Reasons Why You Need Gamification In Your Cyber Security Awareness Program
There’s a reason that video games are a principal activity for kids and adults alike. They effectively keep users entertained by dispersing the steps to complete a task and rewarding them at each stage with points or game-related things.
This helps to increase immersion for the user and gives them a feeling of being a part of the narrative and the content. The idea behind this practice work was studied extensively for many years and is known as the gaming. The primary purpose of this concept is to increase the appeal of educational materials.
A study from 2019 found the following: 88% of respondents said that gamification helps them feel more satisfied when they participate in training. One of the significant issues in cyber security awareness programs is ensuring employees complete the required Cyber security training.
Implementing these features could be an adventure when you don’t know how to implement them. It’s the reason it’s essential to choose a vendor who recognizes the importance of gamification and has made it a necessary aspect of their software. Let’s look at some of the significant benefits of gamification in cyber security awareness programs.
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Cyber Security Awareness Program: Immersive Content
One of the primary reasons video games entices gamers is that they offer captivating storylines that feature appealing characters and fascinating worlds. This is one of the primary reasons that people buy video games and come back every time.
While this may not be a feasible target for a cyber security awareness campaign, it’s not a reason to create text-based content that has an easy test at the end and hopes that all your viewers will be engaged. In the digital age that users have to live in, they’re accustomed to different content and stimuli, which is why your campaign is the same.
For instance, instead of written introductions, use animated videos featuring two characters that return throughout the discussion topics. Don’t be afraid to incorporate humor into subjects such as password creation to keep your users entertained and allow them to connect to the topic.
Another excellent option to have in your arsenal would be to link the game’s story to bigger issues in the campaign. It is a bonus if you connect it to the realities of your business in addition. Make sure that your experience places users at the heart of the incident and encourages them to be involved in the issues you address.
Increase Participation and Graduation
If the users are enjoying while taking classes on cyber security, they’re more likely to complete the course and possibly anticipate the next. This will only happen when the information in the program is entertaining and enjoyable.
One of the best ways to encourage people to participate in the cyber security awareness campaign is assigning points to quizzes and a leaderboard to monitor each person’s progress. This method is a tried-and-true idea that is used in some of the first video games that were ever developed, and it’s effective since it taps into human competitiveness.
Earning points for each test throughout the program is an excellent method to motivate users to complete the course. This encourages them to read through the entire course to evaluate their scores with colleagues and increase the level of engagement in the material.
A leaderboard does not just increase the chance that an individual will complete the material to get their spot on the top site. It may improve the visibility of the campaign throughout the organization. For instance, the head of a division could encourage his employees to finish the course to ensure they get good marks on the global leaderboard.
Cyber Security Awareness Program: Gamified Learning to Improve Engagement
The majority of cyber security awareness programs follow the same format, which includes An introduction followed by a lesson section, and a quiz to assess the knowledge of the user. Any chance to break the norm should be taken because it can increase the level of engagement.
Video games are popular because of their interactivity. When choosing the best cyber security awareness platform, take note of the diverse learning tools they offer. In some instances, they could be similar to the features that you’d expect to find in non-eLearning video games.
One example is to make use of a game like a mystery in which users click on various elements of an image in order to uncover clues about the subject being taught. This can be a refreshing break from traditional learning techniques and helps ensure that the player is engaged with the information.
Facilitate Behavior Change
One of the most frequent issues in cyber security awareness campaigns is that the users don’t realize that the message is targeted towards them specifically. They finish the required content but never apply it to their lives as they cannot connect to it in a meaningful way.
Localization and personalization of content could help in this, but one of the most effective solutions is gamification. If users are required to engage with the content and receive feedback loops with points, they are more involved in the range. This helps to increase the understanding of concepts, which ultimately leads to positive changes in behavior.
An excellent example would be the replication of an email client in which users are required to click the elements they believe to be an untrue email or phishing attack. Because they’ve identified the issues with the same email client they use daily, They’ll be more cautious when they return to their actual email client.
Intensify Current Campaigns and Programs
The benefit of gaming has the advantage that it won’t have to only apply to future campaigns or programs. It can be incorporated into your routine programs, which need to be repeated every few months. This includes things like the security of passwords and Phishing.
A few of the components previously discussed require a specific platform to be implemented. However, certain features of gamification can be used on any platform. A simple test can be more enjoyable when you include the time limit and make the participant compete against themselves to answer the question in the shortest amount of time.
Cyber Security Awareness Program: The Gamification Era
It’s crucial to recognize that this isn’t an edgy trend or a fashion. The market for gamification in E-Learning was anticipated to be 1.5 billion dollars by the year 2020. Psychologists have thoroughly studied these concepts and are used by game designers to expand their business to the tune of billions of dollars. Gamification has been proven repeatedly to enhance the educational program and is the logical next step.
This is a massive benefit to cyber security awareness programs because completing a course typically isn’t sufficient or an accurate indicator of how well the knowledge was absorbed. In contrast to other education programs, the effects of a student’s failure to apply the inside can have serious consequences. Gamification is an easy and effective method to ensure that your students learn the material you’re teaching them and incorporate it into their everyday lives.
