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Bottom line is, it's really difficult to prepare for this event. The best thing you can do is make sure that the two people you have know each other well, and have excellent communication. Example: My sister and I are the WIDI team for my team this year. We took a practice "test" on Friday, and nailed it, because we know each other well and know how the other communicates. Try to get a partner you know well.

A good way to understand your partner:
when it is built and the first person is writing, have him think aloud and listen to what he is thinking. do the same with the do-er. it helps to see what goes through to them.

My partners are assigned after tryouts. I need two pages of notes for tryouts. Comprende?

Is it required? You don't need notes for this event.

Its required for tryouts

Honestly, there isn't much you can take notes on for WIDI. Put whatever you think may help on the notes, but nothing really matters. Heck, you could bring in two blank sheets of paper and it probably won't make a difference.

Some sources say when you begin the event as a writer, it's helpful to quickly describe what the structure looks like. Other sources say that you shouldn't spend too long trying to figure out what the structure is suppose to be as it is "random". What do you guys think? Is it necessary to describe the general shape of the structure?

I'm not that experirenced but I'd write the instructions piece by piece and once in a while add in what it should look like...that seems to to work well

The general shape of the structure can be helpful, it's not necessary but it's good to make sure you're on the right track. Sometimes, however, it may only confuse the "doer" as it is, as previously stated, completely random. But if it can be made out to look like a shape or parts of it can (i.e. the lower right hand corner should be a triangle) then it's a good idea to do that.

In the rules, it states that you can use abbreviations. But are you allowed to use special symbols for abbreviations such as the degree symbol (a small circle) for the word "degrees"?