09 timeline ftc

---\ncomments: true\n---\n\n# FTC Team Engineering Process — Timeline (Adapted for 2x/week meetings)\n\nFTC season runs from Kickoff (early September) through the championship (April).\nTeams typically meet twice a week (e.g., Tues/Thurs evenings) and add extra sessions\nas events approach. This timeline compresses the FRC six‑week cadence into a\n12‑week “build window” that aligns with the FTC calendar while preserving the\ngate‑driven, student‑led process.\n\nAdjust exact dates against the FIRST FTC season calendar each year.\n\n---\n\n## Week‑by‑Week (12‑week build window)\n\n### Week 0 — Pre‑Kickoff Prep\n\n- Software team + mentors:\n - Confirm SDK versions (FTC SDK, Vision, etc.).\n - Repo/template ready.\n - Configure CI (if used).\n - Clean shop, inventory tools, stock consumables.\n- Rookies complete pre‑kickoff onboarding (safety, basic tools, CAD intro).\n\n### Week 1–2 — Strategy + Prototype Kickoff\n\nGoals: Write an approved Priority List, select an archetype, and begin cardboard prototypes.\n\n| Day (approx.) | Focus |\n|---|---|\n| Sat (Kickoff) | Watch reveal ×2, read game manual, no CAD |\n| Sun–Mon | Game analysis, action inventory |\n| Tue | Priority List draft |\n| Wed | Archetype selection + simple scoring simulation |\n| Thu | G1: Strategy Approval (gate review) |\n| Fri–Sat | Prototype charters written, cardboard prototypes start |\n\nSoftware: repo setup, subsystem stubs, drivetrain simulation (if using sim).\n\nBusiness/Outreach:\n- Sponsor tracker refreshed; renewing‑sponsor asks sent by end of Week 2.\n- Budget baseline signed by Business Mentor + Team Lead.\n- Impact team formed; prior‑year submissions reviewed.\n- Social calendar set; kickoff coverage posted.\n- GB1: Sponsor Kickoff Complete – end of Week 2.\n\n### Week 3–4 — Prototyping + Drivetrain CAD\n\nGoals: Complete prototyping down‑select, lock drivetrain CAD, order long‑lead COTS.\n\n| Milestone | Target |\n|---|---|\n| G2: Prototype Down‑Select | end of Week 4 |\n| Drivetrain CAD near lock | end of Week 4 |\n| Long‑lead COTS ordered | end of Week 4 |\n\nSoftware: simulation runs, IO stubs for chosen mechanisms.\n\nBusiness/Outreach:\n- Executive Summary draft.\n- Essay outline + video storyboard.\n- Dean’s List nominees selected.\n- Woodie Flowers mentor selected.\n- Outreach event #1 scheduled or executed.\n- GB2: Impact Draft – end of Week 4.\n\n### Week 5–6 — Design Freeze Cascade\n\nGoals: Drivetrain CAD lock, primary mechanism CAD lock, BOM complete, sim autonomy passing.\n\n| Milestone | Target |\n|---|---|\n| G3: Drivetrain CAD Lock | mid‑Week 6 |\n| G3: Primary Mechanism CAD Lock | end of Week 6 |\n| G4: BOM Complete | end of Week 6 |\n| G5: Sim Autonomy Passing | end of Week 6 |\n| Drive base rolls (if applicable) | end of Week 6 |\n\nMachining ramps; Kanban board fills.\n\nBusiness/Outreach:\n- Impact essay + Executive Summary + video first cut.\n- Dean’s List essay drafts.\n- Woodie Flowers essay draft.\n- Interview team named; mock interviews begin.\n- GB3: Impact Submission Lock – per FIRST deadline (typically end of Week 6).\n\n### Week 7–8 — Fabrication + First Integration\n\nGoals: Practice‑bot drive base drivable, primary mechanism installed, driver practice begins.\n\n| Milestone | Target |\n|---|---|\n| G3: Secondary Mechanism CAD Lock | mid‑Week 8 |\n| Primary mechanism installed | mid‑Week 8 |\n| Driver practice starts | mid‑Week 8 |\n| Endurance test — 5 cycles (or equivalent) | end of Week 8 |\n\nSoftware: real IO swapped in per subsystem.\n\nBusiness/Outreach:\n- Mentor + external review pass on Impact packet.\n- Dean’s List essays locked + uploaded.\n- Woodie Flowers essay locked.\n- Judged robot awards targeted (2‑3); pit handout drafting begins.\n- Mock interview round 2.\n\n### Week 9–10 — Integration + Tuning\n\nGoals: Full robot assembled, endurance tests, autonomous routines tuned on hardware.