Time flies

Good Afternoon Teams,

Believe it or not, life at HQ is busy during the off season.  I apologize for neglecting to blog last week and for blogging late this week, but I want to assure you, it’s not for lack of activity here in Manchester. 

The GDC met on site this past weekend.  Conceptually the 2012 game is a lock and the 2012 Game Manual is 90% complete (and on track to be shorter than previous years).  Now, in addition to following up on the 2011 season and making all the repairs/changes/upgrades that were pushed off until after Championship, the staff can get started on all the logistical and administrative tasks that go into turning a game concept into a successful competition.  We need to finalize the designs, order game pieces, prepare fields, redesign field road cases, update the field management system, schedule events and chase down all the hundreds of other details that go into hosting a successful season.  Meanwhile, the GDC needs to finalize the scoring and turn our attention to the 2013 game.

You’d think the GDC would want rest on our laurels for a moment having designed a game in record time, but we are still far from our goal of getting a season ahead.  The GDC has monthly onsite meetings scheduled through the fall and will be holding conference calls at least weekly in order to get everything done.   One of the many reasons I enjoy working with this team has to do with the game selection process that Linda did a good job of describing in her guest blog. As a group we tweek game ideas that didn’t make it in prior years and we modify game ideas that evolved during game development but were left behind in the final cut, while at the same time members propose radical new game ideas.  In the end we often take a piece from each of these categories to construct something completely different . 

So, what else is happening at HQ this week?

• FIRST as a whole is reviewing and updating our strategic plan.  We’re trying to define the ultimate goals of the organization, describe what success looks like, and map out the steps necessary to get there in 5 – 10 years.   This is not as easy as it sounds.
• FRC is developing a Qualification Event Structure based on what we learned during District Event pilot.  We’re currently in negotiations with RDs and Regional Planning Committees from areas that are interested in participating.  I’ll let you know the minute we have dates and venues locked in.
• Kate, Collin, Carla and assorted staff members are preparing for the annual Supplier’s Summit and Dean’s List Summit which will include dinner at Dean’s house this August.
• IT is completely redesigning the Volunteer Information Management System (VIMS) and making upgrades to TIMS and STIMS in preparation for FRC registration this fall.
• The engineering staff is developing the 2012 control system which will incorporate the new  4-slot FRC cRIO II.  They’re going to need Beta Test teams again this year.  Watch this space, I’ll let you know the second they’re ready to take applications.
• We’ve reviewed the initial applications submitted by candidates for the new FRC Engineer position and we’re initiating the interview process.  If you are interested in (and qualified for) the position and haven’t yet submitted an application, consider this last call.

191 days until the 2012 kickoff
See you then!

What percent of viewers read the title?

Good Afternoon Teams,

I’ve finished my first pass of the end of the season survey (my thanks to everyone who participated) and I’ve started to distribute the detailed answers to other departments to help them in future planning.  Here’s some of what teams had to say:

• 76.5% of respondents liked the inclusion of a mini-bot in LOGO MOTION
• 69.6% of respondents would like to see some sort of mini-bot included in future FRC games (I have no comment on how soon that might materialize)
• 80.8% of respondents chose the quantity of qualification rounds (more rounds) over increasing the length of individual qualification rounds (more time spent on the field)
• 60.8% of respondents prefer giving teams a fixed amount of time to connect to the field over reducing the number of rounds in order to build in time so that all teams may connect to the field
• A surprising 23.2% of respondents told us participating in more than one competition event a season would be a burden.

Human Resources tells me we’ve already received 5 applications for the new FRC Engineer position.  If you’re interested, contact HR soon.

Summer hours start for the office staff in Manchester June 20th.  We’re all still putting in full work weeks, but most of us are working longer days Monday through Thursday so we can get out earlier on Fridays.  We will have a limited staff in the building on Friday afternoons, so please plan ahead if you need to contact someone.

206 days until the 2012 kickoff
See you then

Want work you can feel good about?

Good Afternoon Teams,

I mentioned 6/1 that I’d be looking for an additional FRC staff member soon.  The job (along with several others) has just been posted on our website.  I’m hoping to see applicants with FIRST experience.  Spread the word.

211 days until the 2012 kickoff
See you then!

Full House

Good Afternoon Teams,

This week, the Regional Directors are in town for a three day meeting. I met with them yesterday to review 2011 and prepare for 2012.  We discussed FRC’s plans to expand Bag & Tag, increase FIRSTChoice and extend the event model (along with a few other topics I can’t mention here).  If your team isn’t already in regular contact with your Regional Director, make a point of getting to know him/her.  They are a terrific resource and they want to help your team succeed.

