Analyzing Gamification Strategies in the Jillian Mobile Application

This report provides an analysis of the gamification features implemented in the Jillian mobile application, focusing on its design, user engagement, and potential areas for improvement. The report begins with an introduction to gamification and its application in the 21st century, highlighting its role in motivating participation and loyalty. It then provides an overview of the Jillian application, discussing its gamification aspects and design issues. The report identifies specific challenges, such as the lack of a clear navigation system for new users, limited customization options, and a lack of inclusivity for all genders. It suggests improvements, including the incorporation of a help tab, employee engagement features, and a more inclusive design that caters to both men and women. Additionally, the report emphasizes the importance of regular system reviews and dynamic design to accommodate technological changes and user feedback. The conclusion summarizes the key findings, underscoring the need for a user-centered design that enhances both the functionality and user experience of the Jillian mobile application.

Running head: GAMIFICATION IN GILLIAN MOBILE APPLICATION 1
Gamification in Gillian Mobile Application
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Gamification in Gillian Mobile Application
Introduction
Technology in the 21st century has turned out to one of the best factors of success when
properly utilized. The traditional way of carrying out activities is gradually being replaced with
technological applications that have incorporated intelligence to provide services as required.
The designers of technological devices and solutions have tried to come up with various concepts
that are similar to the human thinking. With the incorporation of technology in the way of life,
there have been efficiency and accuracy matters achieved in business. One of the applications of
technology is Gamification. Gamification is the process of considering some existing application
and integrate gaming mechanics with the purpose of motivating participation, loyalty, and
engagement. Gamification incorporates techniques that are data-driven used by the game
designers to engage users. In Gamification, nongame experiences are utilized to trigger actions
and add value to an organization. Businesses have come up with applications that have
gamification features (Zichermann, 2011). An example of such applications is Jillian which is a
physical fitness application which is owned and managed by Jillian Michaels. In this piece of
work, Jillian application will be analyzed starting from its design and application. Also, being an
information system, it must follow the guidelines for designing an information system, and due
to this reason, this work will focus on how the application can be improved to make it more
effective.
Jillian Application Gamification overview
Gamification is a tool supposed to be a business tool that that should be aimed at
achieving the goals of a particular organization. One of the factors that should be considered

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before deployment of Gamification application is whether it has met the requirements to serve
the essential purpose. For a Gamification application to serve the purpose it is designed for; the
user should move in straightforward steps to accomplish the task (Hamari, 2014). The time taken
to navigate through the application to benefit from the system should always be-be minimal. In
the design of Jillian gamification application, when the user's launch it takes must be knowing
where the functionality they want is located else they have to navigate to all other functions
before they can get a particular service. It implies that the time taken within the system is not
definite. To reduce the time required within the system, it should incorporate categorization of
the various services it offers in that whenever a client gets to the system; they take a particular
route that is related to the service they are looking for.
Jillian Mobile Application Design Issues and how it can be improved
Gillian in their Gamification application has assumed that whoever gets in their system is
aware of what they offer. The designer did not include help tap for the new users who may
require their services. They have centralized on the services they offer which in return reduces
learnability while in the system. It is the responsibility of the designer of any system consider
novice users of a system and how they can be accommodated in the system (Deterding, 2012).
To accomplish the learnability, Jillian should include a help tab that provides navigation help to
new users who would like to start using the system. When a help tab is incorporated, the time
spent in any system is usually reduced since they are aware of what is expected of them.
Employee engagement is strongly connected to key corporate results. Little or absence of
engagement is a noteworthy limitation in business, employee engagement in any Gamification
can spare organizations an enormous amount of money which is a characteristic driving
inspiration that can motivate accomplish more. When employees communicate with the

