Prod - Ultimate game production skills master class (Michael Bybee - Blizzard Entertainment)
Training created on 6/19/24. Last update on 11/25/24.
Programme version: 1
Training programme
Managing the complexity of modern games is a challenge for game producers, but this class is here to help! Reinforce your foundational production skills and build a toolkit of advanced techniques for planning work, collaborating with a broad range of developers, and staying ahead of the ever-changing games industry landscape. With pressure to "get it right" on complex and expensive projects such as Diablo IV and World of Warcraft, Michael Bybee, Production Director @ Blizzard Entertainment will teach you techniques for increasing predictability, with an emphasis on building a toolkit for planning, managing, and successfully shipping even the most intricate games. 1) Game Production Foundation a- Game Production Overview 2)Project Management Skills Development a- Project Management Fundamentals b- Work Breakdown Exercise c- Estimation Exercise d- Risk Scenario Exercise 3) Collaborating with Diverse Developers a- Humans 101 b- Effective Communication 4)Looking Ahead a- Recent Trends in Data and AI in Games b- Final Takeaways
Objectives of the training
- Review and reinforce the foundational project management and communication methods that every Game Producer needs to be able to manage complex projects
- Build a practical toolkit of skills for breaking down and estimating work, scheduling projects, and navigating risks
- Explore common personality types and techniques for collaborating with them, as well as methods for overcoming common biases
- Catch up on the latest trends in data-driven decision making and using AI in games
Profile of beneficiaries
- Producers
- Project Managers
- Development Directors
- Anyone who works in a planning capacity in games
- Anyone aspiring to work in AAA game in a production capacity
- Practical experience working on a game development team in any capacity for at least 2 years
- General understanding of game development process, project management, and production processes
- Master Class in English
Training content
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Game Production Foundation
- Game Production Overview Short description and history along with comparisons across the games industry as well as television, film, and music.
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Project Management Skills Development
- Project Management Fundamentals Explore the trade-offs among scope, schedule, and quality. Overview of various methodologies and specific examples of their use. Discuss benefits/drawbacks of each.
- Work Breakdown Exercise Given a high-level game vision, class will break it down, map pipelines and dependencies, then discuss practical tools and best practices.
- Estimation Exercise
- Risk Scenario Exercise
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Collaborating with Diverse Developers
- Humans 101
- Effective Communication
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Looking Ahead
- Recent Trends in Data and AI in Games
- Final Takeaways
Michael Bybee is the Production Director for World of Warcraft at Blizzard Entertainment and was formerly an Associate Production Director on Diablo IV. With more than two decades of management experience, he is an experienced leader who has built a career out of bridging gaps between designers, engineers, artists, and business professionals. Bybee has successfully shipped projects across a breadth of categories, including AAA live service games at Blizzard, global IT enterprise systems, military vehicle software, and licensed commercial products. He holds an MBA from the University of California Los Angeles, has maintained an active PMP certification for more than 17 years, and recently spoke at the 2024 Game Developer’s Conference on the data-driven production techniques that contributed to the successful launch of Diablo IV.
- Assessment of acquired skills via a questionnaire
Quality and satisfaction
Certification procedures
- Délivrance d'un certificat de réalisation