Gaming and competition can shape behavior

Last week, National Geographic, General Electric and the Center for Science announced a joint initiative to engage and educate youngsters about the future of energy using – big surprise – a game.

Plan It Green: The Big Switch is a free, online game in which kids compete against their friends to design the most energy-efficient, eco-friendly city.

“Through game play that is smart, fun and intuitive, players discover what it takes to build and run a community,” says Chris Mate, National Geographic’s Vice President of Games.

A bit of healthy competition can be a handy tool for influencing behavior. In her new book, “How Gamification Can Help Your Business Engage with Sustainability,” Paula Owen describes how Infosys technologies used “gamification techniques” to change workers’ commuting behaviors at their main factory in Bangalore, India.

The result: Infosys reduced the average daily commuting time by nearly 20 minutes, saving 2,600 person hours per day.