Let’s be honest: in the world of corporate training, fun is a bad word. Fun training is often dismissed as gimmicky, unprofessional, or worse—distracting. But what if the problem isn’t the so-called incompatible pairing of fun and learning? What if we’ve just been doing it wrong?
In a session that was equal parts light-hearted and thought-provoking, eLearning designer Jonathan Rock, aka “J-Rock,” dared attendees to challenge the stale conventions of compliance training. In Can I Take It Again? Three Things Compliance Training Can Learn from Video Games, J-Rock reminded us that learners don’t hate learning, they hate boring, purposeless training. He suggests we learn from the medium that’s perfected attention, retention, and behavior change for over 65 years: video games.
The Real Purpose of Compliance Training
It’s no secret that most people loathe compliance eLearning. They find it repetitive, irrelevant, and a little mind-numbing, which is a punch to the gut of a developer. But instead of wallowing, it’s better to consider what compliance training is actually meant to accomplish.
It’s not just about checking a box or passing an audit. Yes, learners need to understand policies and regulations—but more importantly, they need to apply that knowledge in real-world situations. Ultimately, behavior change is the goal. And to get there, learning must be informative, memorable, and motivating.
Why Video Games Get It Right
If you’ve ever spent hours immersed in a game, you know the power of repetition done well. Games use a “game loop”—repetitive actions designed to be engaging rather than exhausting. Think about jumping in Super Mario or looting in Destiny. Repetition doesn’t bore us in games because it’s wrapped in reward, challenge, and agency.
Learning is at the core of every video game. You learn to jump over gaps, identify patterns, and adapt your strategy. Even when the skills aren’t “useful” in the traditional sense, the way games teach them is incredibly effective. Why not apply those mechanics to eLearning, especially those that need an engagement boost?
Three Game Mechanics You Can Steal for Your Next Course
- Fail states. Most compliance courses are terrified of letting learners fail. But failure is where the learning sticks. A fail state doesn’t have to be harsh or punitive; it can simply reset the experience, prompting learners to reflect and try again. When learners fail, they are motivated to pay attention and avoid failing in the future.
- Randomization. Predictability is the enemy of engagement. Games use random events to keep players on their toes, and eLearning can do the same. Randomized quiz questions, loot-style rewards, and chance-based outcomes can keep learners curious and invested. Even reshuffling answer choices helps prevent mindless guessing and encourages deeper thinking.
- Branching. In traditional courses, everyone walks the same path. Branching, however, allows learners to make decisions and experience the consequences. That agency can be incredibly powerful (and engaging). Branching makes learners want to explore all the outcomes, willingly soaking up the content through play and experimentation.
Avoid the “Clicky-Clicky Bling-Bling” Trap
There’s a fine line between engaging and gimmicky. It’s important not to allow the “fun” elements to overshadow the message. If learners remember the game but not the lesson, the training has failed. The goal is to create experiences where the entertainment serves the learning, not the other way around.
A powerful way to strike this balance is by combining the three mechanics (fail states, randomization, and branching). Imagine a scenario where failing a quiz triggers a randomized replay of the content, but from a different perspective or with new interactions. That’s not just engaging; it’s effective, sticky learning.
Think about your favorite games and what keeps you hooked. Is it the challenge? The unpredictability? The satisfaction of mastering something hard? Whatever it is, think about how you can bring that energy into your next compliance module—or any eLearning experience.
Whether it’s a zombie survival game or a branching narrative mystery, the lesson is the same: Fun isn’t the enemy of learning. It’s a tool. And used wisely, it can turn even the driest content into something learners want to return to (again and again).
Watch the full webinar (below) to get into all the nooks and crannies of one of ELB Learning’s most engaging webinars.
Want to motivate learners with games that excite and educate? Explore ELB Learning’s game builder, The Training Arcade®.
Disclaimer: The ideas, perspectives, and strategies shared in this article reflect the expertise of our featured speaker, Jonathan Rock. To explore more insights from him, be sure to follow him on LinkedIn.
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