\n\n| Milestone | Target |\n|---|---|\n| Full match cycle passing | mid‑Week 10 |\n| 20‑cycle endurance test (or equivalent) | end of Week 10 |\n| 10+ hours driver practice logged (scaled for 2×/week) | end of Week 10 |\n| Failure log addressed | end of Week 10 |\n| G6: Field Readiness | end of Week 10 |\n| GB4: Event Media Kit + Interview Ready | 48 h before each event |\n\nBusiness/Outreach:\n- Impact packet uploaded to FIRST portal (if not already).\n- Pit handout drafted for targeted judged awards.\n- Mock interview round 3.\n\n### Week 11–12 — Polish + Event Prep\n\nGoals: Reliability only, accumulate practice hours, finalize event logistics.\n\n| Milestone | Target |\n|---|---|\n| 15+ hours driver practice | mid‑Week 12 |\n| Pit toolbox packed | end of Week 12 |\n| G7: Event Departure | departure day |\n| GB4: Event Media Kit + Interview Ready (reconfirmed) | 48 h before event |\n\nBusiness/Outreach:\n- Media kit (photos, sponsor logos, one‑pagers) packed with pit toolbox.\n- Interview team final rehearsals.\n- Pit handout printed.\n- Social event‑day plan set (who posts, when).\n\n### Event Weeks\n\n- Pit repair, scouting, match strategy, driver adjustment.\n- Post‑event: quick retro (15 min), failure‑log update, fixes.\n- Between events: focused improvements only — no redesigns.\n\n---\n\n## Gate Schedule Summary\n\n| Gate | Target |\n|---|---|\n| G1 Strategy Approval | end of Week 2 |\n| G2 Prototype Down‑Select | end of Week 4 |\n| G3 CAD Lock (drivetrain) | mid‑Week 6 |\n| G3 CAD Lock (primary mech) | end of Week 6 |\n| G3 CAD Lock (secondary) | mid‑Week 8 |\n| G4 BOM Complete | end of Week 6 |\n| G5 Sim Autonomy | end of Week 6 |\n| G6 Field Readiness | end of Week 10 |\n| G7 Event Departure | before each event |\n| GB1 Sponsor Kickoff Complete | end of Week 2 |\n| GB2 Impact Draft | end of Week 4 |\n| GB3 Impact Submission Lock | per FIRST deadline (typ. end of Week 6) |\n| GB4 Event Media Kit + Interview Ready | 48 h before each event |\n\n---\n\n## Slippage Rules (FTC‑adapted)\n\nReality: gates slip. Rules for when they do.\n\n- G1 slips: stop. Full team reverts to Strategy until it passes. Prototyping does not begin without an approved Priority List.\n- G2 slips one week: compress CAD schedule; do not compress endurance testing.\n- G2 slips more than one week: kill priority‑2 scope. Ship a robot that does priority‑1 well.\n- G3 slips per subsystem: other subsystems continue. That subsystem drops from event 1 if not recovered by end of Week 8.\n- G6 slips: attend Event 1 as scheduled with best‑effort robot. Do NOT skip the event — data from real matches is worth more than extra shop time.\n\nCorollary: Never skip an event to keep building. Real‑match data is irreplaceable.\n\n---\n\n## What Small Teams Should Cut, in Order (FTC)\n\nIf schedule is impossible:\n\n1. Priority‑2 mechanism — ship priority‑1 only.\n2. Autonomous complexity — one simple auto beats no auto.\n3. Secondary sensors — drop non‑critical encoders, hall‑effects, etc.\n4. Custom parts that COTS replaces — buy the COTS version even if less elegant.\n5. Practice robot — down to drive base only (or even just a chassis with motors).\n\nNever cut, in order:\n- Driver practice hours.\n- Endurance testing (or equivalent cycles).\n- Gate reviews.\n- Log review (engineering notebook, build blog).\n\n---\n\n## Meeting Cadence (2×/week baseline)\n\n- Twice‑weekly build nights (e.g., Tue & Thu, 6:00‑9:00 pm).\n- Pre‑session prep (10 min) by Team Lead + Subteam Leads.\n- Stand‑up (10 min) – whole team.\n- Work block (~2h 20m) – subteams work in parallel.\n- Pre‑close checkpoint (15 min) – Subteam Leads sweep columns, update cards.\n- End‑of‑session close (15 min) – whole team: Subteam Lead round‑robin, build blog post, shop reset.\n\nAs events approach, add a third longer session on weekends for integration, endurance testing, and driver practice.\n\n---\n\n## Notes\n\n- This timeline assumes a typical FTC team of ~4‑6 mentors and 10‑15 students.\n- Adjust week lengths if your team meets more/less frequently.\n- Keep the gate‑review artifacts (see 07_gate_reviews.md) and update them for FTC‑specific deliverables (e.g., simpler CAD packs, shorter autonomy runs).\n- The business/outreach track runs in parallel and follows the same gate cadence.\n\n---\n