Comparing Doc-Heavy vs. Agile Dev: Which One Should You Pick?

You’re an indie developer, a student, or a solo creator. You’ve heard the debates: “Doc-heavy” versus “agile.” One preaches meticulous planning, the other champions rapid iteration. It’s easy to feel pressured to pick a side, but that’s a false choice. The truth is, effective development for indie projects isn’t about rigid adherence to one extreme; it’s about smart blending.

The Myth of Extremes

Many believe you must choose between over-planning paralysis or chaotic, directionless progress. This misconception pushes developers into counterproductive habits. Excessive documentation, like writing a 100-page design document for a solo project, often leads to burnout and a product that never ships. Conversely, a completely undocumented “just do it” approach quickly devolves into scope creep, forgotten decisions, and communication breakdowns, even if you’re the only one on the “team.” Neither extreme serves the practical needs of an indie developer. The goal isn’t to pick a side, but to find the sweet spot where planning enhances, not hinders, your development flow.

Finding Your Documentation Sweet Spot

The right level of documentation balances clarity with flexibility. It ensures you maintain a clear record of your decisions and progress without stifling creativity. For indie developers, this often means light, living documentation that evolves with the project. Think of it less as a rigid blueprint and more as a dynamic compass.

Documenting Without Drowning

For solo game developers, documenting can feel like an extra chore, but it prevents costly mistakes and speeds up future iterations. Start with high-level goals and iterate on details as you go.

For instance, a living design document is invaluable. This isn’t a static tome; it’s a dynamic hub for your core ideas. Begin with a single page outlining your game’s core loop, target audience, and unique selling points. As you develop, add sections for mechanics, art style, and narrative, but keep descriptions concise. Update it regularly, making it a “living” document that reflects the current state of your project. This approach prevents scope creep by clearly defining what your game is (and isn’t) from the outset.

Task-focused notes are another powerful tool. When you start a development session, jot down your objectives for the day. At the end, quickly summarize what you achieved, any problems you encountered, and your plan for the next session. This simple habit keeps your progress visible and prevents you from losing track of ongoing tasks. These notes can be as informal as bullet points in a text file or entries in a dedicated game development log.

Strategic Documentation for Different Phases

The amount and type of documentation you need will vary based on your project phase.

In the prototyping phase, keep documentation minimal. Focus on getting core mechanics working. Your “documentation” might just be rough sketches, quick notes on what worked and didn’t, and a very high-level concept summary. This allows for rapid experimentation without getting bogged down.

During the pre-production phase, when you’re solidifying your concept, expand your living design document. Detail core mechanics, potential art styles, and a general project roadmap. This is where you might also create a simple Trello board or similar tool to track major tasks. This light planning prevents chaotic, directionless progress by giving you a clear (but flexible) path forward.

For the production phase, as you build out the game, your documentation becomes more refined. Continue updating your living design document. Implement a more structured task management system, even if it’s just for yourself. This is also where a dedicated game dev journal becomes particularly useful. Tracking your game development progress in a journal provides a chronological record of your decisions, challenges, and solutions. This is crucial for debugging, refactoring, and remembering why you made certain choices months down the line. It helps you stay consistent with devlogs by providing a rich source of content.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

One common pitfall is over-documenting early. Resist the urge to write a complete lore bible before you have a playable demo. Start small, iterate, and let your documentation grow organically with the project.

Another trap is letting documentation become stale. A living document is only useful if it’s current. Schedule quick review sessions (even 15 minutes a week) to update your notes and design document. This ensures your records reflect the actual state of your project.

Finally, avoid the “just wing it” mentality. While flexibility is good, a complete lack of any record leads to forgotten decisions and repeated mistakes. Even a basic game development log can prevent this.

The Power of a Game Dev Journal

For indie developers, maintaining a game dev journal is one of the most effective ways to balance planning and doing. It’s a central hub to organize your creative process. Imagine effortlessly tracking your daily progress, noting down design ideas as they strike, and reflecting on challenges you’ve overcome. This isn’t just about logging tasks; it’s about capturing the evolution of your project and your growth as a developer. A good journal helps you stay consistent with devlogs, provides content for future post-mortems, and acts as a powerful memory aid.

By adopting a structured yet flexible approach to documenting your journey, you create a valuable resource that guides your development without stifling your creativity. To practically implement these ideas and effortlessly track your progress, decisions, and reflections throughout your development journey, try our game dev journaling tool. It’s designed to help you maintain a clear record, stay on track, and achieve your game development goals.