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What is a Postmortem?
A postmortem is the process of reflecting on and reviewing a project after its completion, with the aim of identifying lessons learned and seeking ways to improve future projects.
The importance of postmortems lies in revisiting the decisions made during the project's execution and assessing whether those decisions were sound and if there are areas for improvement. This reflective process serves as an opportunity for both individuals and the organization to grow.
The goal is not only for the team involved to learn from the experience but also to share the results with the entire organization, so the company can grow collectively through these lessons learned. This ideal approach allows the organization to continuously improve based on these reflections.
Aloha Factory conducts a postmortem process based on a structured game development process, which includes prototype implementation and market testing. Games that meet the necessary criteria move on to the operational development phase, while others are discontinued. Regardless of the outcome, Aloha emphasizes the importance of learning from each project, viewing the insights gained during these challenges as foundational for creating better games.
The postmortem process at Aloha Factory proceeds as follows:
Timing:
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Postmortems are held within one month of the project’s launch or termination. This ensures that the memories and insights from the project are still fresh, allowing for a more meaningful review.
Participants:
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All key members involved in the project must participate, including the production team. If possible, common teams like the art and business teams should also join to provide a holistic view of the project.
Discussion Points for the Postmortem:
The details of what will be covered in the postmortem can include:
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Project Overview: Recap of the project’s scope, objectives, and expectations.
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What Worked: Identifying the aspects of the project that went well and should be repeated in future projects.
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Challenges Faced: Discussing the problems encountered during development, along with how they were addressed or could have been better managed.
4.
Decision-Making: Evaluating key decisions made during the project and reflecting on whether they were the best choices.
5.
Lessons Learned: Highlighting the critical learning points that can improve future projects and processes.
6.
Process Improvements: Suggestions on how to enhance workflows and collaboration in future projects.
Postmortem Discussion Structure:
1.
What Went Well (Best Practices)
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Identify and highlight best practices and successful approaches used during the project. These could include technical achievements, team collaboration, or efficient processes.
2.
What Didn’t Go Well
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Discuss the issues or problems encountered during the project. This could involve missed deadlines, technical difficulties, or miscommunication.
3.
Improvement Suggestions & Discussion
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Why did these problems occur?Analyze the root causes behind the challenges. Were they due to a lack of resources, unclear objectives, or something else?
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What actions can we take to improve?Propose specific actions or changes to prevent similar issues in future projects. Discuss potential solutions and improvements in processes, communication, or tools.
Sharing Postmortem Insights at Aloha Day Town Hall MeetingAfter completing a postmortem, the results are shared during the Aloha Day Town Hall meeting, where the entire company discusses what went well, what went wrong, and how the team is addressing these challenges. This ensures that all team members are informed about the lessons learned and can apply them to future projects.
In the case of Aloha Factory's Studio A, the postmortem involved key collaboration teams, including production and art, as they worked through the project closure process. Following the established process, they organized the project timeline and documented the intentions behind key decisions from the start to the finish of the project.
Project Timeline (Example)
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Mid-November 2022: Idea concept meeting held, marking the project kickoff.
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Late November 2022: Prototype build 0.0.1 created for marketing CPI TEST. Initial experience improved based on CPI and retention metrics, followed by a D1 TEST.
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January 2023: Internal testing conducted, feedback gathered from team members, and the business team analyzed data to start improving the initial metrics.
The postmortem involved a detailed reflection on whether actions taken throughout the process, including decisions and implementations, worked as intended. Key questions included:
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Was the concept selection appropriate?
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Were there communication issues during the project?
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Were resources overextended in any area?
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Were key metrics properly used and applied for improvements?
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How did new initiatives within the development process perform?
For this project, the team concluded that the communication and coordination between teams was smooth, deadlines were met, and the project workflow was well-aligned. This positive collaboration was seen as a significant strength.
Additionally, during the postmortem, the team reviewed actions taken to meet target goals at each development stage, discussing how these decisions impacted the project and exploring improvements in game design. Specific areas of focus included reaching the desired performance metrics and making informed decisions about future actions.
During market testing, while the game initially showed higher-than-expected CPI metrics, further development was conducted to reassess its marketability after implementing the intended design concepts. Minor adjustments were made through A/B testing, but it became clear that these changes didn’t significantly impact the metrics. This highlighted a valuable learning point: minor tweaks without substantial shifts often don't yield meaningful improvements, especially when faced with high CPI.
Reflecting on these experiences, the team recognized the importance of quick decision-making when confronted with high CPI, and learned that major adjustments, rather than incremental ones, are often needed to see significant metric improvements.
In conclusion, as the team revisited the decisions made throughout the development process, they used these insights as a stepping stone to continue their journey toward creating games that resonate with a broader audience.
Aloha Factory creates games that are loved by many for a long time.
For publishing inquiries, contact us at: business@aloha-corp.com