While I’m thinking about 2012, I should mention.  The version of Wind River Workbench we expect will be in next season’s FRC Kit of Parts is not certified for use on 64-bit Windows operating system.  Keep that in mind if you upgrade any team computers over the summer. 

And since 2012 is built on what we learned in 2011, now is a good time to mention I was surprised to learn that one of the drayage locations for robots that were shipped to a bag & tag events had a problem with robot shipping crates that weren’t built to meet the shipping crate construction standards. The drayage facility did everything they could to work with the crates, but asked me to remind everyone to read the instructions.  If a robot crate isn’t built to spec, it has a dramatically increased risk of sustaining damage.

Now that we are between seasons, returning teams should know the deadline to purchase an 8 slot cRIO chassis (if for some reason your team wants one more) is 10/1/2011,  As I have already mentioned, FRC will be supplying 2012 Rookie teams with the new 4 slot cRIO-FRCII in the kit of parts.  Returning  teams may re-use the 8 slot cRIO in 2012 or purchase the new 4 slot chassis (without modules) for under $300 this winter.   The current cRIO modules will work with either chassis.  Contact National Instruments at 1-866-511-6285 to get more information or to place an order.  The 8 slot cRIO with modules included is $750.

In other news:

Congratulations to the 2010-2011Google Rise recipients Team 399 Lancaster High School Eagle Robotics and Team 3328 Noho Robo

FRC has been included on the 2011-2012 NASSP National Advisory List of Student Contests and Activities.  This nationally recognized status makes it easier for staff members and students at many schools to convince their school administration FRC events should be treated like educational field trips.  If your principal and school board don’t already know FRC is on the list, you might want to give them a heads up. 

Kate tells me she’s just finished her first pass of the 2011 Kit of Parts survey results.  She still has all of the individual comments to read (and she does read all the comments), but she thought you’d be interested to know:

• More than 1000 FRC members completed the survey, 27% of whom were students
• 84% stated their experience with kit was either good or excellent (only 2% described their experience as poor or very poor)
• 80% said we should keep the registration fee the same as last year and have teams reuse parts from year to year
• 68.1% described their experience with FIRSTChoice as either good or excellent (4.7% chose poor 0% chose very poor)
• 63% said the kit inspires student team members to work with and know more about STEM (16% said no, the kit didn’t inspire students)
• 47% of respondents said there are parts in the kit that they use throughout the year (beyond build and competition season)

213 days until the 2012 kickoff
See you then!

An insider's view of the GDC

Good Afternoon Teams,

Linda Maulding aka Wallace joined the GDC in April as the first ever Rotating Member. She is a Xerox engineer and mentor for one of the original FRC teams, the X-Cats Team 191. Because Linda has a fresh perspective on Game Design, I asked her if she would share her impressions of the first meeting she attended in Manchester this May. Here’s what she had to say:

I began as a FRC Team 191 mentor in 1999. It's been 12 years and I am still fired up about FIRST Robotics! At the moment I am riding on a new high. I am part of the Game Design Committee (GDC)! I get to see first hand the muscle that went into 20 years of robot popping, mind binding, kid rocking, hand slapping, FIRST Robotics Competition games!

Just to put you on notice, I might use some words to describe the GDC that may seem outside the box, things like crazy in love, compassionate, grueling, persistence, laughter, tenacious, head of the class, integrity, loud, agile, and Sherlock Holmes.

When I first arrived in Manchester I had no idea what to expect. But even in my travels, I was reminded each time the pilot lowered the landing gear and these little wheels came down to assist this gigantic plane to land safely, how much tenacity game design plays in every day technology. The fact that a committee can bring together different minds, from different corners of the world, and different fabrics of intellect to develop a winning game that can not only highlight the importance of a rookie, but also stroke the egos of the veterans, is a miracle!

Typical work sessions at the GDC begin with warm fuzzes for the appetite and a choice of liquid eye openers to ensure creative juices flow throughout the day. Then it’s down to business, and I mean business. As I glance around the room, I see team members prepared for battle armed with sketches, power points, laptops, thinking caps, sneakers, jeans, pencils and erasers, ready to jump start another season. The team is given instructions for the day. Today’s task: narrow the team’s double digit list of brainstormed game designs to a manageable smaller list. The team agrees to take on the challenge. I observe briefly to learn the session protocol. While observing I hear and see the passion the team has, as they literally take ownership of a task and work it to satisfaction as a team.

