Summer Jam #2 Retro

[jonathandavidlewis]

What went well

• More chill. Less feature adds.
• Worked on an interesting problem: procedural map generation
• When assets were delivered early.
• Clear communication about asset delivery.
  • Determining future asset needs.
  • Creating an issue for the need.
  • Ensuring that the issue was on the board of the person responsible.
  • Sending a link and mentioning the board and card to the person responsible.
  • The artist uses the board and lanes to determine what to do next.
  • Ongoing communication about assets such as feedback and clarification.
• Software Planning doc: https://github.com/loteque/GoblinGame/blob/main/docs/map_generation.excalidraw.png
• Integrating dialog for the first time. (getting details hammered out)
• When the director indicated "you decide", gave me creative agency.
• Art specifications, pixel-perfect. Art was delivered to spec.
• Refactoring WFC code.

What we can improve

• Balancing being responsible for duties as a director and duties as a systems designer.
  • Other people rely upon you in order to complete their work.
  • And you also have a responsibility for individual contributions.
  • [ ] Make the board more fun and accessible
  • [ ] Maybe switch platforms,
    • [ ] Research some platforms like Asana, cardsdeck.io? monday.com, Trello, etc.
  • [ ] Maybe find a way to make the github platform "juicy". Browser plugin?
  • [ ] Allocating specific time for duties
  • [ ] For example, scheduling regular time on the calendar to check in with the board overview and contributors and develop a plan.
  • [ ] Example: 30 minutes at the beginning of the day, 30 minutes at the end of the day. Check if the board reflects their upcoming tasks.
• How to handle a situation where you need to work with work someone else did that is no longer on the project when you don't feel fully equipped to take ownership of it.
• [ ] Explicitly discuss the transition of ownership when someone is going to leave.
  • [ ] No owner: Conversation didn't happen or no one has claimed ownership.
  • [ ] Transferred ownership: Someone still working on it claims ownership.
  • [ ] Maintain ownership.
  • [ ] When leaving the project, make an issue for who is expected to take responsibility, details on getting help.
  • [ ] Make an issue template for who is expected to take responsibility when the contributor leaves, and details on getting help.
• Be mindful of the passion behind your suggestions when you are in a director role.
• If you feel pressure to do work in a way that feels uncomfortable to you, we encourage you to speak up and let others know you are not comfortable. You are the one ultimately doing the work and it is important that you feel good doing it.
• A contributor can end up feeling alone in dealing with a problem. Increased feeling of isolation.
  • [ ] Normalize asking for help.
  • [ ] Normalize asking others how they are doing and specifically if you are challenged by anything.
  • [ ] Normalize having a standup with the benefit of checking in with everyone.
  • [ ] Intentionally increase the sense of camaraderie.
  • [ ] Create a "Need help / blocked" column on the board

[loteque]

Good job everybody! This "retro" is something that is common in engineering. If you want to be a part of a retro, we usually do these sometime at the end of a project sprint (in our case the end of a jam), you are totally invited, just let us know and we will figure out a time to meet that works for everybody. Thank you again for all your contributions this jam!