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For the writer, what would you say is the most efficient way to start off? Would it be describing the most complicated things first, or in order of the easiest way to put it all together? Or just from bottom to top left to right or something? For example, if you know you're not going to finish, should you describe the most detailed and hard parts first because they might be worth more points?

I personally started from the places I know I could explain quickly and accurately, because if I did run out of time, I got as many correct connections as I could have. If everything is of the same difficulty, I normally would pick the far left or right corner to start. It's all up to you and your partner and how you feel would be the most efficient way to build. I had a fast Do'er this year, so I was just focused on getting as much written down as I could in the time that we were given so he could build as much as possible.

ceg7654 wrote:For the writer, what would you say is the most efficient way to start off? Would it be describing the most complicated things first, or in order of the easiest way to put it all together? Or just from bottom to top left to right or something? For example, if you know you're not going to finish, should you describe the most detailed and hard parts first because they might be worth more points?

Having this event enough, I start of with saying whether to focus on the time or on quality. Then I start with the largest and most important connections and go from there. Or work from one area to another depending on how confident in feeling about the rest of the build.

Allinea wrote: Having this event enough, I start of with saying whether to focus on the time or on quality. Then I start with the largest and most important connections and go from there. Or work from one area to another depending on how confident in feeling about the rest of the build.

Congrats on your medal today, by the way. I'm assuming that was you.

Other than materials like pipe cleaners and craft supplies, Styrofoam, binder/paper clips and other regular office supplies, straws, beads, lab equipment, and plastic toys like Legos and K'nex, what sorts of other unusual materials (or even usual ones) have you seen at your competitions?

CulturallyScientific wrote:Other than materials like pipe cleaners and craft supplies, Styrofoam, binder/paper clips and other regular office supplies, straws, beads, lab equipment, and plastic toys like Legos and K'nex, what sorts of other unusual materials (or even usual ones) have you seen at your competitions?

There were those chemical spot plates at my Invitational. Good for WIDI because there's many little sections. Also dice, good because there's a certain number on each side. That's pretty much all I can remember that you haven't mentioned yet and isn't too obvious.

CulturallyScientific wrote:Other than materials like pipe cleaners and craft supplies, Styrofoam, binder/paper clips and other regular office supplies, straws, beads, lab equipment, and plastic toys like Legos and K'nex, what sorts of other unusual materials (or even usual ones) have you seen at your competitions?

At Regionals this year, the materials used were Chex Mix, Cheerios, and nails on a styrofoam board. Crazy stuff.

What do you think are qualities a doer and a writer should have? I'm doing this with my best frien, and we are trying to decide who should be the writer/doer.
For example, the writer should be really technical-minded and good at explaining things

SOnerd wrote:What do you think are qualities a doer and a writer should have? I'm doing this with my best frien, and we are trying to decide who should be the writer/doer.
For example, the writer should be really technical-minded and good at explaining things

OK, I've coached WIDI at both B and C divisions.

WRITER:
Quick writer and adequate speller.
Attention to detail.
Sense of time (get it all done in 25 minutes)
Able to come up with descriptions of strange things.
Not easily frustrated
Sense of distance and angles

DOER:
Quick worker with steady hands
Quick reader and good decoder if the writer is less than perfect spelling
Not easily frustrated; able to move on if things don't make sense
Able to concentrate and get it done in 20 minutes
Not easily distracted by other doers in the room

THE PAIR:
Able to work together to come up with ways to describe things
Trusting that the other is doing his or her best -- this is probably the most important quality.
Enthusiastic (well that goes for all SO events)

WHO DOES WHAT JOB:
Why don't you each write two and do two and I am sure as you discuss how it went, you'll come to the conclusion of who should write and who should do! If one of you have done WIDI before (and I'm guessing not), I find that usually the one with more experience tends to be the better writer as he understands what the doer needs. Of course, this isn't always true.

Best to you!

That was really helpful for my partner and I. Thanks hscmom! However, we're still pretty evenly matched. The main thing is that I'm good at describing structures with many different levels, and she's great at describing structures that are flatter. I think the latter is harder(there was one we saw a sample of that had paper cutouts and it looked super hard) but the former is more common.