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Hackathons – What are they and why you should care

We hear about hackathons all the time – but what is it and why should we care?

A hackathon is an event that brings together a group of people for an in-depth experience over an extended period of time for the purpose of creating solutions, solving problems, or starting something new. This event typically lasts nonstop from 24 hours to 72 hours or more.  Sometimes hackathons are thought of in an IT context since these events started in that industry, with programmers getting together for days of coding in order to create software prototypes. Since seeing the success of hackathons, they have been broadened and utilized across many industries to bring creative people together to brainstorm, feed off one another, and create unique products and services.

Why should we care? Hackathons are bringing together diverse groups of people around one common purpose and result in real, tangible outcomes. Who doesn’t like tangible outcomes? What makes a hackathon different than a standard meeting? Outside of the time investment and common purpose, one of the keys to a great hackathon is diversity.  In order to come up with new creative ideas, participants should vary in age, experience levels, positions, departments, and backgrounds. They should come to the event with a passion for that specific goal and an open mind to what is possible and be motivated to develop/build/achieve something tangible. By working with a diverse group of people with a tangible outcome, participants are more invested, create more solid friendships/partnerships, and expand their framework for learning.

Interested in learning more? Come to the PCMA event on October 3rd – Hackathon Design Tips to Unleash Fruitful Innovation. Click here to learn more and register today!

For more in-depth reading on your own, hackathon.guide is a great online resource!

Written by: Kristin Malek and Ally Norris

Jena VonderhaarHackathons – What are they and why you should care