Your team is divided on game features. How do you ensure everyone's priorities are met?

1 Listen First

Active listening is the cornerstone of resolving disagreements within your game design team. By encouraging each member to express their thoughts and concerns openly, you create an environment where everyone feels heard. This approach doesn't just apply to verbal communication; it's also about reading between the lines of what's being said, understanding non-verbal cues, and acknowledging the emotional investment team members have in their ideas. Building a foundation of mutual respect through listening can lead to more collaborative discussions and innovative solutions that incorporate different viewpoints.

2 Prioritize Goals

Identifying the core objectives of your game is a critical step in reconciling differing opinions on features. Your team needs to establish what the game is trying to achieve, who the target audience is, and what experience you want to deliver. Once these goals are clear, evaluate each proposed feature against them. This process helps to filter out ideas that don't align with the game's vision and focus on those that enhance the player's experience, ensuring that the team's efforts are directed toward a common purpose.

3 Find Balance

Striking a balance between various features is like finding the perfect recipe for your game. It's about mixing different ingredients in the right proportions. Consider the gameplay mechanics, narrative elements, art style, and technical constraints. Encourage your team to compromise and collaborate, blending their ideas in ways that enhance the game's overall design. This might mean adjusting the scope of certain features or finding alternative ways to implement them that satisfy multiple viewpoints.

4 Transparent Decisions

Transparency in decision-making fosters trust within your team. When it comes time to make tough calls on which features to include, exclude, or modify, ensure that the rationale is clearly communicated. Explain how each decision aligns with the game's goals and the feedback received from the team. This openness not only helps to mitigate feelings of disappointment but also demonstrates how individual contributions are valued and considered in the final outcome.

5 Iterative Approach

Adopting an iterative design process allows your team to test and refine game features continuously. Start with a prototype that includes the most essential features and gather feedback from both your team and potential players. Use this input to make informed adjustments, adding, tweaking, or removing features as necessary. This approach not only helps in validating ideas but also provides a practical platform for team members to see their contributions in action and understand the impact on the overall game experience.

6 Conflict Resolution

Finally, effective conflict resolution is crucial when opinions clash over game features. Equip your team with problem-solving skills and strategies to navigate disagreements constructively. Promote a culture where differing opinions are seen as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. When conflicts arise, guide your team through a structured discussion that seeks to understand each perspective and work towards a resolution that serves the best interest of the game.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?