The Automogul game was a component module of the larger I AM GM app concept. In 2011, morale was still low as a result of the highly politicized automotive bankruptcy. The Automogul game was designed to serve three purposes: first, to increase awareness of and pride in GM’s rich history of innovation. Second, to reward employees (through tokens that could be exchanged for prizes) for participation in learning GM history; this was part of the broader gamification aspect of the I AM GM concept. Thirdly, a lighthearted approach to leverage fun and trending social strategy (Zynga-esq social game) to improve employee morale. Ultimately, it was suggested that the game be developed for expanded release to the public, focusing on overturning the conception that “General Motors is not an innovative company,” and may have been leveraged by the GM Heritage center for this purpose.
Automotive history was a natural fit for a “Farmville-style” game paradigm. Bringing the industrial revolution to an agricultural digital metaphor seemed fitting, as well. Instead of producing crops, players would work to produce technological components (such as tires, paint, etc.) which could be combined at assembly plants to ‘build’ vehicles. All this activity was augmented by factual historical information: the user could browse through actual design sketches of the vehicles they were producing, see TV commercial clips from the time period, learn about the process of developing the first alternatives to black vehicle paint, arrange real historical landmarks on their gameboard, etc. We strove to balance fun with information so that players would be willing to play longer and thus learn more. And, of course, ultimately we wanted them to involve their friends.
PROJECT DETAILS
General Motors, Enterprise Mobility Applications, September 2011 – February 2012
Platform: Concept Video (targeting native mobile app or web)
Objective: Leverage trending social strategy (Zynga-esq social game) to improve employee morale and educate on GM’s history as an innovative company.
Role: Compuware consultant through the Mobile Center of Expertise
- Ideation & Concept Development of game dynamics
- Trend research
- Executive Presentation Pitch (including script and copy writing)
- UI/UX Design (concept designs)
- Art Direction of production phase