COVID19 UD hackathon
HACKATHON HOWTO:
A Hackathon is an event where people tackle specific challenges in small groups to produce rapid results that outline issues and promising approaches to solutions. At this time, COVID-19 certainly poses many challenges, and it also forces us to be separated, and UD events to online platforms. This online Hackathon will focus on Delaware specific challenges related to the ongoing pandemic. This is not an epidemiological hackathon. Rather, we will look at how the COVID crisis and response is affecting Delaware and Delawareans
Tracks:
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Effectiveness of the DE response to COVID challenges compared to similar and neighboring states
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Support and resources for the UDel community
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Environmental impact of the shutdown
Within each track, we proposed and specced some hacks, but we also encourage you to propose projects (there is a dedicated slack channel #ideas for discussion of potential projects).
You do not need any specific technical expertise to participate: Although technical skills are welcome, and some of the projects will require coders and data experts, some will require writers, graphic designers, sociologists, and generally enthusiastic people willing to help!
Schedule:
Thursday: 4:30 - 6PM Meet and Greet
Meet the organizers and the other participants on Thursday 8th 4:30-6PM. This meeting is optional, but it is a great opportunity to ask questions about how hackathons proceed, about the three tracks, and about any project ideas you might have.
Friday: 9 - 6PM Hackathon!
9 - 10AM: Project descriptions and team assembly. It is important to join the event on time to hear all the project pitches and assure you can work on the project of your choosing and that suits your abilities and skills.
10 - 12:30PM: Work in groups. Each group will have a designated zoom chat room and designated mentors.
12:30 - 1PM: Group check-ins: groups check with their mentors. You will have the opportunity to check with your mentors on the project status, ask for help, modify the scope of the hack.
1 - 4 PM: Work in groups.
4 - 4:30 PM: Prepare the presentations.
5 - 6 PM: Presentations: Each group will have 5-10 minutes (depending on how many groups will participate) to present their work and results. Each group will be required to present their work, no exceptions! This is because we want to learn from your work and from what you learned!
Event Description:
The hackathon begins with "pitches": if you have an idea this is your chance to recruit a team to work on it. To plan a hackathon project follow these rules:
QUESTION: Identify the question: this should be the starting point, as for every project.
DELIVERABLE: Identify the deliverable in detail. The deliverable can be anything: a plot, a visualization, a web app, a code that does something specific, a dataset, or a scientific conclusion. Having a deliverable as a goal will help the team make a working plan and organize a schedule.
SCOPE: Make sure the deliverable and idea support drafting the project in the available time. At the end of the 6ish-hour hackathon every team will have to present their work. If the project is too complex 3-days may not be enough time to make sufficient progress. However, there is no expectation that the project is release-ready in 3 days! The hackathon should serve just to jumpstart projects!
DATA: Make sure data and software needed are available. Inform the participants ahead of time if they will need to install or download anything. It should be allowed to join the project even if people did not do this preparation, but encourage anyone who is considering doing your project to prepare as needed. If you can, create a docker for your software - this will greatly help to avoid wasting time at the beginning of the project! If the needed data is big let the organizers know: they may be able to put it on physical drives for faster download on site.
SKILLS: Identify the needed skills to accomplish the project. People with the needed skills can self-identify to you as you assemble your team.
PITCH: Prepare a 2 minutes presentation, your project pitch, which will be shown on the first day: in this presentation clearly state the question and its relevance, the deliverable, and the skills required.
TEAM: after the pitches, every pitcher will assemble their team. People should be allowed to work on whatever they want, though you may call out for someone with a specific skill at the end of the team assembly to see if someone wants to switch team or just lend an occasional hand when needed while working on another project. Though you do not have to, you are all encouraged to pitch an idea!! Even if you have not thought about it till the day before!