D&D (& RPGs) at Work

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

No, this isn't about people who work at Wizards, Malhavoc, or any other publisher.

It's about the rest of us, who work "normal" jobs, and how we integrate D&D into our working lives.

Take me, for instance.

I spent most of this week putting together a "document of initial understanding" - most certainly not a proposal! - to be sent to a major Asian transportation company. Basically, I had to outline the work we'd like to do for them, while remaining as absolutely vague as possible in terms of timing or cost. I'm sure most people here have had to do something similar at some point in the past.

So, anyway, in this document, there's a short discussion of their current line of business - their core business, if you will. There are two or three main ways in which to expand upon that core business. When searching for a way to describe them, I decided that they should be called "Enhancements to Core Business." My boss thought it was a wonderful idea.

Yes, folks, on its way to Asia, right now, is a document in which D&D 3.X terminology is being used to describe a multi-million dollar deal. I went home laughing about whether or not they'd stack.

So, how else - subversive or not - have worked D&D into your workplace?

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Thats awesome. I've used words and terminology picked up from gaming at school before but nothing that cool.

 

[loki44]

Great usage. Very creative. I've never thought about using D&D terminology in my grant proposals but now I'll definitely be more conscious of it. D&D infiltrates my workplace mostly via EnWorld et.al. and I keep it too myself. I do tend to look at my many of my co-workers and clients as NPC's however and there is a wealth of interesting stuff there.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I went home laughing about whether or not they'd stack.

With both competency and luck. Get the sales rats involved and you can probably manage a dodge bonus, too. The latter, in my experience, unfortunately tends to be far more common.

I had to write a disaster recovery plan recently for an organization that had dedicated no in-house resources to working on the problem, who had allocated no budget to implement any recommendations, and who I knew would never read it. So, under operating scenarios, in between "Water Main Break" and "Civil Unrest" I included 'The Undead Rising from the Grave to Consume the Flesh of the Living'. Only one person has noticed since it was submitted 8 months ago. But when it happens, they *will* thank me.

I also tend to incorporate work terminology into gaming -- backing up spell books, reconfiguring spell selection, etc.

 

[loki44]

So, under operating scenarios, in between "Water Main Break" and "Civil Unrest" I included 'The Undead Rising from the Grave to Consume the Flesh of the Living'. Only one person has noticed since it was submitted 8 months ago.

That's hilarious!

I've often been tempted to insert something like in documents I know won't be read despite their "urgency" but just haven't had the guts. How did the one person react?

 

[Henry]

My first year at my current job, I wrote up a manual of troubleshooting procedures for several pieces of key communications equipment, and I've added to it over the years as we've gotten more complex. Across the cover of the book in large, friendly letters, is the phrase

DON'T
PANIC

My boss is the only one who got the joke.

 

[TerraDave]

I certainly use it to avoid work--which is what I am doing posting this.

 

[Psion]

Well, I debate with myself and co-workers regularly whether my classes are balanced... and I see no problem at all using multiple classes to get the job done. But I do object oriented software design, so that's not all that unusual.

 

[VirgilCaine]

I had to write a disaster recovery plan recently for an organization that had dedicated no in-house resources to working on the problem, who had allocated no budget to implement any recommendations, and who I knew would never read it. So, under operating scenarios, in between "Water Main Break" and "Civil Unrest" I included 'The Undead Rising from the Grave to Consume the Flesh of the Living'. Only one person has noticed since it was submitted 8 months ago. But when it happens, they *will* thank me.

LOL. That will liven up someone's day.

 

[Einan]

Kudos and cheers!

I had to write a disaster recovery plan recently for an organization that had dedicated no in-house resources to working on the problem, who had allocated no budget to implement any recommendations, and who I knew would never read it. So, under operating scenarios, in between "Water Main Break" and "Civil Unrest" I included 'The Undead Rising from the Grave to Consume the Flesh of the Living'. Only one person has noticed since it was submitted 8 months ago. But when it happens, they *will* thank me..

Yes sir, the zombies are a problem, sir. But I've got good news: we have a plan!

Now, if only your plan is strong enough to defeat the Zombie Invasion (LLC) mission statement: "Braaaaaains! Braaaains!"