioral Strategy is to achieve Behavior Market Fit.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- LinkedIn: Jason Hreha
- Websites:
- personatalent.com
- thebehavioralscientist.com
- Book: Real Change
- The Big Five Personality Test
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: BJ Fogg
- Recommended book: Personality by Daniel Nettel
- Favorite game: Final Fantasy VII
- Earthbound (NES)
- Overwatch
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
🎤 What do a trivia show, a fake country, and a war against Crocs have in common? You’ll find out in this hilariously high-energy episode of the Professor Game Podcast with Rob and the unforgettable Mark Corona! From founding the micro-nation of Slowjamistan (where Crocs are banned by law 😆) to designing and hosting a national trivia game show unlike any other, Mark shares the wild ride of combining entertainment with meaningful engagement. He dives into stories of tech failures turned learning moments, how games build community and retention in corporate settings, and why persistence is the real superpower behind success. It’s an episode packed with laughs, lessons, and a whole lot of game show magic! 🎮🎙️
Mark Corona is a national trivia host, high-energy speaker, and the founder of his own country. Known for engaging audiences with interactive trivia and unforgettable experiences, he blends entertainment with business insights to engage and retain.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: markcorona.com
- Instagram: @PorderBatrol
- TikTok: @theporderbatrol
Links to episode mentions:
- Recommended book: Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- Favorite game: Super Mario Bros and The Price is Right
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What if the characters we play in games reveal more about who we truly are? 🎭🎲 Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs) offer more than just entertainment—they create powerful opportunities for self-discovery, personal growth, and deeper engagement. This conversation dives into how the roles we play in games often reflect real-life struggles, aspirations, and identities—sometimes without us even realizing it. Through immersive storytelling and emergent gameplay, TTRPGs become tools for building emotional intelligence, confidence, and connection. Whether you're designing learning experiences, digital communities, or gamified products, this episode uncovers how role-play can drive transformation and long-term engagement.
Ryan Alan Jones is a transformational coach, mindfulness practitioner, and advocate for the power of storytelling in personal development. Currently pursuing a doctorate in leadership and coaching, Ryan’s academic work complements his unique approach, which integrates tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) to help individuals uncover new facets of themselves, build social and emotional intelligence, and foster beautiful and satisfying lives. His work bridges the creative and the practical, drawing on his experiences as a certified personal trainer, yoga instructor, actor, and director. Through his innovative approach, Ryan bridges the worlds of imagination and reality, helping others discover their potential and redefine their personal narratives.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: raj.coach
- LinkedIn: Ryan Alan Jones
- Instagram: @drjones.coach
- TikTok: @drjones.coach
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Anthony Kurza
- Recommended book: Transformative Role-Playing Game Design (free PDF!)
- Favorite game: Venture Society
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What if playing pretend could unlock real-world skills? 🎭🎲 We explore how Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TTRPGs) are transforming education and therapy. Through structured yet creative gameplay, Kathrin helps students and therapy patients develop communication, teamwork, and confidence—while having fun. She shares how even short, one-hour sessions can lead to long-term behavioral changes, deeper engagement, and transferable skills that go beyond the game table. Whether you’re an educator, a product designer, or a community builder, this episode will inspire you to harness the power of play to boost retention, motivation, and meaningful learning experiences.
Kathrin Fischer is a teacher and learning therapist from Germany who focuses on applied ttrpg (tabletop roleplaying game) as a method in learning since 2019. With her Company EduTale she provides workshops and material for educators and therapists. She also works at the Bonn Lab for Analog Games and Imaginative Play of the University of Bonn.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: edutale.de
- LinkedIn: Kathrin Fischer
- Instagram: @edutale2020
- Facebook: EduTale
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest:
- Michael Low
- Dr. Laura Lewald Romahn
- Recommended book: Role-Playing Game Studies: Transmedia Foundations
- Favorite game: For The Queen by Alex Roberts
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What if your favorite video game could teach you more about life and career success than any classroom? 🎮🎙️ We explore the surprising connections between gaming, motivation, and professional growth. From mastering Starcraft strategies to navigating the world of voice acting, Chris shares how the principles of grit, iteration, and engagement in games helped him transition from corporate marketing to a thriving career behind the mic. They discuss the power of storytelling in games, how to design experiences that keep people engaged naturally, and why the best retention strategies mirror the mechanics of great games. Whether you're an educator, community builder, or product designer, this episode is packed with actionable insights on gamification, engagement, and building loyalty—all inspired by the world of video games. 🚀
Chris Dattoli is an NJ-based voice actor who has been a part of various video games, audiobooks, anime’s, cartoons, & commercials, such as “Kon" in the fighter game Konsui Fighter, "Kuroki Maeba" in ReBite: The Psychopathic Chef, "Rower" in the animated series Handaria, Arthur, Marty, and all the male roles in the physiological video game IMAGO: Beyond the Nightmare, & in the video game Brigandine Grand Edition as Zemeckis, Cador & Paternus. He’s also voiced numerous commercials for brands like the NFL Network, Disney, Microsoft, Lowes, and more! In addition to his voice resume, Chris is also an On Camera actor and model. In 2024, Chris won a Voice Arts Award from the Society of Voice Arts & Sciences! Chris is a long-time fan of anime (back when they were on LaserDisc!) and video games and loves to keep up to date on the newest titles.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: dattolivoiceovers.com
- LinkedIn: Chris Dattoli
- Instagram: @chrisdattolivo
- TikTok: @chrisdattolivo
- Facebook: Chris Dattoli
- X/Twitter: @chrisdattolivo
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest:
- Simon Gato of Beyond The Nightmares
- James Kline
- Recommended book:
- The Gift of Giftology by John Ruhlin
- The Console: 50 Years of Home Video Gaming by Mike Diver
- Favorite game: Final Fantasy VII
- Other top games for Chris
- Blaster Master
- Zombies ate my neighbors
- Monster Party
- Megaman X
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
What if games could be more than just fun—what if they could transform learning itself? Our guest Dr. Mark Harvey brings a wealth of experience in integrating games into educational settings to this ongoing conversation on gamification. This conversation delves into practical strategies for enhancing classroom engagement and sharing stories that reveal the transformative potential of playfulness in education.
Dr. Mark Harvey is an Associate Professor and Director of the MBA program at the University of Saint Mary. He is a co-editor of the volume Simulations in the Political Science Classroom: Games without Frontiers and the forthcoming book, Beating the Clock: The Power of Short Games and Active Learning. In addition to doing research on active learning and deploying games and simulations in his own classrooms, he has also assisted in simulations at the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth. He is also the author of Celebrity Influence: Politics, Persuasion, and Issue-Based Advocacy.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: stmary.edu/_faculty_import_11-5/mark_harvey
- LinkedIn: Mark Harvey, Ph.D.
- TikTok: @drmaharvey
- Facebook: Mark Harvey
- X/Twitter: @DrMAHarvey
- Other: beyondprofit.weebly.com
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest:
- Ryan Gibb (Extended Diplomacy simulations)
- Derek Glasgow (Game on John Locke)
- John Lahey
- Jim Gasperini
- Recommended book:
- The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
- The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
- Favorite games:
- Hidden Agenda
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Red Empire
Lets's do stuff together!
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Unlock the secrets behind truly captivating game design and community-building. We have this conversation with Dhiraj Jujare, the force heading Warpverse X. Armed with a visionary outlook, Dhiraj demystifies the paths less traveled that bridge gamers and creators under one roof. Set your imagination free; here awaits thought-provoking discourse on harmonizing fine art with technology, built upon enduring design principles. If you have ever wondered what's at the heart of winning players' loyalty through compelling narratives and expressive visuals, this is your podcast episode!
Dhiraj Jujare is a trailblazing entrepreneur and the CEO of Warpverse X, a cutting-edge gaming platform revolutionizing the digital gaming ecosystem. Known for his innovative mindset and deep passion for technology, Dhiraj has positioned Warpverse X as a central hub for gamers, developers, content creators, and brands alike. His leadership emphasizes fostering vibrant communities, leveraging advanced tools for game development, and driving forward-thinking solutions in esports and digital marketplaces.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: warpverse-x.com
- LinkedIn: Warpverse X
- Discord: discord.gg/g7D6DAhpKG
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest:
- GameTout
- John Carmack (of Doom)
- Nikhil Malankar
- Recommended book: Takaiko Inue's Musashi
- Favorite game: Pokemon originals
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Discover the intersection of AI and gamification in education to enhance creativity and efficiency. We're joined by Dr. Victoria "Tori" Mondelli, a pioneer in the field of educational game design and the founding director of the University of Missouri's Teaching for Learning Center. This episode dives deep into the world of gamification, exploring how games can be used as powerful educational tools to enhance engagement and learning outcomes.
Dr. Mondelli serves as the Founding Director of the University of Missouri’s Teaching for Learning Center. She is an affiliated faculty member in Adroit Studios Gaming Lab in the College of Education & Human Development and the History Department in the College of Arts and Science. She holds a Ph.D. in early modern European history. Her training as a historian led her to prize writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines' pedagogies. From there, she became an expert in coaching faculty and other educators to incorporate the full gamut of evidence-based and creative practices to maximize student engagement and deepen learning.
Her passion for game-based learning was ignited while at the City University of New York and led her to facilitate workshops nationally, often with her co-author, Dr. Joe Bisz. Their collaborative, highly interactive pedagogy was in need of a scholarly design method to leverage research-based principles known to improve learning. After years of research and praxis, Mondelli and Bisz released their book in 2023, The Educator’s Guide to Designing Games and Creative Active-Learning Exercises: The Allure of Play.
When not playing games, Dr. Mondelli can be found leading strategic teaching initiatives to enhance support for faculty members and graduate instructors. Lately, she has been in the thick or pedagogical and ethical discussions and policy-making for Gen AI at her institution. In short, tech or no tech, she aims to increase the prevalence of learning environments that intentionally build a sense of belonging for ALL learners, while structuring active learning and transparent assessment.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
-
- Websites: - victoriamondelli.com - allureofplay.com
- LinkedIn: Victoria Tori Mondelli
Links to episode mentions:
-
- Proposed guest: Dr Robert Duncan
- Recommended book: Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal
- Favorite game: Snake Oil
Lets's do stuff together!
-
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
"I'm better than almost anyone at making complex subjects easy to understand for anybody." – Jerry Kolber. On this episode Jerry shares his journey in revolutionizing edutainment with popular shows like "Brain Games" and his podcast Who Smarted. Dive into the fascinating world of gamifying education, learn about the intricacies behind creating engaging content, and gather insights on building a successful podcast.
Jerry Kolber is a creator and producer of children's educational content. Revolutionizing Edutainment with National Geographic's Number 1 Series "Brain Games", Netflix's "Brainchild" and now his podcast Who Smarted. Jerry uses games and storytelling to make kids and parents laugh as they discover a love for learning.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: atomicentertainment.com
- LinkedIn: Jerry Kolber
- Instagram: @whosmarted
- Brain Games
- Brainchild
- Who Smarted
Links to episode mentions:
- Recommended books:
- Influence by Robert B. Cialdini Ph.D
- Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- Favorite game: Settlers of Catan
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
"Life is a game, and we get to wake up and play it every day." – Bobby Donohue on the Professor Game podcast. Bobby Donohue, the founder of Planet Bonehead, an innovative educational platform designed to empower teachers and inspire students to address climate change through gamification and storytelling. With over 15 years of experience, Bobby shares his journey of using game-inspired solutions to facilitate interactive learning. Throughout the conversation, Bobby highlights both the challenges and successes of his initiatives, while also sharing valuable insights into the world of educational gamification.
Bobby Donohue is the founder of Planet Bonehead, an educational platform that empowers teachers and inspires students to tackle climate change with optimism and creativity. With over 15 years of experience in educational content development, Bobby specializes in blending storytelling, gamification, and interactive learning to make complex environmental topics accessible and engaging. His work focuses on creating innovative tools and resources that encourage action and critical thinking, including the use of gamified strategies to teach kids about recycling, conservation, and sustainable living.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: planetbonehead.com
- LinkedIn: Bobby Donohue
- TikTok: @planetbonehead
- Facebook: Bobby Donohue
- Bluesky: @planetbonehead.com
- YouTube: youtube.com/@PlanetBonehead
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guests:
- Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Landon (Bobby's friend)
- Recommended book: Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
- Favorite game: Mario Bros
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: bit.ly/freegamificationcourse-web
"Questify Your Life" system that also works alongside disabilities. We sit with Sierra Grandy to discuss how she gamifies life using her unique "Questify Your Life" system. They explore Sierra's approach to living life as a series of quests and how gamification can drive engagement and personal growth.
Sierra Grandy is a recent lawyer, disability advocate, and business owner. She plays her life as if it were a quest and teaches others to do the same by using her "Questify Your Life" system.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Websites:
- SierraGrandy.com
- QuestifyYourLife.com (website in progress-soon to launch)
- LinkedIn: Sierra Grandy
- Instagram: @sierramgrandy
- TikTok: @questifyyourlifesierra
- Substack: questifyyourlife.substack.com
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Brennan Lee Mulligan
- Recommended book:
- The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
- Mindset by Carol Dweck
- Favorite game:
- Tabletop: Dungeons & Dragons
- Party Game: Business Walrus
- Video Game: Dark Cloud 2
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Gamification Global Gathering 2025 conference, underscoring its focus on sustainability and the strategic partnerships formed to ensure its success, including a significant collaboration with the Octalysis Group. We welcome back Antonis, a returning guest and gamification expert. We episode dive into impactful projects, including "Climate for All," a successful initiative that was recently recognized by the European Commission.
Antonis Triantafyllakis is a past guest (we also had an in-person chat in Madrid). This time, we are here to discuss the Global Gamification Gathering 2025!
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Discounted Tickets for the Conference: professorgame.com/ggg25
- Information on Rob's Workshop in Cracow: professorgame.com/polandworkshop
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
"Look at what people say about other similar games and try to implement that into your game, then give it your own twist." - Bobby Voicy. Dive into the fascinating world of mixed reality technology and gaming, exploring how Mixrift is shaping immersive experiences. Learn about Bobby’s journey from his previous successful gaming venture, Mavenhut, and discover insights on the evolving game development landscape.
Serial entrepreneur Bobby Voicu is the CEO and Founder at MixRift, a mixed reality technology company building accessible solutions for immersive experiences. Headquartered in Dublin with teams across Portugal and Romania, MixRift represents a new wave of pan-European tech companies. This follows Bobby's previous successful exit when he sold his gaming company, Mavenhut. Having achieved a $1.6M pre-seed funding in a rapid 7-week pre-seed funding round for MixRight, Bobby's track record in scaling and exiting tech companies, combined with his insights on the evolving technology landscape, make for an engaging story.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- LinkedIn: MixRift
- Instagram: @mixriftgames
- X/Twitter: @bobbyvoicu
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: John Carmack
- Recommended books:
- Masters of Doom by David Kushner
- Play Nice by Jason Schreier
- Fun Inc. by Tom Chatfield
- Favorite game: Call Of Duty Warzone
Key Discussion Points:
- The challenges and insights of building and scaling a mixed reality game company.
- Lessons learned from both successes and setbacks in game development, particularly from their experience with Meta Quest and mobile gaming.
- Importance of balancing what game developers want to create versus what players want.
- Insights into prototyping, user testing, and the unique challenges faced by indie game developers.
- The future of mixed reality in gaming and why it’s a must-experience technology.
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
This time of the year we reflect on the importance of taking time off during the holidays, sharing personal experiences with family traditions like the Elf on the Shelf. We dive deeper into how this new tradition fits into the broader Santa universe and the strategies behind creating engaging experiences that are limited in time. We also have a question for you! It relates to the planning strategies for the new year, whether or not encouraging reflection on personal and professional goals.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- Elf on the Shelf
Some Episode Takeaways
- The Elf on the Shelf as a modern holiday tradition.
- Expanding existing narratives can create new engagement opportunities.
- Limited time experiences can heighten excitement and engagement.
- You don't always need to create something new; existing themes can be effective.
- Integrating seasonal themes into projects can attract interest.
- Creating a sense of novelty can enhance user experience.
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, Join Our (FREE) Professor Game Community Now & Learn how to create true loyalty: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Can planning marketing be a make-or-break decision? This episode of the Professor Game podcast also offers a comprehensive look into the iterative development process and the importance of user-centric design. We explore how failures can be powerful learning tools and how engaging with users early can shape the app's future direction. Our guest discusses his success with a mobile game that addresses environmental issues and highlights the impact of rigorous user research. Tune in for valuable insights on crafting meaningful and engaging user experiences through gamification.
Dave is a software developer specializing in mobile apps. He's currently building Roads Audio, an app designed to enable asynchronous, podcast-like conversations with the goal of helping people maintain deeper relationships. Dave also runs a YouTube channel, 1ManStartup, where he shares insights and tutorials on app development. Earlier this year, he won a competition sponsored by Global Citizen and Google with his mobile game Last Bottle, which sheds light on the often-overlooked truths of recycling.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
Website: 1manstartup.com/about LinkedIn: Dave Faliskie Instagram: @1manstartup TikTok: @1manstartup X/Twitter: @davefaliskie YouTube: 1ManStartup
Links to episode mentions:
Proposed guest: Someone from Global Citizen
Recommended book:
Tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Irresistible by Adam Alter
Favorite game: Mario series!
Lets's do stuff together!
Get started in Gamification for FREE!
TikTok
YouTube
Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, Join Our (FREE) Professor Game Community Now & Learn how to create true loyalty: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
How do you handle early failure to leverage technology? With expert insights from gamification specialist Chris Doelle, we discuss real-life case studies, the psychology behind motivation, and practical steps for implementing effective gamified strategies. From handling early failures to leveraging technology for continuous improvement, this episode offers a comprehensive guide to making gamification work for your business.
From his days of designing actual board games and computer games to his marketing company that assists people in telling their stories through social, public speaking, authorship and podcasting, Chris Doelle is a lover of gamification.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Websites:
- freshmediaworks.com
- chrisdoelle.com
- LinkedIn: Chris Doelle
- Instagram: @chrisdoelle
- TikTok: @chrisdoelle
- Facebook: Chris Doelle
- X/Twitter: @ChrisDoelle
- Skool Community: skool.com/business-success-academy
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Elon Musk
- Recommended book:
- Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto
- Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco
- Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
- Favorite game: NCAA 14
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, Join Our (FREE) Professor Game Community Now & Learn how to create true loyalty: professorgame.com/freecommunity-web
Unpack gamification’s role in driving user engagement and loyalty through a lite, live coaching case. Learn about understanding your audience, defining clear objectives, choosing the right game mechanics, and creating a feedback loop that keeps users motivated. This episode offers valuable insights for businesses looking to stand out with innovative and engaging strategies.
Connor Hiebel is the founder of Amelia Island Microgreens, creator of Jurassic Greens and author of the Amazon best-seller "Let’s Get Growing: A Teen’s Guide to Business Success." Connor is on a mission to transform reptile care with Jurassic Greens, the world’s first microgreens kit designed exclusively for our scaly friends. With over a decade in the microgreens industry, he’s taken his passion for sustainable, nutrient-packed greens and paired it with gamification to make feeding reptiles healthier and a whole lot more fun!
As an entrepreneur at heart, Connor’s not only changing how we think about pet care, he’s also empowering the next generation of business-minded teens with his book, which inspires young people to turn their big ideas into big successes. From reptiles to microgreens to mentoring future entrepreneurs, Connor’s journey is all about growth—one green sprout at a time!
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: ameliaislandmicrogreens.com
- LinkedIn: Connor Hiebel
- Instagram: @ameliaislandmicrogreens
- TikTok: @ameliaislandmicrogreens
- Facebook: Amelia Island Microgreens
- X/Twitter: @ConnorH68387
Text "Reptiles" to 26786 in the US for info on reptiles
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Jane McGonigal
- Recommended book: Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Favorite games:
- Minecraft
- Ticket To Ride
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freegamificationcourse-web
From gamified learning platforms to virtual corporate training, discover how these strategies can elevate user engagement and drive business success across diverse sectors. Join us to chat with Andres Leon about the future of digital transformation through gamification and immersive technologies. We uncover the practical applications of gamification in enhancing business performance and user retention. Andres shares his experiences in leading innovative projects that blend creativity and technology, offering insights into overcoming challenges and maximizing impact.
Andrés León is a recognized leader in immersive technologies and digital transformation. He currently serves as the Studio Manager for Streamline Studios in Colombia. With over two years in this role, he has successfully expanded the company’s influence in Latin America by spearheading innovative projects in the metaverse and industrial metaverse sectors. His efforts focus on delivering cutting-edge immersive experiences tailored to the dynamic needs of businesses across multiple industries. Andrés also serves as a lecturer in Innovation and Digital Transformation, complementing his professional journey by guiding students and organizations to embrace new technologies. He is a frequent speaker at industry events, such as Campus Party Colombia, and was named a Top 100 Thought Leader in Digital Transformation. A passion marks his career for exploring the intersection of creativity and technology to drive impactful change. Before joining Streamline Studios, Andrés held key roles at Claro Colombia, where he led innovation initiatives and developed B2B products in areas such as IoT and Big Data. He has a strong background in innovation management, team leadership, and strategic market expansion.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: streamline-studios.com
- LinkedIn: Andres Leon
- Instagram: @streamlinestudioscolombia
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Jane McGonigal
- Recommended book: More of a resource that is Kadine James
- Favorite game: Captain Tsubasa / GTA Saga
Lets's do stuff together!
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: professorgame.com/freegamificationcourse-web
Can embracing failures and iterative improvement lead to lasting success and innovation in game creation? This conversation sheds light on how strategic experience design can achieve educational and business objectives while maintaining an element of fun and excitement. Michael also recounts his early struggles with teamwork and humility, as well as the tension between creative fulfillment and financial stability. From his tranquil morning rituals to his meticulous planning and innovative evening sessions, Michael shares invaluable insights into maintaining productivity and creativity.
Michael Yang is a game designer with over a decade of industry experience, both in video games and board games. He’s played an instrumental role in the release of over 20 games; everything from educational video games to mobile freemium games, to most recently making a lateral shift into Card Games as the designer and developer of Greater Than Game’s hot new release, Compile. Michael dreams of making engaging content accessible to everyone and believes in the power of games to revolutionize lives and learning.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- X/Twitter: @JustGravyLLC
- Boardgamegeek: boardgamegeek.com/user/JustGravy
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Richard Garfield of Magic: The Gathering
- Recommended book:
- Anything Sci-Fi
- The Art of Game Design: A Book Of Lenses by Jesse Schell
- Favorite game: World of Warcraft
- Keep the Heroes Out
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With this episode, we are officially launching Professor Game's Free Community! I'd tell you all about it here, but it's better if you watch the video. I'll see you on the inside of our free community where you can find our renewed free gamification course, regular group calls, an awesome community and many more things to come. It is the best way to start building up your skills and network to create and upgrade your products, services, business or learning experiences through engagement, motivation and loyalty. Let's do this together!
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links
- Professor Game Community on Skool
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: bit.ly/freegamificationcourse-web
The Objectives and Key Results framework can transform ambitious visions into measurable outcomes and inspire high performance. Learn about the critical shift from activity-based goals to outcome-based objectives and how gamification can enhance engagement and loyalty. Our guest: Sara Lobkovich, a seasoned strategy coach, shares her insights and real-world examples of leveraging these powerful tools to drive remarkable organizational progress. Join us on this insightful episode where we explore the intersection of OKRs and gamification.
Sara Lobkovich is a strategy coach and huge goal nerd. In her work with status-quo challenging leaders and other workplace rebels, she helps people and companies set clear goals, stay focused, and build cultures where everyone can learn, grow, and achieve meaningful results. She works with organizations implementing Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), a collaborative goal methodology; and, with individuals seeking greater career fulfillment -- especially people who are introverted, neurodivergent, and/or don't come from a "traditional" business background.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: saralobkovich.com
- LinkedIn: Sara Lobkovich
- Instagram: @redcurrant_co
- Upcoming book: youareastrategist.com
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Peter Drucker!
- Recommended book: How To Measure Anything by Douglas Hubbard
- Other References:
- Measure What Matters by John Doerr
- The OKRs Field Book by Ben Lamorte
- Objectives and Key Results by Paul Niven & Ben Lamorte
- Strategic Operator's Power Half Hour by Sara Lobkovich
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: bit.ly/freegamificationcourse-web
Have you wondered about the significance of respecting and refining every idea within a creative team? In this episode of the Professor Game Podcast, we explore successful gamification strategies and insights with Mike Rufail, a notable figure in the gaming and gamification industry. Understand the allure and functionality of gamification, which merges game design with non-gaming environments to boost interaction and dedication. Rufail shares hard-earned lessons from his extensive career, including the significance of respecting and refining every idea within a creative team. Drawing on practical examples and professional experiences, this episode offers listeners an in-depth understanding of implementing gamification to achieve business goals.
Mike Rufail is the Chief Executive Officer of Tradeoff. In more than two decades as a leader in gaming, Rufail helped popularize global competitive esports and has previously served as a consultant on video game design, competition, and esports strategy for several major companies. Before joining Tradeoff, he served as chief gaming officer and co-owner of OpTic Gaming and chief executive officer of Envy Gaming, which he founded in 2007. Rufail is based in Dallas, Texas, and is an alumnus of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: tradeoff.com
- LinkedIn: Tradeoff Financial Corp
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Someone from Valve Software (creators of Steam)
- Recommended book: Not reading books but into what communities are saying!
- Favorite game: Diablo Series!
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- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: bit.ly/freegamificationcourse-web
Games like Dungeons and Dragons can unexpectedly become a training ground for executive functioning skills, turning what many consider a challenge into a superpower for Reese. In this episode we delve into the unique relationship of ADHD and both board games and tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs). The discussion features insights from Reese Zahner, exploring her journey to discover these cognitive benefits, we highlight how structured gameplay can offer more than just entertainment—it can be a therapeutic tool for managing ADHD.
Reese is an avid board gamer and game master who is diagnosed with ADHD. While playing her first campaign of Dungeons and Dragons two years ago, she realized playing the game was passively working on her executive functioning skills and using her ADHD superpowers. She's excited about exploring the connection between ADHD and Tabletop roleplaying games.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
Website: cleochilds.com
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Marcus Aurelius (Ancient Rome) Maybe AI?
- Recommended book: The Missing Thread by Daisy Dunn
- Favorite game: Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective by Dave Neale
- Games by Rita Orlov!
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- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: bit.ly/freegamificationcourse-web
We discuss how to use gamification to help students overcome math anxiety. This is how Dr. Aditya Nagrath, founder of Elephant Learning Mathematics Academy, makes education engaging and effective through gamification. By incorporating engaging and playful elements, Elephant Learning enables students to expedite their math learning significantly. This episode highlights how gamified educational platforms can make challenging subjects more approachable, motivating, and less intimidating for students.
Dr. Nagrath helps students overcome mathematics anxiety. Aditya is the creator and founder of Elephant Learning Mathematics Academy which helps students learn years of mathematics over the course of a few months using their system just 10 minutes per day, 3 days per week. With a PhD in Mathematics & Computer Sciences, Dr. Nagrath has spent over 30 years in the industry as a software engineer, author, leader, speaker, and serial entrepreneur working on everything from atomic clocks to iOS and Android apps to Amazon’s Kindle Fire. As the Founder of Elephant Head Software, which won the prestigious JD Edwards Innovation Award in 2015, he has also done software projects for Pearson, Verizon, Telefonica, JD Edwards (Oracle), and other billion-dollar companies.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: elephantlearning.com
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adityanagrath
- Instagram @dradityanagrath
- Books:
- Treating Mathematics Anxiety
- Rethinking Math Learning
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Steve Jobs
- Recommended books:
- Influencer by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield and others
- Hooked by Nir Eyal
- Favorite game: Skyrim Series (The Elder Scrolls)
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: bit.ly/freegamificationcourse-web
We discuss the significance of fostering high-performing teams and nurturing a positive studio culture. With over three decades of experience, Mark Sample shares his insights on what it takes to lead successful game development projects. Gain valuable perspectives from Mark's extensive experience in launching award-winning games across multiple platforms. Listen as he shares his approach to building strong, innovative teams and his philosophy on strategic leadership that drives creativity and excellence in game development.
