2016 global brainstorm

[MikeBrock]

Originally Posted by Taylor

Holy crap.
Let the guy have his idea.

it's a way for young, inexperienced, or undermentored teams to share ideas and strategies for the upcoming season.

I'm signing up in your google form and I look forward to the discussions that happen in January. Good luck, and we'll see you at the competition.

Edit: I would sign up, but my computer blocks shortened URLs. Any way you could post the original?

I'm just saying that I doubt any good team will participate in idea generation or discussing strategy outside of CD or Ri3D/Build Blitz, they rarely even post on here actually. This means young teams just share ideas among themselves instead of actually learning anything important.

Taylor, not all constructive criticism is written as fluffy clouds and rainbows. Often times it is best to just tell someone they are pursuing something not worth their effort.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by MikeBrock

I'm just saying that I doubt any good team will participate in idea generation or discussing strategy outside of CD or Ri3D/Build Blitz, they rarely even post on here actually. This means young teams just share ideas among themselves instead of actually learning anything important.

Then say that. No need to tell him his idea is stupid.

Originally Posted by MikeBrock

Taylor, not all constructive criticism is written as fluffy clouds and rainbows. Often times it is best to just tell someone they are pursuing something not worth their effort.

You're absolutely correct. * But I haven't seen much constructive criticism here - just criticism. Remember the person on the other side of the Internet is human too.

(what I typed after the * is an address to the world at large, not specifically Mike.)

[Ginger Power]

Originally Posted by MikeBrock

I'm just saying that I doubt any good team will participate in idea generation or discussing strategy outside of CD or Ri3D/Build Blitz, they rarely even post on here actually. This means young teams just share ideas among themselves instead of actually learning anything important.

So can only "good" teams have good ideas? It doesn't take a perennial powerhouse to offer up information that some teams could find valuable. This coming from somebody who led an Ri3D team last year and is going to do so again this year. I'm not from a perennial powerhouse, nor do I consider myself to be an "expert" in FRC. However I've talked to a number of people who said our Ri3D robot inspired them. I do think a lot of the discussion this is designed to host is already done on Chief Delphi, but who am I to tell somebody that their idea (which is just trying to better the FRC community) is no good. Instead I'll offer a piece of advice that I think will improve the idea and differentiate it from forums that are already out there: maybe set up a system where people who sign up to do this get randomly placed in a Google hangout sessions with other random people who sign up. Maybe in groups of 5 to 10? This allows for inter-team communication and brainstorming, but isn't just a forum that people post on. It allows face to face communication (computer screen to computer screen... whatever) which other sites don't offer. Just a suggestion, like I said previously, I hope this is a huge success and good luck!

[EDesbiens]

Originally Posted by Ginger Power

Instead I'll offer a piece of advice that I think will improve the idea and differentiate it from forums that are already out there: maybe set up a system where people who sign up to do this get randomly placed in a Google hangout sessions with other random people who sign up. Maybe in groups of 5 to 10? This allows for inter-team communication and brainstorming, but isn't just a forum that people post on.

That's a nice idea! I'll try to do this

Originally Posted by Ginger Power

I hope this is a huge success and good luck!

Well thank you

[asid61]

Originally Posted by MikeBrock

I'm just saying that I doubt any good team will participate in idea generation or discussing strategy outside of CD or Ri3D/Build Blitz, they rarely even post on here actually. This means young teams just share ideas among themselves instead of actually learning anything important.

Taylor, not all constructive criticism is written as fluffy clouds and rainbows. Often times it is best to just tell someone they are pursuing something not worth their effort.

The "good" teams aren't going to share their strategy anyway, so it's not like the young teams were "learning anything important" regardless of this discussion. What would they learn watching good team release videos, that they wouldn't learn by discussing with other teams also?
Randomized hangouts discussions sounds really cool.

[EDesbiens]

Originally Posted by asid61

Randomized hangouts discussions sounds really cool.

Would you guys prefer a system of randomized hangouts or a system where you choose a subject (programming, strategy, robot systems (drive trains, claw for example) ) and get in a room of people already talking about that subject?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by EDesbiens

Would you guys prefer a system of randomized hangouts or a system where you choose a subject (programming, strategy, robot systems (drive trains, claw for example) ) and get in a room of people already talking about that subject?

Depending on how many people you have, and your available programming talent level, you could do both. Pick a subject, land in a random room discussing that subject.



Me personally, I'll probably be chilling with my team and the rulebook, figuring out just what pesky rules I gotta enforce THIS year (and a big thank-you to all the teams who brought correct numbers on the first try this last year!) and reminding the students to read the manual--and then watching CD and issuing the same reminder.

[asid61]

Originally Posted by EDesbiens

Would you guys prefer a system of randomized hangouts or a system where you choose a subject (programming, strategy, robot systems (drive trains, claw for example) ) and get in a room of people already talking about that subject?

That would get my vote. I don't want to be stuck in a room full of programmers.

[jajabinx124]

Originally Posted by asid61

That would get my vote. I don't want to be stuck in a room full of programmers.

*gasp*

We aren't that bad ya know..

[Rman1923]

Originally Posted by jajabinx124

*gasp*

We aren't that bad ya know..

Sorry bud you're living a dream

[Ari423]

Originally Posted by Rman1923

Sorry bud you're living a dream

I'm a programmer myself and even I wouldn't want to be in a room full of programmers. Just thinking about it is scaring me.

[EDesbiens]

Originally Posted by Ari423

I'm a programmer myself and even I wouldn't want to be in a room full of programmers. Just thinking about it is scaring me.

That's true I don't know about you but I prefer to be the only programmer on a project... I find it so much more efficient! But I need to get used to working with a team...

[jajabinx124]

Originally Posted by EDesbiens

That's true I don't know about you but I prefer to be the only programmer on a project... I find it so much more efficient! But I need to get used to working with a team...

Many people prefer working by themselves, but the advantage of working with others and working with rookies is that you will pass your knowledge down to them while working so. This is important especially for seniors in a team to make sure to work with rookies and members who will still be on the team next year in order to pass their experience down to others. Mentors will always be there to help as well, but its important for students to mentor/help/work with other students as well. The students who teach newer members also gain experience, so its a benefit for all. Making sure seniors pass down their info to younger members is also key for team sustainability.

Also, working in a team environment is great experience for the work force. Your going to have to learn to work in a team eventually outside of FRC as well.

[Jon Stratis]

Originally Posted by Ari423

I'm a programmer myself and even I wouldn't want to be in a room full of programmers. Just thinking about it is scaring me.

Man, you won't like the professional world then... A cube farm as far as you can see, filled with nothing but programmers!

All kidding aside, I know plenty of ways something similar to this happens on a small scale after kickoff all the time. To give just one example, there's a group of local area mentors that get together regularly throughout the build season - we talk about our impressions of the game, robot designs, and what we're having trouble with, all so we can mutually support each other and keep all of our teams on a successful path. Mentors from maybe a dozen teams are involved, and not only is it a lot of fun, but you hear about stuff you never would have imagined!

This brings it to a much larger scale, which is great. I would recommend largely separating students from mentors in the discussion, though, maybe with some sort of regular summary available as a go between for the two groups. From my experience, excitable mentors have a tendency to drown out students, and our concerns may be different - while the students want to figure out what to build, mentors are often looking more at how to build different aspects and the problems they'll encounter later on in weeks 4/5. I know I, personally, would rather be involved in discussions with other mentors specifically so I can figure out the landmines awaiting us. My team will come up with the design they see fit, they don't need me involved too much with strategy or overall capability design

[EDesbiens]

Originally Posted by Jon Stratis

I would recommend largely separating students from mentors in the discussion, though, maybe with some sort of regular summary available as a go between for the two groups.

I can't figure how to split the two groups without completely isolate them... It's a good idea though!