Using gamification in development interventions: evidence from a multidimensional poverty alleviation initiative in rural Paraguay

Interventions focusing on behaviors and overcoming behavioral barriers have
recently gained prominence in the global effort to overcome multidimensional
poverty. This paper presents an innovative approach to addressing some poverty
dimensions using the gamification technique, which aims at improving the
wellbeing of impoverished rural communities and at empowerment of its
members. Based on the iterative gamification experiments conducted in rural
areas of Paraguay, we develop a gamification-based framework for the
gamification-enabled intervention process, and discuss the context in which this
approach can be best applied, such as where the primary barrier to change is
psychological reasons rather than a lack of resources.