Teams section update / cleanup

docs/competition/teams/competition-preparation.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+original:
+  authors: Fiona Gillan
+  url: https://github.com/fgillan/sr-team-coord/wiki/Competition-preparation
+---
+
+1. Teams should bring some laptops as we will not be providing any computers/laptops.
+2. Teams should bring any tools that they require to work on their robot while at the competition as we will not be providing any tools.
+3. All of the kit must be returned at the end of the competition (including the white box it comes in). If a team wishes to keep the kit for a little longer they must email [email protected] ASAP to request a loan extension. Any team that has not been granted a loan extension before the start of the competition will have to return all of the kit before they leave on Sunday.
+4. Teams should have a good read of section 2.8 and Appendix B of the rules (Safety regulations). All robots will undergo a safety inspection and will not be allowed to compete until they pass this inspection.
+5. Please do let us know if your team has any special requirements with regards to disability access or other matters that need to be accommodated.

docs/programme/README.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ to have their own sections.
 ## Timeline
 
 * Kickstart, usually around October/November
-* Tech Days, to help teams throughout the year
+* [Tech Days](./tech-days.md), to help teams throughout the year
 * [Competition][competition-event], usually a weekend in April
 
 [teams]: ../teams/README.md

docs/teams/tech-days.md → docs/programme/tech-days.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ original:
   authors: Fiona Gillan
   url: https://github.com/fgillan/sr-team-coord/wiki/Tech-Days
 ---
-Work needs to be done to produce guidance for LTCs about how to organise a Tech Day.
+Work needs to be done to produce guidance about how to organise a Tech Day.
 
 Feedback questions for Tech Days:
 

docs/teams/README.md

@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@ them.
 
 Generally a single person (the Team Coordinator) takes on the overall
 responsibility for teams, though during the competition year it is often
-advantageous to delegate geographical areas to other volunteers to ensure prompt
+advantageous to delegate to other volunteers to ensure prompt
 responses to enquiries and avoid overloading a single person.

docs/teams/after-competition.md

@@ -3,14 +3,6 @@ original:
   authors: Fiona Gillan
   url: https://github.com/fgillan/sr-team-coord/wiki/After-competition
 ---
-## Kit Return
-
-* Coordinated by Kit Coordinator who will produce a list of unreturned kit following the competition, including those teams who have applied and been granted a Kit Extension.
-
-* Email LTCs with a list of their teams who still have their kit and ask them to contact the Team Leader for contact details of where to send the Kit Return Pack to.  They should pass on these contact details to the Kit Coordinator who will send a Kit Return pack to the team.
-
-* This process may require repeated prompting from the Team Coordinator to the LTCs, and from the LTCs to the Team Leaders to ensure kit is all returned as promptly as possible.
-When the Kit Extension time as elaspsed Kit Coordinator will notify Team Coordinator who will alert relevant LTC to inform the teams concerned and obtain contact information for sending the Kit Return pack.
 
 ## Miscellaneous tasks related to Teams
 
@@ -26,6 +18,8 @@ Include information/link requesting completion of Team feedback form and advise
 
 ## Write to the organisation associated with teams who dropped out without notifying SR in advance.
 
+This email only needs sending if teams don't respond to initial rounds of chaseup emails.
+
 Example of email sent to non-informed dropout teams in 2017:
 
 > Dear Head Teacher,
@@ -40,10 +34,4 @@ Example of email sent to non-informed dropout teams in 2017:
 
 ## Feedback
 
-The Team Coordinator should seek feedback from the Team Leaders, LTCs and Mentors on their experiences and consider updating and refining processes.  In addition, the Team Coordinator should also reflect on own processes and update and refine as appropriate.  The Team Coordinator should liaise with relevant members of the SR team to improve processes.
-
-## Update Team Archive
-
-Update Team Archive document with outcome of teams from this year's competition, i.e. whether dropped out (and when) or competed.
-
-Ideally this Archive would capture more and different types of information from each team during the SR programme which would be a relevant and useful resource for future years.  This would help to generate statistics about the teams involved in SR each year which would help to identity trends and to inform future organisation of SR.
+The Team Coordinator should seek feedback from the Team Leaders on their experiences and consider updating and refining processes. In addition, the Team Coordinator should also reflect on own processes and update and refine as appropriate. The Team Coordinator should liaise with relevant members of the SR team to improve processes.

docs/teams/allocating-teams.md

@@ -3,69 +3,37 @@ original:
   authors: Fiona Gillan
   url: https://github.com/fgillan/sr-team-coord/wiki/Allocating-teams
 ---
-## Allocating Teams
 
