Really interesting post on Research Live about gamification of research. I know it sounds futuristic, but there are some really tangible takeaways that impact how we all design research.

When you think about gamification you might think of second life, role playing games, 3D war games etc., but this phenomenon at its core is simply about changing the way we are asking questions. For example, the article points out that when a particular question wording was changed from “Describe yourself” to “Describe yourself in seven words,” the results yielded almost two times as many descriptive words and a 15% increase in response rate.

The article goes on to point out that gamification is beyond language and question wording and can include design, visual elements, and ultimately methodology choice. However, I think we can all benefit from the understanding that it can all start with rethinking the way we are asking questions. So, how would you summarize your take on gamification of research in seven words or less?