Understanding the problem is the second step in the Strategic Design process. Before you continue with this step, first be sure that you’ve completed step one and have taken the time to realistically evaluate your team’s resources and limitations.
So how do we understand a problem? We start with research. When considering Strategic Design for competitive robotics, this means having a deep and thorough understanding of the game manual.
Simply put: you can’t play a game if you don’t know the rules—and you can’t compete with a robot if it can’t pass inspection.
The best place to start is always the game manual and Q&A, since these are the official sources for information. The game reveal video provides a helpful overview, but should not be used as a sole reference for what is and is not permitted during gameplay.
In becoming familiar with the game each season, it’s a good idea to keep the following questions in mind, and categorize rules into three generic categories:
- What is allowed?
- What is not allowed?
- What is unclear?
Identifying what is clearly stated as legal may help develop understanding of how the Game Design Committee intends for the game to be played, and what aspects of the gameplay are being incentivized. It’s also essential to understand what is illegal so you don’t waste time pursuing strategies that could lead to disqualification or penalties. Lastly, identifying gray areas offers an opportunity to request clarification on the official Q&A or find ways to implement creative solutions that are within the rules.
Learn More About Strategic Design
Continue to the next article in this series, Using the Strategic Design Method to Identify Scoring Opportunities, to move on to the next step.
Credits
This version of Strategic Design is inspired by the work of Karthik Kanagasabapathy, the originator of Strategic Design in competition robotics, and the ideas are used with his permission. Karthik is a former Chair of the VEX Robotics Game Design Committee and a respected mentor in the robotics community. Additional information was provided by the mentors of team 2337, the EngiNERDs, from Grand Blanc High School in Grand Blanc, Michigan.