IRI - What Can Be Improved

[Chris Fultz]

We want to continue to improve the IRI to be sure teams want to keep coming back. We need your help, with what things you really like (so we keep them) and what things could be improved (so we can change them).

So, this thread is "What Can Be Improved".

Thanks for your input.

[Cynette]

I have one!

Make sure the Pit Announcements could be heard on both sides of the gym.

In the pit area there was the section on the side where teams could go to practice. Apparently you could not hear the pit announcements in that area. When we were queuing we would sometimes have a team not show and yet not be in their pit. We would finally remember to look on the other side of the curtain and there they would be - clueless that we were looking for them.

[jtdowney]

Perhaps I just missed it but better signage for people who arn't familiar with FIRST. Like competition field this way. I had a feeling my parents had a hard time finding where to be.

Hat's off to you though Chris and every else involved with IRI. I had a great time.

[Mike Martus]

To be improved:

The standings - main arena as teams are lined up

A larger screen that shows more and scrolls slower would be nice on Saturday.

[Andy Baker]

One thing we forgot... flags for the Canadian and Israeli national anthems.

AB

[JaneYoung]

1. Very small thing -
better writing tools (wide tip markers) for the Talent Show judges.
The paper was great.

next two I'm hesitant about but:

2. Pick a few people/volunteers to write a very brief paragraph rating their hotel selection/experience and post it with the hotel information for new out of towners who are trying to decide. I'm not picky and don't care but I wasn't traveling with a team. The rating will give an idea. Example: room size adequate, close to venue, kitchenette, good breakfast, great pool.
Or - dark parking area, pot holes, no housekeeping service during stay, no breakfast, small room, dirty pool. Things of that nature. Reason I suggest hand picking or finding a way to do this is to keep the grumbling and useless information at a minimum. It is an assumption on my part that the hotels listed in the IRI information are tried and true but some folks like to know a little more about the area and hotel.

3. I'm still not sure but I think Indianapolis is 55 mph. That is way different from Texas. If something could be provided in the travel information regarding the standard inform. such as mph or pay attention to the road markers (those totally rock), it might be helpful. If the mph is 55, I was very very lucky my Texas foot did not get a ticket. I could get down to 60.

Chris, you make an awesome NEM.

[sanddrag]

Is there air conditioning in the pits gym? The field gym was nice but it was hot in the pits.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Is there air conditioning in the pits gym? The field gym was nice but it was hot in the pits.

I don't think so, I kept hearing that it was cold in the gym... but no complaints about the pits.

[Dave Flowerday]

How about taking a cue from the Championship and doing some of the awards during downtime during the finals?

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Direct video feed from the new prank to the field? That way it can't be ruined before the intended person(s) can see it?

And yes, I agree with Dave Flowerday... I like the idea of awards during the downtime... but leave time for dancing, too!

[Pavan Dave]

If possible, maybe make the pits a little bigger. The whole other side of the gym was empty (except for the small practice area) and there were teams that were inside the competition gym because there wasn't enough room. This wasn't really a problem although it would be much nicer and more spacious.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Originally Posted by Pavan

If possible, maybe make the pits a little bigger. The whole other side of the gym was empty (except for the small practice area) and there were teams that were inside the competition gym because there wasn't enough room. This wasn't really a problem although it would be much nicer and more spacious.

They weren't there because there wasn't enough room, it was because they were event "sponsors" that did something special to earn that spot.

[Schnabel]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Is there air conditioning in the pits gym? The field gym was nice but it was hot in the pits.

There was AC in the pits last year as far as I can remember. I'm thinking that it wasn't working. Don't quote me on that though.

I think that we should have an official time for the CD@IRI Webhug. I think it would be really cool if it was in the program booklet and everything.

[AndyB]

Mentor Matches were always fun. I missed them.

[Ryan Dognaux]

Originally Posted by AndyB

Mentor Matches were always fun. I missed them.

I agree, the mentor matches were always an interesting twist to the competition.

And to elaborate a bit more on the pit situation (I think): Setup takes place on Thursday, and when I came in, there were Volleyball games actually happening on the other side of that curtain. I think the pit space was pretty nice in the aux. gym and I like seeing some of the pits in the main gym just because you know those teams are either the host teams, or they've done something awesome to make the IRI happen, or they're just a really really great team who came from, oh I don't know, Israel for example

This seems to happen every year, but on Friday the talent show and dinner sort of run into each other and overlap a bit. I know this is hard to schedule and probably can't be helped, but maybe we could work on that for next year. I agree with A/C in the Aux. gym, if that's doable, it's a must have.