When companies have multiple employees, in the course of work every employee has a chance to observe "gaps" (i.e. the missing pieces) in knowledge and skills in not just himself or herself, but also in other people, teams, departments.
Even when a gap is identified, not every employee is sufficiently motivated to start learning or to try acquiring skills to fill that gap. And if the gap is identified in another person or team, hardly anyone wants to "bell that cat" by publicly pointing it out!
Gamification can change employees' attitudes towards seeing (or unseeing!) the gaps in themselves and in others, and also in seeing how those gaps tie into the bigger picture of team performance, of company performance, etc.
If one were to think about a performance milestone as a beautiful picture, the gaps are like missing jigsaw pieces in such a picture. Or, imagine a gap as the missing number match in a Keno lotto game. Or, imagine the gap as something needed to complete a quest.
My solution draws on ubiquitous software that track feature requests or bugs. Similarly, I envision management and employees submitting "gaps" into a database that also acts as a progress tracker. Through automated alerts, personal initiative, or both, employees find gaps and track their success in filling them. Visually, these successes can convert into filling in missing jigsaw pieces into a picture (metaphor for performance/milestone) or other creative ways. Leaderboards. Winnings. #FillGaps!
Posters in the company, e.g. in areas of high foot traffic, that encourage employees to win by submitting gaps. For example, "Do You know what's missing in the picture. Let us know and you could win!"
Internally, show people how using the system is as simple as a using their existing systems: whether that be a system designed for bug submission, or feature request tracking, or anonymous digital suggestion box, etc.
As gaps are identified and submitted into the system, automated notifications go out to the relevant personnel- who need not feel rushed, but will keep the gaps on their minds at meetings, rest breaks, etc.
As gaps fill, individual/team leaderboards get updated, celebratory messages get sent. Automated updates into the creative pictorial (or other, e.g. 3D, e.g. LEGO) representations of gaps are done.
Teams, individuals can accumulate unique "filled" images. They can be put on company swag, wall posters, email footers etc as a celebration of achievement. 4Motivation!
