Part 2 | The Public Sector Cloud Navigator Series
Some days, marketing can feel like shouting into the void. The people we are trying to reach are bombarded with information they’ll likely never see, let alone look at—leaders are busy and skeptical of unsolicited communications.
Catching attention and demonstrating value with content that cuts through the clutter and resonates with their mission-driven goals is tough to deliver. But it is possible!
Public sector leaders are laser-focused on results: making a tangible impact and delivering value, safety, and security to their communities. That’s why marketing needs to speak their language. Let’s move beyond “what” cloud computing is and dive into the “why” it’s important to public sector organizations. When a customer is on board with the why, the how will come naturally.
Getting potential customers to understand the why requires a shift from theoretical overviews to hands-on engagement, as traditional methods no longer suffice.
Enter Gamification
Ditch the passive slideshows and forget the dry one-pagers. Gamification in training throws prospects right into the action. No more convincing people to read an eBook or watch a webinar about “cloud adoption”—it’s the chance to deliver firsthand experiences. Think simulations, branching scenarios, and challenges that allow learners to apply their cloud knowledge in a safe, controlled environment.
The path to certification and cloud training transforms from mundane tasks to engaging, memorable, and even fun experiences! Here’s a taste of what gamified cloud training can look like.
Cloud Migration Missions
Objective: Imagine a gamified training program where learners take on the role of a cloud architect, security expert, or compliance officer for a government agency.
Mission: Migrate a critical application to the cloud securely and efficiently. As they make decisions about resource allocation, security configurations, and cost optimization, they earn points and unlock badges based on their choices. For real-world outcomes that prospects can see when they have trained for cloud deployment through real-world demos, consider the following examples:
Enhanced Security Posture
Game: Showcase a scenario where a team must apply security measures to thwart an attempted cyberattack.
Outcome: Prospects will see firsthand how specific cloud security solutions and their decisions stop attacks to prevent breaches and protect sensitive data.
Cost Optimization
Game: Present a challenge where teams must manage infrastructure costs and find savings for the organization.
Outcome: Learners will understand the value of efficient cloud resources and how to reduce costs while maintaining performance.
Operational Efficiency
Game: Have a competition with two teams. One manages systems with manual processes, while the other deploys automation. What happens?
Outcome: Learners will see the benefits of automated processes and streamlined operations in cloud environments.
Improved Performance and Scalability
Game: Design a scenario where there is a sudden increase in traffic. How do users handle that? Then, how can they approach the challenge with scalable cloud architecture?
Outcome: Prospects will experience how well-architected cloud solutions can scale to meet increasing demand without compromising performance.
Regulatory Compliance
Game: Teams work together to find hidden clues about specific regulations within a predefined online platform (learning management system, website, etc.) or a physical space (training room).
Outcome: Encourages active learning and information retrieval about specific regulations.
Disaster Recovery
Game: Create a disaster recovery scenario where players must quickly restore data after a failure. Level 1 can be with legacy technology, and Level 2 with modern solutions.
Outcome: Participants can see firsthand how the cloud’s scalable, redundant storage and automated backup processes ensure quick data recovery and minimal downtime.
Training | Cloud Certification Quests
Objective: Design training modules that function like quests, guiding learners through the knowledge and skills required for specific cloud certifications, like AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate. While the actual tests and certifications are standardized, vendors and their channel partners are only limited by imagination when they teach the material.
Mission: Each quest stage can focus on a specific domain of cloud knowledge, with quizzes, challenges, and boss battles (think complex scenario simulations) to test their understanding. Completing quests unlocks badges that showcase their progress and motivates them to achieve certification.
Building these gamified trainings and POCs requires significant work upfront, but they can be repeated for a good ROI. The effort is well worth it, as these interactive experiences effectively engage public sector audiences.
Stay tuned for Part 3 of our Public Sector Cloud Navigator Series, “Breakthrough Communication: Why Public Sector Needs Storytelling.” Storytelling is a cornerstone of the human experience. In the public sector, the results are no different in bridging the understanding between technical benefits and public needs.
