Production
Also said as Full production
The main phase of making the game, when the design is settled and the full team builds the levels, art, code and sound. It is mostly a matter of keeping work flowing.
This is where most of the money goes. Output depends on the slowest step, so adding people to any other step only makes a bigger pile in front of that one.
Say it
“Art is delivering twelve levels a month and animation can only take four. Do not hire more artists. Move two people to animation and let's see where the pile moves.”
Not to be confused with producer
Production is a phase of the work. A producer is the person who keeps it on schedule, and they work in every phase.