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Unread 19-07-2010, 12:00
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nlknauss nlknauss is offline
STechnologyEM Teacher, Alumni
AKA: Nate Knauss
FRC #2729 (LC Storm Robotics Team)
Team Role: Teacher
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Rookie Year: 2000
Location: New Jersey/Philadelphia
Posts: 339
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Re: The year after the rookie year

Everyone above is making some awesome suggestions that any team can take and use to help with their own organization. One item I want to stress in particular with regards to organization has to do with objectives and goals, to feed off of what Don said above.

It is helpful for the team as a collective to group to sit down and reflect on the previous year prior to setting goals for the following year. Think about what was done well and what you all want to improve upon. These things can be technical or non-technical in nature. Since it is hard for some people to contribute to such a convo in person, set up an online survey and collect the information that way. When your survey closes, you'll have a plethora of talking points and some paths to take on as you begin your season. Keep in mind though, some improvements may need to be tabled but they may be worked on since being brought up.

Pick a few (3 to 5) improvements and turn them into objectives as Don described above. Just make sure someone can be "the enforcer" with this. Many distractions will come up in the course of the school year and you don't want to suddenly realize that they've been forgotten.

The other part of your post really seemed to focus on team member involvement. As long as expectations are clearly laid out, your members will have no problem contributing. Many teams do this with a team handbook (which there are a few white papers and NEMO resources on). I've seen handbooks as short as 1 page and as long as 30. Start with something and change it from year to year.

Good luck entering your second year!
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Nate Knauss
FRC 2729 Teacher-Drive Coach 2009-?, FTC 4390, FTC 7433

FRC 87 Student 2000-2002 and Mentor 2003-2006, FRC 1647 Mentor 2006-2008, FIRST Senior Mentor 2009-2013

"We can't change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." -Randy Pausch

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