August 17, 2025 • 16 mins
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Creativity isn't just for the art department. In a rapidly evolving game industry landscape, your ability to think laterally—approaching problems from unexpected angles—might be your greatest leadership asset yet.
This episode dives deep into the power of lateral thinking for game development leaders. We explore how breaking free from linear problem-solving unlocks innovation, resolves cross-functional challenges, and creates a competitive edge in a crowded market. Whether you're wrestling with creative deadlock, tight production constraints, or unexpected playtest feedback, lateral thinking provides the tools to transform roadblocks into opportunities.
We unpack practical techniques you can implement immediately: problem reframing that shifts perspectives, specialized brainstorming that welcomes wild ideas, reverse engineering from imagined solutions, and creating psychological safety that encourages creative risk-taking. Beyond individual practices, we examine how forward-thinking studios build lateral thinking into their DNA through idea safe zones, innovation jams, and celebrating the process as much as the results.
The most successful game leaders aren't just gatekeepers of delivery—they're catalysts for creativity who understand that curiosity is as valuable as code. Ready to level up not just how you produce games, but how you think about producing them? This episode provides your roadmap to becoming the lateral-thinking leader your team needs to thrive in gaming's next era.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Press Start Leadership.
Hey there, press Starters andwelcome to the Press Start
(00:23):
Leadership Podcast, the podcastabout game-changing leadership,
teaching you how to get the mostout of your product and
development team and become theleader you were meant to be
Leadership coaching and trainingfor the international game
industry professional.
Now let me introduce you toyour host, the man, the myth,
(00:46):
the legend, christopher Mifsud.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hey there, press Starters, and welcome back to
another awesome edition of thePress Start Leadership Podcast.
On this week's episode, we'llbe discussing lateral thinking
for game development leadersunlocking creative solutions
beyond the obvious.
Development leaders unlockingcreative solutions beyond the
obvious.
How lateral thinking drivesinnovation, problem solving and
(01:10):
team collaboration in the videogame industry.
The video game industry is arapidly evolving landscape where
success hinges not only ontechnical execution, but also on
creativity, agility andadaptability.
As a leader, game development,your ability to think laterally
and to solve problems creativelyby approaching them from
unexpected angles is anessential skill that separates
good teams from great ones.
(01:32):
In an industry wheretraditional pipelines and
predictable market trends oftenfall short, lateral thinking
empowers leaders to reframechallenges, discover
opportunities and fosterinnovation.
Whether you're working on a AAAblockbuster or managing a lean
indie studio, lateral thinkingand game development is vital
for navigating productionbottlenecks, creative blocks or
(01:55):
strategic decision-making underuncertainty.
This podcast explores whatlateral thinking really means,
why it matters in video gameleadership and how you can build
this capability in yourself andyour team.
We'll provide actionable steps,real-world examples and a
framework for incorporatinglateral thinking into your
leadership toolkit.
(02:18):
Understanding Lateral Thinkingin the Context of Game
Development, of game development.
Lateral thinking, a term coinedby psychologist Edward de Bono,
refers to solving problemsthrough indirect and creative
approaches, often bypassingtraditional step-by-step logic.
Unlike vertical thinking, whichrelies on sequential reasoning,
lateral thinking encouragesnon-linear solutions, an
invaluable asset in the world ofgame production, where unique
(02:41):
challenges and shifting marketforces are constant production
where unique challenges andshifting market forces are
constant.
Lateral Thinking vs LogicalThinking While both forms of
reasoning are essential, theyserve different functions in
leadership.
Logical thinking helps leadersmaintain structure and evaluate
risk.
In contrast, lateral thinkingenables you to question
assumptions, explorealternatives and find
(03:02):
game-changing innovations.
A balance between the two isoften what propels game studios
forward.
Common scenarios where lateralthinking helps Overcoming
creative deadlock during conceptdevelopment.
Solving interpersonal conflictsbetween departments with
competing goals.
Innovating within tight budgetsor production constraints.
(03:22):
Identifying new revenue streamsbeyond the core game loop.
Pivoting a game design based onsurprising playtest feedback.
