Glimpses of Hackathons

The word hackathon is a combination of the words "hack" and "marathon" where hack stands for experimental, creative problem solving with a playful approach and marathon stands for the duration of the event. The hackathon has its origin in software and hardware engineering, but the concept is now also successfully applied in other industries for developing innovative solutions.

What is a hackathon?

According to wikipedia, A hackathon (also known as a hack day, hackfest or codefest; a portmanteau of hacking marathon) is a design sprint-like event; often, in which computer programmers and others involved in software development, including graphic designers, interface designers, project managers, domain experts, and others collaborate intensively on software projects.

      A hackathon is a 24-48 hour marathon of building, creating, producing, and delivering a product in a short amount of time. Many are competitions, some are more educational, and most have a ton of really talented coders mixed in with some newbies.

The format usually involves a kickoff where participants pitch ideas for apps, website, products (even if they've never coded before!). Then teams form among coders of similar interest. Workshops usually kick off soon after, with companies invited to sponsor prizes and give talks about how to use their products. The actual hacking usually takes place over about 8-12 hours, depending on whether or not sleep is important to you.

After the products are done, teams demo their products to a panel of judges for a chance to win prizes.

What is the purpose of a hackathon and what makes hackathons so appealing
?

The purpose of Hackathons is rapid prototyping, building new projects, and presenting them at the end of the event. The best ones are rewarded and have the opportunity to be developed further. There are different types and topics of hackathons all over the world but the goal is the same – prototype something that improves and contributes to our lives. A hackathon is a place that combines technology, business and culture.

 

 

 

 

 

A hackathon is an event in which designers, hackers, data architects, entrepreneurs, developers, data scientists, researchers, business leaders and people interested in making their city a better place collaborate intensively on software projects. Hackathons usually last between a day and a week and also are known as hack day, hackfest, codefest. Such events have become very popular around the world recently.

 

How to run a hackathon?

Running a successful hackathon is chiefly about a robust and well-formulated challenge, an engaged crowd, and securing the right infrastructure.

Whether digital or physical, every hackathon follows roughly the same process: preparation, team creation, creative problem solving, and, finally, presentations and awards. Below, we break down the steps:

Before the hackathon:

1. Choose a motto and define the challenge(s)

2. Decide on the right infrastructure

3. Define your process

4. Define and communicate to your key stakeholders

5. Roles & responsibilities

6. Define your audience

7. Consider risks and obstacles  

During the hackathon:

1. Matchmaking: Share skills and create teams

2. The hack

3. Communication throughout the hack

After the hackathon: 

1. Judging ideas

2. Announce the winners

3. Keep in touch

Summary

To sum up, hackathons represent an interactive form of collaboration that is, undoubtedly, here to stay.

While hackathons have some drawbacks , their impact is powerful and lasting. The culture of sharing they promote, the variety of talent they attract, their gamified, fun nature, and their versatility make hackathons an ideal tool for innovation.