From the webpage:
Are you a gamification expert[1] or interested in becoming one? Want to help solve a problem of epic proportions that could have a major impact on the world?
The SETI Institute and Gamify[2] together have created an EPIC Contest to explore possible ways to gamify SETI. We’re asking the most brilliant Earthlings to come up with ideas on how to apply gamification[3] to increase participation in the SETI program.
The primary goal of this social/scientific challenge is to help SETI empower global citizens to participate in the search for cosmic company and to help SETI become financially sustainable so it can live long and prosper. This article explains our problem and what we are looking to accomplish. We invite everyone to answer the question, “How would you gamify SETI?”.
To be more specific:
- Can we create a fun and compelling app or set of apps that allow people to aid us in identifying signals?
- Do you have any ideas to make this process a fun game, while also solving our problem, by applying game mechanics and game-thinking?
- Can we incorporate sharing and social interaction between players?
- Is monetization possible through virtual goods, “status short-cuts” or other methods popularized by social games?
- Are there any angles of looking at the problem and gamifying that we have not thought of?
The scientific principles involved in this field of science can be very complicated. A conscious attempt has been made to explain the challenge we face with a minimum of scientific explanation or jargon. We wish to be able to clearly explain our unique problems and desired outcomes to the scientific and non-scientific audience.
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You will see from the presentations at Web 2.0 Expo SF 2011 that gamification is a growing theme in UI development.
I mention this because:
- Gamification has the potential to ease the authoring and use(?) of topic maps.
- SETI is an complex and important project and so a good proving ground for gamification.
- Insights found here maybe applicable to more complex data, like texts.