Best Ways to Scout

[bennettj800]

Originally Posted by Squillo

We had great success this year using google forms to collect data. The kids input data from each match on their phones, and it went to a spreadsheet. I had a computer in the pit, with a USB modem to get internet without wifi. I wrote an analysis spreadsheet, that I used to compile and analyze the data, and create reports (transcribed by hand ontompaper from the spreadsheet data, but we may use electronic delivery next year) for the drive team. We had data for which defenses each bot could cross, which they'd had trouble with, high and low shot numbers and percentage success, points scored per match (auto, breach, goal, endgame, and total), speed/agility, defense, and trends over time.

At our regional, we collected over 450 individual reports (each report is about one bot in one match), had great info about each team by Friday night (and better by the end of quals), and used it to help our alliance captain make an awesome (and overlooked) 2d pick, as well as to plan strategy and choose defenses for every match. With a small team, with drivers who were also repairing the robot and working on the software, and really tight turnaround times between some matches, it was great to have the scouting data automatically "beamed" right to the pit.

Next year it will be even better, and if we can get a few more students to join the team, I will hopefully find one who wants to take it over.

I also got an awesome "8x" Mophie charger brick from Verizon, that kept everyone powered up all day.

The problem here is that not everyone has the kind of data required to do that... so when you just send kids out with their phones and say to use this online form you made, they wont always have access to that form! We tried that last year and people got really mad at me... like, *really upset* kinda mad... so just keep the internet out of play when you roam the pits, unless there is some sort of wifi (which there should not be!)