Gamification in transport interventions: Another way to improve travel behavioural change

Abstract

Gamification is dramatically transforming how behaviour change interventions are delivered in fields as diverse as health, physical activity, education, information studies and marketing. Most studies see gamification as a way of introducing gameful design (e.g., competition and social activity) into behavioural interventions. Gamification is often tied to using new digital technologies, especially smartphone apps and, although these might be enabling, there is no theoretical underpinning for making this a necessary condition. In comparison to other sectors, the design of gameful interventions in transport is under developed. Interventions that have or are introducing gamified designs include road safety and travel demand management initiatives and these have been shown to be more ongoingly successful than strategies which do not employ gameful designs. This paper explores gamification in the context of transport with the aim of proposing a framework for the design and implementation of gameful designs, providing a synthesis and critical appraisal of current practice. The proposed framework is underpinned by theoretical discussion and illustrated by case studies that have implemented some elements of gameful design. The framework is designed to lay the groundwork for greater implementation of gamified design in transport and mobility contexts to take advantage of the potential greater success in achieving travel behaviour change as well as highlighting how existing schemes could be improved and providing guidance for future research into gamification.