This document provides information for judges at an FTC competition. It outlines the day from the perspective of judges and teams. It describes the process judges will go through, including team interviews and presentations, observing matches, deliberating on awards, and writing award scripts. Key awards are discussed like Inspire, Think, and Connect. It also provides resources for judges to learn about the game and engineering notebooks.

1. FTC Judging 2015-2016
FIRST RES-Q
12/8/15
Jeanne Boyarsky
slideshare.net/boyarsky
Twitter @jeanneboyarsky
Blog: http://www.selikoff.net

2. Judges view of day
• Morning briefing, groups of 2-3
• Team “interviews” and presentations
• Pick top team(s) for each award
• New groups by award
• Observation
• Deliberate
• Write award scripts
• Awards and high fives
Also:
Match observers
Notebook judges

3. Teams view of day
• Matches & scheduled judge presentation
• More matches & visiting judges
• More matches
• Pick teams for eliminations
• Final matches
• Award announcements

4. Game animation
• Don’t need to know points
• Should have general idea of game
• Should know two periods exist
• Autonomous
• Driver operated including end game

5. Brainstorm: what are some tasks?
• Auto detect color of beacon
• Score debris
• Climb
• Hang
• Limit number of game pieces carry

6. Awards
Award Description
Inspire Overall
Think Engineering notebook
Connect Working with community/business
Rockwell Collins Innovate Creativity/uniqueness in robot
PTC Design Industrial design, ideally with CAD
Motivate Spirit/outreach
Control Sensors/software
Promote/Compass/Judges Optional

7. Team “interviews” and presentation
• Presentation or just Q&A
• Mentor/coach/adults can be present, but
must not speak
• Team hands engineering notebook
• 10 minutes total – recommend timing self
• 5 minute break for rubric
• Take copious notes!

8. Goal of this phase
• Determine which teams are best for each
award category
• Ask questions to see really did
• Ask questions to see what forgetting to
mention
• Remember: teams have the criteria

9. Practice
• Pretend to present as if I were a team for
30-60 seconds
• Have judges ask questions
• Which award best for?

10. Judge deliberations – part 1
• With partner(s), put best team(s) on board
• Discuss why teams are on there in case
one judging group saw stronger teams.
• Remove teams if so
• Pick judging groups by award

11. Example

12. Engineering Notebook
• Most awards require engineering notebook
• Think award
• Judges stay in room
• Look at notebooks in detail
• Eliminate those without required elements
• Pick best few

13. Example: Show Notebooks
• Team name and number
• Sections (ideally table of contents)
• Summary
• Engineering – log, diagrams, etc
• Team – outreach, team members, etc
• Business/strategic/sustainability Plan

14. Observation
• Ask more questions
• Directly compare teams
• Observe teams competing, in pits, in
stands
• Talk to teams not on list too so not obvious
and for morale
• Goal: Ordered list of teams for award

15. Judge deliberations – part 2
• With partner(s), put ordered list on board
• With judge advisor moderating, pick
winners for each award
• Ex: Who gets Inspire
• Many teams go on from a qualifier
• Many teams are really good

16. Award Scripts
• Observing group writes
• Three sentences
• Ok to be corny
• Ex: of a team that used a tennis ball to
climb)
• This team wowed us with their CLIMBING. The robot
was almost BOUNCING with excitement. We were
almost GREEN with envy. The Innovate award goes to
team XYZ, the RoboLizards.

17. What should I bring?
• Safety glasses (if have own; can borrow)
• Comfortable shoes
• Your sense of fun!
• You’ll be given water, breakfast and lunch.

18. Q & A
Remember to take
the cert in VIMS
Also,
recommended is
to sign up as a
Dean’s List
interview and
certify on that

19. Resources
• Full game animation
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b49Q3kqrSv0
• Manuals
• http://beta.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploads/resource_library/ftc/ga
me-manual-part-I.pdf
• https://usfirst.app.box.com/s/oighvhxc02wy1w75d1e9/1/2296993407/
22612214585/1
• Engineering notebook
• http://www3.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/Robotics_Programs/FTC/FTC_
Documents/EngineeringNotebookFTCTeam2864.pdf
• http://ftcgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bowled_over_sm.pdf
• http://www.firstinspires.org/node/5226