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Information flow
The document discusses the importance of information flow within a game studio to ensure successful projects and team morale. It identifies common problems that arise from poor information flow such as miscommunications, delays, and low quality work. The author analyzes different structures and processes within studios that can impact information flow, both positively and negatively, such as email conventions, seating arrangements, meetings, organizational charts, and interpersonal relationships. Key recommendations include establishing clear communication structures and addressing barriers to information sharing like distance, noise, mental blocks, and interpersonal fears. The overall message is that studios with strong, open information flow between teams and individuals can avoid most common problems and have more successful outcomes.
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Information flow
- 1. Information Flow The Secretto 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 ofa 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 ofInformation Flow?
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- 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
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- 26. Who needs a Spatial Layout door? Who sits where? Why? Craft vs. Projects
- 27. A little distancecan be a LOT of distance
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- 33. Free Food BlocksInfo!
- 36. Matrix Management: Projects, Process,and People
- 37. Info Flow SoFar Four Persistent Structures 1. Email Conventions 2. Spatial Layout 3. Regular Meetings 4. Org Charts
- 38. What blocks infoflow? 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 infoflow? Too much trouble I didn’t know! NOISE! It’s a secret! Mental ruts Fear
- 41. So Many Kindsof 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’sMatrix
- 43. Three charts! Facts Projects Opinions Processes Emotions People Project Affective Org Chart Hierarchy Hubs
- 45. Six Kinds ofJerks 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 Keysto Successful Teamwork
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- 58. Studios with goodinfo 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 energyis 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