The Stereotyping of Successful Teams

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by OZ_341

Stereotype #3: “Miss Daisy is designed by Corporate Engineers”
We do not have any outside engineers that come to us directly from our sponsors. Every Engineer, CAD mentor, or Media coach on Miss Daisy is a former FIRST/341 student, a friend of a student, a team parent, or a teacher. We do not have a single engineer or professional on our team that is not in that category. Our fantastic engineering design mentorship comes from our former team members and their friends. We are an absolutely home-grown organization.

I have always thought that "XYZ is designed by Corporate Engineers" is a patently ridiculous statement. Most of us don't design frisbee launching, basketball shooting, innertube plucking, soccerball kicking robots for our day jobs. Even as you move up the engineering world and become really good at what you do, just because you can design a really awesome [thing] does not necessarily mean you can build a top quality FRC robot.

To be sure, engineers are great people to have around. But just because they have the title does not automatically make them good at robots off the bat. (But you may have a hard time getting this past our egos. )

[Aroki]

Originally Posted by Ian Curtis

Most of us don't design frisbee launching, basketball shooting, innertube plucking, soccerball kicking robots for our day jobs.

Where do I apply for a day job that does those things?

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by Aroki

Where do I apply for a day job that does those things?

Seems like IFI and AndyMark at least would let design the building blocks in exchange for dollar bills.

Also the first thing that popped into my head when I saw "corporate engineers":

I just imagine Corporate Engineer Benedict showing up in his corporate 3 piece suit to design the robot every day after work.

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by Ian Curtis

To be sure, engineers are great people to have around. But just because they have the title does not automatically make them good at robots off the bat.

We have a couple engineers of non-mechanical fields-- a nuclear engineer and a chemical engineering PhD. They're great people to have around, but as I understand it it was a bit of a learning curve for them to work on an FRC robot. Ultimately, their greatest value to the team for a while wasn't extensive technical knowledge of FRC robots, but rather the problem solving and design skills they brought to the table and taught to the students.

[josmee443]

wow, thats such an inspiring post. Team 1758 looks up to 341 with admiration!