Evaluating resources is the first step in the Strategic Design process, and while it is often the most challenging, it is also admittedly the least exciting. While this step is frequently overlooked in the Strategic Design process, it is absolutely critical. The success and direction of your project can be significantly influenced by the resources a team currently has—or can realistically obtain—and the limitations that can’t be changed.
It’s important to recognize that success should look different for every team and every project. A team beginning their first year of competition with limited resources and experience might not be able to accomplish the same result as a team with a large budget and decades of experience.
Each season is going to look different for a team, since resources and limitations ebb and flow. Budgets change, students graduate, coaches retire, and technology evolves. All of these factors can—and will—affect how a team functions.
Now it’s time to do some thinking and dedicate time to the questions below. While they might not all seem important now, the answers will affect the outcome of the project in the long run.
Time
The amount of time available for each team will dramatically affect the amount of work they can complete. When developing strategies, recognize that time is likely the most limited resource.
- When is the team’s first tournament?
- When do robots need to be completed?
- How many times will the team meet before your first deadline?
- How long is each meeting?
- When is the overall deadline?
- What are the contingency plans if the team can’t meet on a designated date?
Technology
Competitive robotics programs often utilize a limited set of available equipment. Technology is ever-evolving, easily outdated, and becomes worn out over time.
- How many devices does each team need to be successful?
- Where are the devices located, and can they be removed from that location?
- Is internet access required for the work? Is it available to everyone?
- Do the participants know how to use the required software?
Workforce
The success of any project depends on having the right people with the right skills available at the right time. Accurately identifying the workforce ensures realistic planning and efficient resource management.
- How many students are working on the project?
- How much adult supervision is required to operate within youth protection guidelines, school/organization rules, and safety protocols?
- Who is available during your scheduled meetings?
- Do all participants have secure transportation and nutrition?
- Who is and is not permitted to attend portions of the meeting(s)?
Materials
Teams need materials to build robots, and access to those materials can affect what kind of robots can be built and whether or not deadlines are met.
- What physical materials / inventory are available and on hand?
- Are the materials current and legal for use?
- Are the materials in good working condition?
- What can be obtained locally vs what needs to be shipped?
- What is the estimated lead time for shipping materials?
Budget
Budget constraints are the most common resource limitation for teams, and should be reexamined each season to ensure that expectations are aligned with available resources.
- What is the annual budget for each team?
- Can additional funds be requested?
- What is the lead time on purchasing and payments?
Knowledge & Skills
In a student-centered robotics competition, it’s absolutely critical that students gain the knowledge and experience necessary to complete the design and manufacture of their robot.
- What is the overall experience level of the participants?
- How many team members know how to use the software and hardware?
- How many team members know how to troubleshoot and repair?
- How many team members know how to use the necessary tools or machinery?
- How will participants with specialized knowledge be distributed across the project?
- Who is willing and available to teach or guide learning?
- What type of safety training will be required?
- What strategies are in place to ensure that knowledge and skills are passed down to the next generation?
Learn More About Strategic Design
Continue to the next article in this series, Using the Strategic Design Method to Understand a Problem, 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.