1. Introduction to the product development process
Design
thinking
&
Entrepreneurial
Approaches to user-focused
game development

2. What you will do A game, your product A problem <=> a need You
The target group,
users or customers

3. Your product does not lay in a vacuum
ENVIRONMENT
AND NEED
How do we make it fit in and work?

4. Two main working modes
Mention an example: I’m sure that we you have started creating a game, you start off with a lot of different ideas – yeah, we can add some zombies, and it can take place on another planet, and blablabla … But at some point, if you do want to get somewhere, you need to make decisions and set up for some choices.
It is the same for many things in life – cooking, deciding what to study. There is a time for an open-mind and an exploraiton of the possibilities, and a time for decision-making as to move forwards.

5. The process is a double diamond

6. Discover Beginner’s mindset Empathy : understanding the users’ needs
Observe
Engage: interact, interview
Immerse
Research
A problem <=> a need
Empathy mapping?
The target group,
users or customers

7. Define
You learnt, saw, experienced a lot! NOW: - Unpack the findings - Synthetize - Narrow the scope, focus - Reframe the need / problem
To be truly generative, you must reframe the challenge

8. Develop
This phase is an ITERATIVE process where you: IDEATE: -Brainstorming - Generate ideas, - Focus on quantity and diversity – delay judgement PROTOTYPE & TEST - Idea in your head > to the real world - Open-ended way to explore and learn
LOOP!

9. Deliver A game, your product
= the final phase when you CONVERGE your ideas The prototyping & testing helped you DEVELOP, REFINE and IMPROVE Can
Pitch
A game, your product

10. Another way to picture it

11. Looping & Validating We need to constantly test and re-adjust
Hypothesis
Assumptions
« Facts »
Importance of open mind, and a readyness to re-assess
We need to constantly test and re-adjust
in order to be on-track with the world

12. Looping – iterative - pivot
 - Sometimes to go forward, you must go back
- Make mistakes fast, and go back,
you’ll end up much further 

13. The keys skills

14. The Key Skils
of a good: - entrepreneur - designer - game designer - user-focused programmer - project manager
Attention & empathy
informed, ear to the
world, listen to the
crowd
Passion & care
Ability to reassess
assumptions, values, oneself
approach (cf loop, u-turn)