Nov 17, 2019
Review
Agile Game Development with Scrum by Clinton Keith is a must-have for all producers and is well worth a read by anyone interested in modern game production.
The author manages the tricky task of explaining what is agile, several agile frameworks and how to apply them in the context of game development in a way that is accessible to complete beginners and useful for veterans. Furthermore, Agile Game Development with Scrum is loaded with actionable advice to start implementing agile practices right away.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Superbly well written and illustrated – even complex topics are easily digestible
- Excellent intro on the value of agile as a solution to many of the problems faced by the video game industry
- Every chapter focuses on a different aspect of game development for quick reference
- The author struck a delicate balance between theory and practice – He explains the various problems inherent in game development and how to use Scrum or another agile practice to tackle it.
- Non-dogmatic approach – The author admits that Scrum is not well suited for a few situations and does not try to force it. Instead, he introduces Lean and other agile practices that can complement Scrum
Cons
- Not a pure Scrum guide – The title can feel misleading if you come to the book looking to read a manual of Scrum best practices. The author actively encourages readers to explore and experiment with other agile methods in areas where he thinks Scrum might not be well suited.
Verdict
I struggled to find a single negative on this book, not that it can’t be improved, but nothing stands out as “bad practice.” The only cons I listed above came from a negative review of this book on Amazon. However, I feel strongly against dogmatic project managers/producers – You are missing the point if you try to apply Scrum precisely as you learn it in a Scrum Alliance class. Scrum, like all other agile frameworks, is based on the Agile Manifesto, and the first value states, “Agile values individuals and interactions over process and tools”.
Agile Game Development with Scrum is not only a fantastic book on agile game development, but it is an excellent introduction to Agile practices period.
I recommend it 100% to everyone who is even mildly interested in game development or Scrum.
