GCG Feature: 'For the Love of All Games: How Catherine Herdlick Broke Into the Industry'

Gamasutra sister web site GameCareerGuide.com has published a feature interview with Catherine Herdlick, director of production at the casual game studio Gamelab (Diner Dash). In the interview, Jill Duffy visits Gamelab's New York office in search of the secret to Herdlick's success and how the open-minded, energetic director broke into the game industry: What's unique about Herdlick is how widely she embraces all kinds of games, from children's museum displays to interactive walking tours ... It's her open perception of games that helped her break into the industry. The article also gets several big tips from Herdlick on how aspiring designers might find avenues for entry: GCG: What advice do you have for people who want to get into the game industry specifically in production? CH: When I was at Parsons, I did do a lot of team projects and often did find myself, looking back now, in what was considered the producer role -- coordinating the team, reminding people of deadlines, keeping everything together. Sometimes I'd also have another role too, like designer, or programmer. I think if someone wants to get into the game industry, generally they should be making games, even if they are paper games -- they don't need to be digital. You can now read the full interview at Game Career Guide, with all the details on Herdlick's background, how she became involved with Gamelab, ideas on what makes a successful casual game, and more advice for aspiring industry professionals.