Mark Sample is a highly accomplished Game Development Executive with over 30 years of experience in the gaming industry. Throughout his career, he has launched multiple award-winning AAA and casual games, establishing himself as a leader in creative strategy, production, and studio management. With expertise spanning across console and mobile platforms, Mark has been instrumental in delivering over 30 credited titles, guiding teams to push the boundaries of what’s possible in gaming.
As a visionary in the industry, Mark has cultivated high-performing teams by fostering a positive, innovative studio culture. His strong communication skills, combined with his strategic leadership, have enabled him to build lasting relationships with stakeholders and strategic partners. Mark’s passion for developing great games and mentoring future leaders makes him a driving force in the evolving gaming landscape.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: sumo-digital.com
- LinkedIn: Mark Sample
- X/Twitter: @marksample
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Will Wright
- Recommended book:
- Old Role-Playing Books! Call of Cthulu, etc.
- You don't have to read game development books only! Read different things
- Favorite game: Souls games
- Marvel Snap
- Punch-Out
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: bit.ly/freegamificationcourse-web
A unique perspective on how combining diverse fields can lead to innovative and socially impactful projects, shedding light on the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing interactive media. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in enhancing user engagement through creative and collaborative approaches, whether in educational settings or business applications.
Drew Davidson is a professor, producer and player of interactive media. His background spans the academic, industry and professional worlds and he is interested in stories and transformational experiences across texts, comics, games and other media. He explores the art, design, and science of making media that matters, working to expand our notions of what media are capable of doing, and what we are capable of doing with media. He is an expert in leading creative collaborations with interdisciplinary groups, orchestrating change, and building initiatives focused on making a positive social impact. He is a Teaching Professor at the Entertainment Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University and is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Play Story Press, an open community publishing consortium, and the Well Played series and journal.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Websites:
- waxebb.com
- playstorypress.org
- LinkedIn Drew Davidson
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guests:
- Brenda Bakker Harger
- Jesse Schell
- Recommended book: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Favorite game: Sokoban
Lets's do stuff together!
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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- Ask a question
If you're struggling to keep people engaged and loyal in your product or business, check out my FREE gamification course to learn how to do just that: bit.ly/freegamificationcourse-web
Learn how storytelling, achievement recognition and immediate feedback can turn passive content consumption into an active, engaging learning experience. It's a fascinating conversation about the journey of integrating gamification into online education. Our guest, a seasoned entrepreneur, shares insights into how his latest venture, Experiencify, has revolutionized the way students learn by employing a gamification-first approach. If you're struggling with student engagement in your courses, this episode is a must-listen.
Murray's a serial entrepreneur with a single, simple focus in life. He loves building software platforms that make life easier for course creators, business owners, educators, trainers & coaches -- basically, anyone who sells their expertise or needs their learners to engage and learn. Right now he's obsessed with fixing online education using gamification. Online education is an industry that's seeing HUGE growth right now, and at the same time, it's the only industry with a 97% student failure rate. His latest project is called Xperiencify – the world's only gamification-FIRST online course platform, which is solving the problem using gamification, psychology, and ideas borrowed from Silicon Valley. His team of gamification advisors has worked with companies you may have heard of like Google, Tesla, Verizon, Porsche, LEGO and many more household names.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: xperiencify.com
- LinkedIn: Murray Gray
- Facebook: Murray Gray
- X/Twitter: @iammurraygray
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Marisa Murgatroyd
- Recommended book: Actionable Gamification by Yu-kai Chou
- Favorite game: Quake in the early days with LAN parties!
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Can games like "Red Dead Redemption 2" help overcome stereotypes around subjects like history, making them more immersive and relatable? In this episode, we delve deep into the transformative role of video games in education. Our guest, an expert in integrating existing video games elements into learning environments, shares how gamification can make education more engaging and effective.
Tore Olsson is an associate professor of history at the University of Tennessee, where he teaches and researches American history after the Civil War. He is the author of the new book Red Dead's History: A Video Game, an Obsession, and America's Violent Past (Macmillan / St. Martin's Press, August 2024), which uses the fictional content of the Red Dead Redemption games to explore real dilemmas of violence in American history. He's a long-time gamer and believer that games can help teach us big things.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: history.utk.edu/person/olsson-tore/
- Instagram: @reddeadhistory
- TikTok: @reddeadshistory
- Facebook: Tore Olsson
- X/Twitter: @ToreCarlOlsson
- Book: Red Dead's History
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Jason Schreier
- Recommended book: How To Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr
- Favorite game: The Witcher III
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From the eccentric problem-solving approach of the TV series "House, M.D.," to the essential role of team dynamics, we elucidate how these principles translate into the mechanics of creating engaging and effective gamified solutions. Join us as we delve into the multifaceted world of gamification and discover how an unexpected source of inspiration offers profound insights into the art and science of gamifying experiences.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Links to episode mentions:
- House M.D.
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Behavioral Science Meets Learning Design. We feature a deep dive into the role of behavioral science in creating effective learning interventions. Our conversation sheds light on how principles from behavioral science can be employed to bridge the gap between knowledge and action. By focusing on learner behavior and the contexts in which they operate, we discuss how to craft learning experiences that lead to meaningful and lasting change. Our guest, a seasoned learning strategy consultant, shares practical examples and methodologies to ensure that learning is not just informative but also transformative. This is a must-listen for educators and instructional designers seeking to enhance their impact.
Julie Dirksen is the author of the books Design For How People Learn and Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change. She is a learning strategy consultant with a focus on incorporating behavioral science into learning interventions. Her MS degree is in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University. She’s been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and is a Learning Guild Guildmaster. She is happiest when she gets to learn something new, and you can find her at usablelearning.com.
Rob is a host and consultant at Professor Game as well as an expert, international speaker and advocate for the use of gamification and games-based solutions, especially in education and learning. He's also a professor and workshop facilitator for the topics of the podcast and LEGO SERIOUS PLAY (LSP) for top higher education institutions that include EFMD, IE Business School and EBS among others in Europe, America and Asia.
Guest Links and Info
- Website: usablelearning.com
- Julie on LinkedIn
- Julie's Group on Facebook
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Dan Meyer
- Recommended book: Badass: Making Users Awesome by Kathy Sierra
- Favorite game:
- Gorogoa
- Plants vs. Zombies
- Behavioral Design Wheel
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- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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Is gamification about balancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivations? Roman is here to tell us that it is not. Our conversation delves into the principles of intrinsic motivation, emphasizing autonomy, mastery, and purpose, and contrasts them with the short-lived benefits of extrinsic rewards. Discover how thoughtful gamification design can lead to sustainable employee engagement and long-term behavior change.
Roman Rackwitz is an internationally renowned pioneer in the field of gamification and intrinsic experience design. Recognized as one of the top 10 experts worldwide, Rackwitz develops, communicates and advises government institutions and commercial enterprises worldwide with the 'Non-skinnerian Gamification' school of thought. He is also regularly invited as an expert in media such as TV, radio and print. In addition to the consulting company Engaginglab and the software Tabi, Rackwitz also founded gamification.design, a contact point for all professionals interested in the topic to receive further training and certification. In 2022, he founded CBO Media, a publisher that focuses purely on topics related to behavioral economics in order to bring this knowledge to companies in a practical way.
Links to episode mentions:
- Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke
- Roman's LinkedIn button
- Roman's LinkedIn
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Discover how playfulness, not just work, holds the key to creativity, resilience, and a more fulfilling life. In this engaging conversation, Rob Alvarez, founder of Professor Game, interviews Chris Marshall, a behavioral scientist and futurist who explores the power of playfulness as a pathway to human flourishing. Chris shares how his own experience with burnout led him to the transformative potential of playfulness, breaking down the essential pillars of curiosity, creativity, and connectedness. He offers practical insights into how individuals and organizations can cultivate a playful mindset, not by adding new skills, but by reconnecting with their natural, childlike curiosity and creativity. Whether you're looking to enhance your personal life or revitalize your workplace culture, Chris's advice provides a fresh perspective on how embracing uncertainty and letting go of rigid expectations can unlock a world of possibilities.
Chris Marshall is a Behavioural Scientist and Futurist whose specialist niche lies in helping individuals, teams and organizations to thrive in times of challenge, setback and disruption. He is also the founder of The Playfulness Institute, a not-for-profit organization that promotes research and strategies to build creative, engaged, dynamic organizations through playfulness as culture. Beyond this, Chris holds a vast amount of experience from a number of industries and what he labels 'obsessions'. He is a TEDx speaker on playfulness and burnout, the author of the book Decoding Change, and is currently writing his next book: The Playful Advantage.
Guest Links and Info
- Websites:
- playfulnessinstitute.org
- chrismarshall.uk
- Chris on LinkedIn
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Hanna Kinsella
- Recommended book: Elastic
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Discover how to skyrocket engagement by 7,000% with innovative gamification techniques! In this conversation, Bernardo Letayf and Rob Alvarez dive into the complexities and rewards of creating meaningful, long-term engagement through gamification. They discuss the launch of Tabi, a cutting-edge platform that redefines player progression by focusing on mastery rather than rewards, and highlight how effective gamification, while challenging, yields extraordinary results.
Bernardo develops game-like solutions through their software on a mission to transform education. With over 12 years of gamification experience and over 25 years in web and UX design/development, international speaking and consulting, Bernardo has created a platform that makes learning engaging and exciting for students of all ages and backgrounds.
Guest Links and Info
- Website for Tabi: Tabi.one
- Bernardo on LinkedIn
- Roman on LinkedIn
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- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
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Skyrocketing businesses with a game? In this exciting episode of the Professor Game podcast, we dive deep into the mind of elite business consultant and gamification enthusiast Sean Delaney, who shares how he helps businesses go "further, faster, funner" with innovative strategies. Sean reveals his journey from Fortune 500 consulting to empowering entrepreneurs, detailing his unique process for creating impactful, game-based business solutions. Whether discussing a challenging early experience or a major success with a Fortune 50 company, Sean offers invaluable insights into making business both enjoyable and transformative.
Sean Delaney is an elite business consultant, speaker, podcaster, and coach. He has worked with clients from the Fortune 500® to solopreneurs, solving some of the biggest to some of the most pervasive problems every business faces. Whether it is as a Fractional COO, the co-host of his Podcast ·The Ether,· or as the ·Disruptor in Chief· in his ·anti-mastermind mastermind,· his focus with Whadif is to disrupt current business thinking to transform businesses of any size into joyful and thriving impact generators. Before turning his attention to helping entrepreneurs, Sean·s client list included MetLife, Nike, Uber, Johnson & Johnson, AIG, and Jet Blue (among others). He has taken that experience and now helps entrepreneurs massively accelerate their business·s growth with his unique, holistic business model system, the HARMONIOUS Business Architecture TM. With his unique blend of knowledge, experience, and humor, he has helped businesses of every size strengthen their operations, innovate for the future, and scale ·Further, Faster, Funner.·
Guest Links and Info
- Website https://whadif.com
- Sean on LinkedIn
- Sean on Facebook
- Whadif's YouTube
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Wei Houng
- Recommended book: The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
- Favorite game:
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (and the kind)
- Battleship
There are many ways to get in touch with Professor Game:
- Subscribe to Professor Game E-mail Newsletter
- Ask a question
After an early childhood attempt at coding Pac-Man when it came out, and failing, CEO Yaakov Sash of Novospir now unveils a groundbreaking new genre of massively multiplayer social puzzle games. With extensive experience in digital asset technology from his tenure at Credit Suisse, Sash is now set on transforming the gaming industry. Novospir's debut game, Stack the Pixels, exemplifies his vision of integrating secure, fair, and engaging gameplay with unique digital and non-digital currencies. Yaakov shares insights into the daily challenges of leading a global team, the importance of playtesting, and how player feedback shapes the development of innovative gaming experiences. Sash emphasizes the value of persistence and adaptation in creating fun and competitive games that bring families together.
Yaakov Sash is the CEO of Novospir, an innovative gaming ecosystem that introduces a groundbreaking new genre of massively multiplayer social puzzle games. With extensive experience in digital asset technology from his tenure at Credit Suisse, where he led Digital Assets Markets, Yaakov is now focused on transforming the gaming industry. Novospir's debut game, Stack the Pixels, exemplifies his vision of integrating secure, fair, and engaging gameplay with unique digital and non-digital game currency.
Guest Links and Info
- Website stackthepixels.com
- Novospir on LinkedIn
- On Instagram as @StackThePixels
- Stack the Pixels on Facebook
- On X/Twitter as @stackthepixels
Links to episode mentions:
- Proposed guest: Someone from LucasArts Games
- Recommended book:
- Reality +: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by David Chalmers
- Mother of Learning by Nobody 103
- Favorite game: Tetris
There are many ways to get in touch with Professor Game:
- Get started in Gamification for FREE!
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Ask a question
Dr. Mfon Akpan is an assistant professor of accounting at Methodist University. He has a passion for emerging technologies and is an expert in virtual reality technology. He researches new technologies and educational methods to offer students a current, effective, and relative teaching experience. This is not his first rodeo on the Professor Game Podcast!
Find his first interview on Episode 243.
Raghu is a serial entrepreneur and has been obsessed with the financial markets since the age of 16. After graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he started his first company in 2006 - RK Trading Partnership - a proprietary trading company which actively traded the forex markets. He was able to turn $10k into more than $2M over a span of two years using low-latency, news trading strategies. Using the profits, he moved to India in 2008 · along with two other co-founders · and setup RKSV Securities, a retail stock brokerage, which eventually rebranded into Upstox. RKSV was also a proprietary trading firm and actively traded India·s stock markets, and Raghu led the prop desk division. After Upstox raised its Series A, the prop desk was shut down, and Raghu transitioned into a traditional co-founder role. In 2019, he stepped down from the Board of Upstox and left all operational duties, but remains Upstox·s largest individual shareholder. He took a long sabbatical, moved back to the US, and started thinking about his next venture. He wanted to create a new, bolder company, which could massively disrupt the financial markets at a larger scale than a typical stock brokerage. In 2020, he incorporated TradingLeagues, a disruptive, gamified offering for the financial markets. The goal behind TradingLeagues is to massively increase awareness and engagement with the financial markets at a global level by leveraging gamification. TradingLeagues launched globally in Dec 2023 and amassed more than 100k users. In his free time, he loves playing chess, being involved with his two young boys, and finding ways to keep his mind sharp.
Elmir is an eLearning Specialist at Catolica Lisbon Business School and a PhD Student at the University of Porto with five years of experience in higher education and corporate training and a proven track record of working with over 15 companies and universities. He creates gamified and action-oriented learning products that promote easy interaction and boost user engagement.
Matthew ·Dr. Matt· Zakreski, PsyD is a high-energy, creative clinical psychologist and professional speaker who utilizes an eclectic approach to meet the specific needs of his neurodivergent clients. He is proud to serve the Gifted community as a consultant, a professor, an author, and a researcher. He has spoken hundreds of times all over the world about supporting neurodivergent kids. Dr. Zakreski is a member of Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children (NJAGC), and the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE). Dr. Zakreski graduated from Widener University·s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology (IGCP) in 2016. He is the co-founder of The Neurodiversity Collective.
Special summer episode! If you haven't, here is your reminder to take a step back, rest and recover to get ready to complete the year in full form.
Jamie Atkinson is the co-founder of NeedaGuest. They are the #1 fastest-growing Facebook group for podcast matching. They have over 63,000 members, and he's always excited to chat today to talk about how businesses can grow their traffic through podcasts.
Juan Pablo Guzmán Fernández is co-founder of Infinite Thread Games, a company dedicated to the design and development of original and innovative video games. With over four years of experience in the sector, Juan has worked both as a producer and programmer. Additionally, Juan Pablo has been a high school teacher for over ten years, teaching subjects including physics, mathematics, and computer science. Developing frequent gamification projects, he enjoys sharing his knowledge and motivating his students to learn and create their own projects.
Mister & Mischief (a.k.a. Jeff and Andy Crocker) are a husband-and-wife creative team based in Los Angeles. Together, they create live experiences designed to delight audiences and turn strangers into pals. Best known for their absurdist puzzle-play Escape from Godot and their interactive pirate radio documentary 40 Watts From Nowhere, Andy and Jeff bring their brand of fun-forward storytelling to genres of all kinds. Their award-winning immersive work has been produced for the La Jolla Playhouse's Without Walls Festival, Indiecade, Denver Film Festival, Noah's Ark at the Skirball Cultural Center, and the Warehouse Theatre. Outside of Mister & Mischief, Jeff and Andy work independently in themed entertainment, developing experiences for clients including Universal Studios, Cedar Fair, The Bezark Company, The Hettema Group, Thinkwell and Walt Disney Imagineering. Mixing games, theater, and comedy into playful, participatory events, Andy and Jeff are passionate about increasing the visibility of experiential design and audience-empowering art wherever they go.
Adam builds order out of chaos. Serving as a High Performance and Agile Coach and having built a career in fast-paced, margin-tight environments from working in the advertising, public accounting, and internal audit industries; I understand the scientific decode behind ultimate human performance and using it to train up individuals and organizations. By decoding ultimate human performance and understanding what is going on in the brain and in the body when humans are performing at their best, we have the ability to open up a new space for human potential. This unique career history coupled with demonstrating a strong risk, control, agile, high performance, and scientific mindset provides me with the resourcing in building high performing teams. I encourage this boldness and mindset in coaching teams, championing their strengths and galvanizing them to challenge the status quo, unlocking innovation and high engagement. Personally, I believe there's always a way. Relentless in my quest for excellence, I lead with courage and tenacity, often achieving the seemingly impossible at pace.
I'm beyond excited to share that my TEDx Talk, How Gaming Can Unlock Your Better Self, is now live on the TEDx YouTube channel! You can find it in the show notes or directly at professorgame.com/tedx2023 I'd love to know your thoughts!
Jason Friedman, a former theater enthusiast who is now a serial entrepreneur and coach, is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small business owners grow and scale their businesses. With a flair for dramatics and a master of storytelling, Jason has founded and exited five successful companies. As CEO of CXFormula, he's now teaching businesses how to captivate their audiences using his proprietary Kinetic Customer Formula·. He's also at the helm of Spotlight Brand Services, guiding e-commerce brands to success on Amazon and beyond. Join us as we dive into the insights of a leader whose strategies have earned him accolades like Ernst and Young·s Entrepreneur of the Year, and propelled multiple companies to the top of the Inc. 5000 list.
As the Chief Learning Officer at StoryIQ, Diedre combines her love of data and strategic thinking with creating engaging learning experiences. With close to 20 years of teaching and facilitating experience, Diedre brings enthusiasm and a unique ability to make complex concepts accessible and relatable to all. Diedre's expertise allows her to call upon a deep knowledge of communicating data and data-driven strategy to senior leaders and key stakeholders across industries and verticals.
Moe Ash is a learning architect dedicated to the notion of designing learning experiences. He holds a BSC degree in Human Resources Management and a minor in Economics from Sadat Academy for Management Sciences, a Master's degree in International Development from the American University in Cairo. A CIPD-HR associate (level 5), Certified Instructional Designer HRCI, Certified Competency Matrix Developer, Certified Assessment Center Analyst from Middle Earth HR, and a diploma in Community Psychology from the American University in Cairo. A brand ambassador to the Genially authoring tool. Moe is currently looking into acquiring his degree in business psychology aiming to blend gamification and performance management in a tight cohesive mold. Moe is the founder of The Catalyst, an instructional design consultancy focused on the sole purpose of creating impeccable learning experiences.
Dr. Timo Lainema is the developer of RealGame, a unique real-time operated business simulation game for learning business and supply chain management, and many other business topics. Timo is an adjunct professor of educational sciences and game-based learning in Finnish universities, and an experienced trainer in executive education. His present research of game-based teaching and learning focuses on conceptual change and correcting students· false perceptions through simulation gaming. In addition, he has studied the management of time in simulation games, immersion and flow, business process understanding, and decision-making and leadership in game-based learning. Presently, Timo works as the CEO of RealGame Business Simulations, a company providing active learning solutions for higher education and company training internationally.
Javier is Co-founder of Azahar Juegos and Free to Play, companies that focus on the design and research around the use of playful paradigms in serious contexts. He has 11 years of experience working on gamification projects and has collaborated on educational projects with institutions in Colombia such as Universidad de los Andes, Sergio Arboleda, Rosario, Uniminuto, and with companies such as Bancolombia, Compensar, Grupo Bolivar, among others. He is the designer of the BEM Framework for systemic and meaningful gamification and the recipient of two awards from Tech Magazine / Gamicon 2019 for gamification projects in virtual learning.
Meet Chris, founder of Gaming@Work. His company integrates Game Derived Skills·· and Game-based Learning for a dynamic workplace. With a background in International Hospitality and experience as a Partner Manager at Dell Technologies, specializing in Cloud and Gaming-as-a-Service, Chris brings expertise in various graphics/gaming workloads. He provides a unique tech perspective on employee growth. Chris aims to help organizations achieve digital transformation goals, keeping employees skilled and motivated without investing in expensive software. Regularly sharing insights on gaming culture, esports, and tech trends, connect with Chris to explore the future at GamingAt.Work and his blog, TeamLocktree.com
Engagers free resource out! In this episode, we explore a free mini-course we have just released that will allow you to either take your first steps in this Game Inspired world of Gamification, if you are a seasoned veteran you can add something different to your belt or anything in between, including curiosity, register for free at professorgame.com/freegamificationcourse. I'm looking forward to seeing you there and read any feedback you have!
The founder and director of Checkpoint, Tamer is dedicated to changing our perception of learning and the technology we use to enable learning. Advocate of gaming cultural wealth and the benefits gaming has, Tamer has spent years developing pedagogy through Checkpoint to help us benefit from our digital fluency. Driven by the failure of governments and education systems globally during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the hypocrisy around "screentime", Tamer focused on showcasing the benefits of gaming on well-being, education and as a social platform for children. This led to a partnership and study on the impact of gaming in education with Brunel University which proved incredibly successful. Tamer is also an award-winning producer and journalist who has worked across print, broadcast (TV and radio) and online.
Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Bret is a seasoned Game/Software professional with over 15 years of experience in crafting immersive games, innovative software, and user-friendly apps. His passion lies in bridging the realms of design psychology in both gaming and software landscapes. He's dedicated to uncovering the intriguing parallels between professional e-sport players and software power users, as well as exploring the social dynamics ignited by elements like "hi-scores" in e-commerce platforms. Bret delights in translating these insights into tangible enhancements, creating products and experiences that resonate deeply with users. Don't miss his enlightening 2022 TEDx Talk, "Can a 90s video game be a standard for experience design?", available online for a captivating dive into his perspective on the fusion of gaming and design.
Helen Hooper is head of learning design at VirtualSpeech which creates soft skills training solutions based around immersive practice in VR and online. Helen has a particular passion for creating engaging and effective learning experiences that involve active participation by the learner. Her rich background includes twelve years founding and running two award-winning educational startups focused on child development through active storytelling. And, long ago, after graduating from Oxford University - Helen spent nine years working in the UK Civil Service and European Commission (which she hated!). When not working she·s often found taxiing her 2 teenagers around or walking in the countryside with her husband and French dog, Garry.
Bhaskar Thyagarajan is the Founder & CEO of BlueSky Learning | KAIROS. BlueSky Learning is a consulting & training company with a vision of helping individuals, teams and organizations nurture and develop their Human skills. All programs are anchored in the experiential learning methodology. Kairos is a platform offering digital and in-person games & activities to the L&D community. They have been designing game-based learning modules with a focus on behavioral skills for 2 decades. Bhaskar is a facilitator, speaker and mentor focused on building institutional capability in game-based learning. He has trained over 400 trainers in facilitating experiential & game-based workshops, designed 30+ unique workshop designs, 100+ game-based learning modules and has rich experience of working with professionals across 30+ countries. He is also a founding member and Senior advisor at Koach.ai · a conversational AI-based coaching and mentoring app focused on youth and frontline employees.
Kevin B. Burk is the Headmaster of The Real Astrology Academy and the creator of the Human Game and the Human Game Experience. He has been counseling and coaching as an astrologer since 1998, teaching astrology since 2000, and is the author of more than a dozen books. The Human Game is a philosophy based on the idea that the Universe is made up of stories. The story is the smallest practical unit of reality. If everything is a story, when you understand how a story works, you can understand anything. The Human Game Experience is an astrology-based reality role-playing game that can give you creative control over The Story of Your Life. It·s an 8-week online program that helps you experience the potential of the Human Game philosophy with video tutorials, a comprehensive Player·s Handbook, personal coaching, and the support of a growing community of Human Game players around the world.
Terry has been a consultant in learning and development for over twenty years and specializes in creating and facilitating games-based and gamified learning experiences. He's the founder of Untold Play, via which he works with clients of all kinds to help make their learning experiences as gameful as possible. He's the creator of the Transform Deck, a games-based tool to inspire learning designers and creators to make their learning experiences more activity-led and learner-focused: the deck is being used to do just that in more than 20 countries worldwide. His current focus is his framework, the Six Levers of Games-based Learning, a tool to help learning designers and creators take inspiration from what works in games and apply it to their learning experiences. He writes and speaks regularly on games-based learning and gamification in as many places as possible, including for Bookboon, the world's largest corporate library provider, and Spiel Digital and the Playful Creative Summit.
Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and elevate leadership. He is a Co-Founder of Behavioral Elements®, a two-time TEDx speaker, and a designated Master Trainer by the Association for Talent Development. With a focus on behavioral intelligence, Jay has delivered transformational workshops to accelerate high-performance teams and cultures in more than 30 countries across four continents.
Charney Kaye is a lifelong artist, musician, and hacker, the beneficial type, empathetically building technology to solve problems, and connecting software with media. Professionally, he's built an arsenal of skills ranging from typography to Java and honed his design thinking over hundreds of projects. Charney is both a seasoned veteran and a contemporary student of human-machine interaction, from R&D to implementation. He founded XJ Music to enable artists to compose new possibilities in background music for video games, live streaming, and environments.
Steve is an experienced executive, venture investor, entrepreneur, educator, scientist, and author. He is co-founder and CEO of Thynk, a digital health company advancing innovative brain training video games for children and adults. Previously, Steve held various roles in academia and industry. He began his career as a professor at Harvard Medical School where he co-authored more than 130 scientific papers and was elected a member of AAAS and AHA. Subsequently, he co-founded and held senior positions in several private and public life science companies. In addition, he co-founded and was Managing Director at Excel Venture Management, which invested in over 40 innovative startups. Steve loves innovation and has spoken widely, including at TED, TEDMED, and TEDx and, with Juan Enriquez, he co-authored ·Evolving Ourselves·. Throughout his career, he has focused on transformative technologies across many sectors of the economy and relishes opportunities to advance innovations that can help millions. He and his wife live in Boston and have 5 grandchildren who love doing STEM projects and playing Skylar·s Run.
This is our small tribute to a former guest, Michael Sutton who was on during our first year, as we recently got news that he has passed away. If you want to hear a bit more from him, here's an episode where I was leading a panel that Michael was a part of.
Nazli Ozturkmen has more than 10 years of professional experience in Fintech, insurtech, crypto technologies and Web3 as a Product Marketing and Product Management executive.
An entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience, coach, mentor, and public speaker. The founder and President of the Supervisory Board G2A Capital Group, to which belongs G2A.COM - the largest and most dynamically developing global marketplace for digital entertainment, where users can buy vouchers for digital products such as games, gift cards, subscriptions, or software. The marketplace already has over 25 million users from 180 countries around the world. A winner of the Forbes magazine·s BrandMe CEO award, the Digital Shaper Award and the Gold Medal of the Polish Academy of Success. He·s also a co-founder and member of business organizations such as the International Leaders Forum, Google Next Gen CEO Club and Facebook Client Advisory Board and the Polish Council of Global Businessmen. Graduate of the AGH University (University of Science) of Krakow and the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, as well as Executive Education programs at Harvard (Finance), MIT (IT, Blockchain, Platformization, Productivity), and Oxford (Fintech).
Edgar Guillermo Solano is the author of the Best Seller ·Innovation for square heads·. His new book, ·Playliving· shows how to take strategies used on games into the business world. Creator of the game and the book WakeUpBrain to accelerate innovation using games.. He has been Commercial and Marketing Manager in tech companies such as Hewlett Packard, Compaq and Lexmark. He is the director and host of the Podcast ·Square heads club·. He is the director of the WakeUpBrain Academy. He is also the creator of i-Tournaments, innovation tournaments designed to transform culture in companies.
