Case Study: Microsoft Game Studios creates a successful Kinect pack-in game with Thinker Herrmann

Microsoft Game Studios ships Kinect Adventures in a fraction of the usual time with Thinker Herrmann

Microsoft Game Studios, a division of Microsoft, faced the challenge of developing a pack-in game for its groundbreaking Kinect for Xbox 360 system that would appeal to a broad consumer audience beyond traditional gamers. They needed to accomplish this within an extremely compressed timeframe, which required balancing wild creativity with the disciplined structure necessary to meet their aggressive product launch goals. To address this, they partnered with the vendor Thinker Herrmann.

The solution implemented by Thinker Herrmann involved applying its Whole Brain® Thinking framework and HBDI® assessment. This provided the team with a common language to leverage all thinking preferences, improving internal collaboration and allowing them to understand and design for their diverse target audience. The result was the successful development of "Kinect Adventures," which shipped with every Kinect sensor. The product was a major success, with Kinect for Xbox 360 setting a Guinness World Record as the fastest-selling consumer electronics device, selling 8 million units in its first 60 days. Thinker Herrmann's methodology was credited with helping the team achieve this innovation with speed and market success.

Microsoft Game Studios