The document discusses experimentation and an agile approach at King, a mobile game development company. It provides an overview of King, including its history, games, employees and offices around the world. It then discusses the importance of experimentation, describing the typical process of coming up with an idea, building it, releasing it, measuring results, analyzing feedback, and learning. It provides examples of experiments at King and how they iterate based on results. The document also discusses King's values, recruitment process, training programs, and efforts to create an innovative culture through practices like game jams and autonomy.

1. Experimentation
is
Håkan Forss, Agile Coach @ King, @hakanforss

2. © King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential
Håkan Forss
Agile Coach
@hakanforss

3. © King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential
We make great games
About King
Page 3

4. © King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential Page 4
Some stats and facts
1.000.000.000.000
474 million monthly active
users around the world
(Q3 2015)
Approximately 1.4 billion
average daily game plays across
our games (Q3 2015)
More than 1 trillion levels played!
3 games in the top 15 grossing games
on the Apple App Store and on Google Play in the US in Q3 2015
About King

5. © King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential
We make great games
About King
Page 5
1600Employees (approx. Q3 2015)
King has offices and studios in
Stockholm, London, Barcelona,
Bucharest, Malmo, Berlin,
Singapore, Seattle, San
Francisco, Malta, Tokyo, Seoul
and Shanghai.

6. © King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential
The evolution of King
About King
Page 6
• Founded in 2003
• Originally games were only
available through our site and
portals including AOL and
Yahoo!
Online skill Social Mobile
• Launched first game on
Facebook in Q2 2011
• Launched first game on mobile
H2 2012

7. Experimentation is
Used with permission. Created by Håkan Forss @hakanforss http://hakanforss.wordpress.com

8. Used with permission. Created by Håkan Forss @hakanforss http://hakanforss.wordpress.com
experiment
Verb /ɪkˈsper.ɪ.ment/
to try something in order
to discover what it is like
or find out more about it.
What is an Experiment?

9. Used with permission. Created by Håkan Forss @hakanforss http://hakanforss.wordpress.com
experiment
Verb /ɪkˈsper.ɪ.ment/
to try something in order
to discover what it is like
or find out more about it.
What is an Experiment?
Good enough for now,
safe enough to try!

10. Used with permission. Created by Håkan Forss @hakanforss http://hakanforss.wordpress.com

11. Thank you
© King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential
Puff
Used with permission. Created by Håkan Forss @hakanforss http://hakanforss.wordpress.com

12. Oh, I did NOT
expect that!
Used with permission. Created by Håkan Forss @hakanforss http://hakanforss.wordpress.com

13. The sound of learning
Used with permission. Created by Håkan Forss @hakanforss http://hakanforss.wordpress.com

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Hypothesis
Prediction
Experiment
Observation
Learning

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Prediction
Observation
Observation
+
Δ
-
Δ
Hypothesis

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Expect at least 50% of the experiments
should not give the expected result
This is when we REALLY learn!

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#fail

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#fail
First Attempt In Learning

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It was a cold day in January…
Experimentation in CCSS
Page 21
Ideas
How can we make the game more fun?
How can we help players more to beat challenges?

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Experimentation in CCSS
Page 22
Ideas
What is fun and helpful to players?

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The team came up with…
Experimentation in CCSS
Page 23
Hello there sir!
Ideas

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Build the MVP
Experimentation in CCSS
Page 24
Ideas
BUILD IT
Sprinkleshell

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Experimentation in CCSS
Page 25
Ideas
BUILD IT
Release
it!
Release it! - Test it in the market!

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Experimentation in CCSS
Page 26
Is it easy to understand how to use the sidekick?
Do players really use it once they understand how-to?
Ideas
BUILD IT!
Release
it!
MEASURE IT!
MEASURE IT! – does it work?

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Experimentation in CCSS
Page 27
Ideas
BUILD IT!
Release
it!
MEASURE IT!
Analyze
it!
Analyze it! - Feedback from players

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Players do like and use it only if they understand how-to
What did we learn?
Experimentation in CCSS
Page 28
Ideas
BUILD IT!
Release
it!
MEASURE IT!
Analyze
it!
LEARN
It’s hard to understand how to use
The sidekick is not visually noticeable

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Tweek it with the learning
Experimentation in CCSS
Page 29
In-game step-by-step tutorial
More visual, more attention
Ideas
BUILD IT!
Release
it!
MEASURE IT!
Analyze
it!
LEARN
Thought bubble Charge reminder

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How is it doing now?
Experimentation in CCSS
Page 30
Ideas
BUILD IT
Release
it!
MEASURE IT!
Analyze
it!
LEARN
Constant growth in Sprinkleshell usage
More than 80% of players use Sprinkleshell on a given day and level
Players use Sprinkleshell more than just a few times
Average attempts for completing hard levels decreased

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Idea
Design &
Build it!
Verify
it!
Typical process
Page 32
Think
it!
TWEEK
IT!
Release
it!
MEASURE
IT!
Analyze
it!
LEARN
Are we
happy?

33. © King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential
Idea
Design &
Build it!
Verify
it!
Typical process
Page 33
Think
it!
TWEEK
IT!
Release
it!
MEASURE
IT!
Analyze
it!
LEARN
Are we
happy?

34. Used with permission. Created by Håkan Forss @hakanforss http://hakanforss.wordpress.com

36. A B

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38. © King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential
Happy players

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Our main KPIs
Retention
Engagement
Monetization Conversion
Virality

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Level monitoring
• Cohort analysis important
• Listen to your data to inform design

42. Culture is

43. © King Digital Entertainment plc 2014
Culture = ∑ ( Behaviors )

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We listen, we
learn, we share. Free to be ourselves, we
treat people like a friend.
We don’t compromise on quality.
We put our heart and soul into
everything we do.
We stand up for creativity.
We’re agile and adaptable
problem solvers.
King Values

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Recruitment
Programming skills
Experience
Open & Humble
Care & Craft
Programming skills
Experience
Open & Humble
Care & Craft

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Introduction Training

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Bootcamp

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Game Jams

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Solving problems through experimentation and
collaboration
Develop small, incremental releases and iterate
Focus on frequent delivery to maximize learning
Transparency and visualization
Agile @ King?

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Agile is not a Process, It Defines Culture

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Team decides…
…what to ship
…how to ship
…when to ship
…and after

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Alignment vs Autonomy
Page 57
AutonomyAlignment
DO AS I SAY! Do whatever you
want.

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Alignment vs Autonomy
Page 58
High autonomyLow autonomy
LowalignmentHighalignment
Authorative
organization
Micromanaging
organization
Organization?
I hope someone
is working on
that resort...
BUILD MY
PARADISE
ISLAND!!
We need to
build a nice
paradise
island where
our visitors
can relax and
enjoy
themselves.
Innovative
organization
Dig a hole!
Let’s find the
best way to
achieve this
together.

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Photos © Balazs Gardi / Red Bull Sailing Newsroom

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61. Cake Artist: Lee Sin
http://cakejournal.cakejournalllc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Candy-Crush-Cake.jpg

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Creative workplace

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Placeholder for Sveav. 44 video

67. Thank you
© King.com Ltd 2015 – Commercially confidential
Q & AHåkan Forss
Mail: hakan.forss@king.com
Twitter: @hakanforss
Blog: http://hakanforss.wordpress.com