Rules of the Road: 10 Sections to Review
Need a Rules of the Road intro or refresher?
There's a lot to unpack when reading Rules of the Road!
Here's our list of the top 10 sections to review with your team!
1) Clarifications
Is there something in the Challenge that confuses your team? Your team may ask up to 10 questions - or Clarifications - about the Challenge. These will be answered by DI's International Challenge Masters (ICMs). You may submit one question per Clarification. The ICMs may also release Public Clarifications if they feel there is an issue all teams should know.
Visit the Clarifications page in the Resource Area to find out the Clarification deadline and to submit yours. Published Clarifications may be posted on the website at any time, so check often!
2) Interference
Only team members may contribute ideas and create the Challenge solution. Help (or Interference) from non-team members, including Team Managers, is not allowed.
3) Budget
There are a number of items - including musical instruments, A/V equipment, computers, and Arduinos - that are exempt from your Team Challenge budget. Some materials may be eligible for partial prices, yard sale prices, or trash prices. Only materials that are used in the final solution need to be expensed, meaning items such as prototypes or those shown in pictures/videos are exempt.
4) Team Choice Elements
A Team Choice Element may not be a specific item that is required in the Central Challenge that is already being evaluated. It can, however, be a single, unique element of a required item. The Team Choice Element may also be a larger item that includes a required element. Example: A “vehicle” is a required scoring item in the Central Challenge. The team may not list the entire vehicle as a Team Choice Element. However, the side of the vehicle might feature artwork painted by the team. The team may ask that the artwork on the vehicle be evaluated separately.
5) Moving Props
All Presentation materials should fit through a standard doorway. At the tournament, anyone may help unload, uncrate, and move scenery and props to and from the tournament site(s) and to the Launch Area, depending on the site.
Once your team’s scenery and props are in the Launch Area, only team members may touch them and/or move them into the Presentation Area. Your team may complete assembly of props and scenery in the Launch Area. When the Appraisers signal that they are ready to watch the team’s Presentation, the team must stop assembly.
After the Presentation, anyone may help teams remove props from the Presentation Area.
6) The Audience
Your team may not involve the audience or the Appraisal Team in your Presentation in any Team Challenge. This includes a team’s Preparation time for the Improv Challenge. Your team cannot ask the Appraisal Team how much time has elapsed or how much time is left for your Presentation. In addition, audience members may not communicate with your team in any way. This includes Team Managers and all nonpresenting team members.
7) Safety
Appraisers may stop a Presentation at any time if they feel that a solution poses a safety risk. Teams may or may not be allowed to resume their Presentation.
All team members must wear shoes or foot coverings with reasonably impenetrable soles at all times. Any team members placing weights in the Engineering Challenge must wear closed-toe shoes.
At the Tournament Site, your team may not use lasers/laser pointers, aerosol-paint, powders, and live animals, or turn off lights. The use of helium balloons or latex may be prohibited depending on your Site.
Your team may not produce an open flame, use extreme heat or cold, or use smoke/fog machines. Your team may use dry ice. Your team should have a safety data sheet or a product safety data sheet showing that items you wish to use are safe.
8) Site Procedures
Your team cannot attach anything to walls or furniture at the Presentation Site, and your team cannot use any items that happen to be at the Presentation Site (such as chairs or tables) in your solution.
9) Time Limit
The time limit listed in your Team Challenge means that your entire solution, including the moving of scenery and props from the Launch Area to the Presentation Area, must take place within the stated time. Your team may not go over time, but your team does not need to use all of the allotted time. Cleanup of your Presentation Area takes place after time is up.
Timing will end when your Presentation is finished or the time limit is up, whichever comes first. Your Presentation will be stopped if your time limit expires before the end of your Presentation.
10) Forms
Don't forget to submit your Tournament Data Forms, Expense Report and TC and IC Prep online in the resource area before the deadline. Come to the Tournament prepared with printed copy of your forms, just in case of technical issues. Your Appraisal Team will depend on this paperwork to assist them in giving you all of the points you have earned!
Want a printed copy to review with your team?
Check out the printable 10 Sections to Review flyer!
