Hackathon

Hackathon gets its name from the combination of the words “hacking” and “marathon”. The event is aimed at the IT industry. IT professionals and others involved in software development, such as graphic designers, interface developers, and project managers, face a specific design problem. 

What is a hackathon about?

A hackathon is a short-term, participatory activity where participants come together to solve real-world problems and challenges. Hackathons take place over a short period, such as 48 hours, usually over a weekend. The task to be completed is announced on the day of the competition. Only the work done during the event is taken into account when evaluating the final project. Hackathon participants are students, and throughout the event, industry professionals are responsible for mentoring support. One of the event’s essential elements is to introduce the participants to the details of the hackathon topic and the IT industry itself. 

Preparation of assumptions should be complemented by detailed market analysis, including, for example, such information as to size and type of market, products, competition, directions of development, challenges. The more detailed the introduction is, the solutions proposed during the hackathon can represent a higher level. 

The course of the hackathon

The process of organizing and conducting a successful hackathon may vary slightly depending on the hackathon’s duration, the type, and issue of the problems/ and the target groups involved.

It is important to note that it is challenging to completely solve the problems/challenges before the hackathon is over. This is normal; real issues can be tricky enough and cannot be solved in a few days. However, brilliant teams can prepare an operational proof of concept PoCs and provide an innovative application of knowledge and technologies available in real-world cases. These proofs of vision can be developed in the weeks following the hackathon through additional activities or direct interest from individual parties. A hackathon is often one activity on a longer list of requirements needed to solve a larger problem. A hackathon can also be thought of as a training session that prepares participants to solve problems or create innovations in the field.

Want to know more about the hackathons that Applover was involved in? Read the articles below.