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Bluetracker

Tracks Blizzard employees across various accounts.

People often tweet a request at me assuming I make all the decisions on WoW Classic (I don't). I saw somebody say I was "THE Lead of Classic" which is overstating it. I thought it might help to describe my role, and why I can't just answer all your questions all the time. 1/25

People often tweet a request at me assuming I make all the decisions on WoW Classic (I don't). I saw somebody say I was "THE Lead of Classic" which is overstating it. I thought it might help to describe my role, and why I can't just answer all your questions all the time. 1/25

  • BrianBirming
    Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
    People often tweet a request at me assuming I make all the decisions on WoW Classic (I don't). I saw somebody say I was "THE Lead of Classic" which is overstating it. I thought it might help to describe my role, and why I can't just answer all your questions all the time. 1/25

    • BrianBirming
      Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
      So first, I am one of TWO Lead Software Engineers on the Classic team. When the team was smaller we only had one lead, and it was me, but now that we're bigger, there are two; we probably need a third... But even when I was the only "lead," I had Omar "Ironman" Gonzalez 2/25 https://t.co/MfiHlDABpn

      • BrianBirming
        Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
        Its also important to recognize that the Classic team is *part of* the larger World of Warcraft team. The World of Warcraft team is responsible for BOTH "Dragonflight" AND "Classic: Wrath of the Lich King." LOTS of the code is shared now. We work together on all of it. 🙂 3/25 https://t.co/zRCNqGNafX

        • BrianBirming
          Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
          That said, I *am* one of the leads of the team that is *focused* on Classic (including WotLK). Officially, I report to our Technical Director, in the engineering discipline of the WoW team. So... who's in charge of design? It's a team effort. Let me explain... 4/25 https://t.co/9MFp4VMMWN

          • BrianBirming
            Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
            When Classic started, we assumed design decisions would be few enough that engineers could work them out based on technical limitations and get oversight from the Game Director directly. As we've grown, we've hired tech designers, but we still check in and get oversight. 5/25

            • BrianBirming
              Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
              I'm not trying to deflect blame, or throw anybody under the bus here. I supported, and am accountable for controversial decisions (such as no auto-dungeon-finder). My point is that NO ONE PERSON makes all decisions. As a result, I can't tweet out a change on a whim.😉 6/25 https://t.co/CbBzfQHMrm

              • BrianBirming
                Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                So what IS my job? For starters: I'm a people manager. I hire people that report to me. I evaluate their performance. "But wait!" I hear you saying, "If you're their boss you can force them to do what you want!" To which I'd say, "Wow! You must think I'm a shitty boss!"😜 7/25 https://t.co/5VBQIe9gG7

                • BrianBirming
                  Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                  People working for me know I'm responsible for their performance evaluation. If I hold that over them when they're making decisions, that's not leadership, that's bullying. Its important that I make clear that they can disagree with me and still do a good job. 8/25

                  • BrianBirming
                    Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                    Another aspect of my job is creating a positive team culture. That's a space where it DOES make sense to wield my "power." Its my responsibility to hold people accountable if they're making their coworkers uncomfortable or unable to work. 9/25

                    • BrianBirming
                      Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                      Likewise, its my responsibility to recognize and promote (in both senses of the word) people who contribute to the success of their peers. Fostering an environment of teamwork and cooperation is probably the MOST IMPORTANT aspect of this job. 10/25 https://t.co/LBFzArfiVf

                      • BrianBirming
                        Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                        So I hear you asking, "BUT BRIAN, HOW DO THE DECISIONS GET MADE FOR THE GAME?!" I delegate it. I try to pick the person I think will do the best job, because of expertise and interest. I also review to ask, "did you think about ... ?" Trying to avoid, "you should ...." 11/25 https://t.co/l4SJnQsErx

                        • BrianBirming
                          Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                          So I'm accountable, because I chose the person, and I reviewed their work, and if they need help, I help. But it would be rude, dismissive, and foolish of me to take over. I might point out problems, but if I try to do everybody's work for them, nothing gets done. 12/25

