Gamification stuff we love: MLevel

Gamification Stuff we love: mLevel –  game based learning platform

Over the past week I had the chance to test out the game based learning platform MLevel and I also got a tour behind the scenes how the back-end would work, if I was an learning and development manager with admin and authoring rights. First of all I would strongly urge you to test it out for yourself, you can download the platform onto mobile devices and sign up for the demo from there.

I played a quiz ball game, which was highly engaging (would even say rather addictive) and at the same time I learned about major cities to expand my knowledge of places and interesting venues to explore. I also took a fast track  driving game with quiz question about the people in my team, which was aimed at new hires. I also played a game to test how much I knew about the features and benefits of mobile phone models, which is ideal for product knowledge and frequently asked questions type learning. In all I intended to have a quick look around, but ended up I believe spending a couple of hours trying to improve scores and associated knowledge. The app is easy to use and very engaging. When I did poorly on some games, my knowledge navigator was being populated with things to look into a bit deeper.

From my perspective it suits learning where a lot of knowledge has to be acquired in a short time, areas I could immediately see it applied in are compliance, sales, call centres, financial sector and new hire orientation. I loved playing and forgot I was learning and yet at the same time I now recall random benefits of mobile phones :-).

From speaking with MLevel EVP Jordan Fladell, the key benefits customers experience are ease of bringing game based learning into existence with both time and cost savings, increased engagement of learners and higher retention of knowledge and reporting ability beyond what most L&D teams are used to acquiring, but most would aspire to. The majority of their clients are larger organisation from financial to consumer goods to travel and much more. The platform prices favourably in my view on a per person license. The company won the coveted Bronze standard in the Brandon Hall Excellence Awards with a client project roll out at JP Morgan.

JP Morgan used the MLevel platform to increase product knowledge of their financial products and processes, this effectively replaced classroom teaching with a number of bite sized knowledge games. Tis approach was implemented for induction training as well deepening of knowledge on specific prescribed knowledge on products. They also implemented skills games and judgement simulations to improve critical decision making, the results of the initial pilot was a 67% drop in decision-based errors. JP Morgan also created a getting to know you suite of games, to encourage global collaboration, information sharing, planning and partnership between employees across functions, lines of business and geography. From designing a game to testing it and the game being live, it took JP Morgan 1-2 weeks depending on the game and knowledge, which is super fast compared with corporate training roll outs for e-learning.

The MLevel platform comes with a number of pre-loaded game templates, which thanks to an excel sheet you can populate with the knowledge you want learners to learn about and in any language, which in Europe is a frequently asked question. The games are structured on solid learning bases such as Blooms taxonomy and encourage rapid progression to mastering a subject. Believe me having opened a sales game for mobile phones, I was surprised how much I actually retained, even though I am a big fan and convert of game based learning and gamification for close to 15 years.

The data collected for reporting indicate which topics all learners struggled with, which I think is relatively unheard of and that allows for refreshing of this specific knowledge in a blended learning approach like a 1-1 or group training session. It focuses the work of the trainer and because then the training intervention is relevant to the learners, will also increase it’s effectiveness. You can pull of team reports and individual reports to see how learners are coping with knowledge and skills mastery. I know this would impress most line managers to know the strengths and weaknesses of their team members.

Enough waxing lyrical, I loved the platform and I now challenge you to download the app and take the demo…

Let me know which game is your favourite (mine was quiz ball)