Design Reviews: Catching Problems Early

What a design review is

A design review is a structured meeting where designers present their work and the team critically examines it before manufacturing. The goal is to find problems while they are still just pixels — changing a model is free; changing a built robot costs metal, time, and the season clock. A culture of honest, blameless review is one of the biggest differences between top teams and the rest.

When to hold reviews

• Concept review — after prototyping, before detailed CAD: is this the right mechanism for our strategy?
• Subsystem review — when a subsystem's CAD is roughly complete: does it work, fit, and integrate?
• Pre-manufacturing (final) review — before parts are cut/ordered: is it actually buildable and within budget/weight?

Run it from the live model

Because Onshape is collaborative, run the review inside the CAD. Use Follow Mode so everyone sees the presenter's view, drag mates to demonstrate range of motion, and run an interference check live. Reviewers can leave comments pinned to specific parts. If a risky change is proposed, create a branch to explore it without disturbing the main design.

A practical review checklist

• Strategy fit: Does this subsystem serve the team's prioritized game strategy?
• Requirements: Does it meet the written requirements (speed, reach, capacity)?
• Rules: Does the full robot stay within the legal envelope (R104: 110 in perimeter and 30 in height; R105: 12 in extension; R103/R408: 115/135 lb in 2026)?
• Interference & motion: Any collisions? Does it move through its full range without hitting itself or the field?
• Manufacturability: Can we make every part with our tools? Standard hole patterns? COTS where possible? Inside-corner fillets present?
• Assembly & maintenance: Can a human reach the fasteners? Can we service it quickly between matches?
• Weight & cost: Is the BOM within weight and budget? Any cheaper/lighter alternatives?
• Failure modes: What breaks first under impact? Are thin tubes crush-protected? Are high-load joints robust?
• Integration: Wiring routing, sensor placement, bumper mounting, battery access — does everything coexist?

Make feedback actionable

End every review with a concrete action list: who changes what by when. Vague approval ('looks good') is not a review. The most valuable reviewers ask 'how does this fail?' and 'how do you build this?' rather than just admiring the model.

Iterate, don't defend

The designer's job in a review is to get the best possible robot, not to defend their work. Welcome the hard questions — a problem found in review is a problem you didn't bring to competition. Pair reviews with the engineering design process loop: review, refine, re-review.

Why this is the capstone skill

Everything in this department — software choice, the design process, modeling, libraries, manufacturability, drawings, and BOMs — comes together in the review. A team that reviews well ships a robust robot earlier and spends more time driving and practicing, which is how matches are won.