“Using Games to Build Organizational Trust” Global, social, technological, and demographic shifts alter the competitive landscape for businesses across the globe. The impact on organizational behavior is significant. At an organizational level, employees are pulled in every direction, asked to perform unreal acts, and pressured for new ideas at a level well beyond the greatest minds in history. Yet, high unemployment levels, globalization, offshoring, outsourcing, contract work, crowdsourcing and a burgeoning population mean uncertainty and insecurity for everyone. A lack of trust and uncertainty around job security inhibit creative undertakings by employees. How do we partner to foster creativity while maintaining a competitive edge? Productivity games and fun at work -- building trust and sparking creativity!

1. +
using games to build trust
the future of work is play
Ross Smith, Director of Test
Skype Division @ Microsoft

2. +
games and work
play
fun

3. +games have history

4. +
+ hunting and fishing
+ festivals
+ athletic competition
children learn through play
ancient civilization

5. + industrial revolution

6. +
creative class
THE RISE OF THE…

7. +our world is changing
new workforce, multi-gen, multi-cultural
management capabilities
organizational trust
games and play
how to build a
culture of
creativity and
innovation

8. +
1963 – Evergreen Point floating bridge
IMAGINE

9. +7 billion humans
1804 – 1 billion
1927 – 2 billion
1960 – 3 billion
2023 – 8 billion
2041 – 9 billion
2081 – 10 billion

10. In a global village of 100
61 would be Asian (20 Chinese, 17 Indian),
11 would be from Europe…
and 70 would be gamers…
Global Shift: Diverse and Distributed Workforces

11. By 2022, everyone under 25 is a Digital Native

12. More young children know how to play
a computer game (58%) …
than swim (20%) or ride a bike (52%)
91% of kids age 2-17 are gamers

13. 69% of kids age 2-5 can use a mouse,
but only 11% can tie their shoelaces

14. 64% of parents believe games are a
positive part of their kid’s lives

15. 47% work beyond regular business hours
32% do personal activities at work
Global Shift: Blurred Work and Life

16. 68.7 million US social gamers in 2011

17. ~9.6 TRILLION SMS sent in 2012
18 - 24 year olds send and receive 110 texts a day on average

18. 76 billion mobile app downloads

19. + 21st century employees want …
1. Freedom
2. Customization
3. Scrutiny
4. Integrity
5. Collaboration
6. Entertainment
7. Speed
8. Innovation

20. +21st century collaboration
Four principles are at the heart of successful collaboration:
 appreciation
 trust
 commitment
 recognition
games can help

21. + productivity game examples

22. +ISHI

23. +

24. +Lync Test Games
 Build a Story
 Landmarks
 Road Signs
 Mobile Fest

25. +
games help build trust

26. +changing to a culture of trust
Thoughts Feelings
Culture Actions

27. +what is trust?
• predictability
• value exchange
• delayed reciprocity
• exposed vulnerabilities
…is complete confidence that a person or organization will
consistently try to do what is right in every given situation.
…like freedom and air

28. +
why games?

29. +games establish structure

30. +games facilitate interactions

31. +games transcend global culture

32. + games establish the social norm

33. +games support risk and
vulnerabilities

34. + games offer recognition

35. + games enable reciprocity

36. +a framework
INTEGRITYINTEGRITY
TRUSTTRUST
Predictabilit
y
Predictabilit
y
EmpathyEmpathy
InclusionInclusion
TransparencyTransparency
AccountabilityAccountability
COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

37. +where games work best
Skills-
Behaviors
Matrix
Core Work Skills
Unique Work
Skills
Expanding Work
Skills
In-Role
Behaviors
Organizational
Citizenship
Behaviors
Respect Social Norms

38. +employees want what gamers have
fairness
transparency
feedback
trust
communication
engagement
productivity
education

39. +
other game examples

40. +
languagequalitygame

41. +
Results
Significant Quality Improvements for Windows 7
Positive Impact on Ship Schedule
Team Morale and Subsidiary Engagement
Total Screens Reviewed: Over 500,000
Total Number of Reviewers: Over 4,500
Screens per Reviewer: Average 119

43. Significant Quality Improvements for product
Positive Impact on Ship Schedule
Team Morale and Dogfood User Engagement
Players Over 1,000
Feedback increase > 16x
Feedback received: 10,000+
Players vs. non-players 67% of players participate vs. 3% of non
Results

44. +security games
“Why a game? Entertainment
provides an engaging medium
with which to raise awareness of
the diversity of technologies
impacted by security breaches and
the creativity of techniques
employed by attackers.”
(Introduction to Hackers, Inc.)

45. +42Projects
 Collaborative Play
 Trust
 Management Innovation
www.42projects.org

46. +
thank you
rosss@microsoft.com rosss42