Work Sample 01 of 03
Applying Gamification to Increase Sales Training Engagement
Adobe CaptivateNumbered callouts match the seven game mechanics below.
Overview
Developed an interactive training game built on branching scenarios with realistic characters, using gamification to boost learner motivation and knowledge retention.
Colonial Life is a U.S. insurance company offering voluntary group benefits coverage such as accident, critical illness, cancer and life insurance. Our task was to pick one role in the sales training department and find ways to make its training more engaging.
The solution is a web-based game where learners spend a day in the life of Daryl, a benefits counselor. They help him prepare for and complete a one-on-one voluntary benefits enrollment session with Ruby, a bakery owner, through activities that closely model real-world scenarios, while earning points, unlocking levels and earning the chance to buy a sweet treat at the end.
Research
Identifying the pain points
We ran an online survey of 31 sales training employees and interviewed subject matter experts to identify the target audience, learn what motivates them, gauge their interest in games and learn more about gamification. The feedback pointed to three problems with the current training.
Training is boring
“Simply keep it fun and engaging… have humor.”
Not very realistic
“Incorporate relevant content and role-playing.”
Text-heavy materials
“I don’t have time to read all the materials.”
rated their interest in playing games a 10 out of 10. Respondents said they were most motivated by competing, winning and gaining knowledge.
Audience
Focusing on benefits counselors
After reviewing current project requests against team and department goals, we chose the benefits counselor role. It most directly affects customers during open enrollment, and it had a training gap we could fill.
A benefits counselor SME helped us define which behaviors to teach, which experience level would benefit most, the knowledge gaps to close and the resources learners already had. From that, we built a persona, a journey map and the learning objectives.
How might we design the benefits counselor training to increase user engagement?
Design
Building the storyline
- Wrote the learning goal and objectives
- Pinpointed a benefits counselor’s most important tasks during an enrollment session
- Shaped a storyline with a setting, plot, characters, obstacles and timeline
- Chose the gamification elements that best supported the story
- Delivered it as an online module: the most realistic option, and a repeatable formula for future projects
My teammate and I sketched “A Day in the Life of a Benefits Counselor” across the hallway walls, keeping the two essentials: pre-enrollment and day-of-enrollment activities. We cut post-enrollment tasks because they made the training too long.
Game Mechanics
Seven elements that keep learners playing
Drawing on a gamification workshop we attended during research, we chose the elements most likely to engage this audience.
Points
Up to 70 points for completing tasks and answering correctly: measurable evidence of progress.
Countdown
Real enrollments take about 20 minutes, so a timer keeps decisions moving.
Reward
A strong score buys an apple pie, cookies or a slice of cake from the bakery.
Feedback
Instant right-or-wrong feedback shows learners whether they’re on track.
Questions
Questions appear at the moments they would come up in a real session.
Penalty
Careless choices cost points.
Levels
Five levels mirror the stages of a successful enrollment session.
Results
What learners said
Overall, learners appreciated the fresh approach to training.
What worked“The short clips of video mixed with interactive questions were much more captivating than typical continuous video.”
What missed“As an experienced benefits counselor, I feel points were valuable but the presentation was too childish.”
“Training should be professional, not a game.”
Reflections
What I’d keep, and what I’d change
Proud moments
- My teammate and I trusted each other to make the best calls based on our strengths and knowledge.
- We took risks with the final design and earned a strong, positive reaction from leadership, and now we know which design choices work for this audience.
Learning opportunities
- Choose a more professional style. Ours didn’t suit experienced learners, so I now test visual direction with the audience earlier.
- Document, document, document. We made many small storyline and visual tweaks without capturing them, notes that would have helped future gamified projects.