How to resolve conflict between in game development teams by focusing on success and curiosity

Conflict sucks! But small levels of conflict can also help your team innovate and make amazing games. So how do you fix things when the conflict is getting out of control and your team aren’t working together effectively? Focus on curiosity and success.

We’ll examine what’s unlikely to work, what you should focus on, and key steps to deal with conflict constructively. The key steps are connection, clarity, curiosity, and commitment. We’ll talk about how to apply those steps to two examples: one where two art directors can’t agree on the overall art style for the game; and another where the engineering director refuses to believe artists that the tools need improvement.

Have a question for an expert game producer? Ask me your question here: https://jennsand.com/askjenn/ Text version: https://jennsand.com/advice/conflict-resolution/ Video version: https://youtu.be/4faRfK8derI

Reference Book: “[Powerful Phrases For Dealing With Workplace Conflict: What To Say Next To Destress The Workday, Build Collaboration, And Calm Difficult Customers](https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/140024627X)” by Karin Hurt & David Dye

Jenn’s Generally Good Game Production Advice: How to resolve conflict by focusing on success and curiosity 00:00 Introduction 00:36 Question 00:49 Conflict Sucks, Right? 01:22 Good on Paper, but Unlikely to Get Results 03:27 What to Focus On 04:36 Key Stages of Constructive Conflict 05:28 Before Group Meetings 05:57 Example: Two Art Directors Can’t Agree 08:33 Example: Engineering Director won’t take feedback 10:38 Final Thoughts 11:37 Conclusion

Jenn’s Generally Good Game Production Advice is an advice column for our modern ages and for game developers everywhere. Topics covered will help you ship your game on time, on budget, with a happy team no matter whether you are a producer or someone else on the game team. Find out more about how to hire me: [jennsand.com](https://jennsand.com/)