This talk describes how good studio management happens by managing information flows through the studio.

1. Game Studio Management:
Making it Great!
Jesse Schell
@jesseschell
GDC 2015

4. Game Studio Management:
Making it Great!
Jesse Schell
@jesseschell
GDC 2015

6. Common Studio Problems
• I don’t know how to structure management!
• I don’t know how to manage this project!
• Another miscommunication with a client!
• We have too many meetings!
• Our team has low morale!
• Our game is LATE!
• Our game SUCKS!

10. The formation of a higher-level
unit by integrating lower-level
units will succeed only if the
emerging organization acquires
the appropriate “technologies” for
passing information among its
members.
–Thomas Seeley,
TheWisdom of the Hive

11. The universe is made
of information.

13. Space is defined by
channels of energy.

16. What is essential is
invisible to the eye.

17. Design your life so
that you like it.

20. Opinions
Facts
Emotions
Processes
Projects
People

22. Individual

23. Studio

24. Press
Licensor
Outsource
Partner
Studio
Publisher Players
World

25. Face to Face
Skype
Phone
Email
More
Info
Less
Info

26. Flow Management Tool #1: Org Structure
16

28. Matrix Management:
Projects, Process, and People

29. Flow Management Tool #2: Office Space

30. A little distance can be a LOT of distance

33. Flow Management Tool #3: Ritual

35. Agile Development

40. Other Rituals

42. Flow Management Tool #4: Social Factors

43. Collective Intelligence
Dr. Anita Wooley
Three factors
1. Social Sensitivity (the “eyes” test)
2. Conversational turn-taking
3. The number of women in the group

44. What blocks info flow?
Too much trouble I didn’t know! NOISE!
So many kinds of noise!
1) Noise in my head!
2) Noise in the office!
a) Interruptions!
b) Lying!
3) Noise from the publisher!

45. Beeman’s Meddling Matrix
Success Fail
Meddling
No
Meddling
My
meddling
worked!
Gulp! I’m
useless!
I should
have
meddled!
I did all I
could.

46. What blocks info flow?
Too much trouble I didn’t know! NOISE!
Mental ruts
It’s a secret! Fear

47. So Many Kinds of Fear!
•The boss will be mad!
•Sue’s feelings will be hurt.
•Everyone will laugh at me.
•I might make a mistake.
•The client will be disappointed.
•I could lose the respect of the team.
•Everyone will know I’m really a fraud.

48. Casciaro & Lobo’s Matrix

49. There are exactly
six kinds of jerks.

50. Six Kinds of Jerks
1. The Inaccessible Jerk
- I can’t get the info I need!
2. The Unreliable Jerk
- I can’t trust your info!
3. The Rigid Jerk
- You are ignoring important info!
4. The Disrespectful Jerk
- You’ll spread bad info about me!
5. The Vague Jerk
- Was that even information?
6. The Unfair Jerk
- If I give you info, you’ll use it against me!

51. Opinions
Facts
Emotions
Processes
Projects
People
Three charts!
Org Chart
Project
Hierarchy
Affective
Hubs

52. Decide what’s important
and overcommunicate it.

53. Your work is…
UNACCEPTABLE

54. Talk less, listen more.

56. Seek and ye shall find.

57. Studios with good information flow say…
• I know how to structure management!
• I know how to manage this project!
• No miscommunication with clients!
• We have the right meetings!
• Our team has great morale!
• Our game is ON TIME!
• Our game ROCKS!

58. If the energy is really flowing
freely, the brush paints by itself,
the camera photographs, the
sculpture forms, the words write,
the dance dances. The creator of
the art, the subject of the art, and
the expression itself merge into a
single process in which there is no
reflection or evaluation, just the
art manifesting itself.

59. Thanks!
Four Tools
1. Org Structure
2. Office Space
3. Rituals
4. Social Factors
Email: jesse@schellgames.com
Twitter: @jesseschell
Slides: jesseschell.com
Book: artofgamedesign.com

61. Schell Games Principles
Our mission: To make experiences we are proud of with people we like, so
we can make the world a better place.
1. Amazing Teams
1. Only hire people who have the skills and passion to make the best experiences possible.
2. Only work with clients and partners who share our passion to create the best.
3. Always treat everyone with the utmost respect -- even when (especially when) you are
frustrated.
4. Diversity makes us strong.
5. It’s not a decision until the team is on board.
6. If you don’t believe in your work, speak up.
2. Amazing Fun
1. We don’t make experiences to make money. We make money to make experiences.
2. Experiences should be beautiful inside and out.
3. Beauty is in the details. Give attention to every little thing.
4. Planning, organizing, and optimizing information flow are essential to quality.
5. All experiences must have all key aspects fully playable halfway through production.
6. Know, respect, and defend the guest. The experience is for them.
7. Playtest constantly. It’s the only way to know.
3. Amazing Transformation
1. Always ask: "How does our experience change the guest?“
2. Always ask: "Is there a better way?“
3. Dreams and plans only matter if we ship.
4. Belief can turn the impossible into reality.
5. Be brave. If you don’t, who will?

62. Research Links
• Casciaro and Lobo:
• http://sousalobo.com/researchfiles/casciaro_lobo_hbr_05.pdf
• Denise Chen fear smell research:
• http://www.livescience.com/3384-humans-respond-scent-fear.html