After reviewing and discussing all the game designs, we then used a tactical approach to reduce the list to 3 with at least two other designs tied for 4th.  Now that we have a manageable list, we move into what I call Shake-n-Bake.  We take the ingredients of each game, knead them together, and throw them into the game arena to see what cooks up.

In order to do that we must now move the working session from a conference room onto the game field.  The idea is to mimic each game as closely as possible to identify hiccups and complications. It also allows the team to be proactive in solving issues that may surface during the actual game play. Since we are early into the GDC sessions, there aren’t any sample game pieces or robots available, so the team becomes the tools they need to play the game.

This is a fun time, but one of the most productive, because it gets you right in the heart of the game! We run and crawl around on the field as robots, working the game, asking questions, throwing out good ideas, throwing out bad ideas, tweaking strategy, solving problems, and creating some too, all for the love of the game!

We Shake-n-Bake each game to ensure we have exhausted possible scenarios, answered as many questions as we could, and dotted many I’s and crossed a lot of T’s. By now it was late evening and we were exhausted as we lay sprawled on the game field eating ice cream!  I smiled as I remember the daily schedule did say 8AM to 7PM ish!

As we got up to leave the session, a new burst of energy was in the air, so someone suggested we meet at this interesting watering hole that serves fried pickles to continue the discussion! Little did I know my day was not over! We arrived at the watering hole, ordered refreshments, scanned the gallery for FIRST alums then the discussion continued!

It’s been a while since I’ve had to stay completely focused for that many hours of the day. Being on the GDC I have developed a new love for grueling and I’m loving it!

The next day, while walking down the hill to the work session, I learned that the team came up with another game idea in the twilight hours at the thirsty fried pickles place!  (Ok, I will admit some of us could not hang, so we left to get some sleep.) Remember when I said the short list could get longer…it just did!

The day began with the team running the Shake-n-Bake act on the newest game idea. The task for the day: narrow the list to 3 again and then Shake-n-Bake the games to pick the best 2. Since we knew the drill, we got to work.

During the working sessions, all the bases are covered. The team may not have all the answers and they may not all agree on everything, but I can almost guarantee that if you think they missed something or didn’t consider something, think again. They covered it! This team is the head of the class!

The team works hard at turning over every leaf and magnifying details so that when the lights go on, none of the delicate craftsmanship falls through the cracks. The ability to develop WIN –WIN scenarios for all involved, including the students and  their sponsors, is at the heart of every work session. The team takes very seriously the opportunity to challenge and inspire young minds while promoting co-opertition between corporate and education industries. Not only is everyone heard, they are also given a chance to be a part of the solution.

I can’t wait for the next meeting.  We still have a lot to get done before the 2012 game will be ready for Kickoff.

219 days until the 2012 kickoff

See you then!

What did you do with your weekend?

Good Afternoon Teams,

I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day Weekend.  Team 3323 Potential Energy marched in their local Memorial Day Parade.  Did your team do anything interesting?

Here in Manchester we’re gearing up for a GDC meeting next weekend.  The Engineering team is waiting impatiently for raw materials to be delivered so they can prototype some of the latest designs.  Fortunately, they had a few game pieces to keep themselves busy.

(Photo removed.)

We’re going to need help in the coming season, so I’m looking to add an additional FRC Engineer to the team in the near future.  Keep an eye on the employment section of our website.  Details will be posted once the final t is crossed.  I’ll keep you informed.

On a different note, as we’re wading our way through all the information collected this past season, a FRC staff member recently passed on this story:  As Judges in Seattle were trying to decide which team would receive the Gracious Professionalism Award,  one of them witnessed a student from one of the top three choices telling the FTA “you don’t ****ing know what you’re doing”.  Needless to say, that team didn’t stay in the top three for long.  Heads up teams, we can hear you.

Other info:

NASA's INSPIRE program is seeking applications for its 2011-12 Online Learning Community (OLC). Deadline: Thursday, June 30.

Ashoka's Changemakers is seeking "models that bring STEM expertise into public schools, thereby using resources from the private and not-for-profit sectors in new ways to further student learning." Winners are eligible for more than $120,000 in cash and in-kind prizes. Deadline Wednesday, August 3, 2011.

220 days until the 2012 kickoff
See you then!