<aside> <img src="attachment:9a56655e-1490-4983-a06f-c8ce2e0ac02a:ff1hand.png" alt="attachment:9a56655e-1490-4983-a06f-c8ce2e0ac02a:ff1hand.png" width="40px" />
START HERE
</aside>
<aside>
</aside>
<aside> 💡
Welcome to the FIRM framework for indie studio management.
This framework and template are based on 15 years of industry experience, and 4 years of coaching game studios ranging from indie to AAA.
The core of it is this:
Even though most indie studios should be fully focused on finishing their game, there are still best practices that you can borrow from the world of management to increase your odds of long-term success.
After all, you do need to have a shared understanding of where you’re going, what you’re doing to get there, and solve problems along the way. These things fall outside the domain of development, and they need to be managed somehow.
The FIRM framework represents my best effort to condense the most important parts of studio management into as small as possible a package—one that allows you to run your studio in less than 90 minutes per week using just two one-page documents.
Whether you want to set up the full framework in one day, or you decide to split up the exercises to allow for some reflection in-between, the most important thing is to 1) include everyone who is expected to participate in the weekly management meetings to drive the studio, and 2) to take your time with the exercises. This stuff won’t stick if you rush it.
If you get stuck anywhere, or if you’d like to share your outcomes, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at martijn@martijnvanzwieten.com.
Good luck, and have fun!
—Martijn
</aside>
“You do not rise to the level of your ambitions. You fall to the level of your systems.” —James Clear