The importance of lateralthinking for leaders in the
video game industry In a fielddriven by novelty and engagement
, lateral thinking becomes notjust a leadership skill but a
business imperative.
Staying competitive in acrowded market With thousands of
(03:45):
new games releasing each year,leaders must foster a culture
that embraces unconventionalideas, the ability to spot gaps
in the market or repackageexisting mechanics in unexpected
ways is often the differencebetween a forgettable game and a
genre-defining hit.
Navigating cross-functionalchallenges Game development is
(04:06):
inherently multidisciplinaryArtists, programmers, designers
and marketers all operate fromdifferent perspectives.
Leaders who practice lateralthinking can unify these voices
into cohesive, creativestrategies by identifying common
goals in unexpected places,adapting to volatile timelines
and technologies.
Whether it's adapting to newhardware like VR headsets or
(04:28):
implementing generative AI tools, change is constant.
Lateral thinking allows leadersto remain flexible and
innovative, using constraints ascatalysts rather than
roadblocks.
Actionable steps how tocultivate lateral thinking as a
game industry leader.
The good news is that lateralthinking can be developed.
The follow Actionable Steps howto Cultivate Lateral Thinking
as a Game Industry Leader.
The good news is that lateralthinking can be developed.
The follow are structured stepsand methods you can apply to
(04:50):
build lateral thinking habitswithin yourself and across your
team.
First up practice problemreframing.
Rather than tackling achallenge head on, try rewriting
the problem.
For example, instead of askinghow can we speed up character
animations, ask how can wechange the game's visual
language to make less animationfeel dynamic.
(05:11):
Some actual steps Rephrase theproblem using how might we
questions Ask what if theopposite were true, to challenge
assumptions or break theproblem into smaller parts and
explore alternate causes orperspectives.
Next up, conduct lateralbrainstorming sessions.
Unlike traditionalbrainstorming, lateral thinking
(05:32):
sessions encourage off-the-wallsuggestions and cross-discipline
insights.
Some actual steps for thisInvite people from non-obvious
departments Marketing in adesign brainstorm.
Set constraints, like no digitaltools allowed or every idea
must involve a card gamemechanic.
Use Debono's six thinking hatsmethod to explore a problem from
(05:53):
six different emotional andcognitive perspectives.
Now encourage reverseengineering.
Sometimes the best way to solvea problem is to imagine you
already solved it.
Then reverse engineer the pathto success.
Some actual steps for this haveteam members envision the ideal
solution, then list the stepsthat would lead there.
(06:13):
Create hypothetical postmortemsfor future milestones to
uncover what could go wrong andask what would we do if the
budget or time were no objectand scale down from there.
Another thing to try Createpsychological safety for wild
ideas.
People won't think creativelyif they're afraid of being
(06:34):
ridiculed or shot down.
Leaders must actively foster aculture where lateral ideas are
welcome, even if they don'talways work.
Some actual steps for thisImplement no bad ideas rules
during ideation phases.
Celebrate past failures thatled to better ideas later.
Include idea rotation inmeetings where someone is tasked
with proposing a deliberatelyweird solution.
(06:56):
Finally, use analogies fromoutside the industry.
Looking at how non-gamingindustries solve problems can
lead to transformative ideas inyour studio.
Some actual steps for thisAssign creative field trips
where teams study logistics andshipping, storytelling and
theater or UX and consumerelectronics.
Bring in guest speakers fromoutside the gaming world.
(07:18):
Finally, create a Slack channelor wiki page for ideas from
other industries, buildinglateral thinking in the team
culture.
It's not enough for individualleaders to think laterally.
The goal is to instill it intothe studio's operating system.
Develop rotational creativeroles.
Allow team members to rotateinto unfamiliar departments for
(07:41):
a short period that broadentheir perspectives.
A UI designer spending twoweeks with a QA team might
discover overlooked pain pointsthat impact player retention.
Schedule what-if weeks.
Designate one week each quarterwhere teams pursue lateral
ideas that may not be tied toproduction milestones.
Set goals like prototyping amechanic from a different genre
(08:02):
or redesigning a menu systemusing absurd design rules.
