Develop technical specifications to build games and interactive media project outputs

URN: SKSIM12
Business Sectors (Suites): Games and Interactive Media
Developed by: ScreenSkills
Approved on: 30 Mar 2021

Overview

​This standard is about specifying the technical approach that should be taken to achieve outputs for games or interactive media projects. This can apply to prototypes or end products and includes specifying approaches, technologies, online services, scripting, programming language and quality standards and testing approaches through research or the use of prototypes.

This standard can apply to games or interactive media. Interactive media can involve any type of interactive media content, products or services including, but not restricted to, games, websites, applications, or online marketing campaigns.

Games and interactive media projects can be for multi-platform or multi-channel use and can also involve the use of immersive technology which can include, but is not restricted to, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR).

This standard is for anyone involved in developing technical specifications to build games or interactive media project outputs.


Performance criteria

You must be able to:

  1. ​obtain relevant product and business model information, and designs and specifications from reliable sources
  2. clarify ambiguous or missing information with relevant people
  3. specify approaches, technologies and online services which best meet technical and revenue stream requirements and parameters
  4. specify authoring tools, mark-up, scripting and programming languages which are most appropriate to the work
  5. specify quality standards or guidelines which are appropriate to the work
  6. produce technical specifications in approved organisational formats
  7. test ideas, approaches, technologies and tools through valid research and prototypes
  8. check with appropriate people that technical specifications are workable
  9. obtain approval for specifications and decisions from relevant people

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. ​the overall purpose, intended use, and requirements, especially in relation to integration with other systems and future modification and maintenance
  2. how to interpret and follow specifications and briefs
  3. who to communicate with, and how, including when clarifying ambiguous or missing information, when making sure technical specifications are workable and when getting approval and decisions
  4. sources of information on projects, designs and specifications including project parameters and constraints
  5. the purpose and structure of prototypes in relation to the specified technology and the differences required for the development of prototypes and end products
  6. relevant standards, conventions and guidelines including guidelines and best practice for diversity, inclusivity, accessibility, ethics, emotional intelligence, behavioural psychology user comfort and quality of experience
  7. relevant business models and associated revenue streams including retail, free-to-play, in-app purchases, downloadable content, incentivised advertising, product placement and subscription

  8. current relevant technologies, services, languages, tools and best practice including those related to real-time animation

  9. mark-up, scripting and programming languages, authoring tools, game engines, development environments and coding tools appropriate for your work
  10. target platforms, their capabilities and technical parameters, including processing power, memory, bandwidth, screen size, resolution, colour depth and physical user interface
  11. the current technology base of the organisation you are working for
  12. the resources, capabilities and skills available to the project
  13. how to optimise and prepare products for delivery to different platforms and the technical and logistical issues related to cross-platform delivery
  14. approved formats for specifications

Scope/range


Scope Performance


Scope Knowledge


Values


Behaviours


Skills


Glossary


Links To Other NOS


External Links


Version Number

2

Indicative Review Date

30 Mar 2026

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

ScreenSkills

Original URN

SKSIMT4

Relevant Occupations

Arts, Media and Publishing, Crafts, Creative Arts and Design, Media and Communication, VFX Technician, Animation Professionals, AR/VR Technician, Interactive Media Professionals, Games Professionals

SOC Code

2412

Keywords

interactive media; games; gaming; websites, applications; online marketing; AR/VR; 360; immersive technology; mixed reality; augmented reality; end user; multi-platform; multi-channel; implement; design; technical; product; functional; specification