– FIRST Tech Challenge DECODE Season Guide

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Overview
Roles Covered:Lead Robot Inspector

Job Description
The Lead Robot Inspector (LRI) supervises robot inspections at the event and supports a team of Robot
Inspectors. The LRI oversees and supports the work of Robot Inspectors & Inspection Managers to
ensure robots are legal and match-ready and assists teams with technical needs to get them match-
ready. This is a highly responsible, detail-oriented, and team-facing role that requires leadership, rule
knowledge, and technical competence.
Requirements
Technical
High
Physical
Medium
Administrative
High
Communication
High
Pre-event Training
High
Time Commitment
The Lead Robot Inspector should expect to spend 6-8 hours at a full day event. A Lead Robot Inspector
may serve in another volunteer role once inspections are complete. If a Lead Robot Inspector has
indicated in their application that they are available for the full day, the Event Director may assign them
to another role once inspections are complete. After the inspection process the LRI may be asked to
perform reinspections during the event even when performing a second role.
Approximately 6-8 hours of pre-event training and planning is required.
Attire
• Comfortable closed-toe, closed-heel shoes, much of the day will involve standing and walking.
• ANSI Z87.1 or regional equivalent certified safety glasses are required in team pits and
competition areas.
• As one of the event leaders, comfortable professional wear is encouraged
Training and Certification
Read and complete all tasks listed in the Pre-Event Trainingsection.
Any volunteer who applies to a role will be able to get into the Learning Management System (LMS)
using the 'FIRSTTraining' button. Roles with the training required will appear in the 'roles missing
certification' area. For more help, you can read moreabout how to access your training.
If you have applied for a role but have not received access to the training, please email
training@firstinspires.org. A separate confirmation of the role assignment will come later.
The Lead Robot Inspector should speak to the FTA to find out what additional requirements, such as
meetings before the event or run-throughs of the space before the event are required.
All volunteers are expected to read and comply with the Volunteer Handbook.
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Roles and Responsibilities
FIRSTis fun for all. The most important role for a volunteer is to provide a
safe, fun and welcoming environment for all FIRST^® participants. When
executing the duties of your role, always make decisions with the team
experience in mind. Ask for help from event leadership if you feel your
required duties conflict with the best team experience.

Lead Robot Inspector (LRI)
Robot Inspectors perform required inspections to ensure compliance with construction rules.Lead
Robot Inspectorssupervise the Robot Inspectors and act as a resource to the Robot Inspectors
performing the inspections. The Lead Robot Inspector’s responsibilities include:
• Collaborate with the Event Directorto create an inspection schedule.
• Ensure the required robot inspection tools, materials and workspace are available on event day.
• Provide periodic inspection progress updates to the Event Director andFIRST Technical Advisor.
• ProvideRobot Inspectorswith guidance and enforcement on any rulings during inspection when
necessary.
• Work with the FTA andHead Refereeif a team is unable to pass inspection.
Prerequisites for Lead Robot Inspector
To serve as a Lead Robot Inspector, previous experience as a Robot Inspector is required.
Reporting Structure
The Lead Robot Inspector reports to the FTA and works alongside the Head Referee & Event Director.
Before the Event
FIRST^® Tech Challenge tournaments squeeze a lot of activity into one day. One of the keys to running a
smooth and successful event is for teams and volunteers to show up prepared. Teams spend countless
hours preparing for competition day and we ask our volunteers to prepare for tournament day as well.
Robot Inspectors must participate in training before volunteering at an event. They also must pass a
certification test. Training and the certification test are provided by FIRST^® Headquarters.
Pre-Event Training
Before serving in the role, the Lead Robot Inspector must complete all required reading in this section
and successfully pass the Lead Robot Inspector certification test. Additionally, they must first pass the
Robot Inspector certification test before attempting the Lead Robot Inspector certification.
The table below outlines the additional training requirements specific to the Lead Robot Inspector role,
beyond those listed in the Robot Inspector documentation.
Resources for training and certification:
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Lead Robot Inspector Pre-event Training List
Requirement
Resource
Required
Welcome to FIRST
Required
Complete and pass the Robot Inspector Certification
Required
TheLead Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual(this document)
The Competition Manual – specifically:
• Section 9: ARENA
Required
• Section 10: Game Details
• Section 11: Game Rules (G)
• Section 13: Tournament (T)
Required
Inspection Quick Reference
Volunteer Q&A System- The Q&A serves as a space for these
volunteers to ask questions and receive official answers from FIRST^®
Staff and our Global Key volunteers about the Competition Manual
and its expected implementation.
Encouraged

