The Engineering Design Process (EDP) is the heart of how successful VEX teams turn ideas into winning robots. It’s not a straight line—it’s an ongoing cycle of thinking, building, testing, and improving. Here's how it works in VEX:

1. Identify the Problem

Understand the game and its challenges

• Read the game manual carefully

• Watch the game reveal video

• Discuss what actions score points, what the endgame requires, and what strategies might work

“What does our robot need to do to win this game?”

2. Brainstorm Solutions

Generate ideas—no wrong answers!

• Sketch mechanisms and layout ideas

• Research existing designs or watch early reveals

• Consider what your team can realistically build and code

“What kinds of robots could work well for this challenge?”

3. Select the Best Solution

Choose a strategy that fits your team

• Narrow down to a specific design based on function, reliability, and build complexity

• Think about trade-offs (speed vs. power, simplicity vs. features)

“What design gives us the best chance to score consistently?”

4. Design the Robot

Plan before you build

• Create detailed sketches or CAD models

• Determine dimensions, motor distribution, gear ratios, and how subsystems will work together

• Decide how the drive team will control each function

“How will we turn our idea into a real, buildable robot?”

5. Build a Prototype

Start building!

• Begin with one subsystem at a time (like the drive base, intake, or lift)

• Test functionality early—even rough prototypes

• Document the build process in your Engineering Notebook

“Let’s see if our design works in real life.”

6. Test and Evaluate

Try it out and gather feedback

• Run tests to see if the robot performs as expected

• Identify weaknesses, jams, or parts that aren’t working efficiently

• Get feedback from drivers and scouts

“What’s working well—and what needs fixing?”

7. Improve the Design

Iterate, iterate, iterate

• Tweak subsystems to fix problems

• Rebuild components for better speed, strength, or control

• Improve wiring, weight balance, and driver control

• Update your notebook with all changes and results

“Let’s make it better than last time.”

8. Repeat as Needed

The cycle continues all season long

• After every competition, reflect and redesign

• Use match footage and scout data to guide updates

• Keep improving until States… then Worlds 👀

Document Everything!

Use your Engineering Notebook to record each step of this process—ideas, drawings, decisions, tests, and results. Judges love to see how the robot evolved over time!