-* Transfer data from the Google Form of Team Applications into spreadsheet, and populate new spreadsheet ‘SR Year Teams’ with following info, in chronological order:
-    * Team Leader Name
-    * Email address
-    * Phone number
-    * Organisation
-    * Organisation address
-    * Organisation postcode
-    * TLA
-    * Rookie
-    * LTC
-    * LTC Area
-    * LTC Email address
+# Allocating Teams
 
+### Required information
 
-* Remove duplicate applications, keeping a record of the duplicate applications in case it is possible to allocate more than one team to an organisation.
-* Consult Team Archive to establish whether the team is (i) a rookie, (ii) obtain previous TLA.
-* If rookie team, need to allocate a new TLA, taking care to ensure that it has not been used previously.
+When collecting information from teams, the following information must be collected:
 
+  * Team Leader Name
+  * Team Leader Email address
+  * Team Leader Phone number
+  * Organisation
+  * Organisation address
+  * Organisation postcode
+  * Desired kickstart location
+  * Whether the organisation would benefit from a second kit / team
 
-* Plot geographical location of allocated teams using postcode.
-* Plot geographical location of LTCs.
-* Divide teams up aiming for geographical areas with equal numbers of teams in each LTC area.
-* Enter the LTC information on to ‘SRYear Teams’ spreadsheet.
+Once teams have been registered, allocate them a TLA. This TLA must be unique for all teams this competition year, be based roughly on their organisation name, and not be construed for rude language. If a team has competed before, re-use their previously allocated TLA. If a TLA was previously given to a different organisation, calculate a new one.
 
+If this is the first year a given institution is competing, they are considered a rookie. This should also be noted with the rest of their team information.
 
-* Produce spreadsheets for relevant people:
-* ‘User account info’ including: Team Leader Name, Team Leader Email address, Organisation, TLA.  Share with person in charge of user account info.
-* A spreadsheet for each LTC containing the info for the teams for whom they are responsible: Team Leader Name, Email address, Phone number, Organisation, Organisation Address, Postcode, TLA, Rookie.
-* ‘Kickstart Teams’ for Kickstart Coordinator: TLA, Organisation,  Postcode, LTC Area, LTC, LTC Email address.
+## Confirming places
 
-* Send ‘Team Leader Intro’ email via MailChimp to successful Team Leaders including following information:
-    * Kickstart info
-    * User account info
-    * Inform re. TLA (using info from ‘SRYear Teams’ spreadsheet)
-    * Inform re. allocated LTC
-    * Advice re. seeking help – i.e  website, forum, LTC, Mentor, Team Coordinator
-    * Explain re. SR being a volunteer-run organisation.
+Once signup has closed, teams need to be informed they have a place in the year's competition.
 
-## Example of email sent in 2017
+If possible, confirm places in batches before the deadline, rather than all at once after the deadline. This provides an incentive for signing up sooner, as it confirms places quicker, enabling team leaders to organise kickstart trips with more notice.
 
-> Congratulations – your team has been allocated a place for Student Robotics 2017!  (I am aware that you may have applied for more than one place as you were hoping to have more than one team, however, due to demand for this year’s competition we have only been able to allocate one team per organisation.)
->
-> So, what happens next?
-> Our volunteers are busy planning this year’s Kickstart event where you will be introduced to the SR Programme and receive your SR kit.  It will be held on 15th October, 2016 at various locations around the UK.  You will be notified which Kickstart event you have been assigned to attend over the next few days.
-> Throughout the SR Programme your team members will require access to SR services.  Therefore, you, as Team Leader, will shortly receive an email containing your SR username and password which will enable you to create user accounts for your team members.
->
-> Each team has been assigned a Three Letter Abbreviation (TLA) for ease of communication.
->
-> Your TLA is:
->
-> Each team has been allocated a Local Team Co-ordinator (LTC) based roughly on your geographical location.  Your LTC will be your main point of contact guiding you through the SR Programme. (If you’ve competed before, you may notice that we have reorganised the way in which we provide support/communication.)
->
-> Your LTC is:
->
-> We are aware that you are all extremely busy people and there is often a great deal of work involved in the logistics of organising a team to enter.  Therefore we will endeavour to notify you of information as soon as it is feasibly possible.  However, please do bear in mind that Student Robotics is a volunteer-run organisation and, as such, the work is done in people’s spare time leading to some delays occasionally, during which we would appreciate your patience.
->
-> If you have any queries from now on, please do the following:
-> 1. Look on the website.
-> 2. Post on the forum (once you’ve received your SR user account information) NB. Please do not post sensitive personal information on the forum as this is publically accessible.  The forum is a great way to share information and get answers to your questions - if you’re wondering about something, chances are someone else is too or has done and posted on the forum – you’ll hear more about this resource at Kickstart.
-> 3. Email your Local Team Coordinator.
-> 4. Ask your Mentor – this is something your LTC can help with organising.  (Ideally all teams would have a Mentor to help with the technical aspects of the Programme.  We have a limited number of volunteers who are available to mentor teams, but if there’s not one near to you, we can help support you to find your own from local industry etc.)
-> 5. If after all that your query still has not been answered email me, Fiona at [email protected].
+Create a spreadsheet noting which teams are attending which kickstart location, for use at kickstart events when checking whether everyone is there and at the right event. This should contain both the list of teams, and contact details for the team leader.
 
