# Presentation: 519047

## Botball 2003

- Project Management & Team Building
- for Botball

**Notes:**
7:30 p.m.
Welcome & Introductions
Welcome
Introduce Facilitators
Set up session:  This new workshop was developed to address teacher requests for information on how their teams function, work together and manage the Botball experience.  Many teachers enjoy the technical side of Botball, others prefer to let the students take on the technical responsibilities and prefer to facilitate the process.

When you think about it just about any group project involves two factors: the task and the process. Our technical workshop provides all the tools needed to complete the task of building a robot. This workshop will look at the process...How teams work, establishing a plan of action, developing milestones, etc.

Tonight we will focus on the project management process, get some insight from you on your experiences and work together to create a plan for a Botball team.

- A project is a problem
- 			*- Dr. J.M. Juran*

## Project Management Process

- Build the Team
- Define the Problem & Generate Options
- Plan
- Implement
- Monitor and Control Progress
- Close & Evaluate

**Notes:**
Process compiled from Donna Shirley, Managing Creativity and James Lewis, Fundamentals of Project Management

Not a linear process! 

Process is important as the Documentation Website will ask for information related to these steps.

## Build the Team

- Group Development
- Forming
- Create Ground Rules/ Key Result Statement
- Gain Buy-in on Code of Conduct
- Discuss Roles
- Storming
- Establish Trust
- Manage Conflict
- Norming
- Solve Problems
- Make Decisions
- Performing

**Notes:**
Review group development process.
Working as a team is a process... it is not linear, but ongoing.

Team members are probably the greatest resource the team has. With more people there are more ideas, perspectives, levels of understanding.

What are some of the problems that come up with your classes or Botball teams?
Possible responses:
One student dominates
Students don’t catch on to the programming
Not enough time
Keep changing their strategy
Program at the last minute
Programmers and builders don’t communicate
Conflicts within the team

How have you dealt with those problems?

## Team Building

- Synergy Exercise

**Notes:**
(WE DIDN”T HAVE TIME FOR THIS)

1. Ask participants to take out a blank sheet of paper. 
Instruct them to list as many fruits as they can think of in 30 seconds.
Count the number of fruits and determine who had the most.
Record the number on a flip chart.

2. Divide participants into groups of 3-4.
Instruct them to list as many vegetables as they can think of in 30 seconds.
Count the totals and determine which group had most.
Record the number on a flip chart. (This number should be higher!)

3. Instruct groups to discuss a possible process for brainstorming and recording a list of items. 
Instruct groups to use their process to list as many modes of transportation as they can think of in 30 seconds.
Count the totals and determine which group had most.
Record the number on a flip chart. (Again, this number should be higher!)

Process Points
What challenges did you face when listing items alone?
Why did you come up with more items when in small groups?
What happened to the energy level in the room when we broke out into groups?
When we provided time to plan,did your process make it easier to record items for the list? Why? Why not?
What roles did team members take on?

This exercise can be referenced later in the session to illustrate Brainstorming and Planning.

## Team Building

- Process Oriented Roles
- Leader/ Discussion Manager
- Documentarian
- Gatekeeper
- Harmonizer / Motivator
- Summarizer
- Facts Relater
- Initiator
- Rat Hole Watcher
***Consider Rotating Roles among Team Members***

**Notes:**
Ask the group to toss out different roles. Then review the list on PowerPoint to make sure all possibilities are covered.

## Team Building

- Task Oriented Roles for Botball
- Programming
- Building
- Documentarian
- Webmaster
- Game board engineers
- RCX Team
- Handy Board Team
- Integrator/Project Manager
- Tester
- Materials Manager

**Notes:**
Ask the group to toss out different Botball roles. Then review the list on PowerPoint to make sure all possibilities are covered.

Pair experienced programmers with novice programmers.

What role will you play as a teacher?

What are some of the problems that come up with your classes or Botball teams?
Possible responses:
One student dominates
Students don’t catch on to the programming
Not enough time
Keep changing their strategy
Program at the last minute
Programmers and builders don’t communicate
Conflicts within the team

Create list of problems on easel pad or white board.

## Resources

- Personality Inventories
- Kiersey-Bates (_[www.advisorteam.com](http://www.advisorteam.com/)_)
- Learning Styles Inventory
- Whole Brain Learning
- Multi-Voting
- De Bono Hats
- Activities
*Games Trainers Play*
- www.thiagi.com

**Notes:**
DeBono Hats

Blue - Administrative
Which hat should come next?

White - Data
What info do we need?

Red - gut reactions
Emotionally, what do you think?

Yellow - pros
What is good about this idea?

Black - cons
What are the negative things about this idea?

Green - options
What else can we do?