Institutionalize postmortemsthat reward boldness.
Adjust your studio's projectretrospectives to not just
capture what went wrong, but tohighlight lateral risks that
were taken and what they taughtyou.
Overcoming barriers to lateralthinking in game leadership.
Despite its clear advantages,lateral thinking often faces
(08:25):
resistance in traditional orrigid game development
environments.
This is especially true inlegacy studios or high-pressure
pipelines, where provenworkflows are revered and
deviation is met with skepticism.
Here are some of the mostcommon barriers and how to
overcome them.
Fear of failure Fear of failureis one of the biggest
inhibitors of lateral thinking.
Game leaders must reframefailures as feedback Postmortems
(08:49):
, discuss what was learned frommissteps, not just what went
wrong.
Perfectionism culture,high-fidelity games and polished
production can lead to aperfection or nothing mindset.
Lateral thinking thrives in themessy middle.
Leaders should make room forrough prototypes and exploratory
ideas that are good enough totest Siloed departments.
(09:10):
When marketing, design, art andengineering don't talk, lateral
insights fall through thecracks.
Cross-functional brainstorming,rotating internal guest
reviewers and shared creativewhiteboards can break down
barriers.
Lateral thinking doesn'trequire unlimited time.
It requires intention.
(09:30):
Even 30-minute creative sprints, async idea boards or theme
team challenges can unleashcreative cross-pollination
without busting schedules.
Leadership modeling If leadersonly praise linear thinking,
teams will follow suit.
Leaders who openly muse, askwhat-if questions and invite
dissent signal psychologicalsafety, the bedrock of lateral
(09:53):
exploration.
Building lateral thinking intoyour studio's DNA.
The most innovative studiosembed lateral thinking into
their cultural architecture.
It's not a bolt-on activity.
It's a mindset reinforced bystructure.
There are ways to formalizelateral thinking as a leadership
(10:13):
tool.
Create idea safe zones.
Designate team meetings orSlack channels where no idea is
too out there.
Encourage people to submitideas anonymously if that lowers
the fear of judgment.
Use prompts to shift thinking.
Use tools like ScamperSubstitute, combine, adapt,
modify, put to another useeliminate, reverse, or Edward De
Bono's Six Thinking thinkinghats method to encourage new
(10:34):
perspectives.
Conduct innovation jams.
Once a quarter, hold astudio-wide innovation jam.
Pose a problem and give teams adata.
Tackle using onlynon-traditional solutions.
Encourage mixing rolesEngineers join design teams,
producers join artists.
Celebrate process, not justresults.
When lateral thinking doesn'tproduce the winning result,
(10:57):
celebrate the effort.
Share lessons learned.
Highlight the value of theinquiry and invite others to
build on the attempt and hirefor cognitive diversity.
Include questions duringinterviews that reveal how
candidates approach problemsfrom multiple angles.
Value curiosity and creativityas much as technical ability.
(11:18):
Measure the impact of lateralthinking in game production.
Leaders in game development areoften held to hard KPIs,
deadlines, milestone deliveryand budget constraints.
So how do you justify investingin a more abstract leadership
quality like lateral thinking?
Well, here's how to measure theimpact of lateral thinking on
your team's outcomes.
Innovation rate Count how manynew features or mechanics
(11:41):
originated from team-generatedideas outside of the original
scope.
Bug reduction through ideasharing Track how early
brainstorming or peer problemsolving help prevent production
issues.
Cross-department engagementMeasure participation in idea
jams or inner-team challenges.
Employee engagement scores Askin surveys if employees feel
(12:04):
encouraged to share ideas orchallenge assumptions.
Prototype Velocity Measure howquickly new ideas are tested and
iterated, even if they are notultimately shipped.
Creative Confidence IndexInformally track how often team
members proactively offer ideasin meetings or documentation.
Remember the goal isn't tolateral think your way out of
(12:24):
production realities.
It's to give your team a secondor third dimension of insight
and creativity.
Some actual steps Cultivatinglateral thinking in yourself and
your team.
For individual leaders setweekly idea time.
