Game Design Documentation – How to Write a GDD by Duilio Giordano Faillaci

Stop treating your Game Design Document like a static, dusty PDF. This course is about building a GDD that actually works as a living document for your team. You’ll learn practical workflows for structuring, updating, and maintaining documentation that reduces confusion and keeps your project moving forward.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• Structure a clear and organized Game Design Document (GDD)
• Write effective High Level and Low Level Design documentation
• Use Control Documents to track changes and prevent outdated info
• Implement a practical documentation workflow for your team
• Apply version control strategies to your GDD

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Minimum knowledge of Game Design concepts like High Level and Low Level design.
• Tools: A text editor or documentation tool (e.g., Google Docs, Notion, or Figma).
• Hardware: Standard computer with internet access.

📝 Description

Most GDDs fail because they’re treated as a one-time deliverable. This course flips that script. You’ll learn to treat your Game Design Document as a living document that evolves alongside your project.

The instructor, Duilio Giordano Faillaci, breaks down the entire documentation lifecycle. You’ll start with the fundamentals: where to document, how to create a style guide, and why naming conventions matter. Then, you’ll move into the practical workflow of writing Concept Docs, High Level Design Documents, and Low Level Design Documents.

The real value is in the later sections. You’ll learn how to build a Control Document—a matrix that tracks your entire project’s documentation status. You’ll also explore how to handle deprecated content, manage updates without breaking the flow, and use tools like Figma to improve visual communication with your team.

This isn’t theory. It’s a practical, step-by-step system for creating documentation that your team will actually use and reference.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Game designers who want to create organized, professional GDDs
• Indie developers looking to improve team communication and project tracking
• Producers and leads who need to manage documentation across a team
• Anyone frustrated with outdated or chaotic game design documents

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Duilio Giordano Faillaci is a game designer and educator with a focus on practical, real-world documentation workflows. He brings a no-nonsense approach to the often-overlooked skill of writing a GDD, drawing from his experience in the industry to teach methods that actually work in a production environment.

🏁 Final Result

• A structured, professional Game Design Document template you can use for any project
• A Control Document matrix to track your project’s documentation status
• A practical workflow for keeping your GDD updated and relevant throughout development