Gamification Summit 2012 promises new 'inspirational format'

The conference entirely devoted to the topic of using game-like mechanics to enhance real life is back, and will be held in San Francisco June 19-21.

The three-day conference, called The Gamification Summit 2012, will include a new 'inspirational format' where there will be no panels. Instead, speakers will deliver an "18-minute, data- and insight-filled talk" followed by Q&A and lots of networking. There will also be hands-on workshops and companies showing off new products.

As for what’s been happening in this area lately: “Gamification has long been associated with consumer marketing, but its effects are now reaching much further - to areas such as Loyalty, Enterprise/HR, Healthcare, Education, Research & Development, and more,” GSummit Chair Gabe Zichermann says.

The show will focus on the long arms of Gamification, and a few of the bigger name keynotes will expand on that. Salesforce CSO JP Rangaswamci will discuss how to use gamification to inspire employees to be more innovative, and United Mileage Plus Director Dave Anderson will talk about modern-day loyalty programs.

If this is something you're interested in for your business, this summit seems worth your time and money (FYI, both of last year's shows were sold out). The idea of a panel-free conference is also intriguing, though wouldn’t it seem appropriate that a gamification summit include some form of, ya know, gamification to inspire participation? I vote for a conference-wide scavenger hunt.

To register for the 2012 Gamification Summit, go here: http://www.gsummit.com/register/. Do it before March 31 to score the EarlyBird discount.