4 Reasons You Should Adopt Game-Based Training

Game-based training is aimed at engaging learners. It’s important to note that game-based training and gamification are not the same. The 70-20-10 Model for Learning and Development states that 70% of learning comes from on-the-job experience, 20% from interaction with others and 10% from formal education events. In other words, 70% is experiential, 20% is social and 10% is formal. Based on this model experiential learning is the most beneficial method of teaching. Games present a way for learners to learn by doing and can mimic experiential learning.

Game-based training has been going on for years in the airline industry and the military, but it’s recently been expanding into areas like restaurants.

At Checkers, each sandwich maker has to learn how to craft 25 entrees on their menu. Employees use digital flashcards to learn the menu items, tour the sandwich station and practice making all the items on the menu. In the end, employees play the sandwich-making game where they race to accurately fulfill all the orders they receive.

While you may not need to teach your employees how to make sandwiches, every organization needs to train its workers. So how can game-based training benefit your organization?

“Simply put, game-based training provides an opportunity to capture learning data at a much more granular level.” 

Game-based training provides much richer information on the process learners use to make their decisions. With game-based learning experiences, you can better gauge the skill level and knowledge of the player as they are confronted with making decisions in real-life situations. You gain knowledge about how they arrive at their answers and track their progress along the way.

“According to a 2011 study by Tracy Sitzmann, games are the best way to learn compared to traditional learning. They increase learner confidence by 20%, improve knowledge by 11% and enhance knowledge retention by almost 90%.” – Training Industry

Game-based training is especially important in situations where a lack of employee training and awareness can be costly. For example, creating a game simulation that mimics a cyberattack will teach IT how to deal with that situation and prevent data from being compromised. In doing so, you help players deal with IT issues and gain insight into where their knowledge may be lacking.

It’s important to keep in mind that game-based training may not always be the most effective training method for the task at hand. It depends on the overall goal and purpose of the learning experience you are building. For example, game-based training may not be effective with heavy, complex information that can’t be easily broken down. Like all other approaches to learning design and development, game-based training represents a proven and effective approach. But it should be part of a larger blended approach to accomplishing your organizational goals.

Does your organization use game-based training or have plans to in the future? 

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