Define The Problem

(Focusing on Whole Problem)

Understand What You're Solving

The first steps you should take as team is to Define The Problem. This is just a fancy way of saying "What are the rules of the Game" and "What kinds of tasks do our robots need to be able to do?"

Day 1:

This day is about understanding the game at a basic level. Everyone on the team needs to know:

What is the name of the game?
What is the objective of the game?
How are points scored?
What are we allowed to do?
What are we NOT allowed to do?

Watch the Game Reveal Video as a TEAM!
Discuss what we saw, paying attention to the ways the robot scores points during the competition.
Write that down!
Read the Game Manual as a TEAM!
Discuss what we read, paying attention to the constraints or the rules we need to follow when building our robot.
Write that down!

Define Stage Notebook Entry Criteria

Exceeds

Identifies the game and robot design challenges in detail at the start of each design process cycle with words and pictures. States the goals for accomplishing the challenge.

Meets

Identifies the challenge at the start of each design cycle. Lacking details in words, pictures, or goals.

Below

Does not identify the challenge at the start of each design cycle.

How would you score these notebook pages for the design stage criteria?

Answer Key

These pages do a great job of identifying the game. There's lots of details in both words and pictures showing the different game elements, what the field will look like, and the different ways in which teams could earn points. BUT, these pages are missing something very important in order to qualify for the exceeding category. These pages will only score a "meets" because they don't explain the team's specific goals for accomplishing the challenge.

Day 2:

Now that you know what the game challenge is, the next step is to think about the specific challenges (tasks) the robot needs to be able to perform throughout the match AND what the goals for completing those tasks might look like. These tasks will end up being the different subsystems or parts of the robot.

Everyone on the team needs to know:

What are the tasks your robot needs to be able to do?
What are the goals for each of the tasks?
What are desirable traits for solutions to the task.

Review what your team learned about the game and how to play it.
Brainstorm a list of all the tasks your robot will need to accomplish when playing the game.
Discuss with your team specific goals you have for each of the tasks?
1. How many motors should that task use?
2. How much space should this take up on the robot?
3. How should it interact with other parts of the robot? The game elements?
4. What specific concerns do you have about the task that you want to make sure the team pays attention to?

Now that you know the tasks your robot must complete and the goals for success...

The next step is to brainstorm and plan different ways to solve each task.

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