1. Scouting FRC
Competitive Analysis at FIRST
Competitions

2. Who am I?
Tucker Gordon
Flaming Chicken (2009-2013)
1540 Co-Captain (2011-2013)
Head scout (2009-2011)
Competitive Analysis Manager (2011-2013)

3. Overview
Why scouting?
FRC Competition Structure
How to scout
Pre-Competition
Pit Scouting and Webcast Scouting
Match Scouting
Alliance Selection
Final thoughts / Q+A

4. Why is scouting
important?
One team can make or break an alliance
Requires relatively few resources
Opportunity for lots of members to get involved
Essential for alliance selection
Leg up on the competition
FIRST rankings are unreliable
Judges like it

5. Scouting Procedure:
Pre-Competition Scouting
Pit Scouting
Match Scouting
Data and Comments
Consolidating and Picking

6. Pre-Competition
Scouting
Lots of teams go to 2 regionals
Find ones that you’re competing against
Watch them and take notes
TheBlueAlliance.com
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/re
gional-events

7. Pit Scouting
Thursday afternoon
Basic information
Height/weight
Autonomous
Preferred position
Quality
Drive train

8. Match
Scouting:
(Mostly Friday)

9. Methods of Scouting:
Lots of paper
Smartphone/tablet apps
Spreadsheets
Databases

10. Paper-based Scouting
Logomotion:
Breakaway:

11. Smartphone/Tablet
Apps:

12. Databases:
Cowscout
Blue Alliance
Cheesy Scout

13. Roles:
At least 8 scouts
Shifts make people happy
1 or 2 supervisors in stands
Manage shifts and communicate to drive
team
1 or 2 managers (can be supervisors)
Compile list
Executive decisions on list

14. Things to Track
Every match
Match score
Points scored by each team
Auto vs tele-op
Position (starting and during match)
Other pertinent statistics

15. Making a Pick-
List:

16. Data Management
Master spreadsheet
Sortable with different stats
Written comments!
Develop a formula (ax+by+cz...ect)
Helps to create ranking scores

17. Friday Night
Hold a meeting
Bring anyone who’s interested
Make picklist subject to change
Mark teams to watch on Saturday

18. What’s in a Pick?
First Picks:
Scoring
Autonomous
End game
Second Picks:
Defense
Autonomous
End game

19. Ranking Teams:
Go team-by-team
2 Lists: First picks and second picks
First run-through
Eliminate teams
Narrow list down to 23
Rank top 23 teams

20. Strategic Preparation:
Look at current FIRST rankings
Who could pick you?
Will you say yes or no?
Make list

21. The Pick-List
Paper or tablet (make sure internet is off)
Picker = head scout
Ability to cross off teams that have been picked
Include 3 lists:
First picks
Second picks
Yes/no

22. Saturday
Observe robots and adjust pick list
Don’t need to do heavy scouting
Chance for scouts to relax and have fun
Beware of admirers!
Don’t be an admirer

23. Saturday
Have your head scout make your picks
Knows the most
Don’t be afraid to say no

24. Story Time

25. Final Thoughts:
Look at Chiefdelphi.com
Scouting can make or break you
Lots of teams don’t do it
Getting everyone involved

26. Questions?
gordont@catlin.edu
Email me, I love this stuff