Gamifying the Circular Sharing and Civic Economy

Sailing on the choppy waves of the financial crisis, various thinkers and designers are proposing a change of system which can give rise to new business models. We are witnessing the emergence of the circular economy, the sharing economy and the civic economy. What are the real-life consequences of these new business models, which are still far from common? For example, the sharing economy as well as the circular economy are based on trust. What is the effect on business norms and ethics of this central role of trust?

Pervasive games

We have researched, tested and/or commented upon new business models by designing and implementing gamified interventions during the Redesigning Business Symposium on November 20th, 2014. These interventions were focused on allowing the public to experience that evening what these new business models mean, here and now.

We analysed various business models and distilled from this analysis a number of ‘game rules’ which we will introduce during the symposium. We will allow visitors to experience the consequences of the ‘game rules’ of current and future business models by participating in a pervasive game (a combination of reality and game). This way we wished to provide insight into the various business models, making it possible to compare them, and thus inviting an interesting discussion.

This method of using games neatly corresponds to the basic rules of gamification in education by incorporating the slogan '"Play, Don't tell"'. With careful design, players will experience and be confronted by the consequences of their own actions. While this short experience will not be able to explain the more delicate questions surrounding these complex topics, it will aid the participant in the overall experience of listening to the keynote speakers and presentations, linking their game experience to the more difficult topics.

Overall experience

Visitors of the Symposium get handed different stickers at the entrance. The sticker defines in which fictitious company the visitor belongs. Players participate individually, but score points for their companies, working together with strangers for a common goal. You've got to build products (Lego figures) using four different economical strategies at the four different stands with a time limit of one minute. Succeeding means scoring for the whole company. Different games have different mechanics resembling

References to the subprojects

This project is divided between four different subprojects, of which three resemble the new economies and one resembles the old economy:

• A proposal for Gamifying the Old Economy
• A proposal for gamifying the circular economy
• A proposal for gamifying the sharing economy
• A proposal for gamifying the civic economy