Agile processes have been widely adopted in software development for over a decade, but their adoption in game development studios is relatively new. In this talk, Epam Management experts Ganna Ivanicheva and Boris Lesun will discuss the benefits of adopting Agile processes in game development studios, drawing from their expertise and industry research. They will also explore the similarities and differences between software and game development processes, and common pain points studios face. Additionally, the speakers will delve into the acceleration of game development processes due to the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).

1. Ganna Ivanicheva
Boris Lesun
M A R C H 2 0 2 3
EPAM Proprietary & Confidential.
Agility is the Key
Power Up Your GameDev Project Management with Agile Practices!

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Ganna Ivanicheva
Agile Project/Portfolio Manager and Delivery Manager with over 11 years
of expertise across various business areas. Currently leading game projects
at Epam.
Activities before it: played violine, worked as a city guide in Ukraine,
worked as a ski instructor, freelance translator (English, German)
Project Manager, Localization testing unit head
Boris Lesun
Project Manager and Ops Manager with many years of expertise across various
business areas. Currently leading "Play&Learn" worldwide educational game
project at Epam using Epic Game Fortnite Meta Universe.
Activities before: Playtica - Product owner at Bingo Studio, Sky Systems -
managed developing games and created and managed first game store in Minsk,
"Open IT" intro sessions in Minsk, eKids (EPAM) intro sessions worldwide online:-
Spain, Turkey, Montenegro, Poland, USA, Serbia, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, etc.
Project Manager, Product Manager

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04
07
09
12
14
Foreword
3 Amigos
Retrospective
Demo
T-Shirt Estimation

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Agile means having no
documentation/design
Agile doesn’t require
managers
Agile = Scrum and
Kanban
Agile doesn’t work in
gaming

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Agile is flexible enough for everyone
and everything

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Gaming Software Development
EPAM Proprietary & Confidential. 6
Poor work-life balance and high level of
stress
High turnover due to inadequate
compensation and job dissatisfaction
Poor user experience or interface design
Bugs and technical issues impact usability
Inadequate support and customer service
Strong competition in the market
Challenging deadlines impacted by long
and unpredictable development cycles
Limited availability of specialized talent
Poor user experience or interface design
Performance problems, crashes or bugs
Inadequate marketing or promotion to
reach target audiences
Strong competition in the market

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3 Amigos

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3 Amigos
Experts only
Focused time
For refinements/estimations

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Retrospective

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Retrospective
Make work easier
Chaotic processes
Make action items come
true

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Follow more templates on easyretro.io

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Demo Session

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Demo Session
Provide visuals
Document everything!
Work with your
stakeholders

14. T-Shirt sizing
• 4
T-shirt sizing is a relative estimation technique where t-shirt
sizes, such as XS, S, M, L, and XL, are used to estimate
product backlog items in a seamless way. Most agile teams
do estimates, as it helps teams to understand, discuss, and
plan what they are going to work on next.
Overall, t-shirt sizing is a useful estimation technique in Agile
projects for quick and relative estimation of user stories,
fostering collaboration and providing a high-level view of
effort needed. However, it may not be suitable for projects
requiring precise planning or those with highly diverse or
complex user stories.

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T-Shirt Sizing for product backlog items
T-shirt sizing is a relative estimation technique used in Agile projects to estimate user stories or
work items. Instead of providing specific time or effort estimates, the team assigns t-shirt sizes (XS,
S, M, L, XL, etc.) to represent the relative size or complexity of each item.
The main idea behind t-shirt sizing is to provide a rough estimation of the size or effort required for
each item in a simple and intuitive way. It allows teams to quickly assess the relative complexity and
size of user stories without going into detailed analysis.
T-shirt sizing is a collaborative process where the whole team participates in the estimation
exercise. Each team member individually assigns a t-shirt size to each user story or work item. Then,
the team discusses and reaches a consensus on the assigned sizes. This process helps in capturing
diverse perspectives and knowledge of the team members

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T-Shirt Sizing: pros
Team collaboration: T-shirt sizing encourages collaboration and discussion among team
members, leading to better shared understanding and alignment.
Focus on relative sizing: T-shirt sizing focuses on the relative size or complexity of user stories instead
of specific time or effort, which reduces the need for unnecessary precision.
Time-efficient: T-shirt sizing is a quick estimation technique that allows teams to estimate a large
number of user stories in a relatively short time.
Simplicity: T-shirt sizing provides a simple and easy-to-understand way to estimate user stories,
making it accessible to everyone on the team

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T-Shirt Sizing: cons
Lack of precision: T-shirt sizing does not provide precise estimates, as it focuses on relative sizing
rather than specific time or effort. This can lead to uncertainty in planning and forecasting. The
difference between different sizes is unclear.
Limited scale: T-shirt sizing uses a limited scale of sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL, etc.), which may not
capture the nuances of complexity for highly diverse or complex user stories.
Potential bias: T-shirt sizing relies on individual team members' subjective opinions, which can
introduce bias in the estimation process.

18. T-Shirt estimation (own expirience)
• T - S H I R T S I Z I N G
Playtica: roadmap, miro, yearly plans, feature/product timeframes
EPAM Inc: roadmaps, miro, high level estimations.
Use T-Shirt sizes in SAFe

19. • F O R T N I T E C O N C E P T : H T T P S : / / E P A . M S / E K I D S - B I N A R Y
Future Development:
→ Programming course for teens and adults
→ New scenarios and ideas implementations​
→ Gameplay scale (co-op, new mechanics, AI)
→ New eKids experience implementation
→ Standard data types (M)
→ Variables (L)
(now in progress)
→ Conditions (M)
→ Cycles (M-L)
→ Loops (M-L)
→ Competitiveness (L)
Game Scenario
Interaction
→ Functional
programming (L)
→ Working with files (L)
→ Code testing (L)
→ Useful libraries,
i.e. intertools,
collections, etc.
(S - M for each)
Game LABS
→ Algorithm basics
(L-XL)
→ Object-oriented
programming (L-XL)
Game AI Mentor
EPAM aims to prove the technical possibilities of adapting educational content in the
Fortnite meta-universe (Creative Island Mode).
Future Level Estimations: S - 1m, M – 2m, L – 3m, XL – 4-6m, XXL – 7+ m
T-Shirt estimation (own experience)

20. EPAM Binary Concept
• 4
• https://epa.ms/ekids-binary

21. “
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Sometimes you need to add a
meaningful yet concise quote.”
Firstname Lastname
Job Title, Company
S E C T I O N T I T L E

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For more information, contact
Ganna Ivanicheva
PM, Localization testing unit head
Ganna_ivanicheva@epam.com
Boris Lesun
Project Manager
boris_lesun@epam.com