A perfect day on the slopes – How gamification personalises the mountain experience
What if data could design your perfect ski day? Episode 10 of Applied Data Science UNBOXED unpacks how data science is transforming the ski resort experience. We head to the slopes to explore how LAAX uses data, gamification and digital products to shape the perfect ski day.
Podcast: Applied Data Science UNBOXED
Episode 10: A perfect day on the slopes – How gamification personalises the mountain experience
Host: Fabio Sandmeier
Guest: Michael Eberle and Cosima Lang
Shortcuts:
Gamification | Data Creativity | Experience | Post Smartphone Era | Vision | Simplicity | Data Collection | Data Quality | Rethinking | Speed | Strategy | Behaviour | Guessing Game | Innovation | Relevance | Teaching
In this episode, host Fabio Sandmeier speaks with Michael Eberle, Head of Customer Success, Partner and Digital Experience Architect at Inside Labs AG, as well as guest lecturer at HSLU. Together, they explore how digital tools, data and gamification are transforming the ski resort experience. Joining them is Cosima Lang, who took her snowboard and the LAAX app to the slopes and documented firsthand how digital features like tracking, live information and gamification shape a day in the mountains.
02:16 – Gamification in ski resorts
The episode opens by introducing gamification in ski resorts through Cosima’s live impressions from the slopes. Equipped with the LAAX app, she documents her day on the mountain, showing how the app tracks activity, adds challenges and motivates through points. This section gives a first, tangible sense of how digital experiences are integrated into a ski day.
04:07 – Data creativity explained
Michael Eberle introduces the idea of data creativity, a concept that moves beyond simply collecting data. The real challenge is understanding what data is useful and turning it into something meaningful for both the business and the guest experience.
05:41 – Building the LAAX app
A key question in this episode is what role a ski resort wants to play: simply operating lifts, or creating a broader experience for its guests? Faced with increasing competition from platforms like Airbnb and booking.com, LAAX decided to take ownership of the customer relationship. Its app became a direct channel to stay connected with guests before, during and after their stay and to shape the overall experience.
07:44 – Preparing for the post smartphone era
The conversation looks beyond today’s app-based experiences. Michael explains that preparing for a post-smartphone era is already on their agenda. Technologies such as smart glasses, voice interfaces and wearables could become future touchpoints between users and digital services. More important than any specific device, however, is the underlying data layer and the question of how data can be accessed and used across different interfaces.
09:01 – Inside insights and inspirations
Fabio and Michael then turn to the broader vision behind Inside Labs. What started with LAAX has grown into digital solutions for destinations such as Zermatt, St. Moritz and Davos. Michael shares that his motivation is rooted in his personal connection to the mountains and the belief that mountain destinations should offer more than just skiing. Digital products can add a new layer to the experience, making it more accessible, more seamless and overall more enjoyable for guests.
10:37 – Reducing friction on the slopes
Cosima’s experience on the mountain highlights how useful simple digital features can be. One example is the use of live gate cameras to check queues at ski lifts. Instead of relying on complex models, users can quickly assess the situation themselves. This part of the conversation shows how reducing friction and solving pain points often comes down to pragmatic solutions rather than technical complexity.
13:17 – Understanding data collection
How do ski resorts decide what data to collect? Michael explains that their work is based on three main categories: declared data, behavioural data and operational data. At the same time, the team made conscious decisions about what not to collect. LAAX deliberately chose not to use age and gender data to avoid stereotypical assumptions and traditional segmentation. This reflects a more thoughtful approach to understanding users based on behaviour rather than predefined categories.
16:32 – Data quality challenges
Why would a team deliberately delete 200,000 email addresses? Michael uses this example to illustrate one of the biggest learning curves around data quality and data governance. Rather than transferring poor-quality CRM data into a new system, they decided to start from scratch. The section highlights how important clean structures, naming conventions and a clear use case for every data point really are.
19:16 – The courage to rethink
Rethinking past decisions is an essential part of good data work. Michael explains why teams need the courage to question what they collect, how they structure it and whether certain datasets still serve a purpose. Data that is never used has little value, but deciding what to keep and what to let go is rarely simple.
21:42 – The importance of speed
Speed plays a crucial role when working with data. Michael highlights that data quickly loses its value over time, while newly collected data is often more relevant. This makes it easier to let go of older datasets and focus on staying up to date with current user behaviour.
22:10 – Understanding gamification
Gamification is not just about fun features or digital gimmicks. Rooted in behavioural science, it can help guide guest behaviour in ways that also benefit the ski resort. Challenges, badges and incentives can encourage people to spread out across the day, explore different parts of the resort or return in other seasons. In this sense, gamification becomes a strategic business tool rather than just an entertaining add-on.
25:15 – The role of behavioural science
Gamification builds on behavioural patterns that already exist. Skiing itself is emotional, social and performance-driven, so the motivation does not need to be created from scratch. Instead, gamification amplifies this existing behaviour. The conversation also highlights how these features can lead to unexpected social interactions, such as people comparing their performance and experiences on the slopes.
26:14 – The guessing game story
How many people would come to the ski area? This question lies at the heart of one of the episode’s most memorable stories. While data scientists were building forecasting models, lift operators had created their own informal betting game and often came surprisingly close to the real numbers. What began as a simple guessing game later evolved into a digital, crowd-based version. The example shows how experience, context and human judgement can sometimes outperform even sophisticated models.
30:04 – Keeping eyes open for innovation
Innovation does not always start behind a desk. Michael shows why being on-site, talking to people and observing real situations can uncover ideas that would otherwise go unnoticed. Valuable insights often come from curiosity, openness and looking beyond the technology itself.
30:54 – Final impressions from the slopes
Making the most of the day is exactly what a good digital experience should support. Cosima’s final impressions show how the app added value through quick information and motivating gamification features. At the same time, her experience makes clear that relevance matters most: the app should enhance the day on the slopes without distracting from it.
35:41 – Teaching the next generation
Alongside his work at Inside Labs, Michael also teaches at HSLU. His focus is on sharing a pragmatic and customer-centric approach to technology. Students are encouraged to think beyond technical implementation and consider both business needs and user experience. This balance, especially in a B2B2C context, is essential for building solutions that work in practice.
Key Takeaway: Better experiences need better data
This episode shows that data science is not just about analysis, dashboards or algorithms. It is also about designing better experiences for real people. In the case of ski resorts, that means using data with creativity, pragmatism and care. Whether through deleting unnecessary data, choosing a webcam over a complex model, or building gamification that truly adds value, the real impact comes from understanding what people need and using technology in ways that feel relevant and useful.
More from the Podcast Applied Data Science UNBOXED
If you enjoyed this article, explore more blog posts from Applied Data Science UNBOXED:
- Episode 10: A perfect day on the slopes – How gamification personalises the mountain experience (this blog)
- Episode 9: From Thesis to Publication – How Smartwatches could transform Diabetes Care
- Episode 8: Data Ethics Between Vision and Reflection – Why Data Scientists Must Think Critically
- Episode 7: Tactics Meet AI – When Algorithms Play a Part in Sport
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