Keynote for the 2011 IGDA Leadership Forum

1. Information Flow
The Secret to Studio Structure
Jesse Schell
IGDA Leadership Forum 2011

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, The Wisdom of the Hive

16. The Lens of Information Flow?

17. Individual

18. Studio

19. World
Outsource
Partner
Licensor
Studio
Publisher Players
Press

22. Facts Projects
Opinions Processes
Emotions People

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

25. Email Conventions

26. Who needs a
Spatial Layout door?
Who sits where? Why?
Craft vs. Projects

27. A little distance can be a LOT of
distance

31. Agile Development

32. Other Rituals

33. Free Food Blocks Info!

36. Matrix Management:
Projects, Process, and People

37. Info Flow So Far
Four Persistent Structures
1. Email Conventions
2. Spatial Layout
3. Regular Meetings
4. Org Charts

38. 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!

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

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

41. 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.

42. Casciaro & Lobo’s Matrix

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

45. 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!

46. The Ten Keys to Successful Teamwork

47. Key #1: Objectivity

48. Key #2: Clarity

49. Key #3: Persistence

50. Key #4: Comfort

51. Key #5: Respect

52. Key #6: Trust

53. Key #7: Honesty

54. Key #8: Privacy

55. Key #9: Unity

56. Key #10: Love

58. Studios with good info 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!

59. 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.
- Zen Master John Daido Loori

60. Thanks!
Slides: jesseschell.com
Twitter: @jesseschell
Email: jesse@schellgames.com