Do's and Dont's
 

So what has your team learned during the build season what to do and what not to do?
Ex: Do not trust a freshman with programming the robot.

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

What if the freshmen comes in knowing everything you need to know about programming? :)

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Well he ended up frying the control board.

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Using software? I am impressed...

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Too many 1s, not enough 0s. Though don't quote me, I'm a mechanically inclined kind of guy.

Do have a plan.
Don't make things up as you go along.

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Do not: Assume that a sub-team that works away from school a lot is getting as much done as they say.

Do: Get second, third, and fourth opinions on how long something will take.

Do: Have a backup plan ready and waiting.

Do: Monitor chiefdelphi during build. You never know when an interesting solution will pop up there.

Do Not: Assume that because someone has been with the team for a long time, they are the best person for the job.

Do Not: Underestimate freshmen. Ever.

Do Not: forget to include the 4x4s in your new crate dimensions. LOOONG monday night....

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Do keep an eye on your robot's weight throughout the season, instead of only weighing it for the first time four days before you crate up.

Don't let bored people mess around with your power tools.

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Do let programmers mess around with power tools (do laptops count?) : sometimes they are the best person for the job.

Do trust people even if you don't like them as a person. If they're on the team, they usually know enough to be helpful and want to be there.

Don't let personality conflicts harm a season.

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Don't make fun of an advisor by saying he likes a paticular song.

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Do NOT play "What is Love?" on repeat on the team speaker system.

People WILL get shot.

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Hey! I'm a freshman, and I'm the lead programmer... and the robot works pretty well...

Do: Be open to suggestions

Don't: Forget to eat

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

Do not test autonomous for the first time in a building surrounded by windows. (The robot was not the only thing broken)

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

It sounds like you guys had a lot go wrong? Is the robot ok now?



Don't leave a lot of flooring pieces on a cart that you think is stronger then it is in reality. Always ends bad.

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

....SO FAR.

Sorry, nothing personal, I just like heckling freshman.(yes, I do know they are often qualified)

For mentors/coaches:

Don't do the work for the students.
Do make sure the student you give a task, can do the task.(regardless of what they say.)

Re: Do's and Dont's
 

This is mainly for small teams (<15 or so)

Do NOT take most of the team on your lunch break during competition at a restaurant where the line is out the door, an hour and a half is too ling for the remaining three members to take care of the robot without food or backup.

DO remember to pack extra IFI traction wheels- the rivets can break.