PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN GAMEDEV — process structure, teams and tools

Course overview

Description generated based on course syllabus and open data.

PM in gamedev addresses project management tailored to the game industry: cross-functional teams, iterative development, living backlogs and clear communication. Lecturer: Andrii Godar, PM at GSC Game World, 11+ years in gamedev, PMP certified. Teaching language — Ukrainian. Aligned with Project Management Institute approaches. Current dates: April 16 — July 9.

Focus areas include practical tools (Jira, Confluence), working documentation, Agile/Scrum/Kanban, planning, risks and stakeholder collaboration.

Who it suits / who it does not suit in gamedev project management

• Suits: specialists moving into PM in gamedev from adjacent roles (QA, GD, LD, BizOps) and juniors with basic PM knowledge.
• Suits: associate producers and coordinators needing process and artifact systematization.
• Suits: PMs from non-gamedev who need to adapt to game production pipelines and cross-team dependencies.
• Not suitable: those expecting only theory without practical tools and working cases.
• Not suitable: those looking solely for game design or programming content without the management component.

PM challenges in gamedev → operational outcomes

• Unclear requirements → transparent backlog, incremental goals, DoR/DoD.
• Team desync → communication cadences, Confluence artifacts, single source of truth.
• Task overload → Jira visibility, WIP limits, prioritization (MoSCoW/WSJF).
• Missed deadlines → baseline + buffers, dependency control, risk tracking.
• Burnout → healthy planning practices, retrospectives, feedback loops without micromanagement.

Comparison with alternatives in project management

PM in gamedev vs general PM courses

Focused on game-production pipelines, cross-discipline dependencies and Jira/Confluence integration for production cycles.

PM in gamedev vs self-study

Structured path without fragmentation; consistent terminology, artifacts and templates.

PM in gamedev vs internal onboarding

Broader spectrum of approaches and practices beyond a single company’s culture.

Learning outcomes in gamedev project management

• Clarified PM role in gamedev: responsibilities and collaboration with producer, leads and stakeholders.
• Hands-on Jira/Confluence: project structure, boards, filters, reporting, documentation templates.
• Agile/Scrum/Kanban: selection and adaptation for outsource, coproduction and product setups.
• Planning: estimation, roadmaps, dependencies, risks and scope control.
• Communication and facilitation: standups, grooming, retrospectives, working agreements.
• Alignment with PMI practices and readiness for structured work with artifacts.