Gamification – applying the mechanics of gaming to non-game activities to change people’s behaviour
As one of the most talked about trends of the year, gamification has made it onto the 2011 Gartner Hype Circle for the first time. At the next convergence conversation we’ll seek to discover whether the concept is a serious application with the power to change people’s behaviour, or just pure hyperbole?
It’s not a trick question, I do want to know but I don’t want to start counting characters per page, but 20 pages of guidance on how to twitter in government would be a lot of tweets. The latest government guidance is called ‘Template Twitter Strategy for Government Departments’ and is available here. News outlets are all reporting on it and the author even guest blogged on the cabinet office’s Digital Engagement Blog to promote it. Let’s hope the guidance is put to use sensibly.
On 12 May, I highlighted on this blog the problems that the Postal Services Bill might encounter in the House of Commons, following a relatively smooth passage through the Lords. So what has happened since then and is the Government on-course to get the Bill passed before the summer recess?
21 May was the day that things began happening in the Commons with regard to the PSB. On this date, the Bill received its first reading. However, this stage is just a formality and no debate or vote takes place. Now usually what happens after this first stage is that a Bill progresses to its second reading circa two weeks later, at which there is a debate on the principle – rather than the detail – of the Bill. However, no date has been set for the PSB to receive its second reading; given the controversial nature of this Bill, it would appear that time is running out.
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