Serious games: THE new way of learning

Digital technology is changing the way we learn. Training materials have changed, and so has the way we learn. Video tutorials and interactive media were already promising more fun solutions. Now, augmented by game mechanics, learning paths and training courses are being reinvented in the form of serious games. Read all our advice on the challenges and uses of corporate training.

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New forms of learning

Online learning

Moocs - Massive Open Online Courses - are flourishing all the time. Based on an online learning format, they make high-quality teaching accessible to all. A mix of individual and group learning, they allow you to follow courses at your own pace, while benefiting from the excitement of the group. Combined with platforms, learners can exchange ideas and contribute to the learning process, whether through collaborative learning or on their own.

Gamification

Gaming - or gamification - is the use of game mechanics for other applications. It involves earning points, validating levels and so on. It increases user involvement by making them want to play.

Gamification can be applied in a number of different areas:

• advertising: we talk about advergaming

This involves introducing an offer or a brand through games. Via social networks, distribution goes viral. As well as taking part in a competition, participants are encouraged to share the post, or have their friends and family vote to win. Here, the game mechanics are deployed for promotional purposes.

• training: the learning game

The principle is to create objectives and rewards to motivate the learner throughout the course. Learning by playing is more effective: if you enjoy learning, you retain better.

E-learning and gaming give rise to... a serious game

A serious game is a video game that puts you in a learning situation. You play as a character in a given context. You have to complete challenges and collect points to reach a certain level. You achieve a score.

Serious games: for what type of training?

Serious games can be used to transpose all types of content. Whether it's for upskilling, i.e. acquiring new reflexes, raising awareness of a theme or introducing new uses, its immersive effect proves invaluable.

An ideal tool for professional training

In any organisation, adapting to new tools and new practices is a constant challenge. Ideally, employees should be trained as they go along, to encourage them to want to learn without disrupting their work schedule. At best, they can find their own ikaïga.

The serious game meets these needs:

• everyone adapts their own course to suit their own schedule,
• collective stimulation is created: employees see how they score compared to others and talk about it amongst themselves.

Who might want to create a training module within the company?

• Your HR department may want to set up a training module for all employees, to bring them up to speed or introduce them to a new skill.
• Your sales department may want to develop an interactive support tool for sales pitches.
• Your IT department may want to familiarise all employees with a new tool.
• Your security manager may want to pass on best practice by simulating phishing or hacking.

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Serious games in the workplace: how to use them

Large companies have been quick to take the plunge

With an annual growth rate of 47% since 2010, serious games are gaining an increasing following. Large companies, many of which have their own training academies, have come to appreciate the benefits. Renault, for example, has designed a sales simulation serious game for its sales staff. Pôle emploi also launched emploi-store in February 2015. The aim is to test career transition plans. This educational tool enables jobseekers to validate a stage in their approach and mature their decision.

The serious game: a choice of three packages

While large organisations were the first to adopt them, SMEs were quick to follow. As serious games have become more widely available, they have diversified the ways in which they can be implemented. You can now choose your training serious game:

• off-the-shelf: this is a fully developed solution on a given theme, such as the confidentiality of company information, for example,
• made-to-measure: a service provider such as an agency will gather your requirements and design a personalised serious game for you ,
• do-it-yourself: publishers such as We are learning offer to create your own serious game. You have a range of tools at your disposal: characters, scenarios, backgrounds, etc. to create THE perfect learning path. You don't need to be a programmer or a geek - the settings are intuitive.

The aim of setting up your own training 'game' with We Are Learning is to recreate a working environment as close as possible to your reality. The more personalised the training, the better it will be assimilated. At the end of the game, the player is given the opportunity to debrief, make operational recommendations or suggest concrete areas for improvement.


The serious game is the most innovative form of e-learning. Based on powerful engagement levers, it meets the challenges of professional training on topics as varied as management, safety or sales. With DialogR training software from We Are Learning, you have the keys to setting up a professional training module that is totally dedicated to the specific features and characteristics of your company.