[EWCP] 10-30-11 Cast - Scouting

[Alpha Beta]

I'm looking forward to this cast.

One of the problems we seem to have is consistency in our data collection. Part of the problem is keeping the entire scouting team motivated. (Seems to be a common issue from the other comments on this thread.) One of the things that helps is to concentrate our data gathering on Friday afternoon only and double checking questionable data that night with video review. It is certainly easier to stay motivated when we're winning and the prospect of captaining an alliance is still in the picture. What do other teams do to ensure quality data?

When we have been an alliance captain, picking our first partner has been relatively easy from the list we send down to our representative. Often our list ranks exemplary defensive potential above mediocre scoring and a gem overlooked by others is still available for our second pick. We keep a copy of the list in the stands and if the top available pick is no longer a good fit for the alliance we do have ways of signalling our representative. What do other teams do here? Do they leave it entirely in the hands of the representative or is their some interaction on the final decision with the rest of scouting team? Do other teams have a static pick list, or in what ways do they adjust it based on the picks of other teams?

Pit scouting was critical last year in KC when hardly any practice matches got played due to a technical issue. No one had a good feel for the capabilities of the other teams in their first qualification match. Most years the only value it serves is a medium to say high to other teams and build relationships. We do just as well without paper and clipboard. I usually take a small group of our more mechanically inclined rookies around to each pit and ask them to look at each robot and tell me what they think it is capable of doing based on how its built. Then after we hang back and have our own discussion we approach the team and ask them to explain their design to us. It absolutely makes that group of rookies better at designing for the next build season. Every pit feels like Christmas morning. It is one of my favorite times at each competition. What do other teams use the pit scouting time for? Are mentors involved ever or just students? Do you base your scouting reports on what you see or what other teams tell you? (We all know some teams have hopeful delusions about what their robots are capable of.) Do you incorporate pit data into your pick list?

We do a little scouting report of each alliance partner and opponent for each match based largely on their previous match. The more participants in a tournament the easier this is to accomplish due to turnaround time. Our drive coaches have plenty of time in que to analyze this data and discuss it with our partners. We have found that the more organized you are the more influence you can have with your partners when designing the alliance strategy. If there is time the drive coach and chassis driver come to the stands after their match and the scouts give them a critique and suggest improvements for their next match. How do other teams develop specific match strategies and communicate to their drive teams specific data about their upcoming match?

We have had other teams ask to share scouting data to the benefit of both teams. Is this common? If another well respected team asked you for your data so they could combine it with theirs and then send you back the combined files would you allow it? Is this a good idea to build a relationship with another team, or does it lead to similar pick lists and run the risk of someone else sniping your sleeper pick?

I'm generally one of those silent guests in the chat, but I'll be there hearing every word.