You have some good input, Oris. I'm going to elaborate one part of your post that I think needs more emphasis.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oris
Just as a warning ... usually the programmers get the least amount of time with the robot. The mechanical group takes for ever testing and changing things, while the electrical is given no room for any of there components and the programmers get very little time and are rushed to show results.
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I've definitely encountered this, and it's one of the problems I'm trying to address here.
The design should take place initially as a group, with everyone participating, and that's where the metrics and goals are decided upon.
After the first week, there should be a design everyone can work with, including drawings for layout.
If your rookie team builds a kit-bot at the kickoff, then they have a robot they can drive. It will drive with the default code. (the main thing holding them back there is that the wiring probably won't get finished until the next day, unless your team brings a panel of plywood to mount the control system components to).
On the layout drawings you made in your design process, there should be the components of the control system (easily accessible), as well as the mechanical components (hopefully still easily accessible).
You can have the programmers and mechanical working at the same time without major conflictions. The programmers work mainly with the sensors, and the mechanical works mainly with the superstructure. Actually, if you mounted your whole control system on a single piece of plywood, then the programmers can borrow the control system, and the mechanical borrows the frame.
How do you know it will fit back together? Follow the drawings.