As with other tech industries, working in video games is both fun and challenging. How do we do it and without going insane? What is the difference being a woman in games vs. other industries? Presented at ITESM at Guadalajara, Mexico on March 23, 2011.

1. Improvising by
Design
One Woman’s Adventure In The Video
Game Industry
Liza Wood
March 23, 2011

2. At the time of this presentation, I am Sr. Director - Development Services at Behaviour in Montreal, Canada.
All opinions expressed are my own and do not represent the views of my current or past employers.

3. I want to thank the Tecnológico de Monterrey and Larva Game Studios
for inviting me to Guadalajara to give this presentation.

4. I’m really excited to be in Guadalajara today because this is what the weather has been like in Montreal!

5. Video Games
Are
Interactive
So Is This
Presentation

6. Life Before

7. Life Before

8. Life Before

9. Video Games

10. My Game Journey

11. Producer With Many Roles

12. Tell Me About You!
• Who are students? Professors? From the
industry?
• Students: what programs are you studying?
• Who is thinking about working in video games?
• Who plays video games? Every day?
• Who plays games on their mobile phone?
• Who plays games on Facebook?
• Are you a Gamer?

13. My Secret:
I don’t call myself
a Gamer

14. What Do These Have In Common?

15. Teamwork Flexibility
Creativity Passion

16. Typical Game Dev Story

17. Typical Game Dev Story
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18. Typical Game Dev Story
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19. Typical Game Dev Story
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27. Typical Game Dev Story
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28. Agile Game Dev Story

29. Agile Game Dev Story
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30. Agile Game Dev Story
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31. Agile Game Dev Story
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32. Agile Game Dev Story
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33. Agile Game Dev Story
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34. Agile Game Dev Story
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35. Agile Game Dev Story
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36. Agile Game Dev Story
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37. Agile Game Dev Story
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38. Agile Game Dev Story
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39. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

40. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

41. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

42. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

43. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

44. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

45. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

46. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

47. But The Story Does Not
Stop There...

48. And It’s Global!

49. How Do We
Not Go
Insane?

50. We Improvise
By Design

51. Pre-Production
Production
Post-
Production
Game Development Model

52. Pre-Production Production Post Release
Viewed as Iterations

53. Iterative development is not just used in video game development.
We used the same principles in hardware development.

54. What Is
Important For
Working In
Iterations?

55. Look For New Inspiration

56. Ask For Feedback

57. Trust Your Team

58. Embrace Failure: Early And Often

59. Know When To Stop

60. Why do we
do this?

61. Passion
for the products
and what we do

62. What e These Have In Common?
ls Do
E

63. Not Many Women

64. • 38% of console and 43% of PC gamers
are women, 18 years+*
• 11% of developers are women**
*Women and Gaming, Forbes.com, 03.25.2010
** Games Software Developers Salary Survey, TIGA, 13 April 2010

65. Men Will Be Boys

66. We Fight Differently

67. I have worked
with many
outstanding
women leaders

68. Teamwork Flexibility
Creativity Passion

69. Inspiration Feedback
Trust Learn

70. Some day I hope you will get to work with a team as great as this!

71. Additional Information
• scrumalliance.org
• blog.agilegamedevelopment.com
• http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/
steven_johnson_where_good_ideas_co
me_from.html
• archives.igda.org/women/
• womeningamesjobs.com

72. ¡Gracias!

73. Follow Us!
www.linkedin.com/in/lizawood www.linkedin.com/in/derrekwood
Blog: blog.socketsandlightbulbs.com
Twitter: @brightcdns

74. Photo Credits
In order of first appearance:
Slide 5: flickr.com member/AngryJulieMonday
Slide 6: image courtesy of Google
Slide 7: newsroom.cisco.com
Slide 10 (clockwise from top left): neoseeker.com, associatedcontent.com, flightnetwork.com,
megauploadindex.com, gamersblog.com.br, toy-tma.com
Slide 11 (clockwise from top left): Miguel Matos, UI menu from Iron Man Wii by Eric Bellefeuille, Liza Wood,
Miguel Matos, Liza Wood, Concept Art by Guillaume Bonnet and Corentin Chevanne
Slide 13: flickr.com member/coolio-claire
Slide 15 (clockwise from top left): Miguel Matos, flickr.com member/Canon in 2D, Sara Parker, Liza Wood
Slide 19: Kimmo Tirkkonen
Slide 20: flick.com member/Mell P
Slide 26: Hogarth’s “An Election Enterntainment”
Slide 28: H. Powers
Slide 29: flickr.com member/SuperFantastic
Slide 30: flickr.com member/purpleapple428
Slide 34: Miguel Matos
Slide 36: Neil Alejandro
Slide 37: Nils Renaldi
Slide 41: Miguel Matos
All other photos by Liza Wood.