Purpose:
To evaluate how project spending aligns with the approved budget and actual needs—ensuring the game remains financially on track and allowing for adjustments as development evolves.
What this means:
Every 12 weeks, as part of the regular progress meeting cadence, developers must review the current project budget vs actual spending vs what’s still needed to complete the game. This helps maintain financial discipline, highlight upcoming needs, and give leadership early warning if scope or costs are shifting.
RACI Roles Defined:
- Accountable The AEG Dev Lead is accountable for setting and monitoring the project budget and checking on spending every 12 weeks.
- Responsible The developer is responsible for checking:
- The original budget
- The actual amount spent so far
- The remaining spendable budget
- The forecasted needs for the next phase
- Consulted Finance and Production may be consulted to confirm budget status, reconcile costs, or flag allocation issues.
Key Guidance:
- This is a health check, not a penalty report.
- Identify mismatches early (e.g., more art needed than expected, less component cost than budgeted).
- Any reallocation or request for additional funds should be tied to this review.
- Be prepared to discuss both actual costs and anticipated future costs.
Action Items:
- Pull current spend and available balance from the most recent finance report.
- Compare it to the original budget and note any major differences.
- Identify whether the remaining budget is likely to cover the rest of the project.
- Flag any upcoming large expenses or surprises.
- Present a short budget summary during your 12-week progress meeting.
