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Originally Posted by sanddrag
I would feel disappointed to finish that early. Finishing at week 3 or 4 would be like you did not challenge yourself enough. driver practice and strategy work is definitely a good thing, but you may have been able to do more with your machine.
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I firmly believe that an elite level FIRST robot can be completed in 4 weeks. I don't think the fact that a team finished within that timeline is the indicator of a team who hasn't challenged themselves. I think it's a better indicator of the following two things.
- A well oiled "machine" -- To finish a robot that quickly requires a lot of subteams working independently, followed by these teams seamlessly integrating their work.
- A firm understanding of the importance of driver training. -- There's no better way to gain a leg up on the competition than by having well practiced drivers. Especially during the first few weeks of the regional season, practiced drivers with an adequate robot tend to beat unpracticed drivers with a superior robot.
This is why I recommend that all teams try and finish their robot within a four week time frame. It encourages team work, and puts you a team in position where they've maximized their chance of winning.
I've detailed a lot of these thoughts in a workshop that I gave to local teams in Ontario. It can be found on this
page. It's in the "Running A Team" presentation.