-> We’re very excited to have your team participating in this year’s competition and look forward to hopefully seeing you and your team at Kickstart in October!
+The email should contain which [kickstart](./kickstart.md) event they've been allocated. If they cannot get their desired location, ask which they'd prefer.
+
+### Example emails
+
+* [SR2020](https://github.com/srobo/team-emails/blob/master/SR2020/2019-09-25-confirm-competition-place.md)
+* [SR2019](https://github.com/srobo/team-emails/blob/master/SR2019/2018-10-10-place-confirmation.md)

docs/teams/dropouts-and-reallocating-teams.md

@@ -5,21 +5,20 @@ original:
 ---
 ## Dropouts
 
-* A Team Leader would email their LTC informing them of their intention to withdraw from the competition.
-* The LTC emails the Team Coordinator (and Kickstart Coordinator if prior to Kickstart).
-* Efforts should be made to identify any issues that are preventing the team from continuing and solutions found if possible.  If they would still like to dropout after discussion, then follow procedure below.
-* LTC spreadsheet should be updated.
-* Team Coordinator to update SRYear Teams spreadsheet and other relevant spreadsheets.
-* Team Coordinator needs to re-allocate space to either new team or if no new teams remain, to allocate a second team to an organisation, if requested (taking into consideration successful participation of a second team in previous years’ competitions, by consulting ‘Team Archive’)
+A team may decide they no longer wish to or are unable to compete in the competition. Efforts should be made to identify any issues that are preventing the team from continuing and solutions found if possible.  If they would still like to dropout after discussion, then follow procedure below.
+
+* Teams spreadsheet should be updated to reflect their status
+* If the team has a kit, pass on their information to the Kit Team, to negotiate its return
+
+When deciding whether to re-allocate a team, it's important to consider whether the team would have a disadvantage after having been in the competition for less time. If a team drops out long after kickstart, prefer allocating second kits to teams over inviting new teams.
+
+If unavoidable or unfortunate circumstance then email Team Leader acknowledging drop-out, offering further assistance if applicable or suggesting that they come to the competition anyway for experience and explain procedure for Kit Return.
 
 ## To re-allocate a team
 
-* Consult Potential Team Leaders MailChimp list, sorted into chronological entries to establish waiting list.
-* Email offer of place (or second team place), asking to confirm contact information to first on the waiting list.
-* Once replied to confirm would still like to participate, update SRYear Teams spreadsheet, assign TLA after checking whether the Organisation has competed before.
-* Assign an LTC (nb. It is difficult to assign an LTC based on geographical location in the re-allocation process, therefore number of teams assigned to each LTC takes priority)
-* Update relevant LTC spreadsheet and email LTC informing them of new team allocation.  They should then allocate the new team a mentor.
-* Update User account info spreadsheet and email relevant person informing them of new team allocation.
-* If before Kickstart: Update Kickstart Teams spreadsheet and email Kickstart Coordinator of new team allocation.
-* If after Kickstart: email Kit Coordinator about new team allocation.
-* Reply to confirmation email from Team Leader with ‘Team Leader Intro’ email edited to ensure up-to-date info re. Kickstart/obtaining kit.
+If a team drops out and a space becomes available before kickstart, the Potential Team Leaders MailChimp list should be used to find those willing to enter a team at the last minute. If a team enquired, but was too late in applying, they should take priority.
+
+* Email offer of place (or second team place), asking to confirm contact information
+* Once replied to confirm would still like to participate, [allocate the team](./allocating-teams.md)
+* If before Kickstart: Find out which [kickstart](./kickstart.md) they wish to attend
+* If shortly after Kickstart: email Kit Team about new team allocation, and request a kit be dispatched to them