IGDA QoL SIG Elections Candidate Statements

Below are the personal statements by candidates for the May 2010 QoL SIG Elections.

Presented in alphabetical order by last name.

Andrew Armstrong:
Partially because Judy said I'd make a good committee member, but also now I feel I'd be happier working heavily on SIG work as a committee member too. I'm interested in helping the organisation of projects and distribution of information in the SIG. Since I joined the IGDA, I still help run the Preservation SIG, and am a member of many of the mailing lists, as well as a GDC scholarship winner. Since I am currently not employed in the industry, and quite young, I both feel I can comment pretty freely and put spare time I have into the SIG. Why help an industry I'm not working in? Because I at some point want to, and even if not, I hate to see it in a position I could peripherally help with at the very least. As a committee member I would make sure minutes/notes are provided of any project meetings for people to read up on, and any project I help would be documented fully on the website and provide full help to other projects to do the same. I would also work to get the other SIGs involved, especially trying to get student awareness up of QoL issues as well as gathering any information they can provide. 

Tom Buscaglia:
Please vote for me.  I have been actively involved in the IGDA QOL initiatives since 2005.  I spoke at the IGDA QOL Summit at GDC and am the originator and moving force behind our efforts to create and promulgate work place standards for studios to follow in order to obtain IGDA QOL Certification.  I also, along with Erin Hoffman, moderated the QOL Forums, until the recent transition to the new web tech.  I am on the IGDA Board of Directors, Chair the IGDA charitable Foundation and am the interim IGDA Seattle Pro Chapter coordinator.

Dustin Clingman:
I've been a member of the IGDA for 12 years. In that time, I've met many great people and seen the industry grow in so many ways, yet our troubles relating to QoL continue. I worked on the original QoL whitepaper and I'm disappointed that we have yet to get back to another publication since.

In nominating for the Steering Committee, my goal is to focus this group to a scalpel's edge. We need to regain and retain the moral high ground on QoL issues. We need to enact the ECQC and furthermore, we need to focus our mission to become an instrument of education. Within the IGDA, we won't be able to unionize, but we can make best practices clear. We can establish credibility as the key source for data on our subject and we can bring HR Managers and Studio heads in to help shape a reasonable improvement in QoL standards and practices. With a clear focus and a group intent on success, we'll all achieve these goals.

Erin Hoffman:
I was pulled into the group (then the QOL committee) by Francois in 2005 (I think -- might have been late '04) and have been assisting as I can. I wanted to be involved with the group that had produced the excellent QOL whitepaper and to continue advocating for QOL. I am in strong support of Tom's ECQC and have tried to assist with that effort also, although as everyone involved knows it's a delicate proposition requiring cooperation from studios who are often under external duress not to make QOL obligations. I run the website Gamewatch.org and think that the fight for QOL is a "tortoise" rather than a "hare" -- that progress can be difficult to see in the moment but that slow and steady advocacy over time will and has improved the industry in measurable ways. In 2006 I wrote the first draft of the IGDA's Code of Ethics, with editing and input assistance over the years from Chris Oltyan, and with the assistance of Dustin Clingman and Tobi Saulnier last year was able to see it ratified as the org's official CoE.

Two practical things I would like to see from the IGDA on QOL: 1) a designated "day of QOL reflection" declared by the IGDA and approached/celebrated with prepared information and essays intended to encourage IGDA members to pause and reflect one day a year on their quality of life, what it means, how it can be improved; 2) an informational website beyond our existing site with a QOL FAQ, top QOL resources (like Evan's article on why crunch is stupid), and a blog feed with QOL-related articles like the great ones Sheri sends to the list. And one ambitious thing I would like to see but understand may be impractical: for the IGDA to offer surveying assistance to any interested studio willing to fund it (for an affordable fee scalable by head-count), to anonymously survey employees on their quality of life and management practices, the data for which is distilled into a report and provided to the studio leadership in confidence.

Chris Oltyan:
I've been in this industry almost 11 years now, and I have never ceased to be amazed at the quality and passion of the people that I have had the pleasure to work with.  Unfortunately, I see too many of these bright wonderful people leave the industry after disastrous employment situations kill their desire to be a part of what we do.  I don't think we can solve this completely, but I hope that through our efforts we can at least help enlighten employers and employees on what is a better path towards the success of our companies and our industry as a whole.  If we cannot keep and grow the talent we attract, we will limit what we can do.

As part of the IGDA QOL SIG it would be my primary goal to help improve the quality of life of people in our industry by educating them on what is abusive employer behavior, and helping them find places that respect and value their employees.

Sheri Rubin:
I am proud to be a part of the Quality of Life Special Interest Group. We each bring a unique perspective to the issue of Quality of Life. With the depth and breadth of our combined experience and insight, we are uniquely positioned to effect positive change on the perception of quality of life throughout the industry. I am excited to help make that happen by improving the atmosphere in game development and expanding the influence of our SIG. With strong leadership, I know that we can grow this SIG into a powerful force in the discussion and change in quality of life. I believe I've already shown that I'm willing to step up when necessary to get things rolling. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to do so as a steering committee member of the Quality of Life Special Interest Group of the IGDA. Thank you so much for your consideration. 

Biography: 
Sheri Rubin is president and CEO of Design Direct Deliver, a company that strives to improve the customer experience and provides independent contract and consulting services to businesses primarily within the video game industry. She got her start in the industry over a decade ago, has been an active part of the IGDA since 1999, and has appeared on G4TV twice. She currently serves on the Board of the OC Chapter of the IGDA and is Chair of the Quality Assurance Special Interest Group. Though she has more than thirty game credits under her belt, Sheri's proudest moment came from showing her father her name on the Golden Tee machine in a Chicago pizzeria. 

Sheri's volunteer contributions:

    * Chair, Quality Assurance SIG (Current)
    * Advisory Board Member, Women in Games SIG
    * Member, Programs and Memberships Committee
    * Member, Voter Guidance Task Force
    * Member, Committee on Messaging
    * Former Executive Board Member, Chicago Chapter
    * Founder and Former Leadership Council Member, Sexuality In Games SIG
    * Participant in over twenty other SIGs
    * IGDA Orange County Chapter Board of Directors