More Than Just Game Elements—A Taxonomy of Considerations for Gamification Projects and Research

ABSTRACT

The field of gamification research lacks consistency regarding the naming and categorization of methods and concepts. It also shows inconsistencies in terms of which influencing factors are considered and reported. These inconsistencies hinder the retrievability and comparability of gamification studies and encourage criticism of the research field. Current taxonomies investigate inconsistencies regarding game elements, but there is no research regarding the naming of other relevant factors such as the surrounding context and processes. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify several factors that must be considered when conducting and reporting gamification research. We followed the Extended Taxonomy Design Process to structure our findings into a taxonomy of considerations for gamification projects and research. The result is a taxonomy with three dimensions ( Context and Organization , Project Strategy , and Gamification Strategy ), 12 categories, and 10 subcategories. This taxonomy can be used (1) as a road map for what to consider when planning a gamification project, (2) as a way to identify methods and tools for the implementation of gamification, and (3) as a guide for documentation when reporting gamification research.