Developing Gamification Strategies to Reduce Handling Damages in High Precision Production Environments

The challenge of handling damages in high-tech industries, where precision and quality standards are paramount, has been addressed through innovative gamification strategies which are rooted in psychology. Focusing on a German aviation company, this research aims to minimize handling damages caused by workers through a systematic development of gamification strategies. The study involved the application of the How to design gamification process, incorporating a Hexad user types survey and Marczewski’s Periodic Table of Gamification Elements as an ideation base. The preparation phase defined objectives, emphasizing general handling damage reduction and early reporting. Success metrics included the detection of damages, increased reporting, reduced reporting time, and positive worker feedback. The analysis phase utilized the Hexad typology, revealing a concentration on the user types philanthropists, players, and achievers. In the ideation phase, game elements were meticulously selected, and in the design phase, strategies were devised, leading to an emergency button prototype. Implemented at a quality inspection workstation, the emergency button successfully reduced handling damages, with a noticeable increase in reporting and positive worker feedback. Unforeseen benefits included workers reporting defects in raw parts, surpassing the initial quality improvement goal. The study argues for the systematic involvement of affected groups in developing gamification solutions, citing the How to design gamification process as an effective framework. Future plans include a detailed technical implementation, broad prototype deployment, and integration with complementary concepts to foster an improved error culture. Overall, this research demonstrates the potential of gamification to address complex, human-centric challenges in industrial settings.