Block 30 minutes a week toreflect on one current challenge
from three different angles.
(12:44):
Use reverse brainstorming orthink what would a competitor do
.
Question your own assumptions.
Take a decision you made thisweek and play devil's advocate.
Could another approach haveworked better?
Read outside your discipline.
Subscribe to architecture blogs.
Read about manufacturinginnovations or follow UX from
(13:05):
finance apps.
Inspiration often lives inunexpected places.
Ask what if, during meetings,instead of giving feedback.
Pose questions that stretch theteam's thinking.
What would this look like if wehad no budget?
What if this was a board game?
Track your mental ruts.
Reflect on whether you'redefaulting to the same tools,
(13:27):
people or processes repeatedly.
Where could you change yourinputs For studio teams?
Introduce lateral lightningrounds At the start of team
meetings.
Present a strange creativequestion unrelated to current
projects.
Reward cleverness, not accuracy.
Conduct post-modern reimaginesessions After a milestone.
(13:47):
Ask if we had to do this allover but we couldn't use the
same approach.
What would we do differently?
Pair diverse roles onchallenges.
Put a UI artist and a back-endengineer on a small feature
prototype.
Diversity of background leadsto diversity of thought.
Run retros with a twist Insteadof what works, slash, didn't
(14:11):
try.
If we had to solve this problemlike a puzzle stand-up comedy
bit, what would it look like?
Document and share wild ideas,even if unused.
Collect and archive lateralsolutions on Confluence Notion
or Miro.
They may inspire futurefeatures or serve as an
excellent onboarding material.
Lateral thinking and the futureof game leadership.
As game development evolves,leadership styles must evolve
(14:34):
with it.
Today's leaders aren't justgatekeepers of delivery.
They're catalysts of creativityand innovation.
The leaders who succeed in thenext 5 to 10 years will be those
who can think laterally,encourage others to do the same
and build a studio culture wherecuriosity is just as valuable
as code.
Whether you lead a four-personindie team or a 200-person AAA
(14:55):
department, lateral thinkingisn't a luxury.
It's your competitive edge.
So let's recap Lateral thinkingfor game development leaders
means approaching problems fromnon-obvious angles.
It leads to more robustfeatures, stronger collaboration
and resilient teams.
It requires psychologicalsafety and time to think and
(15:16):
permission to be wrong, and itstarts with you Asking better
questions, modeling curiosityand inviting your team to do the
same.
Now is the time to level up notjust how you produce games, but
how you think about producingthem.
All right, and that's thisweek's episode of the Press
Start Leadership Podcast.
Thanks for listening and, asalways, thanks for being awesome
(15:39):
.
Press Start Leadership.
Hey there, press Starters andwelcome to the Press Start
(00:23):
Leadership Podcast, the podcastabout game-changing leadership,
teaching you how to get the mostout of your product and
development team and become theleader you were meant to be
Leadership coaching and trainingfor the international game
industry professional.
Now let me introduce you toyour host, the man, the myth,
(00:46):
the legend, christopher Mifsud.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hey there, press Starters, and welcome back to
another awesome edition of thePress Start Leadership Podcast.
On this week's episode, we'llbe discussing lateral thinking
for game development leadersunlocking creative solutions
beyond the obvious.
Development leaders unlockingcreative solutions beyond the
obvious.
How lateral thinking drivesinnovation, problem solving and
(01:10):
team collaboration in the videogame industry.
The video game industry is arapidly evolving landscape where
success hinges not only ontechnical execution, but also on
creativity, agility andadaptability.
As a leader, game development,your ability to think laterally
and to solve problems creativelyby approaching them from
unexpected angles is anessential skill that separates
good teams from great ones.
(01:32):
In an industry wheretraditional pipelines and
predictable market trends oftenfall short, lateral thinking
empowers leaders to reframechallenges, discover
opportunities and fosterinnovation.
Whether you're working on a AAAblockbuster or managing a lean
indie studio, lateral thinkingand game development is vital
for navigating productionbottlenecks, creative blocks or
(01:55):
strategic decision-making underuncertainty.
