Step 1 - Assembling an Organizing Team
1.1 The Imperative of Teamwork
Initiating a large-scale hackathon without a devoted team of organizers is a tall order. Preparing for such an event can span months and often involves multiple challenges. However, the payoff can be immense, and the journey, while challenging, can be equally enjoyable for the organizing team. When your team relishes in the process, this excitement naturally trickles down to the participants, ensuring a fun and productive event for all.
1.2 The Essential Roles
The pivotal part of organizing a hackathon lies in its core team, often initiated by one or two key individuals or what we refer to as organizational leads. This pair functions as the backbone of the event, driving the planning and execution phases while rallying the support of others. In most successful instances, this duo often comprises educators with complementary skills - one excelling in communication, marketing and recruitment, and the other adept in pedagogical strategies and technical organization.
1.3 Organizational Leads
The organizational leads bear the responsibility for overall coordination and leadership. Their roles encompass the following tasks:
Building the hackathon project team
Defining the hackathon's scope and objectives
Managing the budget and costs
Recruiting staff, including partner schools, facilitators, challenge owners, technical support, and jury members
Developing the hackathon programme and challenges
Preparing the logistics of the hackathon, including venue, materials, communication, and data management
Promoting the event and, if required, securing sponsorships
1.4 Forming an Organizational Team
Organizing a hackathon is a collaborative process. Having a reliable, dedicated team on board is crucial to share responsibilities and offer diverse perspectives. In our experience, the sweet spot for an organizational unit in a secondary school setting is between 2 to 3 people. Here's why:
One Teacher: Organizing a hackathon is a significant undertaking. Going solo can be overwhelming and increase the risk of burnout. Furthermore, different perspectives can lead to a more prosperous, balanced event.
Two Teachers: This is the minimum number we recommend. A team of two can divide responsibilities, offer support, and foster a more diverse range of ideas. Everyone can bring unique strengths and perspectives, leading to a more creative and dynamic planning process.
Three Teachers: With three teachers, there are more hands to share the workload and more minds to contribute ideas. However, remember the old saying: "Too many cooks spoil the broth." More than three teachers may lead to longer decision-making processes and potential disagreements.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to find your organizational teammates:
Identify Potential Teammates: Look for colleagues who share your enthusiasm for experiential learning and are interested in broadening their teaching methods. Colleagues with an innovative mindset who aren't afraid to try something new are ideal candidates.
Pitch the Idea: Prepare a concise and engaging explanation of why you want to host a hackathon and how it can benefit your school, students, and fellow teachers. Highlight the potential for professional development and the opportunity to impact student engagement and learning significantly.
Communicate Your 'Why': Sharing your personal 'why' can inspire your colleagues and show them you're committed and passionate about this project. This emotional connection can make joining the organizational team more appealing. See Step 2 - Frame Hackathon Objectives to find additional support on framing your personal why.
Plan a Meeting: If they express interest, plan a meeting to discuss the idea in depth. This meeting is an opportunity to answer questions, share your vision, and start brainstorming. Use our hackathon objective framing canvas to guide your discussion.
Follow Up: If your colleagues need time to consider your proposition, respect their decision and give them space. However, don't forget to follow up. Remind them of the opportunity and offer additional information if needed.
Team Formation: Once you've got your team, it's time to start the exciting journey of planning your hackathon. Remember to regularly check in with each other, ensuring everyone feels heard and valued throughout the process.
Tips:
Stay Positive: Your enthusiasm and positive attitude can be infectious.
Offer Support: Some colleagues might hesitate because of workload or uncertainty about the process. Assure they will not be alone and that this guide will provide a roadmap for organizing the hackathon.
Open Invitation: You might want to make an open invitation at a staff meeting, explaining your intention to host a hackathon and that you're looking for interested colleagues to join the organizational team.
1.5 Building Your Hackathon Project Team
Building a core team is fundamental to the success of your hackathon. Your core team will not only manage the planning and execution of the event but also bring diverse skills and perspectives that can enrich the overall process. However, determining who to bring on board can be challenging, especially if you're unsure of what roles must be filled.
Here's a breakdown of potential roles for smaller and larger hackathons.
Smaller Hackathