how to manage an exploratory development process kellee santiago & robin hunicke

how to manage an exploratory development process

kellee santiago & robin hunicke

er . . .

exploratory

are you experienced?

Raise your hand if you’ve had:– Creative anxiety about your

process– Time, Budget or People problems– Difficulty explaining your

process/goals to others (… publishers, funders)

shared experience

Good News: You’re not alone– Iterative dev processes are hard!

Bad News:It won’t go away– Iterative dev processes are

fundamental!

iteration is expensive

You will chuck stuff You will wander in search of truthYou will have to explain this

behavior!

YOU CAN ENJOY THIS!

previously, on “TGC”

flower debuts at E3.fantastic responsesony asked us to spend more

time and money making the game better.

morale at an all-time low.

9

why does sustainability matter?

previously, on “TGC”

common day at TGC

there are things that need to get done.

why bother?I can’t be

weak.I’ll just do it.

lack of conflict resolution mechanisms

what we did about it

define Roles

commit to a RACI chart

distribute our Accountability

what are your goals?

companyprofit

craft

art

contribution

teamtrust friendship

respectfun

game

feeling

quality

recognition

features

comtepaganyamme

ROLES

choosing roles

Lead Designer

Responsibility

Accountability

ConsultInform

choosing roles

choosing roles

choosing roles

choosing your role

choosing your role

what about scope?

scope

in order to be exploratory

you have to be small

find the magic

execute the magic

find the magicexecute the

magic

find the magic

execute

the magic

find the magic

execute

the magic

sustainable use of resources

$$$

profit margin

talent pool

creative limits

quality

game mechan

ics

art

audio

quality

game mechan

icsart audio

the big list

must be flexible to change

follow your passion!

setting a pace

1 YEAR

1

MONTH

setting a pace

1

MONTH

20 MONTHS

setting a pace

1

MONTH

20 MONTHS

?

?

?

?

?

ESTIMATESVS

COMMITMENTS

the big board

the big board

PROCESS OR STRAIGHTJACKET?

PEOPLE FOCUSED

do your people matter?

1 on 1

back to basics

not a zero sum game!!!

we are wearing the same uniform, stupid!

"We call a task 'easy' in one of three cases:

we really want it, we have no idea what it entails, … or we don't have to do it

ourselves."

iteration is expensive

You will chuck stuff You will wander in search of truthYou will have to explain this

behavior!

YOU CAN ENJOY THIS!

sometimes there are other people...

you have to be upfront about your process

you have to be upfront about your process

maintain honesty and open communication

you have to be upfront about your process

maintain honesty and open communication

commitments are not estimates

you have to be upfront about your process

maintain honesty and open communication

commitments are not estimatescontract has to based on your

process, not your product

have the difficult conversations

“most game developers burn out within 5 years of entering the industry”

BE HONESTWANDERING IS OKIN EVERY ROLEON EVERY PROJECTUNTIL YOU DIE

DIARY

PLAYTESTS

THE BIG LIST/BOARD

MUTUAL RESPECT & TRUST

WITHOUT YOURGAMES… WHERE

WILL WE BE?

because your games matter