#57 - Benjamin Carcich: Production challenges, Efficiency vs Effectiveness, Incentives, Tools
In this episode, the Patric Palm & Benjamin Carcich dive into the challenges of game production, discussing leadership struggles, inefficiencies, and the need for better management practices that balance creativity with process. (00:00) | Intro (00:44) | Challenges within Games Production Today The conversation moves to the broader challenges in game production, including leadership struggles, inefficiencies, and the need for better management practices that balance creativity with process. (07:04) | Efficiency vs Effectiveness Ben highlights the industry's tendency to prioritize efficiency over effectiveness, explaining that while efficiency is measurable, true effectiveness comes from meeting or exceeding goals, which often requires a different approach. (11:49) | Aligning Incentive Structures The duo explores the importance of aligning incentive structures to support the right behaviors and outcomes, emphasizing how incentives can drive both positive and negative outcomes within production teams. (19:53) | Simple & Advanced Tools in Production The episode wraps up with a discussion on tools in production, focusing on how simplicity in tools can enhance collaboration and creativity, while also recognizing the need for advanced functionalities that stay "under the hood" to avoid overwhelming teams. (32:54) | Outro Guest: Benjamin Carcich has spent the last few years helping leaders at studios of all sizes, and recently led the creation of a training for game producers called "Succeeding in Game Production: What You Aren't Taught". Before that, he spent almost a decade at Riot Games shipping champions, tools, maps, and various platform and backend systems, and ended up leading discipline efforts around hiring and the role of production while teaching agile fundamentals around the world. His first job after college was as a Combat Arms officer in the U.S. Army. Host: Patric Palm – Favro ceo and founder. Serial entrepreneur and tech investor. Mostly games, film, SaaS, AI, deep tech, and functional foods. Passionate about hyper-performing teams and business agility. Learn from Leaders podcast 🎙️ series focus on Tech & Game industry leaders. Challenges from real-world experiences and how some of the best teams have overcome them. Visit 👉 www.favro.com for a free trial or personalized demo of the worlds most modern collaborative management platform. Make work flow with Favro.