Monique Morrow is a Senior Distinguished Architect for Emerging Technologies at Syniverse Technologies and will be one of the keynote speakers joining us online for our IBTM Wired conference programme on Day 4 of the event. She will be delivering a session on “Gamifying the Event Planner Experience with Blockchain and Non- Fungible Tokens”.
Ahead of this session, we sat down with Monique to find out a little more about her and her experience with gamification.
How did you get into the cyber technology industry?
My career originated in Silicon Valley USA, which seems like a natural evolution as so many exciting things were happening at the start of my tech career during this time. My career has been exciting, to say the least.
Favourite thing about working at Syniverse?
Defining the technology direction of the company is a collaborative effort for me at Syniverse. However, this means that it is truly reimagining the impossible and its implications, opportunities for Syniverse and our customers.
What has been your crowning moment so far?
This is difficult to answer as I have so many unique crowning moments and hopefully, more to come.
Your session at IBTM Wired will be all about gamifying the event planner experience with blockchain and non-fungible tokens. Can you explain a little bit about what blockchain and non-fungible tokens are?
Blockchain at its most fundamental level is a ledger think of it as a database that is often decentralized, and distributed ledger formed a chain of blocks. The ledger is immutable and cannot be changed.
Non-Fungible Tokens or NFTs are blockchain tokens representing a unique digital item like music, images, art and so on. An NFT is unique hence non-fungible and has value in the form of cryptocurrency.
How do you think the development of technology and gamification has changed in the past year due to the pandemic?
Development of technology and gamification have always been foundational no matter the crisis. I think that the pandemic has accelerated collective thinking in terms of the economy [post pandemic]; cybersecurity and privacy as examples.
I have participated in a few problem-solving events [hackathons] and have been amazed at the proposed solutions. Can we think about the circular economy and opportunities to come? I believe we are at the tip of the iceberg as to what is possible!
What sorts of situations could gamification be used in for events?
Gamification and NFTs for events are two separate areas. The experience needs to be personal so whether earning so many digital badges, which allows me to have a 1:1 session with a keynote speaker, and/or to use NFTs for event tickets to combat ticket scalping.
Event badges, SWAG can be examples for NFT use. Blockchain provides transparency in transactions and ownership and NFTs can enable gamification as the d digital asset, e.g. my badge is unique and has a unique value in a form of cryptocurrency.
What technology development are you most excited about in the next few years?
I think NFTs is just the tip of the iceberg for the industry. I am also excited about quantum security, AI and the evolution of blockchain or Distributed Ledger Technology [DLT] to open more industry opportunities that are cross-vertical whether in Healthcare, Transportation, Energy, Retail, Events and so on.
Best piece of advice you’d give to an event planner looking for guidance on applying gamification at their next event?
I think that event planners need to think about where the potential of disruption is for this space. Technology can be an enabler for new business and new pivot areas.
NFTs and blockchain represent examples where low hanging fruit can be captured by event planners themselves.
What’s on your desk?
Books to be read on holiday!
What are you most looking forward to doing when the world is back to normal?
We are in a new normal defined by COVID-19. Let’s look forward to creating the future we wish to have together not the one we want to avoid. Certainly, travelling to meet customers and, yes, attending conferences that can be gamified and tokenized!
Hear more from Monique Morrow when she appears online on Day 4 of IBTM Wired for her session “Gamifying the event planner experience with blockchain and non-fungible tokens.”
Register to attend here.