Embedded Files
Team
Team
A team is the most important part of a successful VEX experience. Teammates will support and help you throughout the process of engineering, competing at tournaments, and having fun.
Team Identity
Team Identity
A team's identity, or who they are, is made up of many different factors. This is important as potential alliances and judges see and percieve your team in the way you present yourselves. It also sets up a great reputation for a team and makes a positive impact.
Team Name
Team Name
Choosing a suitable team name can help build your team identity. When deciding, decide as a team if you want a serious, fun, or any other type of team name. From there, your team can brainstorm many ideas and as a group, vote the one that best suits your team. This is important- but don't overthink it- as your team name is what you call yourselves.
Team Logo/Mascot
Team Logo/Mascot
A team logo or mascot can also be helpful to develop your team identity. A mascot can be silly, fun, and/or meaningful, representing your team. A logo is similar but typically more readable, making people instantly recognize the team. It is especially helpful to have a logo/mascot for team merchandise like shirts, stickers, or pins.
Teamwork
Teamwork
Another important part of being on a team is the teamwork involved. All members of your team should contribute to the team's progress overall in some way. It's okay if they contribute in different ways- everyone has their own unique strengths. In addition, team members should always respect and support each other. Not only is this following <G1> of the game manual, but it is about being an overall understanding a nice team member.
Notebooking
Notebooking
Ideally, all team members should contribute to the notebook equally. A good way to implement this is assigning specific days to certain people. This makes sure daily logs will be done by the entire team fairly and equally.
Building
Building
Like notebooking, it is good to have everyone on the team to be involved with the building part of the robot. This way, everyone will have a full understanding of the robot and how it functions.
Programming
Programming
For programming, it is great to have more than one member involved in the code. Not only does it reduce the overall workload, but another person can help spot errors in the code.
Competing
Competing
During tournaments, it is ideal for every team member be active and participating. A simple way to ensure this is assigning people specific roles during the tournament. For example, team members can replace the battery, drive, scout, or maintain the robot.
Organization
Organization
As a team, make sure to organize your parts and materials often. We recommend 10-15 minutes once a week. This can help your team keep inventory and see what you are missing. Divide cleaning among your members evenly.
Team Conflict
Team Conflict
As members of a team have different ideas, skills, and strengths, conflicts can happen. Differing ideas, equal contributions, choosing drivers, and alliances are among the most common conflicts most teams face.
Example Conflict #1 - Differing Ideas
Example Conflict #1 - Differing Ideas
A common problem many teams face is differing ideas on the robot design. One teammate may have a different idea from another, which can lead to disputes and/or arguments.
To solve this problem, using a decision matrix is an effective and efficient way to help your team choose the best idea fairly and without bias. In short, a decision matrix is a way of choosing an idea by giving it points in different categories each team determines important. Then, the idea with the highest amount of points is chosen.
Learn more about a decision matrix by clicking the button below.
Example Conflict #2 - Equal Contributions
Example Conflict #2 - Equal Contributions
Another common problem is everyone on the team equally contributing in some way. The work or effort everyone puts in may not be equal.
To solve this, make sure every team member is doing something they want to do and enjoy. One way to do this is rather than assigning constricting roles to members, teams should take the time to let teammates explore
In addition, team members can each have a designated task to do. This will ensure everyone contributes in at least some way.
Example Conflict #3 - Choosing Drivers
Example Conflict #3 - Choosing Drivers
Third, choosing members of the driveteam/drivers is a conflict that is faced by many VEX teams. Often, multiple members of the team want to be the driver, but only two people can drive for a qualification match. This can lead to arguments based on the posisition.
To pick the best and most skilled drivers for your team, doing at least 2 fair, unbiased test runs for each person is great. Give each and every team member the same amount of time (1 minute is ideal as it is the duration of a qualification match) to score as many points as possible by themselves. Doing 2 of these runs can help even out lucky and unlucky matches as well. Then, the two highest scoring drivers can be picked to drive for qualification matches. From there, the 3rd highest, 4th highest, etc, can be either skills drivers and/or backup drivers.
An example of a decision matrix.
Example Conflict #4 - Alliances
Example Conflict #4 - Alliances
Lastly, one of the most common conflicts are about the pre-picked alliances for qualification and finals matches. The alliance may be overbearing and try to force your team to not do anything during the match, or be unwilling to compromise for certain tasks. They also may be rude and not wanting to work with your team.
In these instances, remember to stay calm and logical. Be cool and collected when talking, and compromise a strategy that uses both of your robot's best strengths. Make sure to communicate what your robot is best at and try to do it while the alliance does what their robot it best at for the most effective strategy. Finally, remember that you are wokring together. The strategy should score the most amount of points as possible for both teams.
Other Conflicts
Other Conflicts
While this is a list of the most common conflicts for VEX IQ teams, there are many more. As a general rule, make sure to be calm and logical when solving issues. Use the Engineering Design Process to guide your team throughout problems and be fair and kind.
Remember and always follow rule G1 in the game manual: Have respect.
Other Resources
Other Resources
The following are some websites you can look into to learn more about being in a team.
An article by the REC Foundation about the importance of high ethical standards: https://viqrc-kb.recf.org/hc/en-us/articles/9778593540247-Code-of-Conduct
The VEX Forum, which is a compilation of valuable discussion made from other people who participate in VEX IQ. The Vex Forum is a continuous thread of questions and answers: https://www.vexforum.com/c/vex-iq-general-discussion/5
Page updated
Report abuse