The Climb as Design: How Fiction Keeps Me Moving

For Expedition 9, the focus was on a mountain climb. This was both literal and metaphorical. In the fictional journal that runs alongside the project, the characters were climbing a mountain. In the real world, I was developing an indie game system about climbing a mountain. That journal is a key feature. It helps me visualise the journey, reflect on the work, and give shape to what might otherwise just be another series of task lists. Having the up and back structure of the climb also helped me make sense of the phases of the work. Even when I did not hit everything on the first try, it helped me to see where I was and where I was heading.

My Creative Expedition Process

Over the years, I have worked on all sorts of projects, and if there is one thing I have learned, it is that nothing works perfectly. What I needed, more than anything, was a way to make sure I kept moving forward with grit and resolve. The Expedition process is what I have built to do exactly that.

It is not a polished, formal framework, but it is built on grit and resolve as much as process. It is a mix of the project management techniques I learned back at university, combined with years of personal trial and error. The process draws from Agile, but also from my own habit of thinking in longer cycles. It is something I am still fine-tuning, but it has already proven its value by keeping me engaged when things would otherwise have drifted.

What I Achieved During Expedition 9

Looking back, I got a lot done.

• I created the first journal entries.
• I advanced the core game system, shaping it towards how I want it to feel.
• I made and sent out a postcard, giving something tangible to people who are following along.
• I started building a web presence, laying the groundwork for sharing the project more widely.

Challenges Faced

Of course, it was not without challenges. Scope creep, a common challenge in agile and creative project management, remains something I need to get better at managing. I still have not found the Expedition process’s equivalent of Agile’s way of controlling scope. This project ended up being a lot! Developing the game, creating marketing materials, and so much more, and all of that while still holding down a day job.

Lessons Learned and What’s Next

Still, the process worked. The key thing is that I was able to shape it as I went, and, with grit and resolve, keep climbing. It gave me enough structure to make sure things kept moving, even when life got in the way. It helped me finish this stage of the work.

Expedition 10 is already taking shape. I want to refine the process further, especially around task management. I want it to help me break work down better and keep scope under control. That is the next step.

Because, like with any climb, the most important thing is not doing it perfectly. It is just making sure you keep going — with grit and resolve.