Well, this time I'm writing this super late on a Sunday, December 31, 2023, as we've had some domestic complications (nothing huge, more on the episode). However, I did want to take some time to wish you the best for 2024 and leave some space for reflection! See you on the flip side!!
Anton Hecht is a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. He recently finished a Ph.D. in games for art in public space with others. He makes gameful artworks, across mediums, including with orchestras and dancers. He makes installations and experiences in non-traditional spaces. He has created work for many galleries and arts centers, including the South Bank in London. Much of his work is filmed and placed online where he has over two million views on his YouTube channel. He began the idea of Orchestral Flashmob in a bus garage in Newcastle. He looks for ways to engage others and to get them to contribute to making artwork in some manner.
Michael Low is a classroom educator with an MA in Secondary Education and over 20 years in the classroom. For the past four years, he's run Luck Of Legends, developing educational role-playing games for small groups and classrooms. As the co-creator and storyteller at StoriesRPG.com, he publishes play-at-home games for families and classrooms like Starsworn, Luna Uni, and Giga City Guardians, and co-hosts the Stories RPG podcast, which helps people of all ages leverage the power of role-playing to foster trust and creativity, build literacy, and deepen academic engagement. His classroom role·playing game for mastering writing, Luna Uni, is currently being playtested in a number of classrooms and led to huge gains in writing scores in two 5th-grade classes last spring.
Professor Pete Alexander is the President of the greatest interior landscaping company in the San Francisco Bay Area - Office Plants by Everything Grows. In addition, he serves as an adjunct college professor, where he helps inspire students to develop and apply key concepts of marketing specifically to their area of interest. He's also a TEDx speaker and best-selling author on reducing stress in your everyday life. Lastly, but certainly not least, he is a certified Laughter Yoga leader and improv comedy cast member, supporting his community to laugh more and stress less.
Meet Joe Schaeppi, a visionary in human psychology who wants to fundamentally change the way brands and audiences connect. As the CEO and founder of Solsten, an AI-powered platform for human-centric experiences, Joe is pioneering the use of video games for cognitive assessment, opening up new possibilities for not only the gaming industry but for mental health diagnostics and treatment. Armed with his experience leading UX strategy for Big Fish Games and MRM // McCann and his impactful work as a startup advisor, adventure-based psychotherapist, and ski ambassador for The North Face, Joe intrinsically understands the power of a people-first approach and is ready to help companies create healthier and livelier experiences for users without leaving them overstimulated and disconnected from the real world.
Roger Peters also known as Rook, owner of Epic Sages, an Army veteran, a husband and a father of 2. He lives in Fairbanks Alaska. He loves teaching and introducing people to TTRPGs (tabletop role-playing games) like DnD (Dungeons and Dragons). He is a consistent learner and constantly evolves himself and his business with new technology.
Lance is the creator of The Influence Formula and the popular Influence Spectrum Quiz. As a professional speaker, he has shared his groundbreaking formula with audiences across the country. His background includes time as a prolific fundraiser, dynamic sales trainer, highly-rated professor, and published author. He has a bachelor's degree in marketing and a master's degree in executive leadership. Lance is married and has six kids; they are all boys except for five of them. In his spare time, he enjoys competing in Mr. Clean look-alike competitions.
Founder of the Playground for Entrepreneurs, a serious game that supports entrepreneurship coaches and educators to provide engaging and insightful sessions, workshops and classes. The game is based on my experience coaching 500+ startup teams and their (regular) coaches in their early stages of entrepreneurship. Most of that experience comes from government entrepreneurship and innovation programs such as Apps.co (by the Colombian Ministry of ICT). I have also been active as a University Educator at Universidad del Rosario, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano (both in Colombia), Avans University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands). I hold an MSc in General Management (Business Universiteit Nyenrode, the Netherlands) and an Executive MBA (Quantic Institute of Business and Technology).
Eko Nugroho has been at the forefront of driving the implementation of game-based learning and gamification in Indonesia over the past 14 years. Alongside his team at Kummara.com, Eko has offered consultancy and advisory services in the realm of serious meaningful games and interactive learning to various companies and organizations. Additionally, Eko serves as an advisory board member at Ludere Nusantara Foundation (Ludenara.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting teachers in implementing game-based learning programs and enhancing the overall quality of education throughout Indonesia. Eko is also a distinguished gamification expert and has been recognized as a finalist for the Gamification World Award. He is widely acclaimed as an international speaker, having presented at renowned events such as Gamification Europe, Gamicon48V US, and the Connected Learning Summit at MIT, among others.
Danielle is the owner of Octane Design Studios, a 13-year-old branding and identity firm based in the heart of the Bluegrass. Danielle is a creative, recently certified prompt engineer, podcaster, strategist, wife and mama of 3. She·s also a lover of Italian cuisine, chai, cosplay, comics and retro gaming. With over 15 years of marketing and multimedia agency experience, Danielle began as a grassroots developer and curator, helping brand and launch over 150 small businesses across America; · in Kentucky. As a third-generation entrepreneur, Danielle is an advocate of non-traditional education leading online meetups and workshops for DIY marketing. Her latest education platform Q1 Essentials is a gamified digital market cohort to help beginners enhance their digital marketing skills before the first business quarter of the new year. In 2021 Danielle restructured and launched Kentucky Creatives an all-new Kentucky-based membership community comprised of influencers, bloggers, photographers, copywriters, podcasters and more to help connect small businesses with influencers for their brand. As much as Danielle is passionate about providing creative services she strives to be more than just the graphics she creates. Over the years her hashtag #MoreThanGraphics has become more than just a marketing slogan; it has become a life principle for herself that she executes through storytelling and round table discussions with her co-hosts, all women of color as producer of the #MoreThanGraphics podcast.
After a stint in juvenile hall, AnnMaria ran away from her last foster home at age 15 and, with a fake ID, got a job and an apartment. By age 19 she had her bachelor·s degree, an MBA at 21. She was the first American to win a world judo championship, then retired from competition to earn her Ph.D., became a professor, and quit the university to start her first business after the death of her husband. She has founded four companies, raised four children, been one of Forbes 40 Women to Watch over 40, a Next Gen Leader of the International Game Developers Association Foundation and AARP Purpose Prize Winner. She and her daughter, Ronda Rousey, are the only mother-daughter combination in the International Sports Hall of Fame.
Charisse Beach is the founder and CEO of Youth Transformation Services (YTS), a nonprofit company providing training on Risk and Protective Factors, Mental Health Intervention, and Game-based Learning. Charisse also authored At-Risk Students: Transforming Student Behavior which details the warning signs of disturbing behaviors often overlooked by educators and/or misdiagnosed by mental health professionals. As a result, she co-created the Mental Health Intervention App (MHI) with her youngest son. MHI is a two-way communication tool that alerts healthcare providers of changes in their clients' mood and behavior. To learn more, visit www.youthts.org.
Kevin Reste operates at the unique intersection of art, media, and technology. As a Creative Operations Specialist, Artist, and Producer with an MFA in Design and Technology from Parsons the New School of Design, his expertise is multifaceted. Kevin's contributions range from motion capture animation for the renowned Rock Band video game series to high-impact VFX work for artists like A$ap Rocky and Cardi B, along with key projects for Budweiser, Coca-Cola, and NFL Sunday Night Football. Serving as the Creative Officer at WebXR.tools and with notable collaborations with industry leaders like WPP and Droga, Kevin continuously pushes the boundaries of digital creativity. In a landscape ever-shifting between technical precision and creative expression, Kevin stands out as a strategic facilitator, ensuring these realms harmoniously converge for top-tier results.
Lauran Kerr-Heraly is an award-winning educator and author. She currently serves as a history professor and Innovation Fellow at Houston Community College. Her innovative teaching includes turning a classroom into an escape room, multidisciplinary projects showcasing personal food histories and environmental justice, and playing with experimental learning spaces. As an executive function coach, she works with teens and their parents too. She helps develop a holistic approach to school success, which includes a focus on essential skills, executive function, and emotional awareness. She uses gamification in her coaching to motivate and engage. She shares a nerdy and adventurous life with her husband and 10yo in Houston, where they play a lot of board games (the more complicated, the better).
Well this is special, because it's the first time I decide to just go with an interview with a fellow gamification practitioner "only" because we are physically in the same space (and it is not during a conference or anything). So Antonis Triantafyllakis is a past guest, and we've had coffee in Madrid now twice (he came about two years ago) but this time we decided to try this live, in-person interview using my phone, and I think it went pretty well!
As a Corporate Partnerships Manager for Knights Esports Group, Liam is a leading authority on competitive gaming, event management, league organization, and technology development. Unlike many in the gaming industry, Liam chose the traditional path of pursuing higher education, attending the University of Pittsburgh straight out of high school. During his senior year, he discovered his passion for leveraging gaming as a means of bringing people together, particularly during the pandemic. Liam joined the Knights immediately after graduation, bringing a unique perspective on the future of gaming, including its potential impact on education, health, and artificial intelligence. He excels at building bridges between brands, gamers, fans, and influencers, and is available to share his expert insights on the ways in which gaming and esports will shape the future of industry and society.
Paul starts by saying that the author of love is God. In His wisdom, He placed us in a variety of circumstances that require us to find our way back to His pure love. So, what qualifies Paul Zolman to speak about love? His childhood experience of the opposite of love. From that austere beginning, and the distaste it formed inside him, he searched for and eventually created a method that transformed his life from anger to loving everyone. Growing up in a family of abuse, physical touch became his preferred love style, only because of the regularity. He could almost count on it. It was consistent. He came to think that was the way to express love. But deep inside, he knew that was a twisted belief. He wanted a better life for himself, which is why he created a paradigm shift that works. In this book, you·ll find what helped Paul Zolman move from a childhood boot camp of abuse to being a person who loves everyone and can find good about anyone in any circumstance. This is truly the role of love.
Bob Moog co-founded University Games in 1985 to develop, design and manufacture social interaction games for families. Since that time, he has developed more than 200 game and toy products that have sold more than 30 million units. These games include the best-selling geography game line, Carmen Sandiego, the first line of games based on Dr. Seuss books, including The Green Eggs and Ham Game, 20 Questions, and Kids Battle the Grown Ups. The company has grown through a combination of internal growth and acquisitions and now boasts five divisions and more than 400 products. Throughout this rapid growth, the company has maintained its focus on socially interactive products that teach as well as entertain.
Quick update on our summer break! In the in the shownotes (professorgame.com) you can see our baby enjoying the sand and the water at the beach, but it didn't start out that way! Quick episode with a quick lesson I've been reminded of, and it has to do with the onboarding of experiences. Have a quick listen to understand what we're talking about.
Special episode Engagers! This is your reminder to take a step back of what·s been going on and to get your glass filled with energy once more!
This is a bonus on the series of the gamification process! It would be the seventh part of the series, so if you haven't listened to or seen Gamification Intro (Episode 295), Setting Up With Objectives for Gamification (Episode 296), Who Are Your Players (Episode 297), Choosing and Using Game Mechanics (Episode 298), Storyboarding and Prototyping (Episode 299) or Playtesting and Iteration (Episode 300) you certainly want to start there!
Episode 300 is here!!! Wow, it's been a while, many interviews and some solo episodes like this one. Thanks for your support, whether starting just now or continued for many episodes, I appreciate you as an Engager and I'm sure you will continue to find value here. For this episode we close the cycle with playtesting your prototype and iteration, this is the Final Boss! This is the sixth and final part of the series discussing this process, so if you haven't listened to or seen Gamification Intro (Episode 295), Setting Up With Objectives for Gamification (Episode 296), Who Are Your Players (Episode 297), Choosing and Using Game Mechanics (Episode 298) or Storyboarding and Prototyping (Episode 299) you certainly want to start there!
On this episode, we discuss the importance and strategy of going into storyboarding and then prototyping. This is the fifth part of the series, so if you haven't listened to or seen Gamification Intro (Episode 295), Setting Up With Objectives for Gamification (Episode 296), Who Are Your Players (Episode 297) or Choosing and Using Game Mechanics (Episode 298) you certainly want to start there!
For this episode, we dive right into getting inspired by Game Mechanics and Elements! This is the fourth part of the series, so if you haven't listened to or seen Gamification Intro (Episode 295), Setting Up With Objectives for Gamification (Episode 296) or Who Are Your Players (Episode 297) you probably want to start there!
For this episode, we continue discussing the steps to creating a gamified experience and focus on our existing or potential players! This is the third part of the series, so if you haven't listened to or seen Gamification Intro (Episode 295) or Setting Up With Objectives for Gamification (Episode 296), you probably want to start there!
On this special episode, we continue discussing the steps to create a gamified experience and discuss the first phase, setting up the objectives of the project! This is the second part of the series, so if you haven't listened to or seen Gamification Intro (Episode 295), you probably want to start there!
On this special episode we are providing an overview of the first steps in our gamification course! So enjoy and perhaps we will have the whole series!
James I. Bond is one of America·s leading behavioral management specialists, and author of the award-winning book, BRAIN GLUE · How Selling Becomes Much Easier By Making Your Ideas ·Sticky.· For thirteen years he ran one of Southern California·s leading behavioral management firms, working with a who·s who of American business. Early in his career, he ran an advertising agency in Montreal. He is a workshop leader and past workshop chairman for the resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, and has been a featured guest speaker at three Southern California universities. James has uncovered a secret to becoming rich in business that's blowing people's minds, by using brain science to make it much easier to get people to say YES to your ideas and buy your products. His goal is to create a million millionaires using this ingenious "game" system.
James "Pigeon" Fielder, Ph.D. joined CSU as an Instructor after retiring from the U.S. Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel and Associate Professor of Political Science at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is also serving as a Marine Corps University Non-Resident Krulak Fellow for academic years 2021-2026, is the Director of Professional and Educational Games for Mobius Worlds Publishing, and consults on organizational wargaming, crisis response exercises, and scenario planning. Pigeon researches interpersonal trust and emergent political processes through cyber-based interaction, and through tabletop and live-action gaming as natural experiments. He also has over two decades of experience designing, executing, and assessing training exercises and wargames, from small-group tabletop discussions to multi-day exercises engaging 5,000+ participants. He is also serving on the editorial board of Simulation & Gaming and The MORS Journal of Wargaming, was a TEDxMileHigh speaker on games, and has been interviewed on game-related topics by Reuters, USA Today, and NBC News.
Matt Nuccio is the president of Design Edge, Inc., a toy and game development company and licensing agency whose clients include Mattel, Hasbro, Spin Master and Fisher-Price to name only a few. For 4 years, Matt co-chaired the Toy Association (TA), on their associate panel, representing all designers and inventors within the toy industry. Currently, Matt sits on the board of directors of the United Inventors Association of America (UIA), a non-profit organization working to educate and advocate for all types of inventors. He also sits on the People of Play (POP) advisory board and Toy Association’s Creative Factor advisory board helping start-up inventors to navigate successfully within the Toy Industry. Matt writes a column in Toy Family Entertainment magazine focusing on the industry, and, he has lectured at ChiTAG, New York Toy Fair, ASTRA, Hong Kong Toy Fair, and various inventor clubs around the world including the 2021 Emerging Innovation Summit in Melbourne Australia. Design Edge's products have been nominated for, and have also won, many industry awards such as TOTY (Toy Of The Year), TAGIE (Toy and Games Innovators), Games 100, Origin, and Family Fun among others. In 2019, Matt was honored by the National Security Agency (NSA) as an American Innovator and has been listed for the past 4 years in a row, by Mojo Nation, as one of the top 100 most influential people in the toy industry today.
Cristobal Figueroa is a Chilean entrepreneur based in Melbourne. His journey of self-discovery, combined with experiences, passions, and skills, have led him to discover his purpose·to cultivate meaningful connections among families and individuals through the power of play.
Corey Hord is currently employed with Mondelēz International (Oreo, Chip Ahoy!, Ritz, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, Clif Bar, and beyond) as an Operational Excellence professional implementing the company’s integrated Lean Six Sigma program across the United States. Corey has over a decade of operations experience (Craft Brew Alliance, Anheuser-Busch, BJC HealthCare, Mondelēz International) with the bulk of his career in consumer packaged goods (CPG). Corey’s education consists of a Master of Business Administration from Webster University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Kentucky. Outside his formal education, Corey holds a green belt certification in Lean Six Sigma, is a trained facilitator of LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and is a CrossFit® Level 1 trainer. Corey started his own consultancy in 2022 called The Methods Company where his mission is to solve problems with the world's best methodologies through workshops and consulting. Corey’s trained facilitator credential with LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® comes alongside his decade-plus experience with Lean and Six Sigma and Agile methodologies and is the makeup of his core disciplines offered through his consultancy.
Victoria Ichizli-Bartels is a writer, coach, and consultant with a background in semiconductor physics, electronic engineering (with a Ph.D.), information technology, and business development. While being a non-gamer in the traditional sense, Victoria came up with the term Self-Gamification, a gameful and playful self-help approach bringing anthropology, kaizen, and gamification-based methods together to increase the quality of life. She approaches all areas of her life this way. Due to the fun she has while turning everything in her life into games, Victoria intends never to stop designing and playing them. Inspired by a tip from friends, she now likes to call herself a “life gamer.” Victoria is the author of more than twenty books, eleven of which are on turning life into fun games and living gamefully. She is also the instructor of two online courses on the topic. Victoria was born and grew up in Moldova, lived in Germany for twelve years, and since 2008, has lived in Aalborg, Denmark, with her husband and two children.
Sarah Le-Fevre is a Games-based Learning design and delivery professional and certified Lego® Serious Play® Facilitator. After tiring of creating programs for blue-chip clients that focused almost solely on growth and profit, Sarah made the decision to keep the same audience but shift the focus to learning around sustainability, human flourishing and tackling systemic wicked problems. With a focus on experiential learning, specifically games and learning in nature, Sarah specializes in creating programs which allow learners time to reflect and create their own learning about complex systemic issues and is in the process of writing a book about a Systems Practice approach to learning design for organizational change. Her other main pre-occupation at the moment is managing the Kickstarter for the Museum of Impossible Objects card deck – and working on multiple exciting collaborations for the Museum. Sarah also runs a bi-monthly online magazine ‘Ludogogy’, which explores games-based learning, gamification, and gameful and playful design. Sarah can be contacted at sarah [at] ludogogy [dot] co [dot] uk (or search LinkedIn for Sarah Le-Fevre, with a hyphen) and you can visit the magazine at ludogogy.co.uk
Scott Provence is an award-winning instructional designer, author, and speaker. His print, instructor-led, and web-based curricula have been delivered throughout the world, and his sales and customer service trainees have gone on to receive multiple industry awards for their work. Scott has over a decade of Instructional Design experience, as well as five years of experience in VP and senior leadership roles. His book on training gamification, Fail to Learn, was a #1 Amazon Hot New Release. Check out what he's up to next at scottprovence.com.
Mike Washburn is an educator, community builder, content creator from Barrie, Ontario, Canada. He currently serves as the Director of Learning and Development for Logics Academy, a STEM, Robotics and Learning Experience Design company based in Toronto, Ontario. As a former computer science teacher, Mike created a custom-made curriculum using elements of game design and game-based learning culminating in a year-long Grade 8 project called the “Game Design Challenge” which asked students to design and create every aspect of their very own video game. Since then, Mike has worked with leading EdTech organizations to connect educators through community building and professional learning, enabling them to share their passions and knowledge. Mike was the co-host of the hit education podcast OnEducation, and hosted and produced the official Minecraft: Education Edition podcast, and Real Time 3D in Education podcast in collaboration with Epic Games. With almost 500,000 career podcast downloads, Mike is a standout voice for technology in education. Mike has written for EdSurge and has been a notable, featured, or keynote speaker at conferences across North America such as ISTE and FETC.
Mai P. Trinh is an Assistant Professor in Leadership and Interdisciplinary Studies at Arizona State University. Her scholarly works empower people to become the best leaders they can be so that we can build a more equitable and equal world together. From the top down, she combines complex adaptive systems science with agent-based modeling to reveal systemic patterns of inequalities, examine the effectiveness of plausible solutions, and recommend leadership actions to alleviate equity and equality. From the bottom up, she uses experiential learning theory to help leaders develop key competencies and improve leadership training and education. Her works serve to advance two of the United Nations' sustainable development goals, #10 “Reduced inequalities” and #5 “Gender equality.” Professor Trinh has long been using game-based learning and gamification to help her students learn effectively. She has published innovative experiential methods to develop leadership competencies such as using mobile app games to improve learning flexibility and using gamification to foster quantitative literacy skills. Her latest workshop on applying gamification in management education was a finalist for the Best Professional Development Workshop Award at the 2022 Academy of Management annual conference.
Andrew is co-founder at Rollama - a new gaming website for English language practice. Andrew was an English and Primary class teacher for 15 years in the UK, Malaysia and China. Now he's running Rollama full-time to help make English grammar practice fun for kids.
Brit Morenus has a goal to MAKE LEARNING FUN! When she isn’t online supporting Microsoft Contact Centers with gamified learning, she can be found homeschooling her daughter and volunteering with local youth. She truly feels gamification can be a successful approach for all ages for every day life tasks, work tasks, education tasks or even your routine tasks. Brit has served Microsoft for almost 10 years! She is currently the lead of a self formed Gamification Advisory Board and running gamification efforts for Microsoft Store and Microsoft Advertising contact center employees. She has more than 5 years experience using gamification for continuous on-the-job training. During that time, she has produced award-winning game-based learning experiences and obtained several certifications. Among those, are her Sententia Master Craftsman Gamification title, as well as Microlearning and Gamification certifications from Centrical. Brit is currently working on a book called An Organizational Guide for Gamified Learning with her partner-in-game, Karl Kapp.
Jed's mission is to bring more trust, connection and playfulness into the world. Why? Because for him that's what makes life fun, meaningful - and worth putting up with the necessary bullshit. He's a coach and co-creator of Cozy Juicy Real - a board game that gamifies human connection and builds stronger relationships for friends, families and complete strangers. It's been described as "deeper connections disguised as a board game". He comes from the US and now lives in Valencia Spain - today he's looking forward to buying two tiny dogs and living a relatively simple life.
Jon Spike started his career as an English Teacher and later as a Technology Integrator. He now serves as Coordinator of Instructional Technology Integration Services at UW-Whitewater's College of Education. Jon has presented all over the United States to districts, organizations, and conferences, including the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference, the Future of Educational Technology Conference (FETC), and the Midwest Google Summit. Jon has a Master’s in Educational Technology from Marian University and is working on his Ph.D. dissertation on virtual reality in education at Northern Illinois University. Jon just released his first commercial board game, Gamestormers, in 2023.
Today’s guest is Jim Samartino, lead Game designer for Secrets of the Lost Station, co-creator of Secrets of the Lost Tomb, conceptual writer for the Big Trouble in Little China “Legacy of Lo Pan” expansion game, and most recently the author of the interactive children’s book Crow the Courageous. He is a father of two, has a degree in psychology, and is a creative spirit who enjoys entrepreneurial endeavors. He is the owner of Samartino Stories, his newest and third privately owned company. He has participated in publishing over 125 short stories for board games. He loves Movies, gaming, storytelling, and creating positive experiences.
Special episode with more professional updates for me! It will undoubtedly benefit this Engagers community, so listen to this short, 10-minute episode and get up to speed!
Christen is, and always has been, a storyteller. She started with singing and musical theatre at the age of five and went on to earn two music degrees. Fictional books (mostly fantasy, some sci-fi) were her best friends growing up and continue to be a huge part of her life. The earliest books she remembers reading are the Jewel Kingdom books and the Jedi Apprentice Star Wars books. By day she teaches singing to both advanced and beginners (including people who think they can't sing). By night she's either hanging out with her family or happily chronicling the events of her first fantasy novels.
Charlotte Cheng is the Senior Education Manager at CodeCombat. With over 20 years of curriculum design experience, she has developed curriculum content for CodeCombat, Wonder Workshop, the Walt Disney Company, LeapFrog, and several EdTech startups. Her expertise is creating effective and engaging content for kids at the intersection of education, media, and technology As part of her work at CodeCombat, Charlotte hosts and produces the EdTech Adventures podcast, which explores the role of technology, STEM, and creative play in education with expert guests. Charlotte has also taught in a variety of K-12 classroom settings and one of her workshops was featured on ABC News. She received her BS in cognitive science and MA in elementary education at Stanford University.
Chris Hood is a digital strategist and technology entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in online entertainment and marketing for TV, Film, Music, and Video Games. As the Head of Business Innovation and Strategy for Google, Chris engages with some of the top companies in the world to develop digital transformation strategies that grow business value. At Google, He also hosts the weekly business podcast That Digital Show. Previously, Chris Hood worked as a Director for Fox Broadcasting where he developed storytelling technologies and innovated new mechanisms for viewers to engage with television content for shows like Glee, Gotham, Sleepy Hollow, The X-Factor, and American Idol. His work included the development of TV Everywhere products and interactive media platforms for streaming services. Chris also teaches in the Information Technology department for Southern New Hampshire University and Colorado Technical University.
Tricia Underwood is a joy-centered Executive Functioning Specialist who helps students and adults with ADHD and ADHD-like symptoms learn systems, habits, and strategies to create greater success on their unique terms. After graduating from college with a B.A. in Literature and a couple of years trying to work in an office, Tricia pursued a master’s in teaching secondary Language Arts from Tufts University. The more she taught, the more her reputation grew for supporting students who did not fit the traditional school mold. Throughout her career as an inclusion teacher-leader and learning specialist, she discovered that the elements of joy are what get all those other practical strategies for goal-getting like organization, time management, and planning to stick. And they are a whole lot more fun to teach this way too. Tricia has a book coming out in the Fall of 2023 based on her method. When she's not coaching and cooking up her next book and program to teach, she does her best to be a responsible adult and parent while keeping up her practice as an expert daydreamer. You can find out more about her offers, services and book at rarebirdlearning.com where you can also sign up for her free weekly newsletter about 3 good things that have inspired her work with her clients.
Andrew is the Co-Founder and CEO of G13R, the developers of GenMove, BALLN and MyKicks. GenMove, the company's flagship product uses AI to create a gamified exercise experience for Gen Alpha / Z using motion tracking to create augmented reality motion games. GenMove was launched into the market in November 2022, in collaboration with the World Health organization with the aim of getting more children to be more active.
Devoted video gamer with 30+ years experience and started playing on ZX Spectrum. Worked 10 years as a telecommunication and software engineer before making a pivot to game development and education. Worked at CheckiO and created a ton of coding mini-games and puzzles for programmers. For the last 7 years, we have been working at CodeCombat in different roles from level designer to game developer and lead game designer back.
What started off as playing games with some coworkers to pass the lunch hour has spun into so much more. Adam started playing The Settlers of Catan with about 4 or 5 coworkers from his division. Word got out that games were being played and within a few months, the group had grown to about 10 people. More games were introduced to the group, and more members joined. These new players came from other divisions in the company. After three years, the group had grown to over 20 people, played over two dozen games, and even spread to other buildings on campus. This led Adam and Tim to start creating and testing their own game designs on their coworkers. From this was born, Bearded Board Games. Again, as Adam's passion kept growing, he wanted to learn about more games that could be played over a lunch hour. Books were read. Podcasts listened to. Facebook groups joined. He then decided that other people should be playing games with their coworkers as well. Voila, Eat Lunch and Board Game came to life. It was an idea that took a long while to get off the ground. The COVID-19 pandemic gave Adam the time to focus and launch this podcast. If you have any ideas of who to interview within the industry, or a game that Adam should be playing and review, please send an email!
Valeria Arellano has a degree in Education, a Master's in Family Studies and a Master's in Economics and Business. She was associate director of Financial Education at BBVA in Mexico. And she is currently the founder of AfortunadaMente where she creates financial education tools and strategies such as the AfortunadaMente board game with which she has reached more than 50,000 families in Mexico and Latin America and has won 8 international awards for innovation in its methodology and content such as the People’s Choice Award at the International Business Learning Games Competition. In February 2021, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) published her project as an Innovation in Public Policy in Mexico. She is currently working with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Secretary of Finance, and the Senate, to bring financial education to more Mexicans.