                          • BrianBirming
                            Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                            If delegating important decisions sounds crazy to you, you have a lot to learn about leadership.😉 Often, because I'm accountable for a wide BREADTH of things, I DON'T know the details of a problem. Trusting others to do their jobs well is a critical leadership skill. 13/25 https://t.co/xCGjTmRxF5

                            • BrianBirming
                              Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                              That's not to say I know nothing. When I ask, "did you think about ...?" I'm trying to make sure all avenues have been explored thoroughly. It would be sheer hubris to assume I know better than the person assigned to the work, but irresponsible not to share my concerns. 14/25 https://t.co/yv6WFlLgwX

                              • BrianBirming
                                Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                The final aspect (at least that I can enumerate at this moment) is communication. I'm responsible for describing the work of my team to other teams both within the World of Warcraft team, and outside it, throughout the rest of Blizzard. 15/25

                                • BrianBirming
                                  Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                  As an Engineering sub-team lead, I have the most contact with my fellow Engineering Leads, on teams like Engine, Server, and Tools (I'm not gonna list them all, just trying to provide some examples). But I also need to coordinate with design and art. 16/25 https://t.co/RznNb3a13I

                                  • BrianBirming
                                    Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                    Our design space is relatively narrow (compared to engineering), so design coordination falls to our technical designers. They manage specific implementations by coordinating between engineers and designers in specific sub-teams (like quest, systems, encounters, etc.) 17/25

                                    • BrianBirming
                                      Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                      We don't have dedicated technical artists, so our team also coordinates with the Tech-Art team when we need to fix an old art asset. Sometimes those come back to the Engine or Tools engineering teams. Sometimes classic-specific ones become our problem again. 😉 18/25 https://t.co/I0LjTfQoL2

                                      • BrianBirming
                                        Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                        I communicate up to our leadership, which includes my immediate boss, the Technical Director, but also all the other directors, such as the Game Director, Art Director, and Production Director. I hear you asking, "So THEY make the decisions?" To which I say, "yes and no." 19/25 https://t.co/w0MSqjb212

                                        • BrianBirming
                                          Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                          They certainly CAN tell me what to do, but more often they provide guidance on a decision I'm telling them about. Guidance of the sort that I provide to the people who report to me. "Did you think about ...?" "Have you considered ...?" "I'm worried about ..." 20/25

                                          • BrianBirming
                                            Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                            They're thinking even broader than I am, and even less detailed. They're accountable for ALL of World of Warcraft, BOTH the classic AND modern variants, and trying to make sure the audience is broadly satisfied overall, while I'm focused specifically on Classic. 21/25

                                            • BrianBirming
                                              Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                              So going back to that original comment, that I'm "THE Lead," it IS fair to say I'm at the highest point on the org chart which thinks primarily about Classic. But there are people around me who influence all my decisions, and who have decision making authority of their own. 22/25 https://t.co/IoiyXl3MOk

                                              • BrianBirming
                                                Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                                This highlights the difference between traditional press interviews and Twitter posts. I can speak with authority on behalf of the company *in press interviews* because we've discussed it and come to a consensus we're ready to share. On Twitter, I'm responding *on my own.* 23/25

                                                • BrianBirming
                                                  Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                                  On Twitter, I'm just me: one person, with admittedly more authority than others, but still just me, and not the whole Classic team. So I can't always respond to your question. Sometimes I don't know the answer. Sometimes its not my call. Sometimes I delegated it. 24/25 https://t.co/g3Ud9NcP1d

                                                  • BrianBirming
                                                    Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                                    That doesn't mean I'm not reading them, and passing them on to the team. It doesn't mean I don't care. (I CARE SO MUCH YOU GUYS; YOU HAVE NO IDEA; literally🥲a bit typing this). But it does mean that I'm often gonna tweet about something else. Have you heard of "Stars!"?😉 25/25

                                                    • Iksar
                                                      Posted 3 years, 6 months ago (Source)
                                                      @BrianBirming Brian #1! This was an interesting post. Thanks for writing it!
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