Hackathons are events where people collaborate to build technology projects in a short period of time. They drive innovation through organic creation. At a hackathon, participants build something cool by collaborating with others in a friendly competitive environment. Many large tech companies host hackathons. Benefits include creating new products, features, and bug fixes. They also improve communication, engagement, and knowledge sharing among participants. Hackathons follow a typical process of pitching ideas, forming teams, coding on hack day, and judging projects. Considerations include the participants, location, supplies, and intellectual property. Overall, hackathons are easy to start by determining the format, finding a location, and scheduling the event.

2. HACKATHONS:
DRIVING INNOVATION
THROUGH ORGANIC
CREATION
RACHEL PARSONS
@PINKEERACH

3. HACKA-WAT?!

5. What it isn’t
Hacking into secured
systems
Just for college kids
Writing high quality
software

6. WHAT IT IS
BUILD. COLLABORATE. BRAG.

7. What it is
Build something cool
Collaborate with other people
Friendly competition

8. HACKA-WHY?

9. ALL THE COOL KIDS ARE DOING IT
SXSW, FACEBOOK, YAHOO, ATLASSIAN, DUOLINGO, CARDINAL SOLUTIONS,
PACKARD PLACE

10. BENEFITS

11. Benefits: New Stuff
Products
Features
Bug fixes

12. “It was a chance to create some of the ideas for
products that we always wanted, but never had
time to execute in our day-to-day jobs.”
– Duolingo’s blog on their inaugural hackathon

13. Benefits: Communication
Improved collaboration
New relationships
Knowledge sharing

14. Benefits: Morale
Engagement
Mastery
Autonomy

15. “Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to
engagement”
–Daniel Pink, “Drive”

17. HACKA-HOW?

18. Cardinal’s Approach
Idea Meeting
Team Prep Meeting
Hack Day

19. Idea Meeting
Pitch your idea in 2
minutes
Answer questions for 3
minutes
Pick projects & teams

20. Team Prep Meeting
Define requirements
Plan of attack
Set goals

21. Hack Day
Coding: 12 hours on a Saturday
Judging: 1.5 hours same day
Relax on Sunday

22. LOGITISTICS

23. Things to Consider
Know your participants
Location, food, & supplies
Consider intellectual property

24. HOW TO START

25. It’s Easy
Determine your format
Find a location
Schedule it