Personas
Within any industry/organisation, employees can be broken down into several distinct groups. Working with our SMEs we have found that within the games industry most people fall into one of the following five categories. Take a look to see which one best represents you and see how the IP Manifest could benefit you.
Personas are non gender specific!
Veteran
Who?
Ex-console developer, has worked in various sized companies but most recently in a larger team developing console titles for publisher
Characteristics
Highly skilled, experienced “been there, done that” developers aware of future trends in development but reticent about jumping in to anything entirely new as company part-funded with own money. Still has a tendency to be attracted to games he likes to play. Some experience of analytics driven monetisation via publishers
In business because…
Has the development experience and network of contacts to successfully create and launch own mobile games/ deliver work-for-hire contracts in business because senses opportunity of selling direct to consumer via app store type outlets
Needs
A quick-and-easy toolset to make IP management less of an afterthought and more of a continual process. Business development training
Graduate
Who?
Student/Graduate start-up
Characteristics
Ambitious, enthusiastic, skilled but commercially and professionally inexperienced. Follows trends in choices around development (iOS, freemium, etc.)Tends to build games she’d like to play
In business because…
Started-up own company thanks to encouragement and support from university. Values freedom of expression rather than being employed by someone else
Needs
Training/education/mentoring/tools to improve business development skills (IP Manifest/self-assessment tool could be very helpful in this respect)
Dealmaker
Who?
Entrepreneurial by nature, may/may not have prior business experience
Characteristics
Confident, persuasive, skilled-negotiator. Inexperience in games development can occasionally cause problems (overpromising etc.)Direction of business is led by funds secured not necessarily skill of workforce. Sometimes has trouble securing/maintaining trust from the creative team
In business because…
He/She wants to make money!Has a ‘Big Picture Vision’ and is prepared to, and enjoys, taking risks
Needs
To recognise the importance of processes and procedures in business development as well as the “hard sell” and fulfilling obligations to all parties
Funded
Who?
Freelance game developer with experience of running own company
Characteristics
Skilled, experienced game developer with excellent network of contacts within the industry Goes where the money is; work-for-hire main income but regularly applies to public funding rounds and is skilled at sourcing match-funding where needed. Also regularly applies for commissioned work
In business because…
Does not like to be full-time employee, has creative talent and is adept at sourcing funding
Needs
Help to focus on exploitation of own-IP (is likely to move on quickly should launch be unsuccessful) must ensure watertight use of third party IP before embodying in commissioned work
Creative
Who?
Creative from another industry
Characteristics
Ambitious, enthusiastic, skilled with excellent network of contacts from outside the industry. Regularly applies for commissioned work
In business because…
Has past experience of success (both as employee and IP owner) and sees no reason why this can’t transfer to games industry. Is prolific in ex-industry
Needs
Easy accessible tools that educate around business process management specific to games industry. To better understand games IP elements as not so used to interactive and code etc.