This podcast explores whatlateral thinking really means,
why it matters in video gameleadership and how you can build
this capability in yourself andyour team.
We'll provide actionable steps,real-world examples and a
framework for incorporatinglateral thinking into your
leadership toolkit.
(02:18):
Understanding Lateral Thinkingin the Context of Game
Development, of game development.
Lateral thinking, a term coinedby psychologist Edward de Bono,
refers to solving problemsthrough indirect and creative
approaches, often bypassingtraditional step-by-step logic.
Unlike vertical thinking, whichrelies on sequential reasoning,
lateral thinking encouragesnon-linear solutions, an
invaluable asset in the world ofgame production, where unique
(02:41):
challenges and shifting marketforces are constant production
where unique challenges andshifting market forces are
constant.
Lateral Thinking vs LogicalThinking While both forms of
reasoning are essential, theyserve different functions in
leadership.
Logical thinking helps leadersmaintain structure and evaluate
risk.
In contrast, lateral thinkingenables you to question
assumptions, explorealternatives and find
(03:02):
game-changing innovations.
A balance between the two isoften what propels game studios
forward.
Common scenarios where lateralthinking helps Overcoming
creative deadlock during conceptdevelopment.
Solving interpersonal conflictsbetween departments with
competing goals.
Innovating within tight budgetsor production constraints.
(03:22):
Identifying new revenue streamsbeyond the core game loop.
Pivoting a game design based onsurprising playtest feedback.
The importance of lateralthinking for leaders in the
video game industry In a fielddriven by novelty and engagement
, lateral thinking becomes notjust a leadership skill but a
business imperative.
Staying competitive in acrowded market With thousands of
(03:45):
new games releasing each year,leaders must foster a culture
that embraces unconventionalideas, the ability to spot gaps
in the market or repackageexisting mechanics in unexpected
ways is often the differencebetween a forgettable game and a
genre-defining hit.
Navigating cross-functionalchallenges Game development is
(04:06):
inherently multidisciplinaryArtists, programmers, designers
and marketers all operate fromdifferent perspectives.
Leaders who practice lateralthinking can unify these voices
into cohesive, creativestrategies by identifying common
goals in unexpected places,adapting to volatile timelines
and technologies.
Whether it's adapting to newhardware like VR headsets or
(04:28):
implementing generative AI tools, change is constant.
Lateral thinking allows leadersto remain flexible and
innovative, using constraints ascatalysts rather than
roadblocks.
Actionable steps how tocultivate lateral thinking as a
game industry leader.
The good news is that lateralthinking can be developed.
The follow Actionable Steps howto Cultivate Lateral Thinking
as a Game Industry Leader.
The good news is that lateralthinking can be developed.
The follow are structured stepsand methods you can apply to
(04:50):
build lateral thinking habitswithin yourself and across your
team.
First up practice problemreframing.
Rather than tackling achallenge head on, try rewriting
the problem.
For example, instead of askinghow can we speed up character
animations, ask how can wechange the game's visual
language to make less animationfeel dynamic.
(05:11):
Some actual steps Rephrase theproblem using how might we
questions Ask what if theopposite were true, to challenge
assumptions or break theproblem into smaller parts and
explore alternate causes orperspectives.
Next up, conduct lateralbrainstorming sessions.
Unlike traditionalbrainstorming, lateral thinking
(05:32):
sessions encourage off-the-wallsuggestions and cross-discipline
insights.
Some actual steps for thisInvite people from non-obvious
departments Marketing in adesign brainstorm.
Set constraints, like no digitaltools allowed or every idea
must involve a card gamemechanic.
Use Debono's six thinking hatsmethod to explore a problem from
(05:53):
six different emotional andcognitive perspectives.
Now encourage reverseengineering.
Sometimes the best way to solvea problem is to imagine you
already solved it.
Then reverse engineer the pathto success.
Some actual steps for this haveteam members envision the ideal
solution, then list the stepsthat would lead there.
(06:13):
Create hypothetical postmortemsfor future milestones to
uncover what could go wrong andask what would we do if the
budget or time were no objectand scale down from there.