To access the Q&A volunteers must have an active FIRST^® Dashboard
account,have applied to volunteer in the specific role for the current
season, and have a signed consent and release form.
Review the Competition Manual – specifically:
• Section 8: Game Overview
Encouraged
Or, watch thegame animation videofor a general understanding of
the game.
Encouraged
Attend the Robot Inspector Volunteer Calls
Join the FTC Technology Support Volunteer Slack workspace by
Encouraged
invitation from your local Program Delivery Partner
FTC Team Q&A System- This is a resource for teams, however you
Optional
may also find these useful for rule clarifications
Complete theLead Robot Inspector CertificationTest in the FIRST^®
Learning System
Required
(For volunteers outside of North America without a FIRST^® Dashboard
Account use the PDF to self-certify)
Event Day
Report Time
The Event Director or Volunteer Coordinator will confirm the time you should arrive typically via email
the week before the event. In most cases, the Lead Robot Inspector will need to arrive at the event as
soon as the event opens for volunteers to ensure the robot inspection tables are setup up, and
inspection staff are in place when teams start arriving for inspections. In rare cases, robot inspections
might begin the day before the event and continue into the next morning in cases where teams weren’t
inspected the day before.
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The Lead Robot Inspector should check in with the Volunteer Coordinator and report to the FIRST^®
Technical Advisor.
Set-up
After checking in, the Lead Robot Inspector should confirm they have the appropriate resources and
tools needed to complete robot inspections. Some items that are needed for robot inspection include:
Supplies:
• An 18in. x 18in. x 18in. (45.70 cm x 45.70 cm x 45.70 cm) robot sizing tool
• Inspection tablet or inspection checklists
o Robot Inspection checklist
• Pens
• Tape measure
• Robot Sign Templates (US Letter | A4)
o These are to assist teams that may show up to the event without their own robot signs.

Supporting documentation:
• Robot Inspector Manual(this document)
• Inspection Quick Reference
• Copies of the Competition Manual
o Digital copies of the competition manual are accessible through the Robot Inspectors’
tablet, which is the preferred method to access the manual. This ensures the inspectors
are viewing the most current version of the manual.
• A copy of theRegistered Teams List
Most events will provide a tablet to the Robot Inspectors. This tablet is
used for the Robot Inspector to indicate which teams have passed
inspection, and which teams are currently in the process of completing
inspection. For those events not using tablets, paper copies of the
checklists will be used for each team.

Robot Inspection Process
The Lead Robot Inspector oversees the inspection process, helps inspectors with marginal calls &
general knowledge of the inspection process. The LRI with support of the Event Director is empowered
to alter the inspection process when necessary
Always keep in mind that as a Lead Robot Inspector your role is not to fail a team. You are well-
positioned and empowered to help teams pass inspection while ensuring a fair competition.
For details on the inspection process, please refer to the Robot Inspector Volunteer Manual.
It is the responsibility of the Lead Robot Inspector to:
• Oversee the inspection process and adapt the process where necessary.

