A study by engineers at West Virginia University has shown that people are more effective at completing repetitive assembly tasks when these tasks are transformed into a game.

Published in the journal Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, the research explored the “gamification” of manufacturing tasks to enhance worker well-being and productivity. The findings indicate that factory assembly line workers are likely to be more productive, engaged, and motivated — though also more stressed — when repetitive tasks such as assembling parts are made competitive or linked to rewards.

Makenzie Dolly, a researcher involved in the study, mentioned that gamification is increasingly becoming a part of everyday life. In the wellness sector, it appears in the form of fitness tracking challenges, while in marketing, it takes shape as reward programs for purchasing food, coffee, or clothing.

Dolly, now a teaching assistant professor at the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, conducted this research during her doctoral studies at Statler College. Collaborating with Ashish Nimbarte, professor and chair of the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, and Thorsten Wuest, an associate professor, she designed an experiment using a toy Lego set that mirrored the monotony of a typical production assembly task.

The study divided participants into one “gamified” and one control group. Both groups were tasked with assembling a Lego model of a telehandler — an agricultural vehicle also known as a “reach forklift” or “cherry picker” — which held personal significance for Dolly from her senior project at WVU with the leading telehandler manufacturer JLG.

Participants were required to build the telehandler model 15 times across five sessions. The gamified group, however, had their productivity tracked and rewarded with game-like features such as progress bars and badges.

By the 15th assembly, the productivity of the gamified group had significantly increased, likely driven by the participants’ final efforts to achieve a new personal record badge, according to Dolly. She explained that this boost in productivity might have been spurred by the desire to end the study on a positive note, showcasing their best efforts.

Surprisingly, the study also found that gamification increased participants’ stress levels. Contrary to expectations that it would reduce the perceived workload, it heightened the frustration, effort, time pressure, and mental and physical demands reported by the participants. Despite performing better, those in the gamified group felt they did worse.

Dolly interpreted these results as positive. The psychological load imposed by gamification prompts workers to be more mentally active and engaged with the task, which, if stress levels are managed, can lead to improved performance.

She suggested gamification should involve some risk or motivation to keep workers focused during repetitive tasks. Without this, workers might make more errors or disengage completely. Introducing a competitive element, like the risk of losing a game, can create a sense of urgency that boosts both productivity and quality.

The study also noted that participants who were inherently self-competitive or impatient experienced the most acute time pressure and frustration, especially under the physical demands of the task. Dolly highlighted that these findings underscore the importance of tailoring gamification strategies to individual tolerance levels and patience for challenging scenarios.

In conclusion, Dolly stressed the need for a balance in gamification applications. Understanding workers’ personalities and tolerance for complex tasks is crucial, as pushing them beyond their comfort zone can lead to adverse outcomes like high turnover and increased sick leave. She advocated finding the right balance between boredom and overwhelming workers to optimize productivity and job satisfaction.

More information: Makenzie Dolly et al, The effects of gamification for manufacturing (GfM) on workers and production in industrial assembly, Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing. DOI: 10.1016/j.rcim.2024.102722

Journal information: Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing Provided by West Virginia University