Another thing to try Createpsychological safety for wild
ideas.
People won't think creativelyif they're afraid of being
(06:34):
ridiculed or shot down.
Leaders must actively foster aculture where lateral ideas are
welcome, even if they don'talways work.
Some actual steps for thisImplement no bad ideas rules
during ideation phases.
Celebrate past failures thatled to better ideas later.
Include idea rotation inmeetings where someone is tasked
with proposing a deliberatelyweird solution.
(06:56):
Finally, use analogies fromoutside the industry.
Looking at how non-gamingindustries solve problems can
lead to transformative ideas inyour studio.
Some actual steps for thisAssign creative field trips
where teams study logistics andshipping, storytelling and
theater or UX and consumerelectronics.
Bring in guest speakers fromoutside the gaming world.
(07:18):
Finally, create a Slack channelor wiki page for ideas from
other industries, buildinglateral thinking in the team
culture.
It's not enough for individualleaders to think laterally.
The goal is to instill it intothe studio's operating system.
Develop rotational creativeroles.
Allow team members to rotateinto unfamiliar departments for
(07:41):
a short period that broadentheir perspectives.
A UI designer spending twoweeks with a QA team might
discover overlooked pain pointsthat impact player retention.
Schedule what-if weeks.
Designate one week each quarterwhere teams pursue lateral
ideas that may not be tied toproduction milestones.
Set goals like prototyping amechanic from a different genre
(08:02):
or redesigning a menu systemusing absurd design rules.
Institutionalize postmortemsthat reward boldness.
Adjust your studio's projectretrospectives to not just
capture what went wrong, but tohighlight lateral risks that
were taken and what they taughtyou.
Overcoming barriers to lateralthinking in game leadership.
Despite its clear advantages,lateral thinking often faces
(08:25):
resistance in traditional orrigid game development
environments.
This is especially true inlegacy studios or high-pressure
pipelines, where provenworkflows are revered and
deviation is met with skepticism.
Here are some of the mostcommon barriers and how to
overcome them.
Fear of failure Fear of failureis one of the biggest
inhibitors of lateral thinking.
Game leaders must reframefailures as feedback Postmortems
(08:49):
, discuss what was learned frommissteps, not just what went
wrong.
Perfectionism culture,high-fidelity games and polished
production can lead to aperfection or nothing mindset.
Lateral thinking thrives in themessy middle.
Leaders should make room forrough prototypes and exploratory
ideas that are good enough totest Siloed departments.
(09:10):
When marketing, design, art andengineering don't talk, lateral
insights fall through thecracks.
Cross-functional brainstorming,rotating internal guest
reviewers and shared creativewhiteboards can break down
barriers.
Lateral thinking doesn'trequire unlimited time.
It requires intention.
(09:30):
Even 30-minute creative sprints, async idea boards or theme
team challenges can unleashcreative cross-pollination
without busting schedules.
Leadership modeling If leadersonly praise linear thinking,
teams will follow suit.
Leaders who openly muse, askwhat-if questions and invite
dissent signal psychologicalsafety, the bedrock of lateral
(09:53):
exploration.
Building lateral thinking intoyour studio's DNA.
The most innovative studiosembed lateral thinking into
their cultural architecture.
It's not a bolt-on activity.
It's a mindset reinforced bystructure.
There are ways to formalizelateral thinking as a leadership
(10:13):
tool.
Create idea safe zones.
Designate team meetings orSlack channels where no idea is
too out there.
Encourage people to submitideas anonymously if that lowers
the fear of judgment.
Use prompts to shift thinking.
Use tools like ScamperSubstitute, combine, adapt,
modify, put to another useeliminate, reverse, or Edward De
Bono's Six Thinking thinkinghats method to encourage new
(10:34):
perspectives.
Conduct innovation jams.
Once a quarter, hold astudio-wide innovation jam.
Pose a problem and give teams adata.
Tackle using onlynon-traditional solutions.
Encourage mixing rolesEngineers join design teams,
producers join artists.
Celebrate process, not justresults.
When lateral thinking doesn'tproduce the winning result,
(10:57):
celebrate the effort.
