Jesse Schell discusses what makes for strong teams on a game development project.

1. Great Teams
Make
Great Games
Jesse Schell

5. teamwork

6. teamWORK

9. Skills Enthusiasm Respectabilitude
n. The ability to make
others feel respected.
S x E x R = Developer Value

10. Personality Types
More Curious
Detailed Planner
Introvert
More Critical
More Nervous
More Cautious?
“Go With The Flow”?
Extrovert?
More Accepting?
More Secure?
- or -
- or -
- or -
- or -
- or -
X
X
X
X
X

11. Engineering Art
Design

12. Good followers excel in orderly situations.
Good leaders excel in chaotic situations.
Followers vs. Leaders

13. Casciaro & Lobo’s Matrix

14. There are exactly
six kinds of jerks.

15. Jerks Block Information
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!

16. What matters
on a team?

17. Collective Intelligence
Dr. Anita Wooley
Three factors
1. Social Sensitivity (the “eyes” test)
2. Conversational turn-taking
3. The number of women in the group

18. Team Communication Matters

24. Team Trust Matters

25. Team Space Matters

26. Face to Face
Zoom
Phone
Slack
Email
More
Info
Less
Info

27. A little distance can be a LOT of distance

30. Team Size Matters
16

31. Team Rituals Matter

33. Agile Development

34. Other Rituals

36. 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.

37. Great Teams Make Great Games
Slides: jesseschell.com
Email: jesse@schellgames.com
Strong teammates…
• …have skills, enthusiasm, and
respectabilitude
• …have diverse perspectives
• …are likable
• …are not information blocking jerks
Strong teams…
• …are skilled at communication
• …have strong trust
• …use space wisely
• …are the right size
• …have healthy rituals

38. Schell Games Principles
Our mission: To make experiences we are proud of with people we like, so
we can make the world a better place.
1. Amazing Teams
1. Only hire people who have the skills and passion to make the best experiences possible.
2. Only work with clients and partners who share our passion to create the best.
3. Always treat everyone with the utmost respect -- even when (especially when) you are
frustrated.
4. Diversity makes us strong.
5. It’s not a decision until the team is on board.
6. If you don’t believe in your work, speak up.
2. Amazing Fun
1. We don’t make experiences to make money. We make money to make experiences.
2. Experiences should be beautiful inside and out.
3. Beauty is in the details. Give attention to every little thing.
4. Planning, organizing, and optimizing information flow are essential to quality.
5. All experiences must have all key aspects fully playable halfway through production.
6. Know, respect, and defend the guest. The experience is for them.
7. Playtest constantly. It’s the only way to know.
3. Amazing Transformation
1. Always ask: "How does our experience change the guest?“
2. Always ask: "Is there a better way?“
3. Dreams and plans only matter if we ship.
4. Belief can turn the impossible into reality.
5. Be brave. If you don’t, who will?