Team leader needs help!!!!!

[HarveyAce]

Thanks guys. This means a lot. I'm hoping to have a meeting with each group individually and talk to them about what we need to get done, assign group leaders, and such. I want us to have at least two weeks or a week and a half to practice with the robot before we ship it off. Thank you everyone for your help!

[big1boom]

Originally Posted by Bomberofdoom

Right on!
This kind of thing is called a gantt chart. Using MS Project will help you build a dynamic gantt chart that you can input the progress and really see how the project is advancing, if the current progress will allow the team to reach a finished robot by the time of the robot shipment, and what is slowing that progress if not.

I guess we aren't the only team the uses Microsoft Project.

[Mr_I]

HarveyAce,
You have two very big and very different challenges; they must be handled with totally different solutions, and completely independent of each other. These challenges are: This Month (i.e., the 2011 Build Season) and Next Year. Each is its own issues, and you can't confuse them.

For This Month, you need to take a realistic view of what can be done with the resources in hand (people / talent, materials and cash), strip your goals down to just what is feasible, get commitments from your people, and then delegate tasks (with deadlines!) Get a mentor to stand with you at your next "mandatory, all hands on deck" meeting, and ask each student to commit to being on the team and solidly working until 5:00pm on February 22nd. Those who do commit (get it in writing!) will be the ones to count on; for those who don't commit, thank them for their interest but politely ask them to leave. Please don't take offense, but two weeks into Build isn't the right time to tackle the motivational issues. You won't be able to build a robot and turn lackluster students around in four weeks. This "come to Jesus" meeting should only take 1/2 hour, and will tell you which of the 20-something members you can count on.
You won't get all 20; if you're lucky, you will have about 10 students, but in the worst case, you'll repeat last year's membership. Then decide what you can do. Our thought guiding process, which we got from 365 / Team Moe, is "feasibility vs. ability": What can you build vs. will it help you in the game? (Sure, a six-jointed arm might win the game, but can you build it? And while you know how to kick soccer balls, in this game it's useless.) Then block out all distractions about next year and get through this year! (The AndyMark drive train can be constructed in one evening by 2 people; I'd recommend ordering and installing additional sprockets and chains to power more than just the middle wheels, however.)

For Next Year, you need to start early (September), and get people psyched to be part of a "team". There are lots of good suggestions in the posts above (attend an off-season competition, for example); Chief Delphi is as always a font of useful advice. Team 811 has had it's ups and downs, and we are very strong right now, but I know where you are. If you'd like, I can offer many ideas for both you and your head mentor. Drop me a private message and we can talk.

Good luck, my friend ... to quote Men in Black, when Will Smith asked Tommy Lee Jones, if it was worth it, "Oh, yeah, it's worth it ... if you're strong enough!"

[GGCO]

Man, you're in a really tough position. My experiences have taught be a few things...

First, make sure you're not the only one on the team who thinks this is a problem. You need to sit down with mentors and the students who care and have a very frank and honest discussion about this.

Second, if this is seen as a problem you need to figure out what to do about it. I'd suggest having tasks for people to do and holding them accountable for doing them. This can be especially challenging if you don't have many mentors. So what you're going to have to do is make an incentive for doing this. I'd suggest a simple one:
** If you don't get stuff done then you don't get to attend traveling competitions and possibly will be excused from the team.

Third, make sure to start out next year by setting firm deadlines for membership. This will prevent many headaches later on.

Fourth, you need to seriously think about how many members your team can realistically handle. It's always better to have 10 people that show up every day than 35 who do it when it's convenient. Set a limit on membership and if there's too many applicants who meet a set of requirements (ie can show up everyday) then interview them.

These things might seem harsh, but in the four years I've competed with the FRC (the last two being with a rookie team several friends and I started) I've learned that organization and communication are cornerstones for a successful team - especially one that works with high schoolers.