Collaborating on Code Reviews: Journaling for Small Teams

Stop the Code Review Chaos: Journaling for Small Game Dev Teams

Remember that sinking feeling? You’re a week away from a milestone, burning the midnight oil. You finally submit your code for review, proud of the new enemy AI you’ve painstakingly crafted. The feedback comes back: “This is all wrong. We talked about using a state machine!”

But you don’t remember that conversation. Hours are wasted refactoring, tempers flare, and the milestone is missed. All because of a simple communication breakdown.

This isn’t some hypothetical scenario. It happens. A lot. Especially in small indie game dev teams where everyone’s wearing multiple hats and context gets lost in the shuffle. But there’s a solution: journaling.

Journaling: Your Secret Weapon for Clear Code Reviews

Journaling in the context of code reviews isn’t about writing a diary. It’s about creating a structured record of feedback, decisions, and discussions related to your codebase. It’s about learning from mistakes without judgment. It’s about building a shared understanding across your team.

How does it work? Simple. After each code review, or even during key discussions about architecture or implementation, someone (or everyone) involved jots down the key takeaways:

• What problems were identified?
• What solutions were agreed upon?
• What were the underlying reasons for those decisions?
• Who is responsible for what action item?

This seemingly small act can have a massive impact:

• Clear Communication: Journaling ensures everyone is on the same page. No more vague recollections of past conversations. Everything is documented.
• Reduced Misunderstandings: Written records minimize ambiguity and prevent misinterpretations. If there’s a question, you can refer back to the journal.
• Preventing Recurring Errors: By documenting the reasons behind code changes, you avoid repeating the same mistakes. You create a knowledge base of best practices and coding standards.
• Improved Team Learning: New team members can quickly get up to speed by reviewing past journal entries, understanding the rationale behind design decisions.

How to Implement Journaling in Your Game Dev Team

Ready to ditch the code review chaos and embrace clarity? Here’s a step-by-step guide to implementing journaling in your small team:

1. Choose a Format: The format doesn’t have to be complex. A simple shared document (Google Docs, Markdown files in your repository), a dedicated wiki page, or even a spreadsheet can work. The key is accessibility.
2. Define Roles: Who is responsible for creating the journal entry after each code review? It could be the code author, the reviewer, or a rotating role.
3. Set Guidelines for Entries: Establish clear guidelines for what should be included in each entry. This might include the date, the code being reviewed, the reviewer’s name, a summary of the feedback, the agreed-upon actions, and the rationale behind those actions.
4. Establish a Review Process: Periodically review the journal entries as a team. This helps reinforce the lessons learned and identify any areas where the process can be improved.
5. Lead by Example: Start journaling yourself. Show your team the value of the process. Answer questions and encourage them to participate.

For example, let’s say a code review reveals that a particular function is too complex and difficult to understand. The journal entry might look like this:

• Date: 2024-01-26
• Code Reviewed: EnemyAI.update()
• Reviewer: Sarah
• Summary: The update() function is too long and complex, making it difficult to debug and maintain.
• Agreed Action: Refactor the update() function into smaller, more manageable functions. Use a state machine to manage the AI’s behavior.
• Rationale: A state machine will improve the code’s readability and maintainability. Breaking the function into smaller pieces will make it easier to debug.
• Assignee: John
• Due Date: 2024-02-02

Level Up Your Collaboration

While simple tools can get you started, you might find yourself wanting more structure and advanced features. You could be interested in features like task assignment, version control and advanced search to effectively track decisions and easily share relevant journal entries with your team.

If you’re looking to streamline your journaling process and enhance collaboration, consider using a dedicated tool like Improve Team Communication With Collaborative Journals. It’s designed to make documenting code review feedback and team discussions easier than ever. It helps you and your team stay organized, track progress, and build a knowledge base that will benefit your game development for years to come.