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• With the help of the FTA & Head Referee, make final calls on robot inspection items and robot
construction rule interpretations.
• Provide as-needed guidance to Robot Inspectors.
• Ensure all teams are treated fairly and without a competitive advantage.
Inspection Troubleshooting
Repeated Failures
If a team repeatedly fails inspection, the team should be identified to the Lead Robot Inspector and they
should work directly with the team.
If a team cannot pass inspection, even with help. The Lead Robot Inspector, FIRST Technical Advisor,
Event Director and/or Program Delivery Partner must decide how to proceed.
The goal of the inspection process is to ensure all robots are safe and
have no unfair advantage during the competition. Within these bounds,
the Lead Robot Inspector is empowered to deprioritize some robot
construction rules to allow a team to participate.

Re-inspection
If a team makes significant changes to their robot or their programming during the day, they must
undergo another inspection. It is not unusual for a team to ask for a re-inspection of their robot.
The Head Referee may ask for a re-inspection of a robot based on observations on the playing field.
The Lead Robot Inspector will re-inspect the robot and report the results to the Head Referee. If the
Lead Robot Inspector and Head Referee disagree, the Lead Robot Inspector should cite the supporting
rule(s) and reason for the ready or not ready recommendation. The Head Referee has the final authority
over allowing a robot to compete.
It is unusual for late-season events to require many re-inspections. If a
large number of re-inspections are occurring, it may be necessary for the
Lead Inspector and Head Referee to work with the FTA (and potentially
FIRST staff) to ensure event rules are consistent with global standards.

End of the Day
The role of the Lead Robot Inspector generally ends once inspections have been completed, which is
prior to the start of matches. Some Lead Robot Inspectors may choose to fill another role during the
event and will be present for the duration of the event. If possible, The Lead Robot Inspector may assist
other volunteers with the teardown of the event.

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Team Interaction and Support
When interacting with teams please always consider the team’s perspective. The teams have put
significant time and effort into preparing for this event and may be feeling very stressed about
everything working out as they have planned. Today is a very big deal for the team and we are here to
help!
While it’s our job to help guide the teams to a successful event, it’s their responsibility to follow the
rules and be on time for judging and matches.
If you feel there is an issue with an individual or individuals from a team that warrants specific
intervention beyond just a kind reminder, please ensure the correct stakeholders for the team are
aware. Here is a generally acceptable process when working with a student or team who you need to
change their behavior:
The ABCs of Managing Team Behaviors
Do not directly reprimand a student one-on-one without an adult
from their team present. Ask the student to bring an adult who is
Ask for an Adult
responsible for the team to meet you, before moving forward with
any discussion about the concerns at hand.
Is the environment conducive for the feedback you are about to
Be aware of the
give? Is it loud in the area where you are? Are there other teams
Environment
around that may hear the reprimand? Moving the conversation to
a quieter, more private space as needed can be helpful.
(Offer a) Clear
Explain the concern to the team and offer clear examples of the
Explanation
behavior that is concerning.
Offer the opportunity for students and adults to ask clarifying
Discuss any Questionsquestions
Outline with the students and adults what the next steps are if the
Explain Next Steps
issue is not corrected. Certain behaviors may include the risk of
yellow cards

Note: the only person at an event who can give an official warning or
issue a yellow/red card is the head referee. Please refer these more
severe issues to the head referee and notify the program delivery partner.

