What is Iterative Design?
Like many other design professions, such as web design and user interface design, video game designers rarely deliver a flawless product their first time out of the gate. It’s only through rigorous testing and refinement of the core idea that designers are able to home in on what is (and more importantly, what isn’t) working within the constraints of a current design. This cyclical trial-and-error process is the foundation of the iterative design philosophy. At each stage of a design, usability testing occurs and continuous improvements are implemented based on information gathered through accurate observable feedback. It’s this system of refinement through play testing that makes iterative design such an effective method when developing video games. It allows game developers to quickly identify problem areas while providing them with the information needed to help them gradually improve the overall play experience. This method of testing and improving a design based on feedback and ob
