{"id":21489,"date":"2025-12-18T09:05:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T17:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/?p=21489"},"modified":"2026-06-17T09:20:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T16:20:46","slug":"powering-our-microsoft-365-copilot-adoption-with-gamification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/insidetrack\/blog\/powering-our-microsoft-365-copilot-adoption-with-gamification\/","title":{"rendered":"Powering our Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption with gamification"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to powering Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption rates internally here at Microsoft, it\u2019s game on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were the first enterprise to fully deploy Copilot in 2024, and now, not two years later, our use of the company\u2019s signature generative AI product is maturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re getting serious\u2014it means we\u2019re having fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGamification is proving to be one of the most powerful ways to drive the more refined, higher-level use of Copilot that we\u2019re looking for,\u201d says Stephan Kerametlian, a business program management senior director within Microsoft Digital, the company\u2019s IT organization. \u201cWhen it comes to getting our employees to find more sophisticated and creative ways to use Copilot, we\u2019re finding that having fun is one our biggest differentiators.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It all started when we took our employees camping<\/a>\u2014we didn\u2019t really take them into the woods, but we did so in spirit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe discovered that introducing a layer of fun transforms Microsoft 365 Copilot training from a routine task into an entertaining learning experience.\u201d<\/p>\nCadie Kneip, readiness business program manager, Microsoft Digital<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

We organized \u2018Camp Copilot\u2019 to bring our employees together in a fun way so we could show them how they could add Copilot to their daily workflows. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe did things like have a superhero prompt where you got to show everyone your superpowers, you could create your own Camp Copilot pin, and we even had a scavenger hunt where you could win cool prizes,\u201d says Cadie Kneip, a readiness business program manager with Microsoft Digital and the creative force behind many of our employee engagement-based Copilot adoption efforts.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a lot of fun, and it worked\u2014Copilot usage by attendees spiked afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/strong>We discovered that introducing a layer of fun transforms Copilot training from a routine task into an entertaining learning experience,” Kneip says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the guidance of Kneip\u2014our CEO of fun\u2014and others on our team, we created a companywide Copilot Expo<\/a>, where we all came together to learn more about how to get more out of Copilot (where a reasonable amount of fun was had).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWorking efficiently and consistently with Copilot and AI requires ongoing learning, especially as capabilities are continuously evolving. Gamification offers an excellent way to keep colleagues engaged\u2014helping them learn effortlessly while having fun.\u201d<\/p>\nKirsten Bliefernicht, senior business program manager, Microsoft Digital<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This three-week immersive program offered 80 role-based learning sessions to fast-track Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption. We made gamification a major theme, which made mastering Copilot feel less like work and more like play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time, the uptick in adoption and user satisfaction that followed was companywide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWorking efficiently and consistently with Copilot and AI requires ongoing learning, especially as capabilities are continuously evolving,\u201d says Kirsten Bliefernicht, a senior business program manager in Microsoft Digital. \u201cGamification offers an excellent way to keep colleagues engaged\u2014helping them learn effortlessly while having fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gamification for locked-in learning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Copilot Expo attendee Ramita Singh experienced the transformative effect of gamification. A senior program manager within the Microsoft Datacenter Supply Strategy and Planning team, she\u2019s also a Copilot Champion and a regular Copilot user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“The sessions and fun activities, like building my own avatar, inspired me. Since then, I ramped up my Copilot use and my productivity has skyrocketed.\u201d<\/p>\nRamita Singh, senior program manager, Datacenter Supply Strategy and Planning<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Copilot Champions are early adopters and AI enthusiasts who help Microsoft peers learn and use AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot. For her part, Singh joined the Copilot Champs program to gain efficiency and become more productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even as a regular Copilot user, Singh described her use as limited\u2014until Copilot Expo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe sessions and fun activities, like building my own avatar, inspired me,\u201d she says. \u201cSince then, I ramped up my Copilot use and my productivity has skyrocketed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Levelling up fun supports engagement<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although the term \u201dgamification\u201d is relatively new, the practice of including game-design elements in training to increase engagement and motivation and reward behavior has been around for centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research has shown that incorporating fun into training leads to significant gains in engagement and productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cSeeing Copilot create an image or solve a task is exciting. That can motivate someone to learn more about AI.\u201d<\/p>\nKaz Takayama, business program manager, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Using gamification at Copilot Expo redefined the way people learn. We designed games and reward-based challenges. We awarded points and badges to build interest and increase Copilot use at Microsoft. We created a leaderboard to show the standings and add a competitive edge to the learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants were represented on the leaderboard by the avatars they created during one of the games. This anonymity meant that competitors only recognized their own avatars and position on the leaderboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople are getting tired of mandatory trainings,\u201d says Kaz Takayama, a business program manager within Microsoft Digital in Japan. \u201cSeeing Copilot create an image or solve a task is exciting. That can motivate someone to learn more about AI.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Copilot Expo featured diverse content designed to appeal to a variety of people, roles, and workflows. Learning sessions were capped at 30 minutes. Sessions were scheduled at accessible times and targeted to specific roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe result is interactive\u2014you see visuals, you hear music, and the creativity surprises you.\u201d<\/p>\nJu Bu, business program manager, Microsoft Digital<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That personalization allowed engineers, communicators, and salespeople, for example, to learn role-specific uses for Copilot, making the learning even more effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Copilot Expo, games were scheduled prior to training sessions to build engagement. Additional gamified activities followed training to reinforce key concepts and encourage the application of Copilot. Attendees earned points for every Copilot-related task they completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe picked these activities because they only require prompts, and people can practice prompts every day,\u201d says Ju Bu, business program manager for Microsoft Digital in Greater China. \u201cThe result is interactive\u2014you see visuals, you hear music, and the creativity surprises you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From prompts to play: Gamified activities at Copilot Expo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Activity 1: <\/strong>Practice crafting prompts in Copilot to generate polished images and avatars.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Use the following tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n