How A Pokemon Go Type of Design Using NFC Can Enhance Training Experiences
Back in the 1990s, there was a huge following for a cute little yellow rabbit-looking character called a Pokémon. Recently there has been a revival of sorts after the release of a free game that is creating a lot of buzz. The game is called Pokémon Go.
If you haven’t heard of this game yet, you will. It has only been available as a free download for less than a week, yet Pokémon Go is currently one of the top trending conversations on Twitter and is making news with its connection to robberies and finding a dead body.
“In simple terms, Pokémon Go uses your phone’s GPS and clock to detect where and when you are in the game and make Pokémon “appear’ around you (on your phone screen) so you can go and catch them,” writes German Lopez of Vox, “Based on the premise of bug catching – a popular hobby in Japan, where the games originated – the big goal in the Pokémon games… is to collect all of these virtual creatures.”
The use of games in training and development has been around for a very long time (Thiagi Blog), but within the last few years, the term “gamification” has been defined as incorporating game elements to other areas of activity. Instructional designers are using gamification techniques in elearning courses to motivate participation, increase interactivity, and enhance the training experience.
Another more recent shiny object is the use of virtual reality to interact within a virtual environment. Pokémon Go combines the virtual and real world gaming experience to create an augmented reality, and instructional designers can create similar types of training experiences for their audience without having to program APKs or learn Unity.
Pokémon Go is essentially a scavenger hunt or treasure hunt game. Instructional designers have used scavenger hunt activities and exercises for years. Now they can create a scavenger hunt within an augmented reality game. Using NFC tags, designers can program training content into the token, and place the tokens in the real world for their training audience to find.
Creating Augmented Reality Training For Retail
Here’s one example of using augmented reality for product training in a retail environment:
A superstore retailer wants to train their employees on specific products sold in the store. The retailer carries thousands of products, but only wants their employees to be knowledgeable about the top 10% of products sold. Their instructional designers create a scavenger hunt with NFC tokens where the tokens are programmed to connect to specific product training elements within the company LMS. Employees are equipped with devices with NFC technology (typically a smart phone or tablet). When the NFC enabled device is placed near an NFC token, the device connects to their LMS and plays a one minute video or activates a quick quiz about the product. The employee views the video and takes the quiz. Their LMS training history is updated.
The idea to design product training can also be used to create customer service training where NFC tokens can be placed in different parts of the store. When the NFC tag is activated, a training video or activity related to customer service in a specific area of the store may launch.
Creative NFC Ideas Applied To Any Training Design
Other ideas:
NFC tags can be placed on employee policy boards to activate policies and procedures training.
NFC tags can be placed on ladders to remind employees of ladder safety.
Place a tag near time clocks to show employees how to clock in and out.
Place a tag at the entrance to a department to activate a video about that department.
Place a tag near a fire alarm or floor map to activate an emergency evacuation video.
There are so many different applications for using NFC tokens. How creative can you get?
Creating a Pokémon Go-like experience doesn’t have to make headlines or trend on Twitter. Augmented reality training can be designed for just about any organization using a NFC enabled device and a few low cost NFC tokens.
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Franz Villa is an expert in organizational development, business management and learning technologies. He has helped drive strategic initiatives in human resources, training, talent management, operations, communications and governance for companies such as Home Depot, Sony, HD Supply, Jack-In-The Box, and Big 5 Sporting Goods.
Twitter: @LnDFranz
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franzvilla
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