Learning Launch Method

Challenge

Being a part of a robotics team that has taken part in several competitions all across

the world, however we never manage to come to a common consensus as to what

should be the right way to go about solving a mission (challenge on game field). In

spite of knowing each other for several years, we still have arguments when it comes to

developing mechanisms and finding the most efficient way in solving a mission. The

competition was due in a month and we had not figured out a final mechanism and

were constantly debating which one should be used (based on assumptions) for one of

the highest scoring mission of the game.

Selection

As a team, we have already gone through some serious brainstorming sessions and

have come up with a multitude of ideas but there have been constant arguments about

which one should be used. To solve this problem, I suggested the method of a learning

launch, where in we first try out a few ideas in the upcoming practice matches and

based on the outcome, decide what could be altered to improve the results. In more

common words, learning launch meant to perform a quick test to see what works and

what doesn’t and how it could be changed.

Application

At the first practice match, one of the most looked after idea failed to prove it’s worth.

Everyone in the team was disheartened with the way the idea had failed. All our

assumptions on its efficiency were put to rest when it failed to match the objective it

was made for.

A few days later at our second practice match, the robot was fitted with the second

mechanism, that was further improved with previous learnings. This time around, the

mechanism did work the way it was intended to with a few hiccups here and there.

With some more tweaks we finally had faith in the mechanism.

Insight

By applying the learning launch tool to check the efficiency of mechanisms, we were

able to test it out in a simulation (practice match) to see how it faired. The initial

assumptions about one of the mechanisms being the ideal were put to rest when it

failed the work as intended. The practice matches helped us see what was going wrong

and it gave us an advantage to work on the mechanism and develop it further. Moving

forward, for future competitions, the learning launch method will prove useful when

such debates arise.

Approach

Given that our team was several years old but still struggled to find ways to come to a

conclusion, the learning launch method is now a quintessential part of our

development for future events. Future challenges should reflect upon the past and how

we came to a conclusion by testing assumptions in the real world and not just as

hypothetical theories and scenarios.


Learning Launch Method Challenge Being a part of a robotics team that has taken part in several competitions all across the world , however we never manage to come to a common consensus as to what should be the right way to go about solving a mission ( challenge on game field ) . In spite of knowing each other for several years , we still have arguments when it comes to developing mechanisms and finding the most efficient way in solving a mission . The competition was due in a month and we had not figured out a final mechanism and were constantly debating which one should be used ( based on assumptions ) for one of the highest scoring mission of the game . Selection As a team , we have already gone through some serious brainstorming sessions and have come up with a multitude of ideas but there have been constant arguments about which one should be used . To solve this problem , I suggested the method of a learning launch , where in we first try out a few ideas in the upcoming practice matches and based on the outcome , decide what could be altered to improve the results . In more common words , learning launch meant to perform a quick test to see what works and what does n’t and how it could be changed . Application At the first practice match , one of the most looked after idea failed to prove it ’s worth . Everyone in the team was disheartened with the way the idea had failed . All our assumptions on its efficiency were put to rest when it failed to match the objective it was made for . A few days later at our second practice match , the robot was fitted with the second mechanism , that was further improved with previous learnings . This time around , the mechanism did work the way it was intended to with a few hiccups here and there . With some more tweaks we finally had faith in the mechanism . Insight By applying the learning launch tool to check the efficiency of mechanisms , we were able to test it out in a simulation ( practice match ) to see how it faired . The initial assumptions about one of the mechanisms being the ideal were put to rest when it failed the work as intended . The practice matches helped us see what was going wrong and it gave us an advantage to work on the mechanism and develop it further . Moving forward , for future competitions , the learning launch method will prove useful when such debates arise . Approach Given that our team was several years old but still struggled to find ways to come to a conclusion , the learning launch method is now a quintessential part of our development for future events . Future challenges should reflect upon the past and how we came to a conclusion by testing assumptions in the real world and not just as hypothetical theories and scenarios .