Game Design Goal Framing

Turn a vague feature idea or design direction into a clear game design goal with purpose, scope, fit, success criteria, and constraints. Use when a feature sounds promising but fuzzy, when a team cannot explain why something should exist, when success is unclear, or when a concept needs a stronger goal before ideation, evaluation, or prototyping.

Define what the feature is actually for.

Use this skill to sharpen a game design idea into a clear goal statement. The aim is to prevent fuzzy concepts, circular design discussion, and features that exist without a real reason. Keep the framing practical and explicit.

Read references/family-conventions.md when you need the shared conventions for this GROW-derived skill family.

What to produce

Generate:

1. Goal statement - what the feature is meant to achieve
2. Purpose - why it should exist
3. Fit - how it connects to the rest of the game
4. Success criteria - player-facing and KPI-facing signals
5. Constraints - quality, scope, time, and resource limits

Process

1. Clarify purpose

Ask:

• what problem does this solve
• what player behavior should change
• what player need or business need it serves

2. Check game fit

Ask:

• how it connects to existing loops and systems
• what player expectations it should meet
• what it must not break or dilute

3. Define success

Use a SMART-style lens:

• Specific - clear feature vision
• Measurable - success signals or KPIs
• Attainable - feasible with current constraints
• Relevant - connected to strategy and player value
• Time-boxed - aligned to a release or milestone

4. Write the framed goal

Use a compact format such as:

Goal statement
We want to [player or business outcome] by introducing or changing [feature or system], measured by [signals], within [timeframe].

Response structure

Goal Statement

• ...

Purpose

• ...

Fit with the Game

• ...

Success Criteria

• ...

Constraints

• ...

Fast mode

• What is this feature for?
• How should it help the player or the game?
• What would success look like?
• What constraints matter most?

Working principle

A feature without a clear goal is just a vague wish wearing design clothes.