E-learning has taken whole new precedence in recent years, heralding a new era of possibilities. As long as you have a working computer and access to the Internet, anyone can learn and acquire new skills or even improve their existing skills.
Gamified learning solutions have emerged as a unique and innovative technique to impart knowledge to businesses, utilizing gaming mechanics to create an interactive and engaging learning experience.
On that is leading the industry is Think Codex, an experiential learning organisation dedicated to the development of gamified solutions for business transformation, leadership development, talent management, learning and training.
At the helm is CEO and founder Andrew Lau, whose years working at Shell Malaysia has given him an interesting perspective into global development with various different countries and their corporate cultures.
Think Codex prides itself on making ‘serious games’ - games with a purpose not to entertain but can provide corporates with the means to learn crucial leadership and management skills in an active and engaging manner.
A bonified ex-gamer, Andrew has always seen the valued application of games in developing basic skillsets that serve well in real-life situations by redefining the context to suit the needs of the corporate world.
And when it comes to developing crucial leadership and management skills, Andrew believes learning through action is the only way to go.
“We saw that leaders and participants needed a safe space to actively practice and the key principle here is applied knowledge which is very much important,” notes Andrew.
“When faced with a problem, the immediate reaction to solve it is not to find the answer in e-learning, but from another person. Seeing this, we are trying to shift this focus towards having them be more engaged in applied learning.”
The company is based on three foundations: cognitive, competency and confidence. Using game psychology and concepts, Think Codex has developed world-class theories and methods surrounding these key principles to help business leaders locally and internationally to find purpose in e-learning and gamification techniques as a learning solution.
But getting people to believe in the power of e-learning can be a steep hill to overcome, especially for those still unaccustomed to digitalised solutions. According to Andrew, this isn’t an issue of technology but a lack of engagement.
“Technology is just the enabler, not the solution.”
“Nobody likes to sit through someone explaining basic concepts to them for an extended period. So, by applying gamification techniques to a learning solution, we create a more engaging experience for the recipient through scenarios that relate back to their business,” explains Andrew.
Since introducing gamified learning solutions to the market, Andrew and his team have been able to prepare businesses for future challenges. Through interactive scenarios, these methodologies train employees and business leaders to detect and adequately respond to bumps that can occur in a business environment.
Despite the growing need for gamified learning solutions, firms like Andrew’s are almost a dime a dozen in the Southeast Asian market, and as he puts it, it might stay that way for a while.
“The reality is that developing business simulations is not an easy task. As we’ve seen with actual game publishers, creating a single game can take years in the making, and many would rather opt to produce content that’s less time-consuming,” explains Andrew.
He goes on to state that this high barrier of entry only fosters a lack of competition, which, depending on how you look at it, can be a good or a bad thing as in order for the industry to remain innovative, there is a need for competition.
But Andrew remains hopeful, encouraging those who would dare to step up to the challenge of making gamified learning solutions their business to dream big. “Always have a play-to-win mindset. Don’t just set your goals for the local market but think of where the company can go.”
“We’ve had to learn some painful lessons ourselves, but we are always open to learning from our mistakes and from others.”
Moving forward, Andrew has set Think Codex to be a regional expert in their respective field, but he has never stopped learning. A promising player in an industry that has yet to reach its full potential, Think Codex is setting the stage for success.