Gamification and Game Development for Educational Agile Operations Management in Robotics Research

Abstract

Agile operations management can potentially improve performance output and quality of workers through the use of gamification in non-work environments. The paper investigates the potential application of gamification in work environments using concurrent engineering strategies to drive performance orientation and user engagement. A game model was developed by the Mechatronics and Robotics Research Group at the University of KwaZulu-Natal to implement gamification in research management and optimize research output. The game was devised from hexa-block game mechanics and employed interactive strategies to engage the user's in the performance of required research objectives. The experimental development described the phases of game design and adaption according to unbalanced game mechanics and additional game features. Results were attained from work output performance and trends were evaluated between work performance with and without gamification.