Cause & Effect Post Mortem

This journal entry of mine showcases the postmortem of Cause & Effect which is a puzzle game prototype we developed in the class of Asset Management conducted by Roy Papp. The objective of this class was to make us a whole functional studio which comprised of Producers, Game Designers, Level Designer, QA and Developers and create a cost effective and working prototype.

What went right?

• We submitted a workable prototype with Easy, Medium and Hard Levels (20+ Levels in total).

• The communication between the team improved as the weeks went by.

• Team management improved over time.

• The team was dedicated and motivate to submit a good prototype.

What went wrong?

• Poor management during the initial stages of the project.

• Egos clashed between team members.

• The team was not motivated enough initially.

• We had decided upon 30 levels in total and failed to deliver all, instead delivered 23 levels.

• Due to communication gap and breakdowns that the team experienced, we lost out on productive time.

How can we improve?

• Clearer goals.

• Better management and task allocation.

• Team activities to boost team morale, even though we have been in the same class for 9 months it felt like in this month we truly understood how each of us function.

• Respect each other and keep the ego far away from the project.

Take back from this class?

I personally took back a lot from this class. This class did not only focus on asset management, but also created a simulation of a real industry situation and issues teams usually face. This class did not only help me read and understand my team mates better, but also adapt and compromise better in order to reach the end goal.