A Gamification Method for Improving the Onboarding Process of Software Engineers

Abstract

In software engineering, the onboarding process of new software engineers is crucial. The primary goal of this process is to ensure that professionals gain the necessary knowledge and skills to comprehend the company’s culture, integrate into the organization, and perform their activities effectively. Enhancing corporate learning processes and addressing human aspects, such as motivation, engagement, and commitment, are among the key factors influencing the success of the onboarding process. Gamification—the use of game elements in nongame contexts—has been widely employed in different contexts to promote positive changes in people’s behavior and increase their engagement and performance. We consider the integration of gamification into the onboarding process an interesting field of study and research. In this work, we propose a novel method for gamifying the onboarding process and introduce an application case within an organizational context.