UNDERSTANDING THE BLOCKCHAIN THROUGH A GAMIFIED EXPERIENCE: A CASE STUDY FROM AUSTRIA

The Blockchain has evoked the interests of researchers and practitioners alike. Market studies predict that it has huge potential to disrupt existing economic structures and business processes, yet the complex technology behind it makes it hard for many people to grasp the basic functionality. Lacking are easy-to-use interfaces and playful applications which would allow for a simple Blockchain exploration. The project Play4Privacy (P4P) used the ancient Chinese board game Go to increase public understanding of the Blockchain. Individuals could join teams to jointly determine the moves of the stones, and tokens could be mined while playing the game. The respective moves of the stones were displayed on the wall of a public building. In this case study we use six qualitative interviews to summarize the anticipated and unanticipated findings of the project, which was not only intended to increase public awareness concerning Blockchain technology, but also toward privacy on the Internet. The results of this research project reveal several important managerial and behavioral obstacles that have to be overcome in order for Blockchain technology to reach widespread adoption