After being chosen as the software team lead, I knew the next step was crucial: figure out who can solve problems under pressure. The mechanical team was almost done with the robot’s structure, the base assembly had started, and that meant one thing—software had to be ready to make it move.

📢 Calling the Software Team Together

I gathered everyone from the software side in one place with a simple goal:

See who can debug calmly,
Who asks the right questions,
Who takes ownership without waiting for instructions.

We didn’t just talk—we tested. Terminals were open, microcontrollers connected, and tasks were assigned right there.

🛠️ Real Work Begins

I broke the work into focused tasks:

Microcontroller bring-up: flash firmware, verify serial comms.
Motor driver testing: PWM signals, direction control, safety checks.
Raspberry Pi ↔ MCU communication: ROS nodes → topics → messages → feedback loops.
I/O sanity checks: encoders, limit switches, and emergency stop logic.

Some members shined—they read logs, traced issues, and got things running without much hand-holding. Others struggled to keep up with the pace. It wasn’t easy, but for RoboCon we needed a tight, reliable core team, so a few had to step aside.

Leadership note: Saying “no” is as important as saying “go”.

📑 The Surprise Task: Bills & Vouchers

Just when I thought I had enough on my plate, I was given another responsibility:

Collect all purchase bills and prepare a reimbursement voucher for the college.

I took it happily. It taught me that leadership isn’t just code and commits—it’s also documentation, accountability, and smooth ops.

What I did:

Gathered all invoices from teammates.
Logged each item: component name, vendor, price, date, quantity, and project use-case.
Prepared a clean voucher with totals and references for quick approval.

🔄 Balancing Tech + Team + Admin

By the end of Day 6, three pillars of leadership were crystal clear:

Technical Direction → guide ROS setup, communication layers, and test plans.
Team Management → identify strengths, assign ownership, and make tough calls.
Administrative Work → keep finances tidy so the team never stalls.

I realized I wasn’t just building a robot—I was building a team that can ship.

✨ What’s Next

In the next blog, I’ll share:

How we started integrating software with hardware,
The first time the robot actually moved,
And how small wins kept the team fired up.

The RoboCon adventure is no longer just about learning—it’s about leading, organizing, and delivering. 🚀

⚙️ Day 6: From Team Building to Taking Charge