## Define Problem/ Generate Options

- Define the Problem
- Ensure the team understands the problem
- Consider quizzing them on the rules
- Consider resources and constraints
- Generate Options
- Brainstorming
- Record ALL ideas
- Establish evaluation criteria
- Evaluate

## Plan the Project

- WHAT will we accomplish?
- HOW will we accomplish it?
- WHO will complete the tasks?
- WHEN will tasks be completed?
- WHAT resources are needed?

## Plan the Project

- WHAT will we accomplish?
- Mission/ Key Result Statement
- Write down what your robot will do (Important for documentation!)
- Example
- Our mission is to Win!
-  	Our mission is to build a robot that will score points by moving all black ping pong balls into the gutter and placing the orange foam ball in the basket.

**Notes:**
Many people spend time solving the wrong problem!

## Plan the Project

- HOW will we accomplish our mission?
- Strategy Statement
- Write down how your robot will perform the task (Important for documentation!)
- Example
- Our strategy is to Win!
-  	Our strategy is to use one robot that will scoop up the black ping pong balls and lower them into the gutter. Our other robot will use a arm to grab the orange ball then search for the basket’s post and place the orange ball in the basket.

## Plan the Project

- HOW will we accomplish it?
- Strategy Statement
- Task list
- WHO will complete the tasks?
- Assign Responsibility
- WHEN will tasks be completed?
- Establish Milestones

## Plan the Project

*Monday*
*Tuesday*
*Wednesday*
*Saturday*

**Notes:**
Network Chart - 
Shows relationship between tasks. Visual of what tasks must be completed before others can start. 

## Plan the Project

- WHAT resources are needed?
- Determine time, people, equipment needed
- Consider all factors
- Plan for changes

**Notes:**
Resources
Team members
Mentors
Technical Support
Workshop documentation
Time
Meeting place
Parents bring pizza
Web
Last year’s documentation site

## Implement the Plan

## Monitor/Control Progress

- Assign a Project Manager
- Communication Ideas
- Regular team meetings
- Begin with Status Reports
- Binder or post-it notes for changes
- Email/ Online Chat
- Website

**Notes:**
Determine best type of communication for your team.

Status reports are key:
1st part of every team meeting
Record on documentation site as well.

## Close/Evaluate

- Refer back to Key Result, Strategy and Plan.
- Schedule post-tournament de-brief
- Record Lessons Learned
- Make back up copies!
- Update your Documentation Site

## Project Activity

- Key Result:
- Develop a complete network chart for the Botball project.  Include tasks, responsible person and milestones.

**Notes:**
Method:
1- Brainstorm a list of tasks alone.
2- Group into teams of 3-4.
3- Compare lists and brainstorm more tasks to create a comprehensive list.
4- Record each task on a post-it- note
5- Arrange notes on a flip chart page and create a network chart
6- Assign responsibilities
7- Establish milestones
8- Post finished project

## Suggested Milestones

- Week 2
- Demonstrate robot’s capabilities,
- Provide a game board
- Provide a vehicle that moves in response to the starting light & turns off/stops after 30 seconds.

**Notes:**
Review network charts for each group (if time permits).

Note milestones created by each group. Suggested milestones include:
Week 2 - 
Demonstrate robot’s capabilities,
provide a game board
provide a vehicle that moves in response to the starting light

Week 4-
Provide full-featured robot(s) to debug and test

Week 6 -
Provide robot(s) tested against a simulated game (against other bots if available)

## Suggested Milestones

- Week 4
- Provide full-featured robot(s) to debug and test
- 	(against other less complex bots if available)
- Week 6 -
- Provide robot(s) tested against a simulated game (against other bots if available)
**Record progress on your Documentation Website throughout Botball**

**Notes:**
Review network charts for each group (if time permits).

Note milestones created by each group. Suggested milestones include:
Week 2 - 
Demonstrate robot’s capabilities,
provide a game board
provide a vehicle that moves in response to the starting light

Week 4-
Provide full-featured robot(s) to debug and test

Week 6 -
Provide robot(s) tested against a simulated game (against other bots if available)

## Documentation Site

- Document your Botball robots’
- Game strategy 			*Key Result/ Strategy*
- Mechanical Design		*Strategy*
- Software Code			*Tasks*
- Testing procedures		*Tasks*
- Team assignments 		*Assignments*

## Documentation Site

- Document your Botball robots’
- 6.	Schedule				*Milestones*
- 7.	Weekly status report		*Implement/Monitor Process*
- 8.	Knowledge base for next year	*Evaluation*
- 9.	Robot Names
- Easy to use links/site map

## References

- Donna Shirley, *Managing Creativity *(2001)
- James Lewis, *Fundamentals of Project Management* (1997)
- Performance Solutions, *Team Dynamics Seminar* (2000)