When teams of three are sharing one work station as they try for ICPC World Finals gold, all three highly skilled problem solvers must work together seamlessly.
Some teams ask their fastest typists to write the code.
Some teams ask a specialist to take over problems in areas he or she have expertise.
Alexandre Davis said his team from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais aims to keep each member fresh throughout the five-hour competition.
“We change positions as often as possible so one person doesn’t tire,” he said.
Anthony “A.J.” Piergiovanni said his Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology team subscribes to a somewhat ad hoc strategy.
One person logs onto the computer while the other two teammates crack open the problem set. One reader starts at the beginning; the other, the end.
“Some of us have specialties, so if we see something that we someone else might be able to do, we tell them,” he said. “But usually it’s a self-judged thing. If we think we can do it, we just start working on it.”
Some times it works. Other times, they lose precious time.
“We have an ego-less team,” said coach Shawn Bohner. “We all respect each other highly. Sometimes there’s conflict and stuff. And we haven’t experienced any of that, which I think drains away the waste of time. So when they’re working, they’re working effectively towards the goal and that’s it.”
Dioni L. Wise for ICPCNews