This document discusses how games and play can be used in the future of work. It notes that the workforce is changing and becoming more global, diverse, and distributed. Younger generations now entering the workforce value freedom, customization, collaboration and entertainment. Games can help build trust within organizations by establishing structure, facilitating interactions, and allowing people to test uncertainties. Productivity games have been used successfully at companies to improve quality, increase feedback, and boost employee engagement. Examples of productivity games discussed include a language quality game and a disaster response coordination game. The document argues games can be applied to skills development, unique work, and expanding work skills. Security games have also been used to raise awareness of security issues.

1. +
the future of work is play
Ross Smith, Director of Test
Microsoft Lync Team

2. +
who am i?

3. + our world is changing
new workforce
management capabilities
organizational trust how to build a
culture of
games and play creativity and
innovation

4. +
IMAGINE
1962 Seattle World’s Fair

5. + 7 billion humans
1804 – 1 billion 2023 – 8 billion
1927 – 2 billion 2041 – 9 billion
1960 – 3 billion 2081 – 10 billion

6. In a global village of 100
61 would be Asian (20 Chinese, 17 Indian),
11 would be from Europe…
and 70 would be gamers…
Global Shift: Diverse and Distributed Workforces

7. By 2022, everyone under 25 is a Digital Native

8. More young children know how to play
a computer game (58%) …
than swim (20%) or ride a bike (52%)
91% of kids age 2-17 are gamers

9. 69% of kids age 2-5 can use a mouse,
but only 11% can tie their shoelaces

10. 64% of parents believe games are a
positive part of their kid’s lives

11. 47% work beyond regular business hours
32% do personal activities at work
Global Shift: Blurred Work and Life

12. 68.7 million US social gamers in 2011
18 - 24 year olds
send and receive
110 texts a day on

13. Games break through cultural barriers
Global Shift: Arrival of Emerging Economies

14. + Gen Y and Millenials want:
1. Freedom 5. Collaboration
2. Customization 6. Entertainment
3. Scrutiny 7. Speed
4. Integrity 8. Innovation

15. Talking to Mary Beth
“I feel like I’m
underutilized”

16. It wasn’t just Mary Beth
We’re different and want to do more

17. And it wasn’t just our team…
Today’s workforce is
underutilized and not engaged
29% engaged
55% passively disengaged
16% actively disengaged
- Gallup

18. + Solution?

19. Why Trust?
10% increase in trust
=
36% pay raise

20. +
trust is foundational to
innovation

21. + freedom to fail

22. + collaboration

23. + tolerance for risk

24. + rapid prototyping and iteration

25. + ad hoc experimentation

26. + positive deviance

27. + changing culture
Thoughts Feelings
Culture Actions

28. + fun
games and work
play

29. + games have history

30. ancient civilization
+ festivals
+ hunting and fishing
+ children
+ athletic competition

31. + industrial revolution

32. +
creative class

33. + work

34. + workforce

35. + workplace

36. + work product

37. +
why games and play?

38. +
games help build trust

39. + Games establish structure

40. + Games develop regular practices

41. + Games facilitate interactions

42. + Games transcend Global culture

43. + Games enable
Interpersonal
confrontations
and
mutual engagements

44. + Games offer
opportunity for
Commitments,
Promises,
Offers,
Requests

45. + Games support risk and
vulnerabilities

46. + Games help test uncertainties

47. + flow
anxiety
challenge
boredom
skill

48. +
games at work
Productivity Games

49. + employees want what gamers have
 fairness
 transparency
 feedback
 trust
 communication
 engagement
 productivity
 education

50. + where games work best
Skills-
Unique Work Expanding Work
Behaviors Core Work Skills
Skills Skills
Matrix
In-Role
Behaviors
Organizational
Citizenship
Behaviors

51. +
productivity game examples

52. +
language quality game

53. Results
+
Total Screens Reviewed: Over 500,000
Total Number of Reviewers: Over 4,500
Screens per Reviewer: Average 119
Significant Quality Improvements for Windows 7
Positive Impact on Ship Schedule
Team Morale and Subsidiary Engagement

55. Results
Players Over 1,000
Feedback increase > 16x
Feedback received: 10,000+
Players vs. non-players 67% of players participate vs. 3% of non
Significant Quality Improvements for product
Positive Impact on Ship Schedule
Team Morale and Dogfood User Engagement

56. Lync Client Tools Team Microsoft Disaster Response
OXG Research NetHope

57. +

59. + security games
“Why a game? Entertainment
provides an engaging medium
with which to raise awareness of
the diversity of technologies
impacted by security breaches and
the creativity of techniques
employed by attackers.”
(Introduction to Hackers, Inc.)

60. +

61. + 42Projects
 Collaborative Play
 Trust
 Management Innovation
www.42projects.org

62. + seriouslythemovie.com

63. opportunities

64. +
thank you
ross smith
rosss@microsoft.com