[Eugenia Gabrielov]

Let me go from where EricH is talking and build on that. I'll focus on match scouting.

Step 1: What do you think is important to your team?
Before you rush to collect lots of data, try to figure out what your team thinks is most important. If you guys are an all-defensive bot, you're probably looking for a shooter. Maybe you can only shoot into the center goal, so you need a team with a high record in the corners. There are many things to consider. Maybe you can't store balls, so you need a team that can store as many balls as possible.

Step 2: How do you quantify those importances?
In each case, you have found a need for your team. You, as a scouting leader, need to figure out how to draw that data from the match quickly. I suggest this format: a sheet with things you take a tally of at the top (such as balls scored for the robot, or balls stored in the robot), followed by a large chunk of the paper for guided commentary. You may want to include at the top of this blank sheet..."Scouts, please comment on these things." Or you can write some questions and match scouts can answer each one.

You don't need to be programming savvy. Say you just want the average number of balls scored per match by a team. Microsoft Excel will do it for you happily, and is available on just about every computer as well as most PDA's. You can insert numbers for each match and ask it to calculate an average and standard deviation, and you can share that data with your pit. Keep in mind that not every match is balanced: sometimes a good robot may be in a weak alliance, so it may have to act out of character from its usual abilities. You should note that sort of thing on your comment sheets.

Step 3: Analyzing this information
The first people that need to look through this information are the scouts. Quickly! One leader should be assigned that reviews all the scouting data for a match between matches and compiles it. While they're throwing all those balls back in, and setting stuff up, you can be analying match data. Our team's scouting leader will have a large notebook that they will use after each match to record data. Data from this notebook will then be shared with the Pit via a runner. You can have Excel or another computing program running and just enter numbers, and the program does the calculating for you.

Let me know if you need any help setting up a program. I'd be glad to show you ours and walk you through creating your own.

Good luck!
Eugenia Gabrielov
Scout, 461