ABSTRACT
In 2005, a US-based start-up company began exploring the potential of using the established theories of social games and games mechanics, taking and translating the concepts and applying them to non-game situations and sectors. That company was called Bunchball and its founder, Rajat Paharia, coined the term 'gamification' for the first time around the year 2010 to give the concept an identity. Gamification can potentially be applied to any industry and almost anything to create fun and engaging experiences, converting users into players. The idea of turning 'users' into 'players' is a key element of the gamification process. The main goals of gamification, according to Gartner, are increased user interaction, behavioural change, and the stimulation of innovative thinking and the generation of new ideas. The very idea of games, online gaming and 'gamers' being at the heart of the development of any seriously debated, potentially important business tool might seem anathema to some.
