26 October 2005, Texas, Austin, Austin Game Conference
"Team Building: How diverse teams make a big impact"
Jeb Havens, Cyberlore, Linda Currie, Blue Fang, Nicole Willick, Activision, Tracy Rosenthal-Newson, Harmonix
About how to work in teams, be nice to each other.
Takes effort to create a good team, just like a relationship.
Nicole, Activision, senior producer.
A team in madagaskar.
Diversity of skill is a key to good teams.
Tempting to choose people that are alike oneself, but not good in long run.
Stereotypes:
"the ulitmate gamer" - who played everything on all platform. Good at refencing
"master of technology"
"the creative genious" - unstoppable in brainstormes. Help ingite the rest
"the uber organizer" colorcoded notes...
Risk to typecast oneself is too good at something, end up doing same thing all the time, unless you teach someone else to do the same thing.
Jeb Havens
Cyberlore, lead designer.
Trained in cognitive science... Seeing a chair.
***
Tracy Rosenthal-Newsom, Harmonix
Karaoke revolution Party.
Project lead and senior procuder.
Will speak about gender and ethnic diversity
Team in latest production (party) was larger than in previos production.
Game checks how well the player sings.
Wide demographics of players.
44 core team members.
70% male, 30% female. Had female representation in all discipline.
The more diversity the more communication
84% caucasian, 9% asian, 7% afroamerican
In the game; made sure players could choose representations of different ethnicities.
Also different body types; but try to make it possible to look good: even if pearshaped and curvy.
