Although research into gamification describes the pedagogy as contextual-based, there is minimal research into analyzing the context when implementing gamification. This research study aimed to examine how professional instructional designers experience analyzing higher education course rooms before implementing gamification into a higher education course room. The methodology for the research study was a basic qualitative study. The sample for the study was individuals who had made at least one higher education course room that implemented gamification within the past 5 years. The study included 13 participants with varying degrees of experience in implementing gamification into a higher education course room. The research study included using the thematic analysis procedure as a framework to analyze the data collected for the study. The research study used the NVivo analysis program to assist in the data analysis established by the thematic analysis procedure. Four major themes emerged from the data analysis: initial analysis, the learning environment context, the learner context, and the transfer context. Participants placed priority on understanding the learner and the learning environment when implementing gamification into a course room. Participants also discussed challenges associated with implementing gamification. A significant challenge discussed was the limitations placed by universities that restricted what and how to implement game elements, the potential technical limitations of the universities, and the perception of gamification use by the school and student populations. Participants further discussed the necessity of understanding external personal and environmental factors that could affect the potential reception of learners for gamification in course rooms. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]