Sub-Teams and the Org Chart

Designing the Org Chart

An org chart is simply a diagram of who is responsible for what and who reports to whom. Even a small team benefits from drawing one, because it forces you to name every job that needs doing.

Common Technical Sub-Teams

• Mechanical / Build — designs and fabricates the chassis, drivetrain, and game-piece mechanisms.
• Electrical — wiring, the Power Distribution Hub (PDH) or older Power Distribution Panel (PDP), motor controllers, pneumatics, and the control system (roboRIO).
• Software / Programming — robot code (usually Java, C++, or Python with WPILib), driver controls, and autonomous routines.
• CAD / Design — models the robot in tools like Onshape or SolidWorks before anything is cut.

The Business & Operations Sub-Team

The business sub-team typically owns several distinct functions, and on larger teams each becomes its own sub-group with a lead:

• Finance — budgeting, purchase tracking, reimbursements.
• Sponsorship & Fundraising — sponsor outreach, grant applications, sponsor relations.
• Outreach & Community — demos, mentoring younger teams, running events.
• Marketing / Media — website, social media, photography, branding, the team logo and uniforms.
• Awards & Documentation — the Impact Award submission, the business plan, the team portfolio.
• Logistics — travel, hotels, food, registration deadlines, and pit organization at events.

This matches how FIRST and veteran teams describe business: managing fundraising and sponsorships, applying for grants, handling order schedules and sub-system budgets, social media and public relations, travel itineraries, competition document submissions, and team uniforms.

Where Business Sits

A frequent misconception is that business is "below" engineering. On healthy teams, business and technical sub-teams are peers under a shared student leadership layer (captains) and mentor layer. Business does not just support engineering; it raises the money that pays for engineering, tells the team's story, and wins the awards that earn championship advancement.

A Sample Structure

Lead Mentors (adults)
        |
  Team Captain(s)  (students)
   /            \
Technical Lead   Business Lead
  |  |  |  |       |   |   |   |
 Mech Elec SW CAD  Fin Spon Out Media

Sizing It to Your Team

A 12-person rookie team may have one person wearing the finance, sponsorship, and media hats. A 60-person team may have a dozen people in business alone. The principle is the same: name every function, assign an owner, and write it down so the role survives the person.