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Recruit new, good members that stay :D

What is the goal of onboarding?

  1. Spark engagement/interest (make them stay)

  2. Teach useful content to new members (make them useful)

    1. its really difficult (too much for too little time)

  3. Let new members take on a simple task (get use out of them)

  4. Allow them to find out what they’re interested in

Best for us vs best for them?

best for us is make them solder/power budget slaves

best for them is do fun-ish things to put on resume

What makes people interested in Hardware?

  • resume clout

  • to find out if they like it

  • digital logic: like a puzzle

    • satisfying when you figure it out

  • to touch PCBs (better than software in this regard!)

    • soldering

  • new stuff

    • between fw/hw/mech, you are least likely to have exposure to hw

What makes people want to join design team?

  1. learn something

  2. make friends!

  3. application of hw to a real end-goal

  4. resume clout

What makes ppl want to join midsun?

  • solar/renewable energy!

  • car is cool

  • big/multiple teams

  • largest product out of any design teams

What makes people want to quit

  • too much stuff to download/start with

  • no tasks?

  • hard to sign up for a board

  • no support / too scared to ask questions

What does a new member need to learn?

  • electrical laws & components

    • voltage division, capacitance

  • high level board system overview

  • how to use Google

    • but also make sure you’re approachable for questions

  • Understanding schematics

    • maybe not Altium, but A365 navigation

  • Test equipment

    • multimeter, oscilloscope, power supply

  • Soldering

  • Read datasheet (cntrl-f…)

  • Safety!!!

    • inhaling solder fumes (fan on!)

    • shorting power supply

    • thermal camera not touch?

    • doublecheck polarity

  • Selecting a component (DIGIKEY)

What does a 1A student know how to do?

  • V=IR is grade 9…

  • maybe breadboards (15%)

    • wiring (parallel vs series)

    • resistors

    • switches

    • LEDs

    • AND/OR gates

  • Arduino? (30%)

  • Computers (20%)

What tasks/activities can we give to a 1A student?

  • power budget

    • read schematic

    • read datasheet

    • understand board operating conditions

    • understand current paths

    • P = IV

  • Design UV cutoff

    • how does comparator work

    • voltage division

  • Read datasheet

  • Read schematic, tell me what it does

  • Tutorial board

  • Characterizing/validation

    • relays: draw diff power at diff voltage?

How should onboarding be scheduled/formatted

  • Real project w guidance

  • Fake project w guidance

    • recreate 1 page of a schematic

      • combine/compare afterwards

  • Working session (lead does stuff & you watch/help)

  • Show & tell

  • Show & tell tutorial + follow-along?

    • more for Altium… which we don’t need

  • Simple task

    • characterizing

      • steering stalk….

      • fans

      • relays

      • motor controller HV capacitor discharge

    • validation

      • CC button debouncing

      • UV cutoff thresholds (on the old board)

    • power budget……

    • harnessing /electrical distribution

    • replace out of stock IC on….

      • ???? some board

F23 HW ONOARDING Weekly Plan:

  1. High-level inquiry

    1. what systems need to be in place in a solar car?

      1. collaborative! w guidance from lead

    2. Share ideas w everyone??

    3. So here’s what actually goes into our solar car:

      1. (mini presentation part)

    4. advertise next week is hands-on

    5. stay after for questions & touring

  2. Fake project w guidance (in groups w lead)

    1. spec me a resistor for this LED

    2. spec me a capacitor & resistor for an RC filter

      1. best group gets a prize

    3. something competitive

      1. cost??

  3. Working session / real small task + signup

    1. (any of the above ‘small tasks’)

    2. Group signup!

    3. let them work on it in their own time if they want

    4. multiple diff tasks, each with their own lead?

How to improve hw project management

  • Trello?

  • Revive Jira!

  • anything that helps track what has been said and what needs to be done

  • Weekly meetings schedule

    • 1-off meetings

  • Notion..

  • person-based not project-based

How to improve hw team vibes

  • more ppl in person

  • group of ppl who join together is (thumbs up)

    • group onboarding tasks!!!!

  • formula: event to invite ‘first years w prospect’ to a competition day… camp overnight and stuff

  • make it less scary to sign up for tasks / ask questions

Things to do:

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