What is the purpose of documenting changes made during the rebuild?

Documenting changes made during the rebuild serves several critical functions, with compliance and facilitation of inspections being paramount. This practice ensures that all modifications adhere to the established rules of competition and provides a clear record that can be presented during inspections. Inspectors use this documentation to verify that the robot meets safety and regulatory standards set by the governing body.

Moreover, this documentation can play a significant role in resolving potential disputes or questions regarding the robot's design and functionality. By having detailed records, teams can demonstrate their commitment to following the rules and maintaining transparency in their processes.

While creating checklists for future builds and marketing tools could be beneficial in other contexts, they do not capture the immediate necessity of providing proof of adherence to regulations during events. Impressive presentations to sponsors or judges, while valuable for team morale and funding, are secondary to the functional requirement of ensuring compliance during inspections.