Chapter 3: PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODS (4/4)

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56 THE GAME PRODUCTION HANDBOOK, 2/E

4. Quality Management (planning, assurance, control). That quality/

testing is executed on an ongoing basis throughout a project rather than

waiting until the end of a project is a strong PMBoK value. I find that

this is one way that iterative software development shines in regards to

standard PM methodologies. The constant testing cycles aligned with

the sprints give us real-time information on what’s what, and since the

iterative process is designed to incorporate the quality/testing feedback

as part of the living cycle, I think that this is one area in which PMI and

game development have an easy analog.

5. Human Resources Management (resource planning, acquire, de-

velop, manage project team). With both the iterative and non-iterative

projects we do, there is HR planning we do at the start of the project.

We are generally able to forecast staff requirements for the duration of

the project in the planning phases. Proper HR planning prevents/allevi-

ates the need for crunch time as a project concludes, which employees

appreciate tremendously. I find that by including dedicated attention to

the HR Management as a project management process, we have more

accurate budgets and better employee satisfaction.

6. Project Communications Management (communications planning,

info distribution, performance reporting, stakeholder management).

Again, the structure of iterative/scrum is really well suited to communi-

cations management. The teams communicate daily, there are product

back log and sprint review meetings at specific intervals, and who knows

what when is pretty clearly spelled out. For the non-iterative projects, the

producer and our project office work together at the start of the project

to work out the communications plan for the project and this is shared

team-wide at kick-off. The projects do differ enough that there is not one

template that we use.

7. Risk Management (planning, identification, analysis, response plan-

ning, monitoring, control). We are just now implementing a robust risk

management system and we’re already seeing the benefits. Regardless

of the nature of your project or your methodology, RM can and should

be implemented. Around here it has improved transparency and morale,

and the security of preparedness for potential risks has kept our budgets

in control. The best thing we’ve done is naming the risks up front and

assigning cost thresholds for decision-making should the risks occur. The

team usually appreciates the opportunity to brainstorm and then rank the

risks to the project. It is interesting to see how the different perspectives

on the team provide a diverse risk brainstorming. The team brainstorms

the risks, then rates them in terms of likelihood (inevitable, probable,

PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODS 57

possible, and unlikely), and severity (the project is abandoned, severe

cost/schedule variance, neither cost nor schedule would slip). The me-

dium-to-high risks are then assigned a prevention plan and a response

plan as well as a projected cost impact. In this way, when risks occur,

they are rarely a surprise and the team and stakeholders know how to

proceed.

Table of Contents for Chapter 3: PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODS (4/4)

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Table of Contents for
Chapter 3: PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODS (4/4)