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consumers through a platform meant for them, they can without much of struggle track their
particular work in advance, understand their qualities and limitations while in service, and can
with ease be subjected to change before occurrences of mistakes that can lead to failure of the
business. The visible objectives, happenings, and point of reference creates obligation and
commitment inside the client’s line of operation and transforms their experience into a fun of
doing what they intend to do in a system. The response, status and confirmation of action that
they get from gamified application drive employees to be motivated, endeavoring to beat and
improve their performance.
Gillian organizational as a whole can improve on productivity if a functionality of
educating the employees and the clients regarding some of the benefits of using the system is
included. It should be noted that, in every business, getting new customers is always an added
advantage to the organization. When the customers and the employees have the required
information about a particular service or product, convincing new clients becomes easy which
increase the total outcome of the organization. Many at times employees fail to communicate the
benefits of a particular organization due to lack of substantial information about them. If the
application can include a platform where when the employees want to get detailed information
about a service or a product offered, aspect of time-saving will be included in the system. Also,
workers will be confident that they have what they require to market the product and service.
Gamification should not only be of importance to the business but also have aspects a way of
giving back to the users (Wu, 2005). Whenever the users benefit from a system, there is a
likelihood that they will be glued to it so that they can enjoy more benefits. Normally it is it is
not easy to maintain customers just because a system it has beautiful features.

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Another aspect of Jillian Gamification application that should be looked into is the locus
of control while using the system. The application has incorporated setting functionality to the
users, but this is limited to the only font. The application has utilized only white and pink colors
which many at times are associated with feminine gender. At some point, the male gender tends
to move away from the application just because of the decoration that does not favor them. To
promote locus of control, the designer of the system should have considered a tab where a user
can edit the coloration to suit the various needs of the customers (Wasserman, 2010). On the
other hand, it brings a sense of ownership whenever an individual modifies a system and
incorporate features that suits him.
As mentioned above, Gamification should in any application consider the existence of
both feminine and male genders. Jillian being is a health and fitness organization, it has the
potential to attract both male and female in the design of the system since they all require their
services and products. The images that have been used in the development and explanation of the
services they offer are only for women and girls who have achieved physical fitness after using
the system. This is one factor that to a greater extent discourage men from using the system since
they may think that they only offer services to women alone. Despite integrating Gamification, it
does not achieve the purpose of giving all users an equal chance while in the system (Oinas-
Kukkonen, 2009). To avoid this Jillian should design the system in such a way that the images
that appear on the system determined when a user login to the system. When registering in a
system, there should be a provision where a user is required to enter the gender which should in
return trigger the images that are displayed in to show the effectiveness of the services offered.
In the technological arena, some changes are happening within a very duration, and this
should be reflected in the system. There are devices and software capabilities that are being

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developed which to a greater extent determine the kind of functionalities that are supported. The
application design should have a provision that accommodates users who do not necessarily have
updated devices (Kukulska-Hulme, 2005). When a system can accommodate a variety of users in
its operation, the benefit goes back to the organization as it translates to improved profit. Also,
there are high chances that an organization through its application have given room to adopt
changes. Also, in the design of the application features such as size adjustments should be
incorporated so that all those features that are supposed to be seen in a device are
accommodated. In other words, designing a dynamic system should always be prioritized to
avoid limitations such as too much of scrolling while in the system (Tarasewich, 2002). When a
system is dynamic, it means that the size of the images, as well as the writings on them, are seen
on a single window thus effective navigation. This has not been achieved in the Jillian
application since it has been made statically in that only when it is installed on a smaller device
the user has to scroll to get to the bottom line and maybe this is where the client wants to be.
Therefore, in the next generation of their application, they should consider a dynamic system to
pave the way for the technological evolution which will translate to customer advantage which in
return increases the amount of profit realized.
As mentioned earlier, technology is changing after a very short duration and what may
seem to be of importance today may be outdated tomorrow. From the reviews by the users of the
application, there are complaints that the system has remained in the same manner it was
developed for a lengthy period which is an indication that the support department at the backend
is not keen on the technological changes which may lead to making the users look for other
alternatives because they think that nothing is taking place within the organization, and still they
pay for the products and services (Wu, 2005). The design of the system should consider a

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regular reviewing of the features and functionalities in the system as this will boost the trust they
have with the clients. If today a customer comes in and finds a change in the system, at the back
of their mind they tend to think that their resources are utilized in providing the quality system.
Psychological manipulation of the system is critical to achieving the goals of an organization.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the illustration above it is clear that Jillian has successfully incorporated
Gamification in the design of their mobile application, but there are some of the issues that have
not been paid attention to. It is clear that apart from being concerned with the benefits that are as
a result of the services offered, the architectural design is also important in the system. The way
the clients and the administrators perceive the system directly affects the performance of the
organization.

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