I've worn many hats over the course of my career, but without question, working under the title of "Producer" was the most difficult. I've met a fair amount of master designers, engineers and artists, but only a small number of producers that have proven mastery over their craft. Largely, I think it's because if you ask 50 different producers, you'll get 50 different definitions of what it means to be one. There are fewer industry standards for this role compared to any other discipline.

That said, this post isn't about making an argument for or against any particular definition, but it is highly influenced by/only possible because of Jeff Morris, our Lead Producer on Star Wars: First Assault. The dude is a legend and the effectiveness of his production methodology is lightyears beyond any others that I've worked with. There are many Jeff-isms, but everything I'm about to discuss builds upon on this indirect, unsanctioned quote from him:

"You should be approaching your production process just like you approach the development of your game; it's all about iteration on a daily basis."

Maybe we should think about producers as "designers of process"? I am into this and that's why I became one for a time. And what's design about? Design is largely about careful examination and methodical iteration. If you disagree with any of this, maybe you're right, but you also might find the rest of this post dumb. Fair warning!

A Brief Argument For Process