Be cautious about passing on any negative feedback about any teams directly to the Judges or Judge
Advisor (JA), because it’s not possible to know all the contributing factors around such a complaint or
observation. If there are issues which are repeated or egregious follow theTeam Interaction and
Supportprocess and inform the Program Delivery Partner. The Judge Advisor may seek feedback from
the Event Director to determine if there is any relevant information to provide the Judges for their
evaluation process.
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Teams may only be completely disqualified from awards consideration for very rare egregious actions
and only with approval from FIRST^® HQ. The Event Director and/or JA should call the on-call number to
discuss the issue.
Emergencies
The Program Delivery Partner, Event Director and the event site host organization are responsible for
having safety and security plans in place for each event. Included in the plan should be topics such as:
• A map of all the emergency exits
• Knowledge of where on-site medical support is located
• Shelter in place plans in the case of severe weather
• Evacuation plans
Teams should have their own safety plans before attending the event. Here are some team-focused
recommendations for Preparing to Safely Attend a FIRST^® Event.
Lost Children
FIRST^® Tech Challenge events can be very hectic, and it can be easy for a child to get lost amongst the
shuffle of a busy event. Ensure you have a plan prior to the event in the instance of a lost child.
In some cases, the team roster will list Coach phone numbers which can be used to reunite team
members, in some regions they collect “Day-of” cell phone numbers from each team at check in.
Coordinate your plan with your Program Delivery Partner.
Code Adam Guidelines (www.missingkids.com/CodeAdam) are also a great resource.
Medical Incident Reporting
Event volunteers are not responsible for diagnosing student injuries, handing out medication, or first aid
equipment. You and other event volunteers should refer medical issues and emergencies to a medical
professional on site, such as an EMT. If an incident or illness occurs at an event, the Event Director, Pit
Administrator, or another trained delegate should do the following:
• Call 911 if there is any question whether the injured
person/persons require urgent medical attention.
• Respond to the scene immediately. Bring a clipboard, pen, or a
electronic device to complete the incident report on theFIRST^®
Reporting Portal.
• Complete the incident report for the injured party.

www.firstinspires.org/report

The Event Director or Pit Administration volunteers are responsible for completing incident reports.
Although most incidents will not result in a claim, it is better to act on the side of caution and report
them. Should an incident result in a claim after the event, the documents will be on file, complete with
witnesses and a written report.
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Youth Protection Reporting
Issues that are non-medical but are of concern to a
participant/participants should also be reported. Anything that
happens during an event that made a youth volunteer, team
member or spectator feel uncomfortable or threatened should
be addressed.

As appropriate and if you feel safe doing to, speak directly with
www.firstinspires.org/report
the offending party and try to quickly and calmly defuse the
immediate issue. Call the Event Director and/or the Program
Delivery Partner and inform them of the issue and seek assistance as needed with any immediate
remediation of the issue.
Ensure all issues are reported in a timely manner using theFIRST^® Reporting Portal.Youth Protection
Concerns encompasses a wide variety of one-time or ongoing issues such as suspected abuse,
bullying, harassment, discrimination, questionable behavior, or violation to the FIRST^® Code of Conduct.
Reporting Other Issues or Concerns
Feedback about issues such as game play, rule changes,
awards, and event management (other than
medical/safety issues) are considered program related
concerns and not youth protection issues and should be
shared with FIRST via customerservice@firstinspires.org
or bycontacting support.
Please note that match results and award results are final
help.firstinspires.org/s/contactsupport
and that we will not review match videos.

Safety
An important priority for all volunteers is to observe their event areas to help promote a safe and
orderly space for all the participants. It’s likely that various volunteers and event participants will bring
concerns to your attention, but you should also be proactive in identifying areas of concern.
Prioritize working with the teams to help identify and correct potential safety issues in the area. Please
review the section aboutTeam Interaction and Supportfor the best ways to work with teams on
making changes.
Safety Glasses and Closed Toe Shoes
All volunteers, teams, coach/mentors, and spectators are required to have safety glasses and wear
closed toe shoes while in the pit and competition areas. It is important to watch out for anyone entering
these areas without proper personal protective Equipment (PPE) and to ask them to put on proper PPE
before entering. Some events will have volunteers staffed at the pit entrance with spare safety glasses
to pass out. Other events may not have spares to provide.

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Important Tools
Public Schedule
The Program Delivery Partner or the Event Director should publish the public schedule of events before
the event. This schedule will have a high-level overview of all the activities for the event. It is important
that everyone at the event does their best to stay true to the public schedule so that teams and
volunteers who have planned their day around these times have a good experience.

