Scenarios

I want to explore the use of tactical decision games (TDGs) for business and engineering leadership use cases. These will grow over time.

New Product

Your company is preparing to launch a new product that has been in development for the past year. The product is a cutting-edge technology that has the potential to revolutionize the industry, but it is also highly complex and has never been tested in a real-world environment. As the engineering leader, you are responsible for ensuring that the product is ready for launch and that it meets all of the necessary quality and safety standards. However, you are facing a tight deadline and there are still several critical issues that need to be resolved before the launch. How will you ensure that the product is ready for launch on time, while also ensuring that it meets all of the necessary quality and safety standards?

What steps will you take to identify and resolve the critical issues that are preventing the product from being ready for launch?
How will you balance the need to meet the launch deadline with the need to ensure that the product meets all of the necessary quality and safety standards?
What changes would you institute to ensure that this doesn't happen again?

Software Vulnerability

As the engineering leader for a major software product, you have just been informed that a critical security vulnerability has been discovered in the product. The vulnerability could potentially allow hackers to gain access to sensitive user data and compromise the security of the entire system. You are responsible for ensuring that the vulnerability is addressed as quickly as possible, but you are also facing pressure from stakeholders to minimize the impact on users and maintain the reputation of the company. How will you respond to this crisis and ensure that the vulnerability is addressed in a timely and effective manner?

What steps will you take to assess the severity of the vulnerability and determine the best course of action?
How will you communicate with stakeholders and users about the vulnerability and the steps being taken to address it, while also maintaining the reputation of the company?

Bad Behavior

As the engineering leader for a software development team, you have just received a complaint from a junior team member about a principal engineer who has been behaving poorly. The employee has been making inappropriate comments and engaging in bullying behavior, which has created a toxic work environment for the rest of the team. The principal is a top performer and has been with the company for many years, but their behavior is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. How will you address this situation and ensure that the team can work together effectively?

What steps will you take to investigate the complaint and gather all of the necessary information about the situation?
How will you balance the need to address the behavior of the key employee with the need to maintain a positive work environment for the rest of the team?

Mentoring Program

As the engineering leader for a growing software company, you have been tasked with creating a new mentoring program to help junior engineers develop their skills and advance their careers. You recognize the importance of mentoring in the engineering field and are excited about the opportunity to create a program that will benefit both the junior engineers and the company as a whole. However, you are facing several challenges in creating the program, including determining the structure of the program, identifying suitable mentors, and ensuring that the program is effective in achieving its goals. How will you create a mentoring program that meets the needs of the junior engineers and the company?

How will you measure the success of the mentoring program and ensure that it is meeting the needs of the junior engineers and the company?
How will you ensure that the mentoring program is inclusive and provides opportunities for all junior engineers, regardless of their background or experience level?