Increasing engagement to improve wellness with gamification

Abstract

Athletes are at constant risk of sustaining preventable non-contact injuries due to factors such as spikes in training load, and physical fatigue. Research has shown that monitoring these factors allows for adjustments to players routines that can reduce their risk of injury. Past studies have reported that self-reporting methods are ineffective due to low rates of engagement and compliance. However if data could be gathered consistently, potential injury risk could be identified and the information utilised to prevent injury and enhance player wellness. A series of semi-structured interviews was carried out with players (n=10) from variety of team sports (Gaelic football, hurling, soccer, rugby) and Gaelic football coaches (n=5) in order to determine what features were most valuable to them when using mobile phone applications, and what features would be of most value to them hypothetically for monitoring their training / their teams training. The information gathered informed the design of an application with the purpose of replacing training load diaries currently being used in industry (forms and spreadsheets), which suffer from low rates of engagement and compliance. A pilot test was carried out with this non-gamified system with (n=21) student athletes. The pilot tests goal was to find and solve any usability issues before the creation of a gamified system. Secondary goals of the test were to gather information relevant to user engagement and compliance, before running a larger study. After the pilot test these student athletes were also surveyed (n=16) and interviews (n=6) about the value and effort they put in to training diaries and the developed app. The interviewees were also asked about the potential inclusion of game elements into the system, and how that may affect their usage, in order to inform the design and development of a gamified version. The usage data gathered in the non-gamified pilot tests showed an increase in usage time, interactions, and logins. More logs were made in total, however this was largely due to an increase of logging rest days, which outweighed the decline of logging users training activity and injury factors. When interviewed, users said they wanted a system that would help give them an advantage over other players, avoid injury, and track their progress. 5/6 users surveyed said gamification would make them willing to increase their effort in getting the information, 2/6 said it would make them willing to increase the time they spent on the app, 2/6 said it wouldn’t increase their time. 1/6 was unsure how it would affect them. 1/6 did not want game elements and wasn’t willing to spend extra effort or time on a gamified system.