Engineering Portfolio

[Billie Jean]

Answers to questions about the Engineering Portfolio.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Engineering Notebook Organization

Q: Have teams organized their Engineering Notebook by award before? Is it a viable option?

A: Some teams have presented an engineering notebook organized by award. The notebook can be arranged in a way that makes it easy to show the additional supporting content if the judges have questions.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Engineering Portfolio Size Rules

Q: What are the rules for the Engineering Portfolio? Are the 15 pages and the Portfolio separate categories?

A: The 15 pages is the entire engineering portfolio. Teams may use on side of the first page as a cover sheet. In total, the engineering portfolio would amount to 8 sheets of 8.5 inch x 11 inch paper (U.S.) or 210mm x 297mm (EU), if printed on both sides of the paper.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Think Award Judging

Q: How will Think Judging be different with the introduction of the Engineering Portfolio?

A: Judges will rely heavily on the quality of the engineering portfolio to make their decisions about the Think Award. The criteria is listed in Game Manual Part 1 and from the perspective of the judges, the portfolio should cover examples and narrative to cover the criteria (this is true for all awards).

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Preferred Engineering Portfolio Format

Q: Is there a preferred format for the engineering portfolio that is most helpful for the judges?

A: The judges are looking for evidence of the award criteria in the portfolio. Organizing the portfolio with a focus on award criteria is helpful and makes it easier for the judges to locate in the portfolio. Making it easy to read (e.g. font size, font or paper color can help or hinder readability) is also helpful to consider.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Meeting Entries in the Engineering Portfolio

Q: Would you encourage that we continue to do meeting entries in the engineering portfolio?

A: Teams will have better content for their engineering portfolio if the continue to create entries in their engineering notebook. Remember, the engineering portfolio should be made up of the best examples of content from the engineering notebook.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Engineering Notebook Requests

Q: Will judges still request to see our engineering notebook as well as our engineering portfolio?

A: The judges may request specific pages of content from the engineering notebook, but it is highly unlikely that judges will request the entire engineering notebook.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Engineering Portfolio Requirements

Q: Are things like cover pages, table of contents, and the summary page part of the 15 pages? Or is it 15 pages of documentation plus the cover page and table of contents?

A: The engineering portfolio can include a table of contents and a summary page, and those pages are counted as part of the 15 pages.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Engineering Notebook/Portfolio

Q: I was looking through the remote game manual and I see two sections. One for the engineering notebook and the other for engineering portfolio. I sort of understand the difference, but do we do both? Are they supposed to be separate or in the same file/binder?

A: The engineering notebook is used to capture the entire season in detail. The engineering portfolio is a concise subset of the information included in the engineering notebook. You could think of the engineering portfolio as the executive summary of the engineering notebook. Most awards require a team to turn in the engineering portfolio to be considered for the award. The engineering notebook is highly encouraged. Teams will pull the best content from their engineering notebook to create the engineering portfolio. Also keep in mind that the judges may request more details from the engineering notebook that aren't included in the engineering profile.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: Sections of Portfolio

Q: Are there any recommendations for the amount of pages in each section (engineering, team plan, etc.) for the portfolio?

A: There are no recommendations for the amount of pages in each section.

[Billie Jean]

Subject: What is more important, content or formatting?

Q: Aside from what FIRST sets as minimum requirements for both the engineering notebook and the engineering portfolio, are the judges more concerned with the format requirements and presentation, or the content?

A: The judges who review the engineering portfolio are instructed that content is most important. Teams should still ensure the engineering portfolio is well formatted. If the portfolio is hard to read, not well organized, etc., it could make it difficult for judges to adequately focus on the content.