§02 · Eight-week timeline
Phases, deliverables, visits — laid out week by week.
The competition runs in five overlapping phases. Five Friday visits to MedRock Pharmacies punctuate the build. Four deliverables are due along the way.
Phases
| Phase | Weeks | Key activities |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Weeks 1–2 | Kickoff, team formation, problem deep-dive, initial research, design brief. Visit 1 (W1). |
| Phase 2 | Week 3 | Conceptual design, feasibility analysis, component sourcing. Visit 2 (W3). |
| Phase 3 | Weeks 4–6 | Prototyping & build. Visit 3 (W5). |
| Phase 4 | Week 7 | Final testing, documentation, demo prep. Visit 4 (W7). |
| Phase 5 | Week 8 | Live Demo Day at MedRock Pharmacies — judging, scoring, prize announcement. |
Visits to MedRock Pharmacies
Five Friday visits, three hours each. Mandatory for every team. Each visit has a different purpose; together they form the spine of the competition.
W1
Visit 1·Orientation
Friday · time TBD · TBD
Observe current powder-weighing workflow firsthand.
W3
Visit 2·Design validation
Friday · time TBD · TBD
Confirm approach against real pharmacy constraints.
W5
Visit 3·Mid-build check
Friday · time TBD · TBD
Test early concepts, gather staff feedback.
W7
Visit 4·Final walkthrough
Friday · time TBD · TBD
Pre-Demo Day readiness check and refinements.
W8
Visit 5·Demo Day
Friday · time TBD · TBD
Live machine demonstration at MedRock Pharmacies.
Deliverables
Week 2
Design Brief
Problem approach, proposed solution, and team roles.
Week 4
Interim Report
Progress update, prototype status, design pivots.
Week 7
Final Technical Documentation
Full design specs, schematics, user manual, test results.
Week 8
Live Demo
Machine demonstration at MedRock Pharmacies.