Share lessons learned.
Highlight the value of theinquiry and invite others to
build on the attempt and hirefor cognitive diversity.
Include questions duringinterviews that reveal how
candidates approach problemsfrom multiple angles.
Value curiosity and creativityas much as technical ability.
(11:18):
Measure the impact of lateralthinking in game production.
Leaders in game development areoften held to hard KPIs,
deadlines, milestone deliveryand budget constraints.
So how do you justify investingin a more abstract leadership
quality like lateral thinking?
Well, here's how to measure theimpact of lateral thinking on
your team's outcomes.
Innovation rate Count how manynew features or mechanics
(11:41):
originated from team-generatedideas outside of the original
scope.
Bug reduction through ideasharing Track how early
brainstorming or peer problemsolving help prevent production
issues.
Cross-department engagementMeasure participation in idea
jams or inner-team challenges.
Employee engagement scores Askin surveys if employees feel
(12:04):
encouraged to share ideas orchallenge assumptions.
Prototype Velocity Measure howquickly new ideas are tested and
iterated, even if they are notultimately shipped.
Creative Confidence IndexInformally track how often team
members proactively offer ideasin meetings or documentation.
Remember the goal isn't tolateral think your way out of
(12:24):
production realities.
It's to give your team a secondor third dimension of insight
and creativity.
Some actual steps Cultivatinglateral thinking in yourself and
your team.
For individual leaders setweekly idea time.
Block 30 minutes a week toreflect on one current challenge
from three different angles.
(12:44):
Use reverse brainstorming orthink what would a competitor do
.
Question your own assumptions.
Take a decision you made thisweek and play devil's advocate.
Could another approach haveworked better?
Read outside your discipline.
Subscribe to architecture blogs.
Read about manufacturinginnovations or follow UX from
(13:05):
finance apps.
Inspiration often lives inunexpected places.
Ask what if, during meetings,instead of giving feedback.
Pose questions that stretch theteam's thinking.
What would this look like if wehad no budget?
What if this was a board game?
Track your mental ruts.
Reflect on whether you'redefaulting to the same tools,
(13:27):
people or processes repeatedly.
Where could you change yourinputs For studio teams?
Introduce lateral lightningrounds At the start of team
meetings.
Present a strange creativequestion unrelated to current
projects.
Reward cleverness, not accuracy.
Conduct post-modern reimaginesessions After a milestone.
(13:47):
Ask if we had to do this allover but we couldn't use the
same approach.
What would we do differently?
Pair diverse roles onchallenges.
Put a UI artist and a back-endengineer on a small feature
prototype.
Diversity of background leadsto diversity of thought.
Run retros with a twist Insteadof what works, slash, didn't
(14:11):
try.
If we had to solve this problemlike a puzzle stand-up comedy
bit, what would it look like?
Document and share wild ideas,even if unused.
Collect and archive lateralsolutions on Confluence Notion
or Miro.
They may inspire futurefeatures or serve as an
excellent onboarding material.
Lateral thinking and the futureof game leadership.
As game development evolves,leadership styles must evolve
(14:34):
with it.
Today's leaders aren't justgatekeepers of delivery.
They're catalysts of creativityand innovation.
The leaders who succeed in thenext 5 to 10 years will be those
who can think laterally,encourage others to do the same
and build a studio culture wherecuriosity is just as valuable
as code.
Whether you lead a four-personindie team or a 200-person AAA
(14:55):
department, lateral thinkingisn't a luxury.
It's your competitive edge.
So let's recap Lateral thinkingfor game development leaders
means approaching problems fromnon-obvious angles.
It leads to more robustfeatures, stronger collaboration
and resilient teams.
It requires psychologicalsafety and time to think and
(15:16):
permission to be wrong, and itstarts with you Asking better
questions, modeling curiosityand inviting your team to do the
same.
Now is the time to level up notjust how you produce games, but
how you think about producingthem.
All right, and that's thisweek's episode of the Press
Start Leadership Podcast.
Thanks for listening and, asalways, thanks for being awesome
(15:39):
.
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