These notes come from five successful years of Open Data Day DC and other civic hackathons that I’ve run, sponsored, or participated in. Workshops can also be places to have a discussion about issues in the field related to the hackathon. Look for codes of conduct used at events you admire, or copy from Code for DC’s code of conduct or Tech Lady Hackathon + Training Day’s code of conduct. You may want to reserve a section of the bar (they may ask for a payment ahead of time or a guaranteed minimum spend that they will charge you after if your people don’t order enough). I take it for granted that you want to run a hackathon. In large groups, have each project report on its accomplishments. Determine your maximum capacity. Don’t stay up all night, don’t pump participants with caffeine, and don’t make winners and losers. Guide them on how to make progress on their projects, Identify how they can take on newcomers, what tasks are doable for newcomers, Identify what sort of help their project needs, A social media channel, like a hashtag on Twitter or a Facebook group, A shared document space, like Google Docs or, Paper, markers, and tape to write and post signs with, Name tag stickers and markers for people to write their names on their name tag, Note cards, pens, paper and other supplies to facilitate project planning, Plastic cups, paper plates, and disposable utensils if you are providing food, Email any journalists you know who may be interested in the event, Charge your camera so you are ready to take photos. Also read the Hopper Conference Diversity Guide’s section on this. ), and what restrictions will be accommodated (vegetarian, etc. Be around to ensure that the workshop leader doesn’t have any technology problems. (If you are running a large event, also read through all of the accessibility concerns listed here.). If holding the event outside of business hours, check that the venue will have air conditioning/heating. Security will probably print whatever you have as-is and things get complicated quickly when the list is not in order. His research focuses on creating technologies and practices that support the relationships of people engaged in technical work, especially in open-source software development and software production in science. Anyone who has brought a project to work on should then introduce the project to everyone. Get them to record their progress on the tumblr. It’s up to you, and you have to strike the right balance between bringing in enough sponsorships with not interfering with the goals of your event. Be responsible with your food. Do a walk-through of your venue. And, of course, if there is a problem at your event having a code of conduct ahead of time will help you resolve the issue. Look at who is coming and if you know some of those people are coming with particular projects, identify project leaders. Hackathons. Lay out the name badges. For a free event, about 65% of those who register will actually show up. Leading up to wrap-up, make sure each project is prepared to explain what they did. He was recently awarded the SIGSOFT Outstanding Research Award in 2016, and previously the Alan Newell Award for Research Excellence in 2014. Have someone managing workshops. A code of conduct is not just about enforcing rules. We value your attendance. Start with a brief session welcoming everyone and laying out the day: In a small event (up to about 30 people), you can have all of the participants introduce themselves. Mid-day activities such as lunch-time speakers and video calls with people off-site are incredibly distracting for participants who are now eager to get working on a problem. The libraries used for hackathons are reoccurring bits and pieces of trends, tech components and human needs. Run the workshops in a second room if at all possible. You may want to email the registered attendees at this point with as much of the logistics information as you know, so that they can plan ahead. Hackathon, a combination of the words hack and marathon, is an event of any duration where people come together to build solutions around a … You can run workshops to introduce participants to the subject of the hackathon or to particular technical skills useful for the hackathon. Often groups of 2-5 individuals form around a project, such as building a new data visualization, writing a document, or collaboratively investigating a problem. Designer. Professional venues charge quite a bit of money, so you will need to find something that fits your budget. Food is surprisingly expensive though, so do what you can. Ideally you should provide coffee and light fare for breakfast and beverages throughout the day (especially water). List of 20+ Simple Hackathon Ideas 2021 #Updated - We Observed A post-event happy hour the evening after the hackathon wraps up gives participants a chance to socialize now that they know each other. For a small group, ask volunteers to report what they accomplished or what they learned (especially for workshop participants). At the end of the event, a wrap-up session gives each project a chance to demonstrate some accomplishments. At some point in your life as a programmer, a friend or colleague will tell you about a hackathon. You can also hold non-project activities — workshops, described below — which are easier for newcomers to join. Plan for at least one helper for every 10-20 participants. Bridging that gap requires careful planning ahead of time. "hack-days" and "hack-weeks" teach hacking and making skills to diverse audiences without software backgrounds, like artists and scientists. Depending on the purpose of your event, consider livestreaming it or including … Domain Expert. You can run workshops to introduce participants to the subject of the hackathon or to particular technical skills useful for the hackathon. And always be open to project ideas from participants. A successful hackathon might be just hacking, just training, or both hacking and training. A step-by-step guide by Joshua Tauberer based on running and participating in many hackathons. Hacking begins with project introductions. They’re wrong, of course, but until they feel like they belong they will not be able to have a fulfilling experience. Figure on $7 to $15 per person. Seating requirements are different for hacking and workshops. ... We expect participants to follow these rules at hackathon and workshop venues and hackathon-related social events. So therefore: provide non-alcoholic drinks; supervise the environment to ensure it remains professional and comfortable for all; be near public transit. It’s a fantastic place to share ideas, learn from others, and build connections. Choose your workshop leaders carefully. #2 is fine if the group is happy. Meet with project leads and talk about these components of their project ahead of time if possible. For large events, you will probably need sponsors to help you cover the costs. "edit-a-thons" support intensive co-generation of encyclopedia content, and so on. If you have more than one workshop, leave 15-30 minutes free between workshops to allow for the first leader to close up and the second leader to set up. More than 50 Convening Leaders attendees participated in a pre-conference hackathon workshop, pitching their ideas to create brand-new events to attract diverse audiences. Think about what you’re willing to give sponsors in return for their support. Examples: Developer. Combining personal and digital approaches, we help you speed up insights to impact! New ideas are essentially new compositions of already known bits and pieces. The next hackathon is coming up in the spring of 2020. Literally try to imagine how each registered participant will keep occupied at the event based on whatever information you know about them. Workshops & Hackathons. It is my belief that every hackathon needs one main facilitator – the … But #3 is bad: participants without subject matter guidance will feel lost. If you are ordering food, you will probably place the order at least three days ahead of the event.