[EricH]

You guys are fast! It only takes two weeks to build a robot, IF you have planned carefully. A typical season for 330:

Kickoff--see the game, read the rules, discuss with as many people as possible.
Week 1: During the weekend of Kickoff, simulate the game at full scale if at all possible. Analyze options. Figure out a winning strategy. (Repeat last step as necessary--If you can beat a winning strategy, you probably have a better winning strategy).

Week 2: Finish any loose ends from Week 1. If the requirements list isn't finalized yet, finalize it ASAP once the loose ends are tied up. Mockups are made and evaluated. Start design if possible.

Week 3: Design the thing. Get materials.

Week 4: Build.
Week 5: Build.

Week 6: Finish build and get to the programmers early. (At least, that's the plan--it has happened on occasion!)

End Week 6: SCRRF Preship Scrimmage.

Ship.

We do fudge it a bit, notably in 2005, when we cut our first metal at the end of Week 4 with the robot completely designed and an arm being evaluated, and 2007, when we had our strategy in about two days and a practice robot by Week 3--but part of the robot hadn't been designed yet (something about "that's a secondary function, wait for the primary to be complete first")! We still had the whole thing just about ready by ship.