E70: How to Move Faster With Flow in Game Dev with Kevin Scheepers

Welcome to the BBG podcast, episode 70! In today’s episode, Ben dives deep into the concept of flow with Kevin Scheepers, founder of FlowMade and GameWell. If you’ve ever wondered how to enhance collaboration in your dev teams or struggled with balancing a chaotic calendar, this episode is for you. Kevin shares his passion for creating high-functioning game studios by focusing on organizational flow.

Key Points:

Understanding Flow:

• Flow is an optimal state where individuals perform and feel their best.
• Kevin highlights that it’s an active state, merging awareness with the activity.
• You won’t ALWAYS be in flow.

Individual vs. Organizational:

• Individual flow requires focus and uninterrupted work.
• Organizational flow needs team alignment towards a shared goal.

Triggers and Blockers:

• Flow is triggered by a balance between challenge and skill.
• Blockers include stress and distractions; “eustress” can enhance performance.

Creating an Environment:

• Leaders can foster flow by setting clear goals and reducing distractions.
• Balancing team and individual needs is crucial for maintaining flow.

Compliment:

• Ironically, compliments can disrupt flow by shifting focus to the self.
• Kevin suggests praising the work rather than the person to sustain flow.

Leadership:

• Leadership is key to nurturing flow, requiring clear communication.
• Understanding the organization at both macro and micro levels supports flow.

Kevin Scheepers leaves us with valuable advice on designing game studios that thrive on flow, encouraging leaders to map out their team’s strengths and challenges. By understanding the unique makeup of your team and the processes that drive flow, you can unlock new levels of creativity and productivity in game development.

Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell for more episodes. Your feedback and support are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to bringing you more valuable content. See you next time!

To learn more about Kevin Scheepers:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-scheepers-96229428/

• FlowMade Website: https://flowmade.org

• GameWell Podcast: https://flowmade.org/gamewell

Our discord community is live! Join here to engage with leaders and producers in game dev looking to make our industry a better place that makes better games: https://discord.gg/ySCPS5aMcQ

If you’re interested in an online course on becoming a better game producer, head here: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/succeeding-in-game-production Subscribe to our newsletter for more game development tips and resources: https://www.buildingbettergames.gg/newsletter

Ben's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-carcich/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@buildingbettergames