Gamification Overview

Gamification applies game mechanics — badges, points and levels — to motivate learners to complete more courses. How to enable it and create gamification items. Questions this answers: Can badges be awarded for courses completed before gamification was set up? What size should a custom badge image be? How do I report on learners' badges and points? How do I set up a badge for completing a course? Can a learner earn the same badge more than once?

Sep 26, 2026
Knowledge

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Last Updated

12/13/2024

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gamification-overview

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Litmos

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Gamification is the application of game mechanics to a practical application such as eLearning to encourage users to work harder to do well. Litmos includes gamification to engage Learners and motivate them to complete more Courses to earn points and badges.

NOTE: It is important to develop a plan for your gamification because gamification is not retroactive. If you enable gamification after a Learner has started coursework, that will be excluded from gamification. The following includes some of the planning that needs to be done ahead of time:

Your Gamification Items

Whether you will use badges, points, or both

The kinds of badges that will be used (pre-made or custom)

Level names (if using)

Decide if you want to add notifications

Enable Gamification

Enable gamification via Account > Litmos Features. Select the Badges/Gamification Feature tile > Select Gamification > Save

enable gamification and badge settings

Creating a Gamification Item (Badges and/or Points)

Create a Gamification Item via Account > Litmos Feature > select Badges/Gamification > select Add Badge/Points

new gamification item

Name the Gamification Item.

Set a numerical point amount for the Gamification Item (Optional)

Check the box for 'Assign a badge for this achievement' (Optional)

If assigning a badge, check the Assign box, enter a name and an optional description. Choose a badge and color from our premade badges or upload your own design.

assign a badge

NOTE: If you decide to create your own badge, we recommend the badge size is 70px x 70px. Acceptable file types are .png, .jpg, or .gif. (Larger files can be used, but should be square and designed to be clear at 70px x 70px)

create own badge

Select a Trigger Event and select what will be required to earn the badge and/or points set above.

select trigger event

- Course or Learning Path Completion

- - All of the selected Courses/Learning Paths: This means the learner has to complete all of the selected items to earn a badge and/or points.

- - Any one of the selected Courses/Learning Paths: This means the learner has to complete any one of the selected items to earn a badge and/or points.

- - A set number of the selected Courses/Learning Paths: This means, if you select 10 courses and you set 5, the learner must complete any 5 of the 10 selected.

- Module Completion

- - All the selected Modules

- Posts in Discussion Group

- - Set the number of discussion posts

Add all Courses and/or Learning Paths or Modules that will be required to earn the badge and/or points set above.

Select Save.

The Gamification Item is now ready to use.

If you have social sharing enabled, refer to the Social Integration help article for further details.

Gamification Levels

Gamification Items (Badges/Points) can now be grouped together to create Gamification Levels. Gamification Levels are created via Accounts Settings > Litmos Features > Badges/Gamification > Gamification Levels.

gamification levels

Select 'Add Level'

add a level

Enter a Gamification Level Name

Select the Gamification Items that must be completed to attain the level

Select ‘Save’

The Gamification Level allows an additional grouping of badges/points to be created on top of the Gamification Items to denote progress for a Learner.

Gamification Notification

On completion of the relevant requirements to attain a gamification item, if a notification has been created for the gamification item, it will appear as a pop-up modal that can be read by the learner and then dismissed. Gamification Notifications are created via Accounts Settings > Litmos Features > Badges/Gamification > Gamification Notifications.

Select ‘Add notification’

add notification

Enter a name

In the Text section, enter the notification message that should be displayed to the user

Select the notification trigger and select ‘Save’

Gamification in People View

The Gamification Tab under People displays both the Badges/Points and the Gamification Levels attained by the Learner. Gamification Items (Badges/Points) and Gamification levels can be removed from the user directly from the Gamification Tab.

Gamification from a Learner Point of View

When badges/points have been activated by an Account Owner, a Learner can see their badges and/or points by navigating to their Achievements tab. In addition to seeing their Achievements and be able to download their certificates, they can view the badges and/or points they have earned.

learner achievements view

V3 Achievements Gamification Panel:

V4 achievements panel

V4 Achievements Gamification Panel:

V4 Badges Panel:

badges panel

Learners will also be able to view their standing from the Leaderboard. View the Leaderboard section for more information.

NOTE: Once a Learner has earned a badge and/or points, it cannot be removed (unless an Administrator removes it); however, they cannot earn more than one of any given badges. Gamification Items and Levels cannot be awarded retrospectively.

Reporting and Viewing Results as an Admin

Administrators can see Learner's badges/points in a few places:

The People Quick Report within the Reports tab, select Points Earned and/ or Badges Earned from the column selector between the search field and Filter this report buttons.

The Gamification tab within a user's profile.