Challenge
As KIDO scaled beyond books, inconsistencies in character arcs and duplicated art assets threatened brand coherence and budget.
Strategy
- Define a single narrative kernel: canonical timelines, character arcs, and core rules documented once and versioned.
- Implement product lifecycle checkpoints—green-light reviews that verify new media pitches against continuity and asset-reuse criteria.
- Create a metadata layer linking every asset (illustration, voice line, mechanic) to its narrative source.
Execution
- Deployed a version-controlled “Character Bible” (Git + YAML) with diff history and semantic tagging.
- Integrated the bible into Jira workflows—tickets autolink to narrative IDs so designers pull the right canon data.
- Established cross-format style guides and reuse libraries, cutting new sprite creation by 60 %.
- Set up quarterly continuity councils—writers, producers, and engineers resolve proposed divergences before production.
Outcomes
- Maintained 100 % continuity across three books, one game prototype, and an animated pilot.
- Asset reuse saved an estimated $120 k in art and VO budgets for the first transmedia cycle.
- Time to approve new media concepts dropped from four weeks to under one, thanks to clear governance gates.
Key Capabilities Demonstrated
- Strategic foresight for narrative ecosystems
- Narrative-aware systems engineering & asset governance
- Cross-format product continuity without creative slowdown