How Serious Game Analytics Can Help You Rule The World (Or at the Very Least, Your Business)
As we’ve discussed before, game-based learning is one of the most effective and compelling approaches for training employees to perform well in their roles.
For a refresher on why serious games are so beneficial and how they help employers reach more of their desired outcomes, read our previous article.
But in order for employers to fully capitalize on the advantages of serious gaming, they must go beyond simply introducing a mobile app to their employees. They must begin to monitor and track the performance of their users, collecting data and using it to better inform the decisions they make as they move forward as business owners.
Unfortunately, however, many employers overlook this crucial step in the training process.
In fact, a surprising 53 percent of employers admit that they don’t actively track the performance of their employees.
And it gets worse.
Only 8 percent of companies feel their performance tracking process is highly effective in driving business value – a number that is alarming by any standards.
But how can business owners use analytics to better monitor and understand the impact of their serious gaming app? And what results can they expect from doing so?
HERE ARE THREE WAYS SERIOUS GAME ANALYTICS CAN HELP YOU RULE YOUR BUSINESS (AND POSSIBLY THE WORLD):
- FLAWLESS FOLLOW-UP STRATEGIES
For employers who are wondering how analytics can improve business, there is no greater justification than the ability to use data to develop more informed and purposeful strategies for the future.
In fact, one study has shown that companies who engage in data-driven decision-making are, on average, 5 percent more productive and 6 percent more profitable than their competitors.
When it comes to training employees using game-based learning, similar results can be achieved when business owners use analytics to inform the decisions they make about their training processes.
For example:
Business owners who use the ARC Reach app can monitor how employees are performing as they complete their learning modules by accessing the management dashboard. If a significant percentage of employees score lower than usual on a specific module, the employer can then choose to add an instructional video or simulation exercise for the particular lesson to help employees meet their educational objectives.
This ability to adjust and adapt using data-driven decision-making is a perfect example of the importance of analytics for business success.
- INCREASED COMMUNICATION
In an ideal world, employees would always feel comfortable approaching their employers with questions or concerns about their training or performance, but this isn’t always the case. Some employees shy away from admitting when they are struggling, or prefer to simply try and figure it out on their own. But when the productivity and profitability of a company is dependent upon how employees perform, employers can’t always afford to take the risk when it comes to meeting educational requirements.
For this reason, performance tracking is essential.
In the ARC Reach app, employers are provided with numerous ways to interact and engage with their employees, increasing the efficacy of their training programs.
Whether it’s commenting in a lesson-specific discussion forum, or messaging an employee directly with personalized feedback, business owners can keep the lines of communication open in a way that is convenient and comfortable for their mobile app users.
Why is this so important?
Because business leaders who rank in the bottom 10 percent as feedback givers see team engagement scores that average just 25 percent, while those who rank in the top 10 percent for feedback giving see team engagement scores that average 77 percent.
This shows that employers who actively provide feedback to their employees experience drastic improvements in engagement, which leads to better educational outcomes as well.
- PERSONALIZED LEARNING EXPERIENCES
It is a truth that any credible instructor, teacher, or professor will tell you: every student is unique. Yet so many of the traditional training methods tend to treat every learner the same, producing less-than-ideal results.
Thankfully, when business owners invest in a game-based learning app with built-in analytics, they can use the data they gather to create a personalized learning experience for each of their employees.
This is one of the most powerful benefits of analytics, since it gives employers the opportunity to address the unique challenges each user is experiencing.
Why is this important?
Because personalized learning is directly related to improved educational outcomes. In fact, in a recent study by the U.S. Department of Education, personalized learning was linked to higher student motivation, a higher sense of belonging and increased connectedness to lessons amongst high school students.
When these are duplicated in a corporate setting employers directly benefit, achieving more of their business goals as their employees engage more in the training process and achieve more of their educational objectives.
When these three advantages come together, the sky becomes the limit. In fact, the results can be so impressive that you might just feel as though you can take on the world. And when it comes to entrepreneurship, that’s always a fantastic feeling!