Time
Agenda
7:15 am
Doors Open for Staff & Key Volunteers
7:30 am
Judges and Inspectors Report
8:00 am
Doors Open for Teams
8:30 am
Judging & Inspection Commences
10:15 am Team Check-in Hard Deadline (Check the Competition Manual)
Match schedule is generated and distributed to teams. (Check the Competition Manual)
10:30 am Note to Scorekeeper: 6 Matches total(Check the Competition Manual)
10:40 am Drivers’ Meeting with Head Referee & Opening Ceremony
Qualification Matches 1 - 8
11:00 am Note to Scorekeeper: 7-minute cycle-time
12:00 pm Lunch
Qualification Matches 9 - 45
12:45 pm Note to Scorekeeper: 5-minute cycle-times
3:50 pm
Qualification Matches Projected End
4:00 pm
Alliance Selection
4:20 pm
Double Elimination Rounds 1 - 4
5:10 pm
Award Ceremonies Start & Double Eliminations Round 5
6:20 pm
Projected End of Event
7:00 pm
Doors Close
Occasionally things that happen out of the event’s control may impact the schedule. In these cases,
work closely with the Event Director to understand the updated agenda.
Figure 1: Example Schedule for a 30 Team Event

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Registered Teams List
The Program Delivery Partner may provide a list of teams registered for the event or the scorekeeper
can export a report of all the registered teams for the event. Sometimes this list may change the day of
the event based on which teams show up. The Scorekeeper report will have the most accurate
information about who is competing at an event. Notes that teams may be competing only in the
judging portion of the event and not have a robot present.
Figure 2: Competing Team Report
Volunteer Roster
The Volunteer Coordinator or the Program Delivery Partner will have access to a list of applied and
assigned volunteers for the event.

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Event Layout/Map
The Program Delivery Partner and Event Director should publish a map of the venue before the event. In
some cases, details on the map might not be available until the day of the event.
The Event Layout / Map should detail the following:
• Load-In Path
• Parking for Personal Vehicles and Busses
• Team Check-in
• Volunteer Check-in
• Competition Area
• Pit Area (May include thePit Map)
• Judging Room Locations (if applicable)
• Safety Details as available (Emergency Exits, AED, Shelter in Place Locations)

Figure 3: Example Event Map
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Judging Schedule

Figure 4: Example Judging Schedule
Match Schedule
The match list will be generated on the day of the event after the teams have been confirmed. This
schedule will list which teams will play in which alliance (Red or Blue) and it will also list a match start
time see Figure 5. Some events will have more than one competition field. Some events will have more
than one division, in which case each division will have its own schedule.

Figure 5: Example Match Schedule

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Pit Map
Pit maps are typically provided by either the Event Director or by the Scorekeeper. Having a map of
where each team is in the pit is key, as teams, parents or Queuers might need to find. Below are two
sample pit mapsin Figure 6andFigure 7. Pit Maps created in FTC Scoring will appear on theFTC-
Eventspage.

Figure 6: Example Pit Map for a small12-team Qualifier Event

Figure 7: Example Pit Map for a Typical Regional Championship Event

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Useful Links and Information
On-Call Support Numbers
On-Call Support
These numbers are for volunteer support only. Teams should not use these numbers
to call about rulings or technical assistance.

Administrative, Judge, Referee and Non-Technical Issues:
(603)206-2412

Scoring System (FTC Live) or other Technical Issues:

(603)206-2450
Call or use the built-in chat feature on FTC Live available for events with internet
access
Pre-Event Support
Mon – Fri
8:30am – 5:00pm Eastern Time (UTC-4 or UTC-5)
Contact Supportincluding live chat or emailcustomerservice@firstinspires.org

Program Resources
FIRST^® Tech Challenge Website
Event Search

Game and Season Resources
FIRST^® Tech Challenge Blog

Volunteer Resources
Team Email Blasts

Feedback
We strive to create support materials that are the best they can be. If you have feedback about this
manual, please emailcustomerservice@firstinspires.orgor bycontacting support. Thank you!
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Document Outline

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