Brainstorm Solutions

This analysis uses the up-to-date rubric as of August 2025. As new versions of each rubric are announced, this article will be updated shortly following. The up-to-date rubrics can be found in this article and on the RECF website.

It is important to repeat each criteria of the notebook throughout the Engineering Notebook, rather than using each step once for the initial design cycle. Consistent repetition of each step will lead to higher rubric scores.

Criteria Definition

Explores several different solutions with explanation. Citations are provided for ideas that came from outside sources such as online videos or other teams.

Brainstorming Solutions consists of exploring various alternatives for solving the problem previously identified. While this criteria of the rubric is relatively vague, there are many areas in which teams can explore to develop their brainstorming to the next level.

For this criteria, it is important to remember that just listing solutions, while important, is not enough to secure maximum points. Each solution must have a thorough analysis and breakdown describing how it could be used to meet the goals established from the previous section. In addition to showcasing more thought behind each solution, adding this additional detail can be very beneficial to tie into the next rubric criteria - Selecting the Best Solution.

Research and Brainstorming

In this segment, ideas are generated in order to solve the defined problem from the previous segment. When doing initial brainstorming, segmenting the overall robot into specific subsystems can help create more room for subsystem-specific detail, allowing for more in-depth exploration of ideas. When brainstorming for different subsystems, make sure you consider how other areas may effect your overall design: a smaller chassis may leave less room for an extended intake, as an example.

After the robot is broken down into subsystems, creating 3-5 (or more) ideas for each subsystem can help to give ample options to later choose from. Draw sketches, annotate ideas, and take photos of mock-ups or other robots for inspiration. Anything goes here, just make sure that you cover each idea thoroughly and in detail. In addition to documenting ideas in detail, tying this section in with the Game Analysis could be an effective way to make the notebook more cohesive - referring back to and restating various strategies defined in the earlier segment, and how each idea or design could help implement or effectively follow such strategies.

When researching various solutions to the previously stated problem, is it important to keep in mind that specific solutions should not be immediately copied from the source, but should rather be conceptualized to create a unique design. For instance, directly copying, or "holecounting," an entire robot from a reveal video online when starting the season may be a quick way to make a robot, but will not help the team learn through the steps of the Engineering Design Process, it would essentially be copying another team's work. Additionally, it is important to properly cite the sources utilized throughout the notebook - more detail on this later.

The most effective way to research using resources from other VRC teams is to refer back to the problem described in the previous segment, and relate the design choices used by another team to those prompts - which specific mechanisms they used to solve a problem, how they were implemented, and why they were effective.

The included notebook photos are from the BLRS2 Over Under ('23-'24) Notebook. While the notebook did win Design Award at the 2024 World Championship, it should be noted that this is not a perfect notebook, though it is a good example to start with.