[KenWittlief]

I would draw the line between design and build by looking at the engineering design cycle:

1. there is a problem to be solved. 1st you must clearly define the problem (understand it), understand WHY this system you are designing is needed, and specify WHAT your system will need to do in order to be an effective solution. This is design. (example: last year we decide our bot needed to pick tetras up off the floor and place them on the goals - this is WHAT our robot will do)

2. you brainstorm ways to create a system, and you decide HOW your system will do the WHAT. (example: we will create a robot with two wheel drive, with an arm that raises up and down, and with a claw. This is HOW our bot will pick up tetras and place them on the goal) this is still design.

3. you break up the system into mechanical, electrical, SW, sensors, user interface, and go through the WHY, WHAT and HOW for each of these subsystems. This is still design

4. you create drawings and SW algorithms, wireing diagrams, sensor schematics... of what needs to be built. This is still design

5. you have your subsystems fabricated and assembled: this is finally the build stage.

6. you test the system to see how it works, and if necessary go back to any previous point in the design cycle to make adjustments or modifications.

OK, looking at it from this perspective: how many students want to 'only' do design work, and how many only want to 'build' the robot?

BTW, there are 6 steps here, and for a well disciplined team, each step should take about a week!