As we wrap up 2022 and dive right into 2023 we made this quick episode to look back and be thankful, and look forward and be excited!
On this episode we bring Yu-kai Chou back! At the time of the recording, my newborn daughter wasn't still around, so you might hear a reference here and there about me saying "when I become a parent" or similar. Because this episode is all about what we can learn and apply from gamification with our own kids. Yu-kai's perspective is that of a dad of two twin girls, and of course that of an international renown expert, consultant and the creator of the Octalysis framework for gamification. We go through plenty in the episode, and hope that you find it as useful as I did!
Lincoln Stoller, Ph.D., CHt, CCPCPr From a family of artists and architects he became a scientist, finding inspiration in a succession of extraordinary mentors. A Caribbean fisherman and prophet, a tribal elder in the jungles of Panama, one physicist who invented quantum mechanics, another who invented the laser, and a dirt-bag mountaineer, to name a few. He spent a decade climbing mountains and traveling the world, 15 years as a physicist and astronomer in California, Massachusetts, and Texas, and 20 years as a software architect in New York. He began exploring altered states 50 years ago, psychedelics 25 years ago, and therapy 15 years ago when he developed and offered brain training protocols. He is now a hypnotherapist, neuropsychotherapist, certified clinical counselor, author, and educator. His practice is remote, based in British Columbia, Canada. Using the tools he has collected—combining his experience in somatic learning, scientific theory, and consciousness— he helps people understand the reality they create. Because he is independent, he doubts everything and insists on finding a comprehensive, personal understanding. He supports his clients in reinventing. It can happen quickly. He feels you can accomplish everything using your mind, depending on your ability to focus, perceive, create, integrate, and understand. Leave footprints, make waves.
Alexander Vilinskyy. Right now Co-Founder at CommitClub.co, Head of Design at Decipad, running Super Clear design studio in London. ex-designer at Spark, Grammarly, Documents (iOS) and other productivity startups.
Geoffrey Golden is a narrative designer and game writer. Past clients include Capcom, Disney, Square Enix, Ubisoft, and indie studios around the world. He’s written interactive stories and games in many mediums, from consoles to comic books. Adventure Snack, his email newsletter RPG, has been featured by IndieCade, Narrascope, HyperRPG, and Substack. Geoffrey is based in Los Angeles and has a growing library of VCR board games.
Nisha Lehmann is a mobile developer by day. By night, she is a staunch advocate for better mental health and a firm believer that the answer to better mental health lies in advancements in gaming and games that are specifically tailored to mental health issues.
Ron is the founder and CEO of Kidas, a company that creates an AI-based solution that helps parents to protect their kids from bullying, scams, and online predators in more than 200 online multiplayer games like Fortnite, Roblox, and Call of duty. Ron holds an MSc in information system engineering and machine learning from the Technion, Israel Institue of technology, an MBA from the Wharton school of business, and an MA in global studies from the Lauder institute at the University of Pennsylvania. Before starting Kidas, Ron was an early-stage venture capital investor, and prior to that, he was an R&D manager who led teams to create big data and machine learning-based solutions for national security. Ron is excited about gaming and making gaming a safe experience for kids and families.
Well it seems that after the anniversary episode other special things were yet to happen. I'll tell you about it in this uber short episode.
Well, so this year we're doing something I've been thinking about for a while, it's a mini Choose-Your-Own-Adventure created to help you on your journey! The audio of the episode is brief, because besides being super excited and celebrating that we've been together for 5 years (wow that sounds like a lot), the main focus of this episode is how we bring even more value to you. So there is indeed a call to action, invest less than five minutes on this mini Choose-Your-Own-Adventure survey and we'll kick this off!
Born of steel, fire and black wind, J.V. Hilliard was raised as a highlander in the foothills of a once-great mountain chain on the confluence of the three mighty rivers that forged his realm’s wealth and power for generations. His father, a peasant twerg, toiled away in industries of honest labor and instilled in him a work ethic that would shape his destiny. His mother, a local healer, cared for his elders and his warrior uncle, who helped to raise him during his formative years. His genius brother, whose wizardly prowess allowed him to master the art of the abacus and his own quill, trained with him for battles on fields of green and sheets of ice. Hilliard’s earliest education took place in his warrior uncle’s tower, where he learned his first words. HIs uncle helped him to learn the basics of life—and, most importantly, creative writing. Hilliard’s training and education readied him to lift a quill that would scribe the tale of the realm of Warminster, filled with brave knights, harrowing adventure and legendary struggles. He lives in the city of silver cups, hypocycloids and golden triangles with his wife, a ranger of the diamond. They built their castle not far into the countryside, guarded by his own two horsehounds, Thor and MacLeod, and resides there to this day.
Michaell Magrutsche, Austrian/Californian multidisciplinary artist, speaker, educator and author. He works on raising awareness of our limitless human potential and its wisdom. He is an advocate for helping understand neurodiversity like his dyslexia and dysgraphia.
Gianni Minetti, 35, is originally from Tuscany (a region in Italy) but has lived in Milan for work for years. Since childhood, he has been a big fan of video games, especially role-playing games (Final Fantasy saga, Assassin's Creed saga, Kingdom's Heart saga to give a few examples). He has always been curious and willing to study and learn new things. He has been fortunate enough to bring these two passions into his professional career because in the company he works for and manages, he is mainly involved in developing projects that involve the application of gamification in education.
Dr. Erin Baker is a self-leadership coach, business strategist, social psychologist, Internal Family Systems practitioner, and author of Joy-Full AF: The Essential Business Strategy We're Afraid to Put First. They are on a mission to help heart-centered entrepreneurs and small business owners create prosperous, difference-making, joy-full AF businesses and lives that light them up. Erin holds a PhD in psychology from University of Texas at Austin and was formerly in leadership roles at Facebook and Microsoft. They are known for their infectious energy, unapologetic authenticity, incisive wit, and unflinching commitment to their clients’ joy.
Edward Sturm made the first play-2-earn game in crypto with battling, leveling, a marketplace, and hundreds of moves and creatures. His newest startup, Commit Club, uses loss aversion, social pressure, earning, and gamification to incentivize daily challenges and habits in a trackable and decentralized way.
Stefaan van Hooydonk is the founder of the Global Curiosity Institute and author of the bestselling book: The Workplace Curiosity Manifesto. After working initially in investment consulting and setting up executive education at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in China, Van Hooydonk held executive roles as Chief Learning Officer in fortune 200 companies (Nokia, Royal Philips, Cognizant, Saudi Aramco, Agfa, Flipkart). He has lived and worked in Belgium, France, Hong Kong, China, Finland, The Netherlands, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. His last role was that of Chief Learning Officer for Cognizant, where he oversaw learning and development for over 300k associates across the globe. Stefaan van Hooydonk researches the topic of workplace curiosity in companies. He believes that curious individuals need curious environments to thrive and that especially in times of turmoil individuals and companies need to embrace intentional curiosity. With the help of a number of diagnostics he designed, he creates insights into what drives and what enables (or prevents) individuals and organizations to show up curiously. He consults global corporations and leadership teams toward building a stronger curiosity muscle. He is a regular speaker around the world on the power of curiosity to benefit professionals, leaders, teams, and organizations.
A very special episode for me personally, but no spoilers here! Well maybe if you see this on professorgame.com the picture might give us away...
Dustin has experience working in the field of education in various capacities, including consulting, research, and running and hosting tutoring programs. He is now the owner of Board Gaming with Education's brick-and-mortar store "BGE's Tabletop." When Dustin was in the classroom he was always looking for ways to create a more engaging classroom to develop a strong classroom culture and strengthen learning and is thrilled to be able to provide similar positive tabletop gaming experiences to the community at BGE's. And he couldn't do it without the support of his amazing wife Grace. You can find Dustin playing board games with friends, running the store, running around LA training for races, or at any of the “BGE's Tabletop” events. We discuss the pivot that BGE and Dustin have made over the past couple of years and how that came about, listen in for another insightful conversation with Dustin!
Fabian is a Gamification Digital Enablement manager and as well as sits on the Gamfication steerco at First National Bank South Africa with years of experience in delivering Gamification projects across learning, sales performance and across the entire First Rand Group. He believes that it is seldom that an individual finds their passion and their calling in life and believes that gamification is his. It’s a passion, it’s not a job but rather a way of life. His journey is to make sure that he can share his passion with everyone he meets. This passion has been extended to his organization where 2000 staff members attended a Gamification master class recently held by him. He has been delighted to be named among greats recently in an article by Growth Engineering. His motto is "Show me a problem and I'll show you the possible solutions".
Fabian is a Gamification Digital Enablement manager and as well as sits on the Gamfication steerco at First National Bank South Africa with years of experience in delivering Gamification projects across learning, sales performance and across the entire First Rand Group. He believes that it is seldom that an individual finds their passion and their calling in life and believes that gamification is his. It’s a passion, it’s not a job but rather a way of life. His journey is to make sure that he can share his passion with everyone he meets. This passion has been extended to his organization where 2000 staff members attended a Gamification master class recently held by him. He has been delighted to be named among greats recently in an article by Growth Engineering. His motto is "Show me a problem and I'll show you the possible solutions".
Angela became a learning design enthusiast from early age, creating learning games with pen and paper (and scissors) for her little brother – and deciding then already that this is what she wants to do for the rest of her life. As a business administration and international economics graduate, she has dedicated all her work-life to building, administrating, and facilitating meaningful learning experiences journey for people and organizations around the world. Her mission is to move learning from being a task to being fun.
Mathew is an engineer, inventor, designer, writer, and entrepreneur. And the creator of GoVenture, one of the original and most widely used series of educational games and simulations in the world. Mathew’s educational programs have reached millions of people around the world through thousands of schools, nonprofits, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies. He is the founder of several companies, author of two books, and recently launched the world’s first and only fully game-based training that offers a faster and more inspiring alternative to college business school.
Another special episode Engagers! This time it's about once again taking a step back of what's been going on this year and getting ready for the battery recharge that we all need!
Engagers special episode alert! This time we will be going through one of the game creativity exercises I like to do with my students and workshop participants, so sneak peak into an important part of my work!
Chi is a Clinical Psychologist living in Brisbane, Australia. Chi has worked in many psychology settings, including private practices, correctional centers, universities, and public mental health systems. Chi is most passionate about working with a wide range of clients using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), developing training and group therapy, supervising psychologists, and most importantly, playing a lot of board games. Chi has a simple mission statement, “to promote living a meaningful life in a caring, connecting, and compassionate way”.
Dr. Zac Fitz-Walter is a lecturer, trainer and games master sought out for his expertise in gamification and behavior design. He earnt one of the world’s first PhDs in gamification design and has since lectured and developed curricula on gamification for universities. He works with individuals, governments and companies around the world, teaching them how to effectively use game design, gamification and behavior design to improve their products, services and teaching. Zac is obsessed with the power of play. He believes play is a universal activity that can connect us, teach us, move us and inspire us to do great things.
Bruno Setola describes himself as a "game thinker". He looks at daily interactions between people as games and aims to make them more fun, fair, and engaging. Bruno helps organizations reimagine the rules of their game. This is always a participatory process in which Bruno inspires the players to apply the best ideas from games in order to redesign the game of living, learning, and working together. Bruno is a consultant with 10+ years of hands-on experience in applied game design, while also researching and teaching gamification at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences.
Peter Filak is the Head of Partnerships and Sales and is currently expanding the client and partner base of the Games for Business learning platform. Since 2010, he has been involved in the development of gamification-based solutions for L&D and HR purposes for multinational corporations and higher education institutions. Peter has earned the Coursera Verified Certificate in Professor Werbach’s Gamification class. He enjoys participating at international events where he follows the latest trends in L&D and HR tech.
Keith is the EFMD Global Online Course Certification Scheme (EOCCS) Director, having worked with EFMD from 2014 to design and implement EOCCS. Managing a small but experienced team he leads various digital initiatives, including the EOCCS Online Community of Practice. Keith maintains an intensely practical approach to his role and champions e-learning and employability development at School, University, National and International levels. He has a wide experience in teaching internationally and of involvement in international Higher Education projects, including Banking simulation-based interventions both face-to-face and online. A former banking professional, he is an active member of the London Institute of Banking & Finance, with interests in credit appraisal, insolvency and operational management. Keith also operates his own Educational Consultancy, focusing on the design and delivery of research, webinars and workshops tailored to the needs of individual institutions.
Mfon Akpan is an assistant professor of accounting at Methodist University. He has a passion for emerging technologies and is an expert in virtual reality technology. He researches new technologies and educational methods to offer students a current, effective, and relative teaching experience.
Dominique Mangiatordi is CEO and founder of ØPP, a gamification studio based in Belgium and working for clients like Toyota, the International Olympic Committee, Aéroports de Paris, Altran, Ogilvy, ING, Calvin Klein, L’Oreal… His team also launched several successful gamified business apps, like Peak Me Up, Business Royale or Hunterz. He teaches Gamification at Solvay Vietnam, EDHEC Paris and HEC Liège.
Originally a pharmacist who fell in love with games and using gamification to transform learning experiences! so she decided to leave her career as a pharmacist and focus on using gamification in education; specifically with non-profits and the underprivileged communities. She worked with different entities multinational, public, private, and non-profits on designing gamified learning programs which diversified and enriched her experience. Currently, pursuing her master's of public administration and finishing her last semester in Berlin to enrich her experience with global exposure.
This is a special episode to discuss some ways in which I've personally and professionally made use of LEGO® around gamification, and also some of my plans for the future after getting certified as a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator!
Argyrios “Aris" Emmanouloudis is the Coordinator of the Game Art & Animation department at the SAE Institute of Amsterdam. He has also finished his PhD on Cultural Analysis in the University of Amsterdam, focusing on the intersection between online gaming communities and the industry. Not satisfied with just playing video games, he has always been on the lookout for the deeper, often ignored, side of games and their cultural extensions. With a background in Journalism and Media Studies, Aris has also worked as a journalist, interviewer, and events organiser for various popular culture outlets.
Tamir has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Games Technology (Singapore 2010) a Masters in Project Management (Australia PMP2012) and is also a Certified Football Coach "D" Licence (Mongolia 2021). He's a seasoned veteran in the Mongolian pharmaceutical market (from project assistant to CTO and CIO) 2010 - 2021, he also is an expert in Change Management and is officially now Football Coach and Owner of "Khovd Western FC"! Tamir has successfully finished project implementations in Workplace by Facebook, Business Intelligence (powerBI. Reports Automation.), Logistics Optimization, Digital Marketing building a gamified training for Pharmacists and beauty consultants, and Digital Transformation. He also has a couple of ongoing Projects: the Football Academy with 6 full-time coaches and 250 kids training and is expecting his 3rd child!
Managing Director and Chief Facilitator. A former employee of LEGO, Robert is a main architect of the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology and co-author of the book Building a Better Business Using the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY Method. After several years and more than 20 iterations, he and his team developed the concept into the reproducible and robust methodology it is today. He is the master trainer in the LSP methodology. Robert is co-principal for Rasmussen Consulting in the US and in Denmark and on the advisory board for Rasmussen Consulting in Japan and Singapore. He is a master trainer for the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY method. He has spent his career applying experiences and theories about play, learning, creativity and teaching business and organizational development.
Dan leads the behavioural science practice within Ogilvy Consulting London looking after clients from the public and private sectors. He is a Practitioner, Speaker and Writer on the creative application of behavioural science to the world's stickiest challenges. Joining the practice at its commencement in 2012, he has worked on over 80 of the world’s major brands & organisations. He has a diverse experience working across the design of products and services, consulting for organisational change and communications across all channels, across many markets. Whether that's designing first generation tech in Silicon Valley, reducing obesity in Mexico, changing cleaning habits in Beijing, call centres in India or shaping the retail environment in South Africa. Dan co-leads the global hub in London and helped to roll out the practice across the Ogilvy network. He has led pioneering projects with Spotify, Facebook, Unilever, Nestle, Public Health England, Gatwick Airport, ITV, the Times, British Airways, Mr Muscle, Diageo, Adobe, the EU Parliament, Comic Relief and many more. And won a range of awards from the Creative Circle, Cannes Lion to the Nudge awards. He’s been lucky enough to be invited to speak to audiences in over 15 countries about the unseen opportunities behavioural science brings. Some highlights have been Harvard University, National Security summits, Marketing and Social Media conferences, Super Yacht congresses, financial conferences. He has also helped curate the world's largest festival of Behavioural Science, Nudgestock, since it began seven years ago. Before Ogilvy, Dan was part of a research group at the University of York Psychology department looking at the real-world impacts of our mobile phone usage.
Over the past twelve years, Will has worked with seven different billion-dollar banking and securities companies. During that time, he witnessed long-time industry incumbents lose market share to FinTech unicorns, as products democratized access to financial markets and minted millions of new investors overnight. Will felt that the industry had prioritized access over education, and in the process failed to appropriately equip new investors with the knowledge to succeed. Will built Stack to teach the youngest generation foundational finance principles so that they could build habits that last a lifetime. By leveraging the zeitgeist of digital assets and web3, Will (via Stack) wants to make learning about finance fun, social, and rewarding.
Noa Lahav is a community manager at the Tech Innovation Unit in the Israeli Ministry of Education, and head of Start GameDev - a unique program where teachers become game developers, using a no-code game engine. They learn from top game designers and have weekly meetings with a personal mentor. We (the Ministry of Education) will share the games with all teachers and students for free. Former middle school science teacher and district coordinator, M.Ed in science teaching, researched scientific creativity using digital collaboration tools. Passionate about game-based learning - taught science using Minecraft in a flipped classroom model, and guide teachers who incorporate RPGs in their lessons.
Danielle M. Orsino is a fantasy novelist whose lifelong vision is to create whimsical realms that her readers can escape to. Her compelling word-weaving pays homage to a multitude of personal muses, from Chris Claremont and George Pérez (both famous comic book writers) to Anne Rice and Wonder Woman. The creative spark of storytelling has been with Danielle ever since she was a child, but martial arts and her nursing career took center stage into adulthood. Then, on a day like any other, it was reignited during the most unexpected of moments: while treating one of her patients. Seeing that they longed for a distraction during their arduous treatments, the floodgates of inspiration soon burst forth. So, Danielle took it upon herself to tell them a story; a fantastical narrative that would leave the confines of that IV room’s walls and land upon a page. Before she knew it, what started as an imaginative tale to pass the time, turned into a book, followed by an entire series: The Birth of Fae. This awe-inspiring series includes Locked out of Heaven (Book One), Thine Eyes of Mercy (Book Two), and From The Ashes (Book Three), all of which are published by 4 Horsemen Publications, Inc. And with an unwavering passion for cosplay and comics, it was a unanimous decision to place her on the cover of each book in all her Fae cosplay glory. The Birth of Fae also features Los, an affable chameleon dragon inspired by her fun-loving Yorkie named Carlos. This “New Queen of the Fae’s” unmatched world-building and masterful Fae-origin retellings have led to an ever-growing queendom of “Fae-natics”.
Tammie Schrader is a science and computer science coordinator at Northeast Washington Education Service 101 for the State of Washington. She serves 59 public schools in their science and computer science implementation. Recently, Tammie has worked with the Department of Education and been a guest at their Education Games Expo in Washington D.C. She also spoke at the White House Game Jam in 2014, that was sponsored by The Department of Education and the White House. She has since spoken 6 other times at the White House on Computer Science, Games, Assessment and Technology. She has been a moderator and guest speaker at the SciC is Cool conferences and does professional development for Washington Education Association around UDL and Science, STEM, as well as Game-Based Learning in education. Before accepting a job serving the northeast region, Tammie was a science teacher at Cheney Middle School, in Cheney, Washington for 15 years. She taught Life Science as well as Computer Programming, Gaming Programming, Robotics as well as coaching the Science Olympiad Team, Robotics Club, SeaPerch Team as well as Future Business Leaders of America at her middle school. Tammie has her B.A. in Education as well as a B.S. in Biology. She earned her M.A. in Education and Teaching At-Risk Students. She currently is an adjunct science methods instructor at Whitworth University and St. Martin’s University. In 2013, Tammie was selected as a Hope Street Fellow, working on Education Policy around coding in the classroom. She was also awarded a National Science Foundation grant working with Filament Games on Educational Video Games in the classroom. Tammie is currently enrolled as a Ph.D. candidate and is writing her dissertation on Leadership, Policy and Game-Based Learning in the Classroom, which is scheduled to be finished in December of 2022. She served on the Professional Education Standards Board for five years. Tammie was awarded over 50 grants for her classroom to integrate technology and the latest practices. Tammie was selected as a 2008-2009 Teacher Fellow for the Department of Education. She was also Pacific Northwest Earth Science Teacher of the Year, as well as being selected to work on Washington State STEM programs. Tammie worked for ACTS (Academy Creating Teacher Scientists) at Battelle Northwest National Laboratory for several years during the summer. She is National Board Certified in Early Adolescent Science. Tammie spent the first 7 years of her career life in Southern California working on the Space Shuttle Program for Rocketdyne International.
Barbara Chamberlin directs research and development at the Learning Games Lab at New Mexico State University. She first started developing educational games in the early 90s and sought her doctorate to help guide ways research could inform the design of educational games. Her department creates research-based educational media such as games, apps, animations, videos, interactive programs and virtual reality experiences, for a wide range of audiences and content. Her Ph.D. is from the University of Virginia in educational technology. Their shop is weird for a university: the primary goal is to develop educational media based on research. They function more as a non-profit educational design studio than a university department. As a result, they have a pretty big variety in what they create (innovativemedia.nmsu.edu and check the links on the side for sample products). Their most popular games are the Math Snacks suite of games; but we have some on financial literacy, science and health, etc.
One of the United States’ foremost educational futurists, Katherine Prince leads KnowledgeWorks’ exploration of the future of learning. As Vice President, Strategic Foresight, she speaks and writes about the trends shaping education over the next decade and helps education stakeholders strategize about how to become active agents of change in shaping the future. Katherine earned a certificate in Foresight from the University of Houston and is a member of the Association of Professional Futurists.
Andy is the co-founder and director of Focus Games. Prior to entering the world of serious games he completed an undergrad in human biology and worked in sales, marketing and client relationship roles for international life sciences organizations. Focus Games launched in 2004 to develop education and learning games to change thinking and behaviour. They achieve this through both physical board games in person AND digital games with virtual options too. They work primarily in the health and social care sector, making learning memorable, enjoyable and effective which encourages players to discuss new ideas, share knowledge and learn from each other.
Carrie Baughcum (she/her/hers) is a mother, wife, mismatch sock wearer, a self-described inspiration junkie, learning enthusiast and most of all a passionate believer that all children can learn, we just need to find out how. As a teacher for students who receive support and services through their individual education plan of 20+, she integrates technology, creative thinking, a fearless attitude and endless doodles into her classroom. Carrie strives every day to enhance her students' learning while empowering them to achieve things they didn't know they could do or be a part of. She is also the mother of two children, 14 and 16 years old. At home, she encourages her children to explore, learn and try anything their imagination can think up. Together they create and get involved in activities and experiences with exploration, creativity, problem-solving and making. Carrie shares her experiences from her classroom, her adventures and passion for life by presenting at conferences, sharing on her youtube channel, co-hosting Doodle and Chat with Friends, at carriebaughcum.com, in her first book: My Pencil Made Me Do It: A Guide To Sketchnoting and now in her new book Stanley and The Very Messy Desk: An Adventure in Sketchnoting.
Andrzej Marczweski is a recognized expert in gamification, especially on the topic of gamification mechanics and user types. In 2015 he published Even Ninja Monkeys Like to Play. In his spare time, Andrzej enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar and video games. On this episode we bring back one of the legendary content creators of the industry, to see how his perspective has changed since he is back to not being a full-time practitioner and perhaps taking a more "academic" role in the industry.
Marlene Sharp is a creative and business-savvy entertainment multi-hyphenate who originally hails from New Orleans but is now a (San Fernando) Valley girl. Firmly ensconced in LA life, Marlene is top dawg at Pink Poodle Productions and Head of IP Strategy and Acquisitions for Rainshine Entertainment. Noteworthy clients and collaborators include BoredPanda.com, WeFixYourScript.com, ToonBo, Society Cabaret, Euramco Pictures, and The Center for Learning Unlimited/Brainstorm Productions. Prior to Pink Poodle and Rainshine, Marlene served as Director, Production at LEVEL-5 abby, home of YO-KAI WATCH and other Japanese hit video game-based franchises. Formerly, as Producer, TV Series, at Sega of America, Marlene worked on much more than the Teen Choice Award-nominated Cartoon Network series SONIC BOOM. For example, her extensive Hedgehog duties took her to the heights of nerd-dom as an official San Diego Comic-Con 2017 panelist. She also consulted on the 2020 Sonic the Hedgehog feature film. As a freelance journalist, Marlene concentrates on pop culture for noteworthy fan destinations, such as GameDeveloper.com, DOGTV, ToonBarn.com, Geekified.net, and CultureSonar.com. As a short film auteur, she has snagged recognition at La Femme Film Fest, Austin Comedy Film Festival, KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, Canine Film Festival, and San Luis Obispo Film Festival. Marlene is the proud winner of the 2019 LA Shorts International Film Fest Script Competition (an Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying fest), at which her backdoor sitcom pilot received a staged reading courtesy of The Groundlings. As a human being, basically, Marlene Sharp loves all kinds of pups. For proof, please see her website www.pinkpoodleproductions.com.
This is a special episode that has been a long time coming, it is all about setting a basic structure on gamification, especially if you're getting started. We discuss what is gamification, why gamification, some examples of gamification, a few terms in gamification like game mechanics, PBL, Players, Prototypes, Playtesting and Iterating!
This is an episode where I am summarizing my experience with the Design Sprint during my remote, part-time, UX/UI Design Bootcamp at Ironhack! As you might know, among many other amazing perks of working at Ironhack, we get the opportunity to participate in any of the existing bootcamps in portfolio, so my curiosity led me to taking this chance to deepen my understanding of this fascinating practice! It is intense, so a lot of work involved on top of everything I'm already doing beside this full-time job, but it's been rewarding and most interesting to learn new things of design, validate some prior understandings (and certainly debunk some mistaken ideas) and get to practice hands-on with things like Design Thinking! I hope you enjoy this episode, and please let me know if you do!
Jeff lives in Ontario, Canada, with his wife and two kids ages 8 and 11. He's been a lifelong gamer since the old NES, grew up with videogames being a big part of his childhood into adulthood and now looking at how to include them in parenthood. He's a cohost of a weekly podcast called New Dad Gaming with his friend, Trevor, who is also a dad with two kids. Together on the podcast, they talk about adjusting gaming habits to that dad life, how might it fit in with having a family and what it's like raising little gamers in this new digital world. They also reach out to their audience to feature other gaming dads and their stories, issues and victories, in hopes of growing a community and helping each other on how gaming and parenting can come together to help level up life!
This week we are not having a formal episode, if you want to know why you can give a quick listen to those 3 minutes. Thanks for understanding!
Shaunak is the founder and CEO of Yellowdig. Yellowdig is a community-driven active learning platform adopted by over 130 colleges and universities, K12 schools, and corporate training clients. Yellowdig's mission is to transform every classroom into an active, social, and experiential learning community. Shaunak graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Bombay and completed his graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to founding Yellowdig, Shaunak spent a decade advising global companies on technology, strategy, and growth.
Raymond A. Kimball, EdD is an education professional with years of experience in game-based learning and collaborative professional development that meets the needs of diverse teams. Ray founded 42 Education Games Coaching and Design in 2020 so he could continue his dream of serving higher education faculty by helping them harness the power of game-based pedagogy. In that role, Ray works with higher education faculty to adapt existing games or design new ones to meet the needs of diverse classrooms. A 20+ year veteran of the United States Army, Ray taught history for ten years at the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and integrated game-based learning from the very beginning. He used games in every single course he taught to help students better grasp difficult concepts and develop a sense of historical empathy. He advocated for game-based learning and introduced the Reacting to the Past methodology there, where it is now used in the core freshman Western History course. While on faculty, he brought in multiple gaming experts to showcase the varied ways that game-based pedagogy can change students’ lives.
Josh is a podcaster on The Josh Bolton Show. He had a bit of an interesting up-and-coming. Had many odd jobs along the way to get him where he is currently at. But the main thing he enjoyed about his childhood was martial arts. He has a strategic mind. How does the game work? How does he work the system? The mindset of games for achievements and growth in general in life.
Dropping in a special episode to say hi and send you some heartfelt holiday greetings! I do hope you have a blast. If you have 3 minutes, I'd love to know what you think through the survey you can find on professorgame.com/2021survey, thanks as always and may your 2022 be amazing and fun!
Robert Raymond Riopel is an international Best-Selling author, App Designer, Entrepreneur and Trainer who has spent the past 18+ years traveling around the world sharing his passion. He has also shared the stage with and trained many of the top trainers and thought leaders in the world today. With his high energy and heartfelt style, Robert draws on his journey from humble beginnings to financial freedom at the age of 32, to inspire individuals into tapping into their greatness. Realizing that he is not the only person that struggles, Robert’s “Clues” open individuals up to the possibilities that lie within them and that is why he is a highly sought-after presenter.
Paul Darvasi, Ph.D., is an educator, game designer, speaker, and writer who works at the intersection of games, culture, and learning. His efforts directly or indirectly aim to envision and implement better ways to teach and learn. He is a passionate advocate of media and digital literacy, design thinking, experiential learning, virtual simulations and digital games for learning, and locative experiences. He has designed pervasive games that include The Ward Game; Blind Protocol, a cyber warfare simulation that instructs on online security, privacy and surveillance, and a series of archival and library orientation games for McGill University. He lectures at the University of Toronto, where he is a founding member of the Play Lab. Paul writes for a variety of publications about progressive and innovative education models, and his research explores how commercial video games can be leveraged for instruction. He wrote a widely circulated white paper for UNESCO about how digital games can support peace education and conflict resolution and helped global youth develop games to prevent violent extremism in the Digital Games for Peace initiative run by UNCCT, UNESCO, and UNAOC. Paul is a frequently invited keynote speaker and panelist, who has lectured and presented at conferences and universities around the world. He has shared his expertise with the US Department of Education, UNESCO, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), Epic Games, US presidential libraries, foundry10, Consumers International, iThrive, and Connected Camps, among others. His work has been featured on PBS, NPR, CBC, the Huffington Post, Polygon, Killscreen, Gamasutra, Sterne, Endgadget, Edsurge, Edutopia, and MindShift.
Yu-kai Chou is an Author and International Keynote Speaker on Gamification and Behavioral Design. He is the Original Creator of the Octalysis Framework, and the author of Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards. He is currently President of The Octalysis Group and the Founder of Octalysis Prime, a Gamified Mentorship Platform. Yu-kai has been a regular speaker/lecturer on gamification and motivation worldwide, including at organizations like IDEO, Google, Stanford University, LEGO, Tesla, Boston Consulting Group, Turkish Airlines, the governments of UK, Singapore, South Korea, Kingdom of Bahrain, and many more. His work has affected over 1 Billion users’ experiences across the world. Yu-kai was one of the earliest pioneers in Gamification, starting his work in the industry in 2003. In 2015, Yu-kai was rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE, and was also awarded the “Gamification Guru of the Year” Award in 2014, 2015 and 2017 by the World Gamification Congress and the Gamification Europe Conference. He has helped a variety of companies, from seed stage startups to Fortune 500 companies such as LEGO, Uber, Volkswagen/Porsche, Sberbank, eBay, Fidelity Investments, AIG Japan, Verizon, and more. His work has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, The World Journal, PBS, NBC, and many more.
Milica is a master psychologist and constructivist psychotherapist in education, with 5 years of work experience in multinational companies in the role of HR consultant. She started her career in HR in positions focused on recruitment and selection, as well as professional assessment of candidates, resulting in her specializing in assessing the development level of competencies and conducting assessment centers. As a recruiter, and later a consultant delivering career transition programs (outplacement programs), she was able to collaborate and guide many candidates through career change processes. Career transition programs, in particular, required personalized, consulting support and intensive work due to the process of change and the new challenges that candidates face.
David Chandross began his career as a neuroscientist working in the field of selective attention and cognitive science. After receiving his Ph.D. in curriculum and a second masters degree in medical education he went on to become an academic Dean and then held positions in senior administration across Canada in higher education. His work in gamification began in the 1990s and matured in at Ryerson University after which he accepted a position at the Simon Fraser University in the field of gamification under a 5-year, $3 million dollar simulation and advanced gaming environments federal grant. Currently, Dr. Chandross is a faculty member in the Masters Program In Digital Media at Ryerson University where his graduate students participates in research initiatives in gamification. He is the lead for the Game Design Unit for the World Health Organization Learning Academy in Lyon France and has recently completed a big video game project with the United Nations. His current titles in use for training in health care include Carthage, Hypatia, Symponia and games being delivered in the Canadian higher education system. He has ongoing collaborations with Baycrest Health Sciences, the College of Family Physicians, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto and other institutions to further the implementation of game-based learning in higher education.
Orin Davis earned the first doctorate in positive psychology, and is a self-actualization engineer who enables people to do and be their best. He consults for companies from startups to multinationals on hiring strategies, culture, innovation, diversity/equity/inclusion, and employee well-being, and coaches people at all levels on building self-knowledge and developing personal growth trajectories. As the principal investigator of the Quality of Life Laboratory, he conducts research on flow, creativity, hypnosis, and mentoring. Dr. Davis also serves as a professor of creativity/innovation, entrepreneurship, business, and psychology at SUNY Buffalo State College, and gives workshops and lectures globally about human capital, creativity and innovation, and positive psychology. He is a startup advisor who helps early-stage companies enhance their value propositions, pitches, culture, and human capital, and writes and speaks avidly about human capital, creativity and innovation, and positive psychology.
Welcome to the fourth anniversary of Professor Game Podcast! On a Monday like any other, back in November 2016, the first episodes of Professor Game Podcast were launched! And we are here to celebrate that moment. In this episode, we follow my personal journey in these past years, how this all started and much more. Here are cheers to many more years of inspiration for the fantastic community of Engagers out there!
Tisha is a district Student Engagement and Professional Development Specialist and Canvas Coordinator, national speaker, author from Southern Oregon. She has taught Family and Consumer Science for 25 years and has served in various leadership roles in her school and district as well as on Oregon regional and state edtech cadres. Tisha is the author of the book Make Learning MAGICAL, which unlocks seven keys to transform teaching and create unforgettable experiences in the classroom. She speaks nationally on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning in all content and grade levels and hosts the Make Learning Magical podcast.
This is a special episode that we have created as our tribute to the life and work of Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who recognized and named the psychological concept of flow. His theories have been used across multiple disciplines and have certainly been a significant part of the body of work around games-based solutions and gamification. Thank you, Professor Csikszentmihalyi!
Erik is a researcher and developer of Learning Solutions. He's the founder of Play Learn Develop and also a vegetarian. His research and products combine the use of Human Behaviour, tabletop games and Artificial Intelligence/Data Science. Over the past two years, he has worked with the University of Economics Krakow, in Poland, and with Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in Ireland in order to develop his research and products. Currently, he's working on a project to take ToolBox 4 Creativity (his latest L&D product) to Kickstarter. Check this out here: toolbox4creativity.com His research has been shown in various international conferences. More specifically, Erik will be talking about his ToolBox 4 Creativity and the use of Human behaviour data and AI at PMI Virtual Experience 2021 & SPIEL 2021 Educators' Day.
François Boucher-Genesse started his career in the AAA video game industry as a game designer. After his first big release in 2008, he started academic studies to determine how to best use games’ potential as learning tools. The results were so promising that he cofounded Ululab, a company that creates games designed to change intuitions on hard-to-learn subjects. Creating truly enjoyable educational games has been his focus for 13 years now.
Mike Rizkalla is a visionary entrepreneur with a deep understanding of the advances made in the field of robotics with an award-winning track record in innovation and UX. He aims to enrich the lives of families through magical tech experiences. He is skilled at developing new business and creating digital products that push the boundaries of what is possible, bringing a unique perspective to projects. His latest project is Snorble®, a customizable interactive character that can improve kids’ sleep habits and help them develop healthy daily routines.
Minna Taylor is the Founder of Energize Your Voice, an NYC-based communication coaching and training firm. With an experiential approach, rooted in the principles of play and performance, she and her team support organizations to explore their full potential in public speaking, storytelling, and leadership communication. Notable clients include UBER, Red Bull, Citi, and E&Y. Minna earned her BFA from NYU Tisch and went on to earn her MFA in Performance with a concentration in speech and vocal production. Beginning her career as an accent reduction specialist, Minna went on to transfer her theatre training to developing an innovative approach for professional development.
Mike Montague is a game show host, public speaker, podcaster, and writer. He has been a radio DJ, karaoke host, virtual game show host, MC, and DJ for live events including opening for Billy Idol, Frankie Valli, and MC-ed at Toby Keith's Bar & Grill. He is also the founder of Playful Humans, a community designed to help the burned-out and board get re-energized and engaged with life. His mission is to help adults rediscover the power of play and avoid a midlife crisis. Find out more at www.playfulhumans.com.
Shawn Young is a co-founder and CEO of Classcraft, the Engagement Management System for schools. Since its launch, Classcraft has gained incredible traction with educators worldwide, providing tools to gamify their classrooms. Shawn taught 11th-grade physics for 9 years, holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and master’s in education from Université de Sherbrooke and is also a seasoned web developer. Shawn is the co-chair for UNESCO’s global collective for SEL and digital learning, is the president of the Edteq Association and is an Ambassador for the Education faculty of the University of Sherbrooke.
Thijs de Vries is an expert in using gaming techniques for learning and changing behavior. As an international speaker, he talks to business leaders and managers worldwide about the impact of playful learning. In 2017, Thijs founded his latest venture Warp VR. A company that revolutionizes how people train by combining learning, gaming and Virtual Reality.
Trent Knox is the Founder & CEO of Esports Business Network, also known as EBN. Knox is a graduate of University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he studied Digital Cinema through the Academy of Creative Media, also known as ACM. His studies lead him to pursue a career in independent filmmaking, where he discovered the community & industry of Esports. His experience working in traditional media formats, such as television & film, gave him a foot in the door as credentialed media. His coverage of events such as SXSW Gaming, DreamHack, Anime ATX, Classic Game Fest, and others, has been seen by thousands of gamers. He hosts the EBN Podcast, where he interviews influential Esports Industry Leaders from grassroots to professional organizations. Today, Esports Business Network is home to thousands of Esports Business Professionals sharing knowledge & resources to further develop the industry of Esports.
Yes #Engagers we have made it to episode 200! Cheers to you, to our guests and to 200 more! On this brief episode we discuss about this celebration and also about the importance of taking a break (in games as in life) to make progress, to come back stronger and better.
Matthew Farber, Ed.D. is an assistant professor of technology, innovation, and pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado, where he founded the Gaming SEL Lab. He has been invited to the White House, authored several books and papers, and frequently collaborates with UNESCO MGIEP and Games for Change. His latest book is Gaming SEL: Games as Transformational to Social and Emotional Learning.
Tracy J is the creator of the Feed Your Ninjas movement, the author of How to Feed Your Ninjas children's book and she’s currently working on an idea for a video game app that helps you, well... Feed Your Ninjas. Having overcome an autoimmune disease, she is an advocate for being in control of your own personal health. She hopes to inspire others to take charge of their health but realized it would be easier to start at the foundation... children.
Matt Leacock is a board game designer living in Sunnyvale, California. In 2014, he quit his day job to work on board games full time. Before that, he designed games on nights and weekends while working as a user experience designer for a number of Silicon Valley companies. He's best known for his cooperative games, Pandemic and Forbidden Island, although he enjoys designing all sorts of games.
Lee Sheldon is a game writer/designer, and educator. Until recently he was a professor of practice at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is author of The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game. It’s second edition was published in the spring of 2020; The Multiplayer Classroom: Game Plans, published in June 2021; and Character Development and Storytelling for Games, 3rd edition coming in 2022. Lee spearheaded the development of the first writing for games full concentration in North America at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the second at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Commercial video game credits include The Lion’s Song (Switch, PC, Mac, iOS, Android); Suburbia 2 (Facebook); Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved (Xbox). Classes designed as games: The Janus Door, a cybersecurity class for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; Secrets: A Cyberculture Mystery Game, an online class for Excelsior College; and Crimson Dilemma, a business ethics video game for Indiana University. He recently consulted on a NASA-funded “escape room in a box” game involving the exploration of the moon for over 300 science museums and planetariums in North America. He has just begun work as writer/designer on a new commercial video game for a leading publisher. In a former life, he was a TV writer/producer with over 200 produced scripts from Charlie’s Angels to Star Trek: The Next Generation
This is an entirely different episode, I'm sharing a personal/professional update in my life! Listen up if you want to find out!
Having recently joined ShowCode, Sheran is a key figure in organising and delivering their hackathons and coding competitions. He’s taking the lead in their upcoming hack ‘Level-Up Society’ which will give participants 48-hours to come up with something to help improve a pillar of society, using gamification.
Dave Beck is a practicing 3D digital and new media artist and designer, living in Wisconsin. He is the creator of the award-winning video game, Tombeaux, and also recipient of the 2010 International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge Award, given by the National Science Foundation. Beck's artwork has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, Sculpture Magazine, National Geographic, the journal Science, and the book GameScenes: Art in the Age of Videogames. When Dave Beck is not making interactive experiences, he is a Professor of Game Design and the Director and Associate Dean of the University of Wisconsin-Stout School of Art & Design, the largest higher education art and design program in the upper midwest. He is also the founding Director of the Game Design Bachelor of Fine Arts Program, which is ranked as one of the top game design programs in the country by the Princeton Review.
Dov is a Tao-inspired agile, systemic, and exec coach, living in the heart of Paris with a woman and a dog. He's an avid speaker and facilitator and has a love-hate relationship with serious games. He is the creator of the Meeting Spicer, a tool to hack meeting culture that he believes can change the world.
Bob is an advocate of stewardship. He has always believed in taking care of the things that he has been blessed with. It is his mission to help others in doing the same. Bob’s perspective derives from a battle with cancer at age 18. After growing up an only child it wasn’t until he was legally an adult that he felt alone. Having his life threatened at such a young age lead to a unique view of the gift that is vitality.
Erik is a researcher and developer of Learning Solutions. He's the founder of Play Learn Develop and also a vegetarian. His research and products combine the use of Human Behaviour, tabletop games and Artificial Intelligence/Data Science. Over the past two years, he has worked with the University of Economics Krakow, in Poland, and with Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in Ireland. Currently, he's working on a project to take ToolBox 4 Creativity (his latest L&D product) to Kickstarter. As well as applying for EU funding to develop his umbrella research at the Human Centre Organisational Transformation Framework.
Bernardo started as a web designer back in 1998. He worked in JWT (marketing agency) for a year and afterward started his journey in the training world working at EduMac as an Adobe Certified Instructor. In 2008 he started working at the American School Foundation. Bernardo has been working as a freelancer forever and founded his company in 2011. In 2011 he was introduced by a student to the concept of gamification. Since then all his classes were gamified. He developed BLUErabbit as a platform to gamify education and increase engagement in any teaching environment. In November 2017, BLUERABBIT was awarded The Outstanding Gamification Software in Gamification Europe.
Special episode alert! This week we are asking for your help Engagers! We have a shorter episode explaining how you can engage with Professor Game to activate the special powers (yes, oldie but goodie Wonder Twin Powers-like). All you have to do is go to professorgame.com/survey21, invest less than 5 minutes answering some questions and that's it! You can invest a little more and give us some more details, and you can also go on a quest that shows up after you hit send on the survey! As always, we are guided by your interests and needs, so we're counting on you Engagers, let's do this!
Miguel Sicart is an Associate Professor at the IT University, where he teaches play design. He is the author of The Ethics of Computer Games (The MIT Press, 2009), Beyond Choices (The MIT Press, 2013), and Play Matters (The MIT Press, 2014). His work combines the philosophy of technology, game studies, and design theory to try to make sense of play. His most recent research focuses on the nature of play in the software society, and on the ridiculous nature of all software.
Mr. Powley is the Dual Enrollment American History Teacher at HCS Early College High School in Coastal South Carolina where he lives with his wife Amanda and three young boys. In 2013, he began transforming his classroom with game-inspired design. He has been a presenter at the Future of Ed Tech Conference as well as numerous state and local events. Mr. Powley is currently writing a blog at classroompowerups.com where he frequently writes about gamification and other game-inspired practices.
Dr. Frida Polli is an award-winning Harvard and MIT neuroscientist turned CEO. Named one of Inc.’s Top 100 Female Founders in 2018 and one of Entrepreneur’s Top 100 Powerful Women in 2020, Dr. Polli’s mission is to help everyone realize their true potential at work by removing bias from the talent matching process and improving job fit. She is the CEO and co-founder of pymetrics, a company leveraging behavioral science and AI to make workforce decisions more accurate, fair, and efficient. With global clients including BCG, Kraft Heinz, and Workday, pymetrics has matched millions of people with their ideal jobs based on their cognitive, social, and emotional behavioral traits. pymetrics was named a Tech Pioneer by the World Economic Forum in 2018.
Roman Rackwitz is the founder of Engaginglab GmbH, Europe’s first Gamification Agency in 2009. Winner of the first international Gamification Challenge, done by Mashable and SETI in 2011. He teaches Gamification for HR and Marketing at Universities in Germany and Switzerland. With his channels like podcasts, Youtube he shares his experience and knowledge with those who want it. You can find him and his work on all the popular platforms like LinkedIn, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Spotify, iTunes, and soon on Twitch. Whenever someone feels like it, he's happy to share. Just get in touch with him...
Kurt is a sought-after speaker and recognized leader in human motivation and behavior change. For over 20 years, Kurt has worked with global companies to apply behavioral science principles to drive change in their organizations. He is founder and president of The Lantern Group, a communication and behavioral design agency. He also is the co-founder, with Tim Houlihan, of the Behavioral Grooves podcast, where they interview leading academic and business executives from around the world and explore how they apply behavioral science to their work and lives. All his work focuses on understanding ways to positively influence how people behave.
Jimmy Chebat, an enterprising business pioneer, has developed a digital initiative anticipated to address the paradigm shifts currently plaguing the workforce due in part to the workplace culture identity crisis and the ever-increasing rate of remote workers. His portfolio of past business ventures emphasizes his ability to identify challenges facing personnel management, generating innovative solutions using his experience in data analytics, automated intelligence, and gamification. The fourth industrial revolution is already here and it’s Jimmy’s fully integrated system that’s leading the digital transformation into the tomorrow we need.
Robert A. Belle is a transformational speaker, author and ACCA Qualified Accountant. He helps people who feel stuck in their career or life journey to break away from the “norm” and find new paths that reveal their true value. With his new book Blow The lid Off! He is on a global mission to help individuals who feel inferior and have given up on their dreams to think freely, create unapologetically and live abundantly.
Scott Kim is cofounder of the Game Thinking Academy and an educational game designer. Games he's worked on include Tetris, Bejeweled, Rush Hour, and monthly puzzles for Discover magazine. He has degrees in music, computer science and graphic design from Stanford University, and has a deep background in recreational mathematics.
This is a special episode! We will be discussing the Playful Creative Summit with Alyea Sandovar and David Chislett, find more information about them on their episodes (166 and 162).
Laura Marie Edinger-Schons is Professor of Sustainable Business at the University of Mannheim. In her research, she focuses on the question of how organizations (from for-profit to non-profit) can contribute to sustainable development as defined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Specific topics which she is interested in are Employee Engagement in Sustainability, Social Entre/Intrapreneurship, Digital Social Innovation, Corporate Democracy, and New Work. Her work has been published in renowned academic journals including Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, and Journal of Business Ethics. Carmela Aprea is Professor at the University of Mannheim and holds the Chair of Economic and Business Education - Instructional Systems Design and Evaluation). She is also co-founder and director of the Mannheim Institute for Financial Education (MIFE). Previously, she was Professor of Economic and Business Education at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Professor of Vocational Training Research at the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET) in Lugano. She has also been a visiting professor at the University of Innsbruck (AT) and has taught and researched at the University of Twente (NL), the University of Graz (AT), the Università degli Studi Roma Tre (IT), the Università di Roma La Sapienza (IT), the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Milano (IT), the Stockholm University (SE) and the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL).
Eric Holden is an Atlanta artist, comedian, and co-host of The Goblin's Corner, a tabletop and storytelling podcast on all your favorite podcasting platforms. Eric has been performing since he was old enough to speak and has carried this into every creative format, from various improv and live acts, to sketch comedy and gaming. With 30 plus years of running various table top games, he has extensive knowledge of both the industry and the performance art of storytelling overall. Eric can be seen in the wild building false idols to Godzilla, drinking coffee with abandon, and rolling 20 sided dice wherever fine products are sold.
This is a different episode! No guest this time, I do an analysis of the game Fortnite and some potential applications outside of the entertainment industry (i.e. gamification and game-based solutions). We go through some of the strategies used by this game and think of them divided within the RAMP framework that Andrzej Marczewski talks about. I pose a final challenge! Play one of the games you enjoy, and analyze it with this same vision, looking at the elements and mechanics and how they help engage, especially thinking of how you might use them on your settings. Let me know on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or email (by subscribing and responding), I'd love to know your experience on this and maybe even share it on a future episode!
Dave Eng is an intellectual and creative educator, designer, and researcher who combines games, theory, and technology. Dave has played games for most of his life. As a result, he studies game design and teaches others how to use games for education and learning. Dave hosts the podcast Experience Points and consults at University XP on games-based learning. He also leads the Games-Based Learning Alliance: a community of individuals who use games for teaching, training, learning, and development. His interests include professional development, learning theory, technology, and games.
Tiago Sizenando is a senior gamification consultant with projects in the United States, Europe and Brazil, in companies like Arcelor Mittal, Banco do Brasil, Forus group, and many startups. An engineer by training, he worked with Siemens for 6 years, co-founded a health promotion startup, and currently is Gamification Specialist at Gamiphy and Product Manager at Octalysis Prime. Tiago is a certified Game Thinking coach, member of the Game Science Research Center from Lucca University and freelance designer for the biggest tabletop board game in Latin America.
Jeremy Royster is a transformative curriculum author with extensive experience intrinsically motivating students through personalized instruction. He has proven expertise amplifying engagement as an instructional technology professor through F.A.I.L. University, his gamified platform to deliver “Fearless Adventures In Learning” to instructors. Certified in Technology Education (PK-12) and Education Technology Leadership (CETL), Jeremy is currently building virtual reality EscapED-X rooms in collaboration with Knowledge Avatars.
Founder of Inc Best Workplaces Company, monthly contributor to Forbes.com & regular speaker at EdTech conferences. Stephen creates games to educate and activate audiences. Since launching The Game Agency 13 years ago and The Training Arcade 4 years ago, Stephen has developed award-winning games for new-employee on-boarding, sales and product training, leadership development, safety, security, compliance, systems & processes, customer service, and many other training topics. Stephen has also helped shape the education industry and disrupt traditional learning methods with the creation of interactive games such a S.T.E.M, Financial Literacy and Social Skills which have been deployed in thousands of schools.
Arkadiusz Siechowicz is one the founders of Gamehill - Gamified Learning Platforms. With his team they are winners of Outstanding Gamification Award as well as Best international implementation of Gamified learning solution form London's LTA. For the last 7 years they have gathered vast experience in corporate and university learning. Their most recent addition to the platform is an AI based Adaptive learning module! Aside from gamification, Arek is passionate about any near future trends, including Autonomous cars and Robots as well as hiking and working with his dog Nelly, to balance that.
Ambikesh is the Co-Founder of a consulting firm based out of India called M.A.D. Methods. He is a serial entrepreneur having founded organizations in services and product spaces. Having worked with companies in the US and in many APAC countries, Ambikesh has a treasure of experience in User Experience and Client Management. In recent years Ambikesh has been involved in the product and service design projects which lead him into the world of Gamification and subsequently Game Thinking. Ambikesh became the first certified Game Thinking practitioner and coach from India and has worked on some great initiatives in UI/UX design.
Shawn Livermore is the author of the Amazon best-selling business non-fiction book, Average Joe: Be the Silicon Valley Tech Genius. The book teaches anyone how to think, speak, and create like some of the brightest tech founders in the world. It dispels the myth of the tech genius, then, in an unexpected and very satisfying twist, it reveals how to become the myth yourself. Shawn runs Product Perfect, a software consultancy, in Southern California.
Nadia Benedetti is an Advanced Trainer in playful learning, LEGO® SERIOUSPLAY® Facilitator, and Game Thinking Coach, her expertise is helping teams to face complexity by innovating. For 18 years, she was International Manager at Hachette Publishing and LEGO Education, facing the challenges of smart working and multicultural environments. She had been practicing the importance of playful learning to improve creativity, raise engagement, and manage complexity through new ideas. In 2018 she decided to create her company Playnbe, with the ambition to help more teams to unleash their potential through playful learning. They use the power of serious play to train creative problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration. For organizations, playful learning is a simple way to bring the key competencies and great fulfillment in the digital and agile transformation.
Julian Kea is a bilingual serious games facilitator and team coach based in Berlin. Though activating learning environments with minds-on workshop methods he enables teams to exchange ideas authentically, promote mutual understanding and strengthen their cooperation. These methods include Training from the BACK of the Room, Thiagi’s Interactive Training and Teaching Strategies, Agile Classrooms, Open Space Technology and LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, just to name a few. Julian is a Kanban Management Professional, Certified ScrumMaster and Product Owner and holds a degree in business administration (DH) and a Master of Business Administration from the Steinbeis School of International Business and Entrepreneurship (SIBE). Since 2010 he works for clients in industries such as banking, consulting, e-commerce, aviation, luxury goods, engineering, pharmaceuticals and insurance. His mantra is “Rediscover Learning. Work Smarter.” Chris Caswell. A proactive, principle centred evangelist of the Agile philosophy, Chris is passionate about driving continuous improvement and collaboration to improve Agile ways of working. Chris uses a combination of personal coaching, workshops, training and games to help solve problems across organisations, within teams and with individuals.
Alyea Sandovar, Ph.D. is a game and play consultant. She works with trainers, consultants and entrepreneurs to add more fun and deepen engagement through gamification. She has a whole slew of degrees: A Ph.D. in Game Production, a Masters degree in Psychology, a Masters degree in Human Organizational Systems, and a Bachelor’s is in Public Relations and Communication. She has worked with academic institutions, non-profits, game studios, corporations and start-ups. She passionate about creating high-quality products with ease and fun. She believes creating playful products should not be a headache. She is originally from Colombia but now considers herself a world citizen as she also lived in Costa Rica, USA (Florida, Texas and California), Amsterdam and is currently residing short-term in Berlin.
Geoff Engelstein s an award-winning tabletop game designer whose titles include Space Cadets, The Fog of War, Pit Crew, The Expanse, and the recently-released Versailles: 1919 and Super Skill Pinball. He is an adjunct professor of game design at the NYU Game Center. Geoff has since 2007 contributed a Dice Tower podcast series on the math, science, and psychology of games and since 2011 hosted the Ludology podcast on game design. He has published the books on game design Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design, Achievement Relocked, and the upcoming Game Production and has spoken at GDC, Pax, Gencon, Rutgers, and USC. He has degrees in Physics and Electrical Engineering from the MIT.
Jaxton is a Gamification Advocate in Malaysia. He works with many reputable gamification experts in the United States and Europe such as Amy Jo Kim, Yu-Kai Chou, Pete Jenkins, and An Coppens to promote Game Thinking & Gamification in the South East Asia (SEA) region. He was recruited by Amy Jo Kim, the founder of Game Thinking Academy (GTA) to be the first Game Thinking coach in Asia. Jaxton specializes in early-stage product innovation that applies the Game Thinking framework that helps clients to 10x product-market fit. He coaches reputable companies like Tesla, Malaysia Airline, TravelTriangle and etc. He also produces two annual national conferences – Game Thinking Asia & Talent Ecosystem Conference to further promote innovation in HR & customer experience with Game Thinking / Gamification in the SEA region. In addition, he is familiar with and have used the Stanford d.school design thinking method in gamification projects.
Joe Slack is a professional board game designer and author of the #1 international best-selling book, The Board Game Designer's Guide, along with 2 other books on game design. He has taught Game Design and Development at Wilfrid Laurier University and runs the Board Game Design Course, an online course for new game designers. Joe has many games at various stages, from development to publication, including his own successful Kickstarter campaign for his solo adventure game, Relics of Rajavihara.
Born in Britain, raised in South Africa, resident in The Netherlands. Nowhere and Everywhere are home I am a published author, poet, musician and artist. I have also been an entrepreneur for over 25 years. The link that joins everything in my life together is creativity. By sharing what I know about this human capacity I aim to improve the world, one presentation at a time. I have been on stage in one capacity or another since 1980. I bring experience, research, humour and passionate energy to every presentation I do. When I write a poem, I solve a problem: how to express a specific feeling in a way that will be recognised and empathised with. And every time I train, speak or coach, I aim to do the same thing: solve or help solve the problem that lies in front of my client. I am forever curious, which leads me to always ask WHY… and HOW? As a result, my career has enabled me to join dots across many worlds. In film, they say there are only 4 stories. In life, solutions from one sphere often work well in another. I believe we are all creative and that making creativity a skill in your armoury of tools will empower you to observe, analyse and make decisions. My speaking is aimed at helping individuals, teams and companies get better at utilising, rowing and improving their creative capacities because creativity will help us be the best versions of ourselves.
Andrzej Marczweski is a Gamification Solution Designer and Consultant at Motivait. He is a recognized expert in gamification, especially on the topic of gamification mechanics and user types. In 2015 he published Even Ninja Monkeys Like to Play. In his spare time, Andrzej enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar and video games.
Pete Jenkins is an international authority on gamification, a lifelong gamer, a successful entrepreneur and a lecturer. As CEO of Gamification+ Ltd he mentors and trains companies worldwide on the use of gamification to solve business challenges. Gamification+ won the Board of Trade Award from the UK's Department of International Trade in January 2019. Pete is Chair of Gamification Europe, the annual conference for Gamification practitioners. The next conference is in November 2020 and being held online. He also founded the Gamification Awards. The Gamification Awards are global awards for the gamification industry. The awards are judged by industry experts for their design, creativity and utility. The award goes to the companies and individuals who are excelling in their field. Pete is an Honorary Ambassador for GamFed (International Gamification Confederation), having previously been the Chair from 2014 to February 2019, whose aim is to spread best practices within and support the gamification industry. Pete is in his 12th year as a Lecturer at the University of Brighton. He lectures on gamification and entrepreneurship at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. He also guest lectures on Gamification at King’s College London and at ESCP Europe. Over the past 20 years, Pete has built and sold two businesses. One was in security software and the more recent one was a telecoms and internet connectivity business. He is also an Ambassador for Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce and an Export Champion for the Department of International Trade, UK.
Chris is The Virtual Agile coach, a #PeopleFirst champion, and an Agile Evangelist / Agile Transformation Lead / Scrum Master possessing over 8 years of experience within the IT industry. Chris facilitates a Meet up titled the Agile Arcade, is a vlogger, speaker, coach and trainer who always seeks to gamify content to enable consumers to connect to the subject matter and have fun whilst doing so. He's currently writing a book titled 'The Virtual Agile playbook' that will be free.
Special anniversary episode of Professor Game Podcast! You will find all the details, pictures, mini-videos and all of it on professorgame.com
Jessica is a multi-hyphenate creator of games and immersive experiences. Her company, IKantKoan, uses agency and storytelling to make sense of complex ideas playful and accessible. Jessica is an immersive experience designer dedicated to crafting playful, transformative experiences that bring people together. She is the founder of IKantKoan LLC, a production company focused on playfully exploring complex subject matter like climate change, ethics, chaos, and love. Jessica is a Professor of Game Design at Drexel University, a climate change game designer with The National Parks Service, a 2020 Arctic Circle Artist-in-Residence, a Rachael Carson Center Climate Change and Grief team member, a Tribe12 Fellow, and she recently gave a TEDx talk about embracing uncertainty through play. She is a graduate of The Pig Iron School of Advanced Performance Training and her work has been presented at The World Economic Forum, PAX East, PAX Unplugged, The Franklin Institute, IndieCade, Bandwi/d/th International, Tanween Creativity Festival in Ithra, Saudi Arabia, HERE Arts, FringeNYC, BostonFIG, and on KQED San Fransisco. Her New York Times recommended show, CHAOS THEORY, recently won the Best Social Immersion Award from Immersion Nation and is currently running at Caveat Theater, NYC.
Azhelle is a cancer survivor, 3x patented toy inventor, Women In Toys Wonder Woman finalist, and was named 1 of the 100 most influential people in toys and games in 2020. After 10 years in the industry, working for companies like Toys R Us, Party City, Horizon Group USA, and Creative Kids, this entrepreneurial spirit took control of her own destiny and became the Founder and President of The Toy CoachTM. Azhelle launched The Toy CoachTM to help inventors and entrepreneurs develop and pitch their BIG toy ideas as smart and as fast as possible. Her podcast, Making It in The Toy Industry has become an industry known resource to teach inventors & entrepreneurs how to keep their toy and game ideas toyetic, cost-effective, and to answer buyer needs. When she’s not helping aspiring toy people break into the toy industry, Azhelle enjoys salsa and bachata dancing in New York City, sewing colorful sequin costumes, and game nights with her boyfriend.
Michael Matera is an engaging, fun and inspiring nationwide speaker and author, delivering keynotes, workshops and small group professional development to teachers and administration. Additionally, he is a practicing teacher. He ignites both his classroom and professional development audiences with interactive play, passion and purpose-driven learning. He helps us all focus on finding the joy in the journey of life both professionally as well as personally. He is the host and creator of the Hive Summit. As a gamification guru and moonshot thinker, Michael transforms the traditional classroom into a high-energy environment where active student engagement is paramount. Michael is an energetic trainer, who broadly shares his research, teaching methods and technological applications for the advancement of learners, teachers and administrators. As a consultant, he works with educational institutions and businesses to define the needs and build solutions that inspire and lead to effective change. Discover his most recent pioneering endeavors by visiting his website, mrmatera.com, listen to his podcast Well Played or have a look on his YouTube channel and remember to connect.
Sarah Le-Fevre is a Learning design and delivery professional and certified Lego® Serious Play® Facilitator. After tiring of creating programs for blue-chip clients that focused almost solely on growth and profit, Sarah made the decision to keep the same audience but shift the focus to learning around sustainability, human flourishing and tackling systemic wicked problems. With a focus on experiential learning, specifically games and learning in nature, Sarah specializes in creating programs which allow learners time to reflect and create their own learning about complex systemic issues and is in the process of writing a book about a Systems Practice approach to learning design for organizational change. Sarah also runs a bi-monthly online magazine ‘Ludogogy’, which explores games-based learning, gamification, and gameful and playful design. Sarah can be contacted at sarah@gamesforgood.co.uk (or search LI for Sarah Le-Fevre, with a hyphen) and you can visit the magazine at ludogogy.co.uk
Special episode Engagers! This time we have no guest and I dive straight into the very important topic of ethics in our world of game-based solutions and gamification! I talk about some ideas of fellow creators and past guests Andrzej Marczewski -@daverage- of gamified.uk and Nir Eyal. I mention this in the episode but we'll highlight this here as well, we'd love to know what do you think about this! Drop a comment below, reply to an email if you are in the email list, find our social media and tell us what you think about what the ethics are or should look like for this!
Alessandro Canossa is an Associate Professor at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation. He is the Czar of Player Experience at modl.ai and has been straddling between the game industry and academia for many years. He has been an Assistant Professor at the IT University of Copenhagen, Associate Professor at Northeastern University in Boston and he's now at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. In his research, he employs psychological theories of personality, perception, motivation and emotion to design games with the purpose of investigating individual differences in behavior among users of digital entertainment. His research focuses heavily on these topics: a) developing behavioral analysis methods that are able to account for granular spatial and temporal events, avoiding aggregation; b) designing and developing visual analytics tools that can enable any stakeholder to produce user-driven content leveraging advanced statistics and machine learning. He was also Senior User Researcher and Data Scientist at Massive Entertainment a Ubisoft studio, where he enjoyed tremendously investigating occult behavioral patterns and novel player modeling approaches while identifying the best processes for transferring knowledge from academic research to industry practices. He's now involved with Modl.AI, a company providing AI services to the game industry, where he's exploring how to triangulate data-driven insights with surveys and lab observations to advance the field of predictive analytics.
Kathleen Mercury, M.A.T., M.E.T., has been teaching gifted middle school students for fifteen years using design thinking to create functional art from designing tabletop games and RPGs to filmmaking, cosplay, and more. She shares all of her game design teaching resources at www.kathleenmercury.com for free, and loves to collaborate with educators and industry leaders to promote game design curriculum at every level and format. She currently cohosts the podcasts, Games in Schools and Libraries and On Board Games, and is a frequent guest on other podcasts. She has multiple games in various stages of design, development, and publication with the upcoming titles Greece Lightning from Wizkids and Dragnarok from Kolossal. Kathleen thinks happiness comes from being able to create the life you want, and she feels very fortunate that she's been able to do that.
Nicole Lazzaro, immersive media trailblazer, entrepreneur and game industry veteran has run XEODesign for 27 years. She discovered how game mechanics create emotion, designed the 1st iPhone game, and the 4 Keys to Fun used by millions of leading developers worldwide. Her 4 Keys are baked into the AI for the Sims and inspired IBM Watson’s sentiment analysis. Her game Tilt World planted 16K trees in Madagascar. Recent XR accomplishments include Follow the White Rabbit as well as Unscramble the Oracle, a choose your own adventure for AR headsets that inspires healthy play walking around the block.
Cédric Pontet is CTO @ Agile Partner, founder @ #play14, EventStormer, Sketchnoter, Happy Salmon guru, Gnome drawing expert, and much more. He is a seasoned software expert and Agile/Lean coach. He started his software engineering career in 2001 and since 2005, has been happily employed at Agile Partner, where he has worked on a large variety of projects, for customers in both the public and private sectors. He is currently CTO of the company. On a daily basis, Cédric is helping teams on matters such as software architecture, cloud computing, agile, lean and DevOps. Defining himself as curious and pragmatic, he is proud to be part of different communities (Agile, Domain-Driven Design, EventStorming, Sketchnoting) and enjoys mixing these influences to bring people together. Cédric is one of the founders of #play14 (play14.org) a worldwide community of like-minded people who strongly believe that playing is the best way to learn, share ideas, and trigger creativity. He is also an international speaker in various software and agile conferences such as Build Stuff, Voxxed Days, KanDDDinsky, Agile Grenoble of FlowCon.
Jesper Juul is a pioneering video game researcher and occasional game developer. With a background in both literature and programming, Jesper has dedicated his life to taking video games seriously as culture and art form. He has published four books on MIT Press, and taught at MIT, NYU, among others. He is currently teaching at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Design, in Denmark.
Nick Yee is the co-founder and analytics lead of Quantic Foundry. For over two decades, he has conducted and applied research on the psychology of gaming and virtual worlds using a wide variety of methods. At Stanford University, he used immersive virtual reality to explore how avatars can change the way people think and behave. At the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), he applied social network analysis and predictive analytics to examine large-scale World of Warcraft data. He was a senior research scientist in Ubisoft's Gamer Behavior Research group where he combined data science and social science methods to generate actionable player insights for different game development teams. At Quantic Foundry, he leads the research and development of new tools for analyzing the motivations of game audiences, and leverages these tools to provide actionable insights for game design and marketing. He is the author of "The Proteus Paradox: How Online Games and Virtual Worlds Change Us—And How They Don't".
Adrian Hon is co-founder and CEO at Six to Start, creators of gamelike stories and story-like games including the world's bestselling smartphone fitness game, "Zombies, Run!" with four million players. Six to Start's clients have included Disney, the BBC, Channel 4, and Penguin, and the company has won multiple awards including Best of Show at SXSW.
Adrian is author of A History of the Future in 100 Objects, has spoken at the flagship TED conference, the Long Now, Google, and Mozilla, and has written a column about technology for the Telegraph. He originally trained as a neuroscientist at Cambridge, UCSD, and Oxford.
During the last 6 years, he has been teaching courses in the Operations Management area at undergrad, graduate and executive levels. Although he loves teaching, he realized how old fashioned and non-effective is the traditional way of teaching. Based on that experience, he founded GameLab in 2013, an EdTech company that develops online and short-term simulators that enhance the motivation, engagement and learning experience of students at Business Schools. How?... transforming the classroom into a playground!
Mario has been living in Silicon Valley since 2001. He is researching technology trends, writing books and consulting companies on topics such as Innovation, Silicon Valley Mindset, Foresight Mindset, Automotive, Artificial Intelligence, Creativity, Intrapreneurship. For many years he worked at SAP as a development manager and innovation strategist. Now he helps companies on how they can apply the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit from Silicon Valley in their organizations, to be more innovative and discover trends and tipping points earlier and influence them. He gives keynotes about these topics and conducts workshops on Foresight Mindset, Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, Silicon Valley-Mindset, Automotive, Creativity, and Intrapreneurship. He also looks at signals of emerging technology trends and how they impact society, politics or employment. He also hosts and meets delegations from other countries and bring them contact with people and companies in Silicon Valley.
Nick Metzler has been designing games since he was 4. As a two-time award-winning designer in the Toy and Game Industry, Nick has pushed the boundaries of what board games could be, having worked with major licenses such as Marvel and Disney and integrated smart speakers into his game design. He's designed challenges for Survivor, helped design an experimental entrepreneurship class at USC taught entirely through game simulations, and has gamified theme park rides. He was recently published in a book about creativity in board games and was named in the top 100 most influential people in the Toy and Game Industry in 2018 and 2019. His first game hit market when he was 17 after winning the Chicago Toy and Game Fair Young Inventors Challenge for a second time and has over 20 games in market today. He is 26 at the recording of this episode.
Ibrahim Jabary is the CEO and one of the founders of Gamelearn, where he has participated in the concept of all the videogames of the company. He studied business. Later, he did his MBA at IE Business school. After a career in international companies and his experience at Jabary Consulting, a face-to-face training company for managerial skills, he embarked on the adventure of founding Gamelearn in 2007. This is how he has become a pioneer in the development of videogames for corporate learning and is a reference for game-based learning, named Innovator of the Year by the learning! Media Group twice.
Toby Beresford is an expert on using gamification and statistical metrics in business to build the best working teams. He has appeared on Sky News, as a keynote speaker and has written about gamification for .net magazine and others. Toby has worked with organizations large and small including IBM, PwC and has even gamified the United Nations to encourage UN staff to use social media to promote the work of the UN.
Brian began his fascinating and unique career as a Walt Disney Imagineer, where he helped “create the magic” for Disney’s Florida theme parks before going on to produce work for a who’s-who list of corporations and small entrepreneurial ventures. Along the way, he became a passionate educator, serving as an adjunct professor at several schools and as an Innovation Specialist for online education. Later in his career, he developed a deep understanding of new and emerging technologies, and, most importantly, how they apply to business, the military and in learning environments. He is now considered somewhat of an expert in this area, often exploring the most exotic “sci-fi” tech that’s out there…or on the way. A sought-after Innovation Consultant through his practice known as The Brainstorm Institute, Brian combines his design-thinking skills and technology know-how with a strategic business acumen, enabling him to offer creative, design, and planning experiences for his clients. As head of VR/Simulations and Strategic Initiatives with the premier game design and content creation studio Magic Bytes, his focus is to make sure the company stays at the forefront of innovation by making sure their team leverages the latest and most relevant XR/VR gaming and design technologies available. An accomplished speaker, Brian is often interviewed on podcasts and is available to deliver keynote addresses, lectures and workshops or other corporate or conference presentations. Brian lives in Orlando, FL, USA and enjoys serving his clients around the world!
Sylvester Arnab- professor of Game Science, who is the applied innovation lead at the Disruptive Media Learning Lab of Coventry University, an associate of the Centre for Post-Digital Cultures, and the co-founder of the award-winning GameChangers initiative.
Andrew Lau is the CEO and founder of Think Codex – a multiple award-winning Gamification Organization headquartered in Malaysia. He is also the current Chair of the International Gamification Confederation (GamFed) – which is a community of gamification experts, academia and professionals from around the world. During his university years, he averaged 16 hours of video gaming daily for up to 2 weeks straight only to repeat the pattern after 1-2 days break. Back then he was passionate about gaming, but now he is passionate about the science and art behind games - which is the whole area of Gamification.
Emil is the founder of Hubro Education, who develop learning games for business education. He founded the company after a professor approached him, frustrated that he couldn't find a learning game that met his requirements. Today, their simulation games are used in 14 countries all around the world.
Bill Watson is an Associate Professor of Learning Design and Technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Purdue University and director of the Purdue Center for Serious Games and Learning in Virtual Environments. His research focuses on the critical, systemic change of education to realize a personalized paradigm, including the application of technology such as video games and digital badges, and the envisioning of new learning management systems to support this paradigm.
Michael Cosimini is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and an attending physician at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. He is a contributor and associated producer of the pediatric continuing medical education podcast Pediatrics Reviews and Perspectives and the designer of Empiric Pediatric, a 2-4 player card game used to teach guideline-based antibiotic use for medical students and residents.
Amany Annaggar is a researcher at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin in the chemistry education department and the founder of Sci2Play. Her Ph.D. research is about Gamification and serious games as assessment tools of problem-solving competence in chemistry education. Besides her Ph.D. research, she worked as a tutor and lab assistant at Humboldt Universität zu Berlin and on 2 EU projects in science education (Inspiring science education & Ark of Inquiry). Currently, she is preparing for her Ph.D. defense and also working on her Sci2Play business idea to start it officially.
Yu-kai Chou is an Author and International Keynote Speaker on Gamification and Behavioral Design. He is the Original Creator of the Octalysis Framework, and the author of Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards. He is currently President of The Octalysis Group and the Founder of Octalysis Prime, a Gamified Mentorship Platform. Yu-kai has been a regular speaker/lecturer on gamification and motivation worldwide, including at organizations like IDEO, Google, Stanford University, LEGO, Tesla, Boston Consulting Group, Turkish Airlines, the governments of UK, Singapore, South Korea, Kingdom of Bahrain, and many more. His work has affected over 1 Billion users’ experiences across the world. Yu-kai was one of the earliest pioneers in Gamification, starting his work in the industry in 2003. In 2015, Yu-kai was rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE, and was also awarded the “Gamification Guru of the Year” Award in 2014, 2015 and 2017 by the World Gamification Congress and the Gamification Europe Conference. He has helped a variety of companies, from seed stage startups to Fortune 500 companies such as LEGO, Uber, Volkswagen/Porsche, Sberbank, eBay, Fidelity Investments, AIG Japan, Verizon, and more. His work has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, The World Journal, PBS, NBC, and many more.
Albert van der Meer is a Creative Gamification Consultant with aeStranger, which operates from and is based in the Netherlands. His lies specifically in narrative, visual entertainment and storytelling. With these skills and knowledge, Albert has helped businesses, educational institutions, and other corporate environments to better improve team cooperation and develop deeper, more meaningful learning experiences through the use of narrative and gameful design techniques. Before starting aeStranger, Albert worked several years as a media producer, a team-building facilitator and as a freelance filmmaker and producer in Europe and the UK. After a successful career in helping business schools, businesses, music and film talents, he decided to change careers and be a full-time gamification consultant and teambuilding facilitator. Albert now helps various institutions and individuals with delivering better learning experiences for their teams and clients. Albert also co-authored a book on gamification, called: Press Start: Using Gamification to Power-up your Marketing. The book offers straightforward advice and immediate applicability of marketing & gamification techniques. It’s aimed at marketers who wish to fully engage their customers in a positive and meaningful manner using game techniques.
After spending ten years in strategy in the wireless and tablet groups for Intel, Scott was bitten viciously by the board gaming bug and left to pursue his passion. Five years prior he joins with North Star Games to startup a new studio focused on making great digital board games. Scott now runs the development team and is the product manager for North Star Digital Studios. Evolution Board Game was the studio’s first release, and Evolution: Education Edition now joins it as a digital board game targeting the education and learning space.
Dr. Teresa Chan is an associate professor at McMaster University. Currently, she is the Assistant Dean, Program for Faculty Development in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster. She is also the Director of the RCPSC Clinician Educator Area of Focused Competency Diploma program, and the Competency Committee Co-Director for the RCPSC emergency medicine residency program. Additionally, she serves as the Social Media Lead for the McMaster Department of Medicine. Dr. Chan is also interested in developing medical education innovations (and evaluating them!). For instance, she has co-developed and is evaluating a serious game about emergency department flow called GridlockED (www.gridlockedgame.com)! In her free time, Dr. Chan enjoys writing music. You can follow her online as @TChanMD on Twitter, or check out her work at www.tchanmd.com.
Vince Siu is the Co-founder and Managing Partner at Press Start Hong Kong, a games consultancy with a mission to change the world through play and games, and leads Press Start Academy, its after-school education arm. He is also the Founder and CEO of Epiphany & Labs, a boutique innovation consultancy with a social conscience. Outside of work, in a voluntary capacity, Vince serves as Vice Curator of the Hong Kong hub of the Global Shapers Community, a youth leadership initiative of the World Economic Forum.
This episode is quite different, it is the audio taken from the live stream that Dustin Staats and I did on Facebook and Instagram. These show notes will also be different, given that the conversation mostly unstructured, except for the questions that we prepared beforehand and that I mention below. Right after that, I'm going to mention some resources that relate to the move to online for educators in general, though of course given my stakes in higher education there will probably be more in that regard. Enjoy!
Clark Aldrich is an education technology thought leader - the author of five books and developer of patent and award-winning projects. He currently builds custom Short Sims for organizations using a revolutionary methodology he has pioneered or helps them build their own, through www.shortsims.com. He is also the host of an audio series called Education X Media (www.edbymedia.com) about evolving pedagogy in academics, corporations, and the military. Clark has just released a few chapters from his newest book, on the topic of Short Sims, at shortsims.com/handbook.
Peter Williamson is a professional golfer turned social entrepreneur who sees physical games as a way to catalyze conversations and problem-solving. Based in Washington DC, Peter started a creative agency in 2018 called Game Genius, which focuses on supporting the local region through non-digital play. The company designs custom games, workshops, and public events to help people enjoy what they do while building community awareness. To date, Game Genius has served over 100 organizations and designed 2 city-wide treasure hunts, with game projects addressing topics like toxic partisanship, mental health, environmental behavior change, financial literacy, and creative philanthropy.
Kristen Toohill believes that games are powerful tools for organizational development. She writes books that use the interactivity and immersion of games to solve issues that face organizations today, such as reducing unconscious bias and learning 21st-century human skills. She has worked in the video game industry as a Quality Assurance Tester and SCRUM Master on an MMORPG (massively-multiplayer online role-playing game). She has also done organizational development and games work for Green Tree Games and Revelian. Additionally, Kristen has performed qualitative research within the technological mining and comic book industries. Kristen received her Master’s degree in Business Innovation from Northeastern University and her Bachelor’s in Humanistic Psychology and Business Management from Lesley University. Currently, Kristen is a doctoral student in the Leadership PsyD program at William James College.
Antonis is a soft skills trainer, facilitator and consultant, combining experiential learning with gamification to ensure a holistic, playful and impactful approach to capacity building, adaptable to the learners' needs.
Joel Comm is an entrepreneur, NY Times bestselling author, and new media innovator. An expert on harnessing the power of social media and mobile applications to expand your brand’s reach and engage in active relationship marketing, Joel is a sought-after public speaker who leaves his audience inspired, entertained, and armed with strategic tools to create a new media campaign that will explode their business.
Dustin is currently focused on building and growing his podcast community Board Gaming with Education. Dustin has experience teaching English as a second language to a variety of age levels - from kindergarten to university students. He also works in the field of education in various capacities, including consulting, research, and running and hosting tutoring programs. He is always looking for ways to create a more engaging classroom to develop a strong classroom culture to strengthen learning. This is how he founded Board Gaming with Education. He is the founder of Board Gaming with Education and the host of the podcast. He has a lot of support from his amazing wife Grace. You can find Dustin playing board games with friends, teaching, running around LA training for races, or at any of the “Board Gaming with Education” events.
Bianca Woods is Senior Manager of Programming for The eLearning Guild and the founder of Clever Raptor, an L&D design studio. With degrees in both art education and education media design & technology, she's passionate about demystifying design and technology for others. She loves designing course content and media, test driving new learning technology, and taking photos of bizarre warning signs.
John Fallon is an English teacher at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, CT. John has designed Dolus: Finding the Journal of Odysseus an immersive ARG (alternate reality game) designed to augment his students’ exploration of Homer’s Odyssey.
He also co-designed Blind Protocol with Paul Darvasi, an inter-school ARG for his 9th-grade students that instructs on research skills and privacy-related current events. He has also developed lessons to teach commercial games, like Her Story, as literary texts.
His game-based learning work has been featured on National Public Radio’s MindShift, Edutopia, several books from Carnegie Mellon’s ETC Press and Peter Lang Publishing, BAM! Radio Network, and District Administration magazine.
John also hosts The Good Game Podcast with Tobias Staaby.
Paul Smith is one of the world’s leading experts in business storytelling. He’s one of Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers of 2018, a storytelling coach, and bestselling author of the books The 10 Stories Great Leaders Tell, Sell with a Story, Lead with a Story, and Parenting with a Story. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School, is a former consultant at Accenture, and former executive and 20-year veteran of The Procter & Gamble Company.
Dr. Michael Rucker is a peer-reviewed author with over a decade of professional writing experience. For many years he served as the Health Tech expert for About, Inc’s Verywell Health and is currently the Chief Digital Officer for Active Wellness, a global health management company ranked in the top 40 by Club Industry. This year Dr. Rucker was also tapped by HIMSS as a top 10 health influencer. He has been published in the academic journals International Journal of Workplace Health Management and Nutrition Research and featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CIO.com, and elsewhere. Dr. Rucker is a prolific writer and sought-out speaker on the science of fun, as well as an avid blogger who has interviewed over 100 thought leaders for his website, michaelrucker.com. He can also be found on Instagram under the handle @thewonderoffun.
Steve is CEO of Pug Interactive, a technology & design leader in engagement, retention, and community activation. He has 17+ years of direct experience in the video game industry, having designed and produced several AAA games for Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, Sega and Ubisoft that have generated sales in excess of $650 million. He is frequently sought as a speaker, having spoken at Game Developer’s Conference, South by Southwest, SIGGRAPH, Banff New Media Festival, GameON Finance, nextMEDIA and several others. He also has enjoyed an amazing Lebanese dinner with an actual Canadian Astronaut.
Scott Crabtree helps people apply science to thrive at work. After earning a degree in cognitive science from Vassar College, he went on to lead the design and development of video games and other software. He discovered the science of thriving (positive psychology and other brain sciences) in 2003 and immediately became a passionate student and teacher of that research. He resigned his senior leadership position at Intel in 2011 to found Happy Brain Science. His Happy Brain Science clients include DreamWorks, Nike, Kaiser-Permanente, Boeing, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, and NBC. He continues to use his game development background to ‘gamify’ all of his keynotes and workshops. He’s also produced the successful ‘serious card game’ Choose Happiness @ Work. He applies the latest findings from adult learning and hears from audience members years later that they still remember and apply his immediately applicable techniques. When not presenting the science of thriving at work, Scott enjoys playing music and getting into Oregon wilderness, especially with his wife and two daughters.
Jennifer Eberhardt Smith is the author of Donuts and Dandelions, finding your Joy and Growth. The simple philosophy of focusing on two main life goals helps clarify what you truly want in life. She is the creator of the arts/communication app Paint To Me, which is the culmination of a years-long project. Jennifer is now focusing on helping others through their life journey, either as a coach or speaker, both one on one and in the professional world.
Jordan DeVries is the Director of UX at Brave UX, based in Washington DC. His clients include Royal Caribbean, Marriott, Discovery Networks, Gensler, Eli Lilly, Rosetta Stone, and ClearChannel. His first exposure to gaming was watching his mother beat Super Mario World. His most recent gaming achievement is reaching Elite in Smash Bros Ultimate Online.
Scott is a successful instructor and business owner with more than 24 years of experience in networking, videoconferencing technology, and project management. He currently serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Missouri where his interests are focused on the impact of technology on society and human well-being. He has also created The Blockchain Game to explain how blockchain works to his classes and non-technical managers. It has been used all over the world by various instructors and companies. It is a creative commons resource for all to take and modify.
Lars Hoffmann is the Learning Director of DHI, a global water engineering consultancy and software provider. He has used, designed and sold learning games for more than 20 years, working both within and as a consultant in leadership development and change for large international organizations. He has a background in psychology and very much prefers board games to computer games, even though DHI is digitalizing heavily – also in the delivery of training for its clients.
Bobby Lockhart is an award-winning designer of educational games. He has designed and developed games based on popular Intellectual Properties like Jurassic World and Batman, and has created games for institutions like the Notebaert Nature Museum and the Anti-Cruelty Society. His games have been shown at the Bit Bash festival, Alt.Ctrl at GDC, and the Games•Learning•Society conference. He is an expert blogger of game design on gamasutra.com, and has given talks at PlayMakeLearn, M-Dev, and the Game Developers’ Conference.
Loretta Graziano Breuning, PhD, is author of Habits of a Happy Brain, and founder of the Inner Mammal Institute. She's Professor Emerita of Management at California State University, East Bay. As a teacher and a mom, she was disappointed by prevailing theories of human motivation. Her search for answers led to the brain chemistry we share with animals, and then everything made sense. She knew this information could help people, so she set about creating resources. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, French, Turkish and German. Her videos, blogs and many other media are free at the Inner Mammal Institute.
Jason has been teaching high school science for 13 years and enjoys spending time with his 5-year-old daughter when he isn't designing games or running the board game club at school. He also loves playing the piano and going to concerts. Jason started Engage Games about a year ago with the goal of developing games that help students become engaged in content in a fun and unique way.
Lee Sheldon is a game writer/designer; professor of practice in Interactive Media & Game Development at Worcester Polytechnic Institute; author: The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game (2 nd edition coming 2020), The Multiplayer Classroom: Game Plans; and Character Development and Storytelling for Games (3 rd edition coming 2020). Recent games: The Lion’s Song (PC, Mac, iOS, Android); Suburbia 2 (Facebook); Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved (Xbox). Classes designed as games: The Janus Door, a cybersecurity class for Cal Poly; Secrets: A Cyberculture Mystery Game, an online class for Excelsior College; and Crimson Dilemma, a business ethics video game for Indiana University. Lee spearheaded the development of the first writing for games full concentration at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the second at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is currently consulting on a NASA-funded game for science museums and planetariums involving the exploration of the moon. In a former life, he was a TV writer/producer with over 200 produced scripts from Charlie’s Angels to Star Trek: The Next Generation.
This episode is, not only our celebration for the anniversary, it is also special because it is something new I haven't tried on the podcast before. It is a completely solo episode, where I share with you, The Engagers, what is the general process I use for creating a solution with gamification. It is general, there is a lot more detail behind but I wanted to make sure you have open access to the basics. Enjoy and let me know if you have questions!
This special episode is part 2 of the live recording of the panel that was held on the Business Learning Games Conference 2019 in Lisbon, organized by the Business Excellence Institute. In part 1, we were left with a cliffhanger with regards to a question about the relevance and even the desirability of flow. This second part is the rest of the discussion and it features even more participation from the audience, which was great but also unexpected!
This special episode is the live recording of the panel that was held on the Business Learning Games Conference 2019 in Lisbon, organized by the Business Excellence Institute. The panel had quite a broad topic, and as such features questions from Rob as head of the discussion but also questions and comments from the audience itself.
Paul Darvasi is an educator, game designer, speaker and writer whose work looks at the intersection of games, culture and learning. He teaches English and media studies, is a doctoral candidate at York University, and a founding member of the Play Lab at the University of Toronto. His research explores how commercial video games can be used as texts for critical analysis by adolescents. He has designed pervasive games that include The Ward Game, based on Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Blind Protocol, a cyber warfare simulation that instructs on online security, privacy and surveillance. Paul has worked with the Canadian Royal Military College, the US Department of Education, UNESCO, foundry10, Consumers International, iThrive, and Connected Camps and has participated in several international research projects. He recently wrote a working paper for UNESCO on how commercial video games can be used for peace education and conflict resolution. Paul’s work has been featured on PBS, NPR, CBC, the Huffington Post, Polygon, Killscreen, Gamasutra, Sterne, Endgadget, Edsurge, Edutopia, and MindShift.
Danny Stefanic is the brains behind the world’s first WebXR learning experience platform, LearnBrite. Also founder of 3D internet company ExitReality Inc, founder of the International Virtual Reality Association and chairman of the virtual worlds social network Koinup. Called a “visionary” by his peers and deemed by Wall Street CIOs and Silicon Valley VCs to be “one of the pioneers in his field”, he has been creating ground-breaking 3D businesses for over 25 years. Danny actively works with young businesses to share his experiences and give back to the community. He has assisted companies with angel investment, international licensing, acquisitions, exits, managing distributed teams and has personally closed IP acquisitions valued at $85MM.
Jesse Schell is the CEO of Schell Games, a team of one hundred people who strive to make truly great games, both for the purposes of entertainment and education, including award-winning VR games such as I Expect You To Die, HoloLAB Champions, and Star Wars: Droid Repair Bay. Jesse serves as Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Entertainment Technology at Carnegie Mellon University and is the author of the award-winning book The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses.
As Chief Creative Officer and co-founder of Filament Games, Dan Norton oversees Filament’s design team and works on continuously improving the company’s design process. Dan has designed games about a uniquely broad range of topics, ranging from marine turtle ecology to legal argumentation. His games have won numerous industry awards and have been played millions of times in classrooms across the country. Dan approaches each new project at Filament as an opportunity to find authentic passion and engagement around learning new things, blending his love for game design with his love of collaborative creativity to support and lead Filament design and artistic practices.
Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. The M.I.T. Technology Review dubbed Nir, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Nir founded two tech companies since 2003 and has taught at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. He is the author of the bestselling book, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. In addition to blogging at NirAndFar.com, Nir’s writing has been featured in The Harvard Business Review, TechCrunch, and Psychology Today. Nir is also an active investor in habit-forming technologies. Some of his past investments include Eventbrite (NYSE:EB), Refresh.io (acquired by LinkedIn), Worklife (acquired by Cisco), Product Hunt, Marco Polo, Presence Learning, 7 Cups, Pana, Kahoot!, Byte Foods, FocusMate, and Anchor.fm (acquired by Spotify). Nir attended The Stanford Graduate School of Business and Emory University.
Gianluca Sgueo is Global Media Seminar Professor at New York University – Florence, and Research Associate at the Center of Social Studies of the University of Coimbra (Portugal). He is also Department Director at the Institute of Competitiveness, a think tank located in Rome and Brussels. His professional background includes several experiences in the public sector. From 2011 to 2013 he was the Head of Communications of the Italian Government; since 2014 he is Policy Analyst at the Parliamentary Research of the European Parliament. He has published extensively on participatory democracy, lobbying and globalization. His last book title is 'Games, Powers & Democracies', Bocconi University Press 2018.
Jasmin Deniz Karatas is on a quest to lead Gamification and Behavioral Design to success for businesses and entrepreneurs alike. She built up and leads the Gamification Chapter within Accenture Interactive. She gives lectures to students, holds international talks and workshops. Trained as a product designer and armed with years of experience in service design, as well as founding her own Startup Myndset, Jasmin follows her ambition to help her clients add passion, value, and emotions to their ideas and solutions.
Zack Hartzman is a Social Studies teacher at a high school in The Bronx of New York City. He has a Master's Degree in the teaching of Social Studies from Teachers College at Columbia University. He has taught Global History, United States History, Economics, and Government. He is the founder of Hey Listen Games, a website where he creates curriculum and lesson plans for teachers to use video games in their classrooms.
Nicolas has been enjoying life for over 53 years. He has worked and lived in the US, UK, Belgium, Japan, Germany and France allowing him to be open and understand different cultures. He worked for Sony for many years and learned to combine marketing and gaming. He is a co-founder of GamFed. Since 2017, Nicolas is a consultant in all digital matters. He helps big and small companies to transform their business by using AI and Gamification. He writes for Le Monde Economique in Geneva as a digital expert and works for LinkedIn Learning and IBM on social media and AI subjects.
This special episode is a recording of most of my talk at Serious Play Conference 2019 in Orlando, Florida. In this talk, I provide an additional perspective to the discussion of games and gamification in education and learning: the short term. Gamification and serious games are oftentimes referred to as a way to keep your users (players) engaged over the long run or at least over the medium term. I highlight how learners also receive great benefits from engaging with learning over short periods of time, in a way that allows the new information and abilities to stick over the long term.
Clark Aldrich is an education technology thought leader - the author of five books and developer of patent and award winning projects. He currently builds custom Short Sims for organizations using a revolutionary methodology he has pioneered, or helps them build their own, through www.shortsims.com. He is also the host of an audio series called Education X Media (www.edbymedia.com) about evolving pedagogy in academics, corporations, and the military.
Dan Salmanovich is founder and director of The Arcade Hotel. He was born and raised in Montreal, Canada and has spent most of his life in the service industry. His family got into hotels in Amsterdam and he was looking for the next best thing, where he started working in almost everything within hotels. He also did a summer school program at the Hague. Some years ago he had a hotel in Berlin and was in the process of selling it to move back to Amsterdam and it was where he decided to create The Arcade Hotel, which we'll be talking about during this episode.
Lauren Ferro has a Ph.D. in player profiling and modeling. She is currently an Adjunct Professor and researcher at Sapienza University, in Rome. She is also the co-organizer of the Unreal Engine Meetup in Rome. In addition, she created the game design resource, Gamicards, which is a prototyping tool for game experiences. At heart, she is intrigued by how we interact with the world and those in it.
Michael Matera is an engaging, fun and inspiring nationwide speaker and author, delivering keynotes, workshops and small group professional development to teachers and administration. Additionally, he is a practicing teacher. He ignites both his classroom and professional development audiences with interactive play, passion and purpose-driven learning. He helps us all focus on finding the joy in the journey of life both professionally as well as personally. He is the host and creator of the Hive Summit. As a gamification guru and moonshot thinker, Michael transforms the traditional classroom into a high-energy environment where active student engagement is paramount. Michael is an energetic trainer, who broadly shares his research, teaching methods and technological applications for the advancement of learners, teachers and administrators. As a consultant, he works with educational institutions and business to define the needs and build solutions that inspire and lead to effective change. Discover his most recent pioneering endeavors by visiting his website, mrmatera.com, listen to his podcast Well Played or have a look on his YouTube channel and remember to connect.
Dr. Karen Schrier is an Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Games & Emerging Media program at Marist College. She is also the director of the Play Innovation Lab. Prior to Marist College, she spent over a decade producing websites, apps, and games at Scholastic, Nickelodeon, BrainPOP, PBS/Channel 13, ESI Design and SparkNotes/Barnes & Noble. Dr. Schrier has authored or edited over 80 scholarly publications and educational materials. She is the editor of the book series, Learning, Education & Games, published by ETC Press (Carnegie Mellon), co-author of a UNESCO whitepaper on empathy and games, and co-editor of two books on games and ethics. Her latest book, Knowledge Games: How Playing Games Can Help Solve Problems, Create Insight, and Make Change, was published in 2016 by Johns Hopkins University Press and has been covered by Forbes, New Scientist, and Times Higher Education. Dr. Schrier has co-created many digital properties, such as Awesome Upstander, an anti-bullying mobile game and the Daytime Emmy-nominated Mission US: For Crown or Colony? For the 2018-2019 year, she worked as a Belfer Fellow with the ADL’s Center for Technology & Society. She holds a doctorate from Columbia University, a master’s degree from MIT, and a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College.
Juan Valera Mariscal graduated from Universidad de Salamanca as a Social and Work Psychologist, is a collaborator of the project Assessment Game Delphos 3D and also the creator of the CARDS Method for communications training. He is the author of the gamification book Gamificación en la Empresa and co-author of "Conversaciones para Triunfar." Juan is also a member of the GamFed (International Gamification Confederation), was responsible for institutional relations of the Asociación Nacional de Gamificación (ANAGAM) in Spain and a co-organizer of the Gamification Spain Meetup Madrid 2014. He is now also a professor of a masters degree in gamification, a consultant and a designer who manages development teams for gamified IT projects, usually focused in HR. He is a fan of tech, writer, illustrator and amateur musician.
Richard N. Landers is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Minnesota and holds the John P. Campbell Distinguished Professorship of Industrial-Organizational Psychology. His research concerns the use of innovative technologies in psychometric assessment, employee selection, adult learning, and research methods, with a recent focus on game-based assessment, gamification, artificial intelligence, unproctored and mobile Internet-based testing, virtual reality, and social media. His work has been published in Journal of Applied Psychology, Computers in Human Behavior, and Psychological Methods, among others, and his work has been featured in popular outlets such as Forbes, Business Insider, and Popular Science.
With 20 years of business and management experience, Naza has been instrumental in implementing innovative approaches to development, support and delivery of online and hybrid courses and programs with national and international partners. Her team became one of the most innovative and efficient distance education centers in Canada, has grown to be a leader in digital education and one of the largest providers of university credit online courses in Ontario. Over 35 international and national organizations have recognized Digital Education Strategies (DES) work including the OLC International Award for Excellence in Institution-Wide Online Education. Naza is a lead in grant proposals and in a number of educational initiatives providing technology and operational management expertise in the development of continuing education programs.
Dustin is with his beautiful and wonderful wife Grace living in Taiwan. Dustin teaches English at a university in Taipei and works in the field of education in other various capacities, including consulting and research. He is always looking for ways to create a more engaging classroom to develop a strong classroom culture to strengthen learning. This is how “Board Gaming with Education” was founded. He contributes to the podcast as the host. He also does the website design, editing, and some marketing. You can find Dustin playing board games with friends, teaching at his university, running around Taipei training for races, jamming to music, or at any of the “Board Gaming with Education” events.
Kevin Allen has had a 35-year career in the global ad industry where he was key to the transformation of powerhouses McCann Worldgroup, the Interpublic Group and Lowe Worldwide. Kevin worked with brands like MasterCard—developing the famous "Priceless" campaign, brought in $1 billion in revenues and was part of the mayor's advisory team that prepared the way for the successful New York City renaissance. Kevin is the best selling author of The Hidden Agenda: A Proven Way to Win Business and Create a Following. Kevin then became a founder and chairman of E.I. Games, creators of award-winning emotional intelligence-based Business Training Games (which counts Cisco, Duke University and Arizona State among its clients). He is also a Fellow at Ball State University, an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Florida Atlantic University, and a visiting lecturer at Columbia University and the Harvard School of Design.
Kerstin Oberprieler is award-winning gamification designer and Co-Founder of PentaQuest. She is also studying her Ph.D. in gamification. As a leading gamification academic and practitioner, Kerstin is pushing the boundaries of what is possible with gamification, building gamified solutions that are intuitive, highly effective, and engaging. Her recent clients include private businesses, government, not-for-profit organizations and schools, all seeking to engage their employees and learners through gamification. Her gamification experience includes card games, board games, digital games, and team and workplace-based gamification experiences and platforms.
Dr. Dennis L. Kappen, Professor at the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Humber College, Toronto, Canada, is a leading expert in UX design, human interaction design, industrial design, ergonomics and human factors, with more than 25 years experience in the field. His recent doctorate (2017) in Computer Science from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Canada, focused on assistive technology, older adults and the use of gameful technology. His Ph.D. dissertation “Adaptive Engagement of Older Adults through Gamification” was in the research and design of assistive technologies utilizing gamification strategies, facilitating physical activity among older adults’ through motivational affordances and gameful technology. Dr. Kappen's gamification framework called the “Kaleidoscope of Effective Gamification" (2013) has been well-received by academia and researchers as a tool providing a step-by-step methodology for designing gamification applications.
Sue, for more than three decades, ran a national PR agency that focused first on tech and then on the game industry. The Bohle Company was Microsoft’s first PR agency. She launched Epson America. And then she turned to games, helping create the Game Developers Conference, promoting Penny Arcade Expos and working for most of the big video game companies.Along the way, Sue realized that there was something addictive about gameplay. Those kids would forget about everything else and just spend hours playing games. She began to wonder if the same gameplay elements could be used to engage students.In 2007, she launched the first Serious Play Conference. Attendees include teachers interested in using games for K12, college faculty, game developers and instructional designers, corporate and health care training professionals.In 2014, Sue gave up her agency and now just focuses on promoting game-based learning.
Melissa Pilakowski teaches English/Language Arts in a small rural high school in Valentine, Nebraska. An advocate of innovation and gamified learning, she also hosts #games4ed on Thursday evenings. She uses blended learning and coaches other teachers trying to integrate technology into their classrooms. In general, Melissa is interested in anything related to literacy, innovation, technology, and how students learn.
With a background in neuroscience, computer science, and psychology, Amy Jo Kim is part game designer, part web community architect.Her design credits include Rock Band, The Sims, Ultima Online, eBay, family.com, nytimes.com, indiegogo.com. and numerous startups. She’s well known for her 2000 book, Community Building on the Web, and her work applying game design to Web and mobile services.Kim holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Washington and is an adjunct Game Design professor at Stanford and at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Betty Adamou is the Founder of Research Through Gaming, Author of Games and Gamification in Market Research (Kogan Page Publishing, 2019), and a serious game designer specializing in market research and marketing.Adamou is the inventor of ResearchGames™ (a new research methodology) where she designs games as instruments for consumer research on behalf of Fortune 500 brands. She is frequently invited to give keynote presentations and university guest lectures to share her business cases,expertise and research to a global audience.Betty has been voted “1 of 7 women shaping the future of market research” and is a multi-award winning entrepreneur and innovator, including the NGMR Disruptive Innovator and Enfield Entrepreneur of the Year awards. She has been noted both as a ‘pioneer’ and ‘revolutionary’ in the research field and is frequently voted as a top researcher and researcher of influence. Adamou is regularly interviewed to share her unique work and customers success stories, including several newspapers and magazines, podcasts and radio stations (including BBC Radio). She notes her greatest achievements as climbing Hong Kong’s Lantau Peak, writing a book, and achieving a 97% completion rate among teenage audiences.Research Through Gaming is based in the UK and since its inception in 2011, has worked with a diverse range of global brands, and has been in the GRIT Top 50 Most Innovative firms twice.
Pre-school teacher, learning experience designer for virtual and face-to-face. Clara also trains instructors, coordinates projects and manages learning communities. She is particularly dedicated to gamification, escape room design, visual thinking, storytelling and digital and communicational skills. Her work happens in several learning institutions (INTEF, CAM, Telefónica, UCM, training centers…), in face-to-face settings and often about e-learning. She is focused on learning innovation and is constantly creating active processes to improve the quality and efficacy of teaching.
Zsolt Olah is a creative learning consultant at Kineo with over 15 years of L&D experience. Zsolt is a frequent speaker at learning conferences on the subject of engagement and game thinking for L&D. He was in the top 50 authors of the year on elearningindustry.com for two consecutive years, and he's also published a gameful book, called Engage the WORL&D!, exploring six essential traits of instructional design. With a degree in information technology, Zsolt's been not only talking the game but walking the game with various workshops using game engines and sharing his prototypes online. When he used to have free time he wrote a feature film screenplay that was a finalist in an international competition.
This week we have quite a different episode. I've been asked before what is it that I do in gamification aside from this podcast and it all started creating interactive and engaging learning experiences at IE Business School's Publishing.
Chuck Sigmund is a senior program manager in the Amazon Leadership Institute. Chuck is passionate about creating environments that bring out the best in learners and encourage them to fully engage and optimize their learning experience. His recent work has focused on how to use gamification, digital storytelling, and hyper-interactive scenarios to increase learner engagement. He holds a master of arts in education and training, and is a Sententia Games certified Gamification Master Craftsman.
Dr. Oscar García Pañella, Telecommunications and Electronic Engineer, has enjoyed several stages abroad (IMSC (USC, LA, CA, USA, 1998); VIS Lab (The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, UCI, 2005) and at the ETC (CMU, 2008-2009)). Oscar directs the "Videogame School" ENTI-UB and he also partners as a senior Gamification consultant in Cookie Box. He also directs an online masters on Gamification and Transmedia Storytelling at IEBS.
Adam has worked as a game designer and game consultant for educational and serious games all around in Scandinavia. He has wrote the first, and as for today, the only book in Swedish about Gamification. Today Adam is a Ph.D. candidate in Informatics at the University of Skövde. He also works as a gamification designer and evangelist at the Swedish gamification studio Insert Coin.
Jamie Madigan, Ph.D., has become an expert on the psychology of video games and seeks to popularize understanding of how psychology can be used to understand why games are made how they are and why their players behave as they do. Madigan also writes, podcasts, and lectures on the subject for various magazines, websites, and his own site at www.psychologyofgames.com. He has consulted with game development companies and talked at conferences about how game developers can incorporate psychology principles into game design and how players can understand how it affects their play.
Glen Irvin has been in education around 20 years and he currently works as an instructional coach in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. Glen was previously a Spanish teacher. Glen is well known by the Schoology community as a Gamification expert, Schoology Ambassador, and he was the 2016-2017 Schoology Educator of the Year. He is an avid gamer with a passion for gamification, playful learning and game-based learning. As a teacher, his classroom was a gamified, quest-based, mastery learning environment where students were given the time and opportunity to succeed.
Steve Isaacs is an educator with over 25 years of experience. A teacher at Bernards Township Public Schools in New Jersey, he is an EdTech influencer, community builder, and leader in the area of game-based learning and teaching Game Design and Development. Steve has been part of a wide scale research study on VR in the classroom with foundry10, a research organization in Seattle. He has also been actively involved with the XR4C community as am XR4C ambassador. Steve was honored as the ISTE Outstanding Educator in 2016. In addition to teaching, Steve is the lead content producer for Minefaire, a massive Minecraft fan experience and co-founder of #EdTechBridge, a weekly Twitter chat (Second Wednesday of each month at 7 pm ET) and community working to build collaborative relationships among EdTech stakeholders to create better EdTech for students. More recently, Steve has become passionate about #esports in schools and founded the #esportsedu twitter chat (Thursday nights at 7:30 pm ET) and #esportsedu discord server
Pau has a degree in pedagogy and master in ITC applied to education. Pau is an entrepreneur with more than 10 years of experience in the creation of digital businesses related to video games, serious games, gamification and mobile technologies. Among others, the businesses he has created are City Nostra, a geolocation video game set in the Sicilian Mafia; Geomotion Games, a consulting and R+D+i company in Gamification for Smart Cities; and PlayVisit, a startup based in Barcelona reinventing tourism and cultural heritage through location-based games and gamification. Pau is a big fan of strategy and resource management video games but also real-life video games that makes you go out and discover the world. He also loves to travel to discover new cities and countries, as well as to practice outdoor sports such as trail running or trekking.
Steve is CEO of Pug Interactive, a technology & design leader in engagement, retention, and community activation. He has 17+ years of direct experience in the video game industry, having designed and produced several AAA games for Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, Sega and Ubisoft that have generated sales in excess of $650 million. He is frequently sought as a speaker, having spoken at Game Developer’s Conference, South by Southwest, SIGGRAPH, Banff New Media Festival, GameON Finance, nextMEDIA and several others. He recently enjoyed an amazing Lebanese dinner with an actual Canadian Astronaut.
Mun Choong (Munch) Munch is a serial tech entrepreneur based in Singapore. He is intrigued by how technology is fundamentally transforming how we socialize, learn, lead, work and play. He is the Founder and CEO of Selfdrvn Enterprise (Selfdrvn), a SaaS solution provider to help organizations improve workforce engagement and performance with positive psychology powered by mobile, AI, analytics and gamification. Munch was a part of the Gamification Panel at Gamification Europe 2018, which you can hear or see on Episode 64.
Dr. Philipp Busch works for GIZ since October 2014. He obtained a Masters’ degree in Economics and Geography at the University of Mainz, then continued studying to do his second Masters’ degree in Information Systems and Business Administration. In spring 2018 he finished his doctoral thesis about "Gameful Approaches in Development Cooperation", now teaches Gamification and Agile Methods at the University of Mainz. Philipp works at GIZ for the Social Innovation Team in Cairo to improve the situation for youths on the labor market in Egypt. Furthermore, Philipp is head of the GIZ component "Serious Games" to support the peace process in Yemen.
Matthew Farber, Ed.D. is an Assistant Professor of Technology, Innovation, and Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado. His research is at the intersection of teacher education, learning technologies, and game-based learning. Dr. Farber has been invited to the White House, to twice keynote for UNESCO, and he has been interviewed about games and learning by NPR, Fox News Radio, The Denver Post, USA TODAY and The Wall Street Journal. He is an Edutopia blogger, a Certified BrainPOP Educator, and he is in the iCivics Educator Network. With Karen Schrier, Ed.D., he co-authored the UNESCO MGIEP working paper, The Limits and Strengths of Using Digital Games as “Empathy Machines”. Dr. Farber’s book, Gamify Your Classroom: A Field Guide to Game-Based Learning — Revised Edition (Peter Lang, 2017) features a foreword from Greg Toppo. He is the also co-editor of Game Jam Guide (Carnegie Mellon University: ETC Press, 2017). His latest book, Game-Based Learning in Action: How an Expert Affinity Group Teaches with Games (Peter Lang, 2018), has a foreword from James Paul Gee.
This is a special episode, instead of a regular interview you will have access to the audio version of the panel I moderated during Gamification Europe 2018 in Amsterdam, featuring Juliette Denny, Munch Lam and Will Stuart-Jones. Juliette Denny is the managing director of Growth Engineering which is a company that helps the corporate world make their learning a lot more engaging. They set up the learning infrastructure for large and small companies alike so their employees actually love to learn. Will works for 3radical that is a SaaS company that provides gamification software coming from a marketing background. Munch Lam founded SelfDrvn in Singapore and they are a gamification platform company that started in 2015 building their customer base especially in Asia.
Keith Ng (@keizng) co-founded Gametize (with his best friend Damon Widjaja, and later Brenda Nicole Tan), a digital gamification platform to motivate behaviors through challenges and rewards such as in recruitment, learning & development, marketing and community advocacy. Gametize won funding in a reality TV show (Angels’ gate), the People’s Vote in IBM’s Asean Smartcamp 2013, and most recently SBR’s 2015 20 hottest startups in Singapore. The platform is powering fun for over 300,000 users with 10 million challenge completions. Keith was nominated as one of the most influential people in gamification globally by Gamification Summit (2014), as well as the top 100 gamification innovator/consultant by Sparkah.
A passionate and dedicated teacher who has taught K-12 Phys Ed as well as Grade 7 & 8 Sciences for the past 9 years. His professional motto is "Would you want to be in your classroom?" and it is reflected in his daily teaching. Deeply passionate about engagement, student connection and relationships in the classroom and believes that when connected together properly, you can pique interest in all students. He also believes in innovation in the classroom where he is constantly challenging himself to put new practices into play - especially the concept of "Gamification". Was a recipient of the 2013 Alberta Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2015 Gamification of Education Project of the Year. He has also been fortunate enough to share his ideas with 2 different TEDx groups, most recently with the University of Alberta and was Alumni of the Year in 2017 for Human Kinetics at Laurentian University.
Keith is the founder of Lillico learning Solutions which works with clients to build training that is accessible to all learners including those who have disabilities. He draws from his formal education and experience in instructional design as well as business to create learning content that focuses on meeting the needs of the learner while aligning it with enterprise-wide business objectives. He is a self-proclaimed brain learning junkie who believes anyone can learn anything they want as quickly as they want. He is currently working on developing a modern repeatable learning model that will allow learners to acquire and retain information at a rate that is much faster than traditional methods.
Jan Bidner is as a gamification designer and UX strategist and has worked as a consultant in the IT Industry for over 15 years. He has been an advocate for storytelling, game design thinking and user-centered design even longer. With a background in acting and teaching drama, he always brings a bit of playfulness into everything he does. Lately, he has been working a lot with the digital workplace, UX and change management. He is finding gamification angles in each project that requires long-term strategies, user engagement and behavior change (which is pretty much every implementation project). Jan is passionate about schools and learning and also works part-time as a hospital clown. He is active within in the gamification community and also one of the founders of the Swedish podcast Gamificationfredag. Watch his fresh mini vlog series about gamification in Swedish “Gamificationskolan” that runs in December.
Naomi Pariseault is an instructional designer for the School of Professional Studies at Brown University. As with many other instructional designers, it was a fortunate happenstance that Naomi stumbled into the field and has been happily inspiring student learning since 2011. She loves to experiment with new design approaches. It’s been a dream to blend together the principles of game design with learning to create gamified courses. Growing up Naomi loved playing classic video games and could be found playing Atari Asteroids with her dad or Super Mario 64 and Kirby with her cousin. Naomi has earned both the Level 1 and Level 2 Certifications from Sententia Gamification. She was also the instructional designer of the winning project of the Outstanding use of Gamification for Learning in GamiCon 2018 in Chicago!
David Chandross began his career as a neuroscientist working in the field of selective attention and cognitive science. After receiving his Ph.D. in curriculum and a second masters degree in medical education he went on to become an academic Dean and then held positions in senior administration across Canada in higher education. His work in gamification began in the 1990s and matured in at Ryerson University after which he accepted a position at the Simon Fraser University in the field of gamification under a 5-year, $3 million dollar simulation and advanced gaming environments federal grant. Currently, Dr. Chandross holds the position of program coordinator with Ryerson University and participates in research initiatives in gamification with Baycrest Health Sciences, the College of Family Physicians, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto and other institutions to further the implementation of game-based learning in higher education.
This episode we offer our own tribute to one of Marvel's greatest superheroes: Stan Lee. I discuss some of the things we can learn from his legacy to apply to our daily practice of gamification.
Greg Toppo is a senior editor for Inside Higher Ed. Before that, he spent 15 years as the national education reporter for USA Today. A graduate of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M., he taught in both public and private schools for eight years before moving into journalism. His first job was with the Santa Fe New Mexican, a 50,000-circulation daily. He worked for four years as a wire service reporter with the Associated Press, first in Baltimore and then in Washington, D.C., where he became the AP’s national K-12 education writer. Toppo also co-led the USA Today team that in 2011 looked at educator-led cheating on standardized tests. The paper’s series prompted the Washington, D.C., inspector general to investigate high erasure rates in D.C. schools. Toppo was a 2010 Spencer fellow at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and a 2016 Yale University Poynter Fellow. He is the author of the book The Game Believes In You: How Digital Play Can Make Our Kids Smarter (April 2015). In 2017, he became president of the Education Writers Association.
This podcast episode features Willem-Jan Renger (1967) who is the Head of Innovation Studio at HKU, part of the Center for Research & Innovation@ HKU. It is a crossover creative space for research, design and education, and functions as an innovation lab for design and applied research on the design of human behavior, motivation and perception. Their proposition is rooted in design, psychology, using design principles from the field game- and play design to solve real-world problems in an innovative way. Their mission is to foster innovation in Healthcare, Education, and Cultural Heritage, to build up knowledge and expertise on innovation processes in these contexts and share this knowledge both within and outside HKU. He is also the founder of 'ludodidactiek', a unique design methodology focused on a specific application of game and play principles for teaching and learning. Ludodidactiek is a specific form of applying game and play principles in the design of learning processes leading to both analog or digital solutions.
This is a really special episode! We celebrate the first year of the podcast with the engagers, past guests, reflections, looking at the future, inviting you to the podcast and even a giveaway for the lucky ones to win from our email list (register here if you would like to participate!) Past guests talk about some fun facts from their episodes, comment on what has changed since their interview and give us a quick tip to implement today. The messages from guests come from Andrzej Marczewski, Zac Fitz-Walter, Erik van Mechelen, Bart Hufen, Candis Best, Dave Eng, Jon Cassie, Altug Yilmaz, David Mullich, Valary Oleinik, Scott Reinke, Vasilis Gkogkidis, Manuel Pimenta, Bernardo Letayf, Monica Cornetti and Karl Kapp!
Chris Aviles is the 21st Century Skills, Technology, and Innovation Coordinator for the Fair Haven school district in Fair Haven, New Jersey where he runs the renown Fair Haven Innovates program he created in 2015.
Karen Sikkema is an experienced game, gamification and experience designer. With her creative companies Living Story and Wintertuin Experience BV, she is designing experiences, location-based games, adventures for cultural heritage, and game-based learning for teams and businesses. Her aim is to create meaning in the world by connecting people to themselves, to others and to great locations, and thus contribute to creating a sense of belonging, connection and respect for yourself and others. Karen is also a visiting professor at HKU Utrecht University of the Arts (NL) and Politecnico di Milano (IT), teaching on game design, gamification and entrepreneurship in the creative industries.
JD Dillon is one of the most prolific authors and speakers in workplace learning today. With his practical approach, JD integrates science, technology, storytelling and pure common sense to enable employees, improve performance and drive business results. For 20 years, JD has executed strategies for global organizations, including The Walt Disney Company, Kaplan, Brambles, and AMC Theatres. He is currently Chief Learning Architect with Axonify, where he partners with an award-winning team to solve business problems for leading organizations through modern learning practices and cutting-edge technology. He is also the founder of LearnGeek, which provides advising and educational services.
Samantha is a game designer, developer and researcher of game-based learning and gamification applications at the Disruptive Media Learning Lab (DMLL), Coventry University, UK. She works with both internal and external learners, practitioners and stakeholders to develop all manner of quirky gamey things. She sometimes even writes about the quirky gamey things. Her research and practice interests are mainly in the area of curiosity, narrative and puzzle led games that include escape rooms, D&D, mystery boxes and choose your own adventure style games. She is a bit obsessed with D&D and likes nothing more to kick back in an afternoon and kill some deserving cultists.
Charles “Chuck” Coonradt is Founder and CEO of The Game of Work, which was founded in 1973, and recently Forbes Magazine called Chuck “The Grandfather of Gamification”. Over one million executives, managers, and supervisors on five continents have been exposed to Chuck’s ideas on feedback, scorekeeping, goal setting, coaching, personal choice and accountability. His five best-selling books The Game of Work, The Better People Leader, Scorekeeping For Success, Managing The Obvious, and The Four Laws of Financial Prosperity have been labeled management “must read” and are found around the world in many countries and languages. The Game of Work’s client list includes many Fortune 500 companies, as well as other nationally and internationally recognized firms. Companies that have successfully utilized and implemented Chuck’s unique concepts include Pepsi, US Postal Service, General Foods, Leslie’s Poolmart, Nordstrom, The US Air Force, Boeing, American Express, Molina Healthcare, Coca-Cola Consolidated, The Chicago Tribune, Coors Brewing and International Paper.
Bart is the author of ‘A brand new playground’ (Kluwer, 2010) and ‘Playing on the job’ (van Duuren, 2016). In these books, he focuses on the power of game mechanics and how they can be applied to organizations to achieve continuous improvement. He’s been a steady force on the Global Gamification Gurus top 100 and is certainly one of the founders of gamification and game thinking in Europe. His track record with his company BrandNewGame holds over twenty -often award-winning - digital game innovations. The solutions provided for clients are always developed using a proven agile method that Bart developed. This method is also part of the curriculum at the University of Amsterdam and the Gamification Academy. With an average score of 8,7, Bart is a highly valued speaker both in the Netherlands and abroad.
Valary is one part artist and one part geek and has been accused of having a contagious level of passion and curiosity. Her career path has twisted and turned through the performing arts, computer support, business communication, and more along the path to multiple roles in the adult learning and development space. Along the way she decided that learners deserved better, so she set out on a quest to uncover ways to disrupt boring traditional approaches and improve learner experiences and outcomes. As a result, Valary has become a consultant and sought-after speaker at learning events across the United States. She has contributed to a number of articles and publications on learning, creativity and gamification and is the creator of the GAME Plan framework for gamifying learning.
Vasilis Gkogkidis is a gamification designer and researcher splitting his time between industry and academia. He works for GAMIFICATION+ alongside Pete Jenkins and does a Ph.D. on serious games, gamification and innovation at the University of Sussex. He studied computer science and did a postgraduate in Business Management at the University of Brighton where he met Pete Jenkins. He organizes Gamification Europe with Pete, he is the Greek Ambassador for GamFed, the founder of the Thessaloniki Gamification Meetup, organizer of the Brighton Gamification Meetup and a certified LEGO SERIOUS PLAY facilitator.
Lennart is an Associate Professor and Research Director of the HCI Games Group at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Before he worked as an Assistant Professor at UOIT and as a Postdoc in the interaction lab of the University of Saskatchewan. He has a Ph.D. in game development and loves to work in human-computer interaction and game design. You can find his latest research in his Google Scholar profile.
Dave Eng, Ed.D. is an intellectual and creative educator, designer, and researcher who combines, games, theory, and technology to define NEXT practice. He currently consults privately for colleges and universities on games-based learning, gamification, higher education administration, and instructional design. He loves the student affairs community and has helped many entry professionals get their foot in the door with their first position. His research interests include learning theory, technology and games.
Melinda is an entrepreneur, gamification wizard, and N7 paragon. She specializes in perfecting the telling and sharing of narratives through interactive experiences to create behavior change. Melinda is the founder and Managing Director of Subatomic, a digital experience agency taking engagement to a level over 9000. Subatomic is the proud Dutch Partner of Create Converge, an Interreg EU project that promotes collaboration and connection of creative companies within the North Sea Region. She's a mentor, coach and advisor to startups such as Ticketless.ai, greenApes, and Lootcakes. She's an international speaker, giving workshops and talks around the world. She's published her research in peer-reviewed journals, as well as on the review board for several publications.
Featured on the cover of Bloomberg Businessweek, Monica Cornetti works with individuals and organizations who want to learn how to think differently to achieve uncommon results. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica was rated #1 among the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” by RISE in 2015 and 2016, and in 2016 was also recognized as a Top 3 Finalist in the “Gamification Guru of the Year Award” by the World Gamification Congress held in Barcelona, Spain. She is the Founder and CEO of the Sententia Gamification Consortium and the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You. Now she is also organizing GamiCon 2018.
Eliza Hochman is the Chief Game Changer and co-founder of World of Insights, where they create engaging corporate learning games to increase the impact of learning and engagement at work. She has spent the past 20 years working with international organizations to create company-specific learning programs for its top executives. Eliza is a serial entrepreneur, a thought leader in learning innovation and an expert in highly participative learning experiences.
As a veteran educator, and long-time gamer, Tracy is enthusiastically exploring and bringing gamification to her classroom learning communities, like her Chemistry class where the students have to solve puzzles and find the secret code to escape the classroom. She·s a masters educated chemist about to start her 15th year of teaching. She·s the organizer for the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Coalition of Gamers and hosts many gaming events every month, such as MEEPLE. When she's not gaming, she's exploring the world, planning another trip, or diving into new games and new experiences -- how about a content-driven escape room in your class? Yes please!
Jon Cassie is Director of Curriculum and Innovation at TVT Community Day School in Orange County, California. A podcaster, gamer and teacher, he is the author of "Level Up Your Classroom," a practical guide to game-based learning and the gamified classroom, published in 2016 by ASCD.
As a veteran educator, and long-time gamer, Tracy is enthusiastically exploring and bringing gamification to her classroom learning communities, like her Chemistry class where the students have to solve puzzles and find the secret code to escape the classroom. She·s a masters educated chemist about to start her 15th year of teaching. She·s the organizer for the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Coalition of Gamers and hosts many gaming events every month, such as MEEPLE. When she's not gaming, she·s exploring the world, planning another trip, or diving into new games and new experiences -- how about a content-driven escape room in your class? Yes please!
Jon Cassie is Director of Curriculum and Innovation at TVT Community Day School in Orange County, California. A podcaster, gamer and teacher, he is the author of "Level Up Your Classroom," a practical guide to game-based learning and the gamified classroom, published in 2016 by ASCD.
Dutch Driver is a fanatical apostle for gamification, organizational development, and communication. Dutch's 15+ years in organization development embraces a broad-reach of sectors; chiefly in Aerospace, the Federal government, Healthcare, Higher Education, and non-profits. He is a NASA certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, a Certified Scrum Master in the Agile project management process, certified at Master Level III in Gamification, and certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator provider. He holds a B.A. degree from McMurry University and an M.A. degree from Texas A&M University.
Toby Beresford is a software entrepreneur, founder of the rise.global universal scorecard platform and longstanding gamification enthusiast. He is currently working on a new book, the Score Science Notebook, which provides practitioner models for infinite gamification design.
John Meehan is a high school English teacher and the school instructional coach at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia. John is a member of the 2016–2018 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Teacher Advisory Council, a member of the ASCD Emerging Leaders Class of 2017, and a 2016 "40 Under 40" honoree of the Arlington Leadership Center for Excellence. A multi-time presenter at the annual conferences for Virginia ASCD, the National Catholic Education Association, and the Play Like a Champion Today conference at the University of Notre Dame, John is a champion for high-energy, student-centered instruction, and his professional Twitter feed (@MeehanEDU) is packed with a daily array of photos, videos, blogs, tweets, and podcasts of he and his students putting this same spirit into action. Mr. Meehan’s fully gamified high school English class website is likewise loaded with all sorts of ideas for classroom games, side quests, leaderboards, and world building storylines.
Gustavo Tondello is the co-founder and gamification specialist of MotiviUX, research leader at GamFed (the international Gamification Confederation), and a Ph.D. candidate and sessional lecturer at the University of Waterloo, Canada. With more than 10 years of experience in software engineering and business analysis, he is currently researching how to design and personalize gameful systems and learning experiences. He has published many scientific articles on gamification and writes a popular blog on techniques for making everyday interactions more motivating, Gameful Bits. Gustavo uses gameful design methods to create participatory learning experiences, which help students practice what they are learning to further develop their skills in engaging ways.
Richard Bartle is best known for having co-written in 1978 the first virtual world, MUD (Multi-user dungeon), and for his 1996 Player Types model (killers, socializers, achievers, and explorers) which has seen widespread adoption by the MMO industry. His 2003 book, Designing Virtual Worlds, is the standard text on the subject, and he is an influential writer on all aspects of MMO design and development. In 2010, he was the first recipient of the prestigious GDCOnline Game Legend award.
Roman Rackwitz is the founder of Engaginglab GmbH, Europe’s first Gamification Agency in 2009. Winner of the first international Gamification Challenge, done by Mashable and SETI in 2011. He teaches Gamification for HR and Marketing at Universities in Germany and Switzerland. In 2017 he also founded a Social Media Agency that uses the knowledge and experience from Engaginglab to help its customers targeting long-term relationships, mainly in B2B. He's also program director for the Gamification track at the Gamescom Congress and co-host of the GamificationDay. Roman is regularly featured on German television and print as a guest when Gamification is a topic. He is the co-host of the German Gamification Podcast ‘Spiel aber Ernst.’ and a member of the Board of Directors at Schultheiss Software AG.
Pete Jenkins is an international speaker, adviser and trainer in Gamification. Pete took the number one spot on the “Gamification Gurus Power 100” in February 2016. Pete founded his company GAMIFICATION+ LTD and has since advised and trained companies of all sizes, both in the UK and internationally, on the use of gamification. He is also Chair of GamFed (the International Gamification Confederation), where he helps spread the use of gamification best practices to benefit as many people and businesses as possible. He's the founder and organizer of Gamification Europe! Pete has been Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Brighton for 9 years. As well as researching gamification for HR, he lectures on gamification and entrepreneurship at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Over the past 15 years, Pete has built and sold two businesses. Pete is also an Ambassador for Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce.
Michael has built his reputation as a Game-Based Learning Innovator, Architect, and Edupreneur. His current applied research and consulting focuses upon architecting and delivering immersive environments using serious games, workshops, and simulations. The initiatives leverage earning experiences by transforming key performance and quality indicators into increased learner satisfaction and institutional effectiveness. He has established an exceptional record of success in educational program delivery, learning communities’ development, competency-based assessment, and problem-based educational program management through innovative adult educational and online programs.
Andrzej Marczweski is a Gamification Solution Designer and Consultant at Motivait. He is a recognized expert in gamification, especially on the topic of gamification mechanics and user types. In 2015 he published Even Ninja Monkeys Like to Play. In his spare time, Andrzej enjoys spending time with his family, playing guitar and video games.
Candis Best is the Founder and CEO of Learningateway. Her career in higher education began as an adjunct professor. She has worked as a consultant, faculty member and subject matter expert for higher education institutions, companies and community-based organizations. Along the way, she added two masters degrees (business and psychology) and a doctorate in social welfare and policy development. Candis’ vision for Learningateway is to introduce much-needed disruption to higher education by leveraging technology to provide academically inexperienced learners with a transformative educational experience. She believes that President Obama’s goal of a U.S. education system that is the envy of the world, is still achievable and she intends for Learningateway to lead the way.
Dr. Jonathan Peters has spent the last two decades studying why people do what they do, why they make the decisions they make. As a speaker, Dr. Peters has helped audiences from Augusta, Maine to Melbourne, Australia, better connect with customers and employees. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Chief Motivation Officer at Sententia Gamification. He helps entice, engage, and encourage learners. Jonathan Peters is a speaker, author, and bourbon connoisseur!
With a background in neuroscience, computer science, and psychology, Amy Jo Kim is part game designer, part web community architect. Her design credits include Rock Band, The Sims, Ultima Online, eBay, family.com, nytimes.com, indiegogo.com. and numerous startups. She’s well known for her 2000 book, Community Building on the Web, and her work applying game design to Web and mobile services. Kim holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of Washington and is an adjunct Game Design professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
David Mullich has been designing entertainment and educational products for such companies as Activision, Age of Learning, Disney, Edu-Ware Services, Encyclopedia Britannica, Mattel, and the Spin Master toy company for over three decades. In recent years, he has focused on applying game design techniques to academia and business. David has served as an industry mentor at the USC GamePipe Lab, co-created the Boy Scouts of America Game Design Merit Badge, and earlier this year was ranked the 4th leading "gamification guru" in social media. He has lectured and led workshops on game design, gamification, and Game Thinking at the annual Game Developers Conference, Game Thinking Live, Loyola Marymount University, New York Film Academy, and the USC Institute for Multimedia Literacy. David currently lead the Los Angeles Film School's Game Production degree program, serves as the Education & Research Director for the International Game Developers Association's Los Angeles Chapter, and consults with educational and business clients on how to make their projects more engaging.
Karl is the assistant director and a faculty member at Bloomsburg University’s Institute for Interactive Technologies (IIT), where he teaches courses like Managing Multimedia Projects, Applying Theories of Learning for Interactive Technologies, E-Learning Concepts and Techniques and Learning in 3D.
He believes teaching/education/learning is an interactive exchange between students and the instructor that can take place both within and outside of the classroom or online environment.
His graduate level teaching reflects the belief that learning and understanding stem from interaction. All of his classes and courses include a problem-based learning approach. Students must interact with the material and apply theory to gain answers. The theory is important but practical application is critical to success. His instructional and learning methodologies ensure that knowledge is retained, learning is applied and results are visible.
Dr. Zac Fitz-Walter is a gamification designer who uses game design techniques and principles to help make tasks more engaging and motivating. He·s applied gamification to many different areas including training, education, health, wellbeing, business and HR. Zac leveled up his education in 2015 with a Ph.D. in designing effective gamification for mobile applications. He has taught a range of university subjects over the last decade, including gamification, game design and app development. Zac speaks at conferences and with companies around the world and consults and develops game-like systems for industry, government and research projects. He also runs an annual scavenger hunt and loves playing board games.
Dr. Michael Wu has served as the Chief Scientist at Lithium over the past decade, where he focuses on developing predictive and prescriptive algorithms to extract insights from social big data. His research spans many areas, including customer experience, CRM, online influence, gamification, digital transformation, AI, etc. His R&D won him the recognition as an Influential Leader by CRM Magazine along with Mark Zuckerberg and other industry giants. Michael has served as a Department of Energy (DOE) fellow at the Los Alamos National Lab, conducting research in face recognition and was awarded 4 years of full fellowship under the Computational Science Graduate Fellowship. Prior to going into the industry, Michael received his triple major undergraduate degree in Applied Math, Physics, and Molecular & Cell Biology; and his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley·s Biophysics program, where he used machine learning to model visual processing within the human brain. Michael believes in knowledge dissemination and speaks internationally at universities, conferences, and companies. His experience and insights have inspired many global enterprises and are made accessible through ·The Science of Social,· and ·The Science of Social 2··two of his books.
After changing his student life for a working career, Horst Streck worked as an information expert within the Amsterdam local authorities for over 15 years. In 2001 Horst Streck founded I Sioux Media Productions with two partners. In 2002 the company made its first step as a game developer. In 2007 the company entered the casual games arena, with the brand Youdagames. Youdagames won the Dutch Game award in 2008, with two games and became best ·up-and-coming developer· in 2009 in Seattle. As CEO, Horst Streck was executive producer and responsible for building strong relations with partners and distributors. In 2012 Horst Streck stepped down as a CEO and became a member of the advisory board. He decided to follow his heart and started a new venture which is all about gamification. In 2014 he was selected as chairman of the Dutch Games Association. For two years he's been in the mission of renewing the educational system by the use of gamification. The last two years have been the most regulars he's had since he has been teaching gamification at the university. He might be also giving workshops, presentations, advising people, almost anything on a given day!
Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner, is a leading expert in the fields of brand narrative, story world development, creative franchise design, and transmedia storytelling. He specializes in the expansion of entertainment properties, premium brands, and socio-political themes into highly successful multi-platform communications and international campaigns. As a producer accredited by the Producers Guild of America, Jeff also develops the story worlds of films, TV shows, video games, toys, books, comics, apps, virtual reality projects, and theme park attractions. This deepens engagement and accelerates the development of participative communities, resulting in mass audience approval, brand loyalty, and increased revenues. Jeff's pop culture work has impacted such blockbuster properties as Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean, James Cameron's Avatar, Hasbro's Transformers, Sony Pictures' Spider-Man and Men in Black, Microsoft's Halo, and Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Jeff has also developed highly successful transmedia campaigns and participative brand narratives for Coca-Cola (Happiness Factory), Pepperidge Farm (Goldfish) and Spartan Race. Other current clients include Electronic Arts, Sesame Workshop, Disney Parks & Resorts, and World Vision Canada. Jeff's proprietary transmedia methods have also been applied to educational and geopolitical causes, accelerating positive self-organized social movements and increasing resistance to crime, violence, and corruption. Through applications of his Collective Journey and transmedia population activation models, Jeff has helped optimize communications for large NGOs, and address crises in Mexico, Colombia, Australia, and the Middle East North Africa region.
Juliette is the Ideologist in Chief (AKA Managing Director) at Growth Engineering, and her unwavering mission is to wage war on dull online learning! She is a pioneer and expert in applying gamification and social functionality to online learning. She has an unrivaled passion for learner engagement, which leaves audiences inspired and electrified. She is the complete package: influencer, expert and also has direct access to primary research through her own products and solutions, meaning that her talks are packed full of stats and case studies proving the truth in what she·s saying. Juliette has also been named #30 on the eLearning Movers and Shakers list, which just so happens to be the highest any learning technologies vendor placed! She's also a mom of two amazing kids and the cutest dog, Lilly!
After graduating from Mathematical Engineering Altug worked for Netron and BilgeAdam as a trainer. He was responsible for Turkcell Educational platforms more than 5 years at Turkcell Academy. He is the author of first Turkish gamification book: and Gamification Confederation GamFED's Turkey representer. He blogs about gamification and is the only Turkish person who got invited and gave a speech at Gamification World Congress GWC16 in Madrid, Spain. He is doing lecturing at a University and doing gamification consultancy for companies.
Manuel is a Lead Gamification Designer at Fractal Mind, and his background is mostly in software development and analysis. For the past 6 years, he's been one of the main voices of gamification in Portugal and has had the luck of spreading the fun in domains like eLearning, employee engagement, sales teams and ideation since then, with some of the top banking and retail companies in Portugal. Manuel is also a Design Thinking and Gamification Design coach and has co-organized 2 editions of Novabase Gameshifters, Portugal's biggest gamified ideathon.
Vasilis Gkogkidis was an organizer of Gamification Europe 2017 and is also a gamification designer at Gamification +. He started his gamification journey with Pete Jenkins coming right out of his Masters degree.
Drawing on experience in education, e-learning, theatre, retail, training, startups, events & game industries, he has found that this one thing thrilled him the most: designing purposeful fun.· When we play, we are pushing to be the best version of ourselves. Working should be more like playing. His power lies in doing just that: using all the powerful elements found in games and use them in organizations to make work more fun, challenging & meaningful. (Which - by the way - often leads to great results). He makes games. (company games, business games, team games, training games, kick-offs & ARG·s). He talks, inspires & advises about gamification. (at conferences, workshops & strategic sessions with companies). He also designs Escape Rooms. He helps companies enhance innovation and business performance using LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method.
Ahmed Hossam is The International Gamification Confederation (Gamfed) Ambassador in Egypt. He is a keynote speaker, consultant, designer and facilitator on gamification. He is currently the president of Gamification Egypt and the founder of Gampact. Ahmed is one of the of the top pioneers in gamification in the Middle-East, he has been in the ·Global Gamification Gurus Power 100· since 2015 and in July 2017 he was rated #2. He has helped a variety of companies, from seed stage startups to Fortune 500 companies such as HP, Oracle, Vodafone, AUC, Abudawood and many more· Ahmed has been interested in the concept of Gamification ever since 2005.
Dr. Marigo Raftopoulos is the founder of the Strategic Innovation Lab, where they create solutions for innovation using gamification, systems thinking and their own frameworks to deliver results for their clients.
Scott is a 7th and 8th grade teacher and is one of the pioneers in implementing a fully gamified classroom. Just going into the room lets you know you are in a different place, it is themed as a medieval adventure!
Vasilis Gkogkidis was an organizer of Gamification Europe 2017 and is also a gamification designer at Gamification +. He started his gamification journey with Pete Jenkins coming right out of his Masters degree.
Sabrina Bruehwiler is a gamification designer and consultant at the Octalysis Group. She has a lot of experience with user experience (UX) and holds creativity as her superpower. Listen to this episode and get amazing insights she has gathered along her journey.
In this episode we talk with Bernardo Letayf, a gamification expert who created Blue Rabbit, a software to create gamified environments for education. For his work, he was recently awarded the gamification software of the year at Gamification Europe.
This is a special episode where instead of having a guest I will go over my own experience at the conference Gamification Europe. In the show notes at professorgame.com/podcast/010 you will also find pictures and links to the videos of the talks.
Erik is a writer and works bot hon his own books and with The Octalysis Group. He uses gamification in his daily life and has awesome stories to tell us!
In this episode we have learning gamification guru Monica Cornetti give us deep examples of how gamification has failed either because she didn't know the audience or an app that just got it wrong, but also how she's achieved amazing things using gamification.
Listen to Tony Chan talk about game development to get the best ideas for the gamification of your learning experience. Tony's podcast GameDev Loadout talks about the challenges of game developers.
Professor Jared Chapman is the founder of Project Delphinium where he explores the do's and dont's of gamification in an educational setting.
Sylvester Arnab is involved in multiple gamification projects in Coventry University and in Europe, he is even a reader of game science! Listen to this episode to learn from his experience and how he would gamify high school.
Listen to An Coppens, one of the top gamification gurus of the world, talk about how she has changed her life using gamification (literally). Learn from her huge success, but also from her hard times how good gamification can make your life fun!
Pete Jenkins is the organizer of Gamification Europe, a new conference around the gamification space that will happen the 28-29 of November 2017.
Get to know the Ball State Achievement program and why they won the Gamification World Congress 2016 best educational project of the year.
Yu-kai Chou is an author and international keynote speaker and lecturer on gamification. He is the original creator of the gamification framework Octalysis. In this interview he highlights some of the successes and failures he's seen, as well as how he'd face a challenge in the classroom...
This episode is to help you understand the Professor Game podcast. We will run through basic things like who this podcast is for, what it is about, why we created Professor Game, how are the episodes structured, how can you participate and who is Rob Alvarez Bucholska. There might be a surprise towards the end...