JVN Build tip: WHAT before HOW

[JesseK]

Some examples of WHAT's versus HOW's this year are:

WHAT: Score tubes on the middle row.
HOW: Launch tubes to the middle row.

WHAT: Win the minibot race to the top
HOW: Use deadman switches and 2 motors geared YYY:1 to power the minibot

WHAT: Move the minibot to the pole for deployment
HOW: Activate the scissor arm that has the minibot attached

WHAT: Acquire game pieces from the opposite side of the field
HOW: Drive to the opposite side of the field and put Manipulator A in position Y

WHAT: Pick up game pieces from floor
HOW: Put Manipulator A in Position Z and the Claw into Position 2

Once the WHAT's are listed, I'm a fan of using students to act the WHAT's out. As the ideas flow, drill down into WHAT's where necessary, or use 6 students to try 6 different things at once. We got this idea from 116, though I'm sure others have thought of it too.

Interestingly enough, defining a solution for a WHAT is a HOW. As the design is detailed, the HOW's then become WHAT's, with their own more specific solutions (aka, drill down).