Gamasutra - Feature - “Paper Burns: Game Design With Agile Methodologies”
This article talks about the ”Agile” development method, as applied to game development. I can see this as quite applicable to interactive design. We kind of work this way already (though on a much, much smaller scale): we rapid prototype, get the client involved early and often, work flexibly, and test throughout.
The one thing this article alludes to but doesn’t answer to my satisifaction is how costs are controlled. Yes, the traditional ”Waterfall” method (akin to an assembly line) may be inefficient and lead to degraded products, but how does one plan and budget for the potentially limitless iterations of Agile? This may not be an issue in game design, but for projects with strictly fixed budgets and deadlines, I can’t see how this is “controlled” effectively.
Perhaps, I’m just not getting the point that this methodology may apply more for large teams developing really large, really complex projects.
Still, it’s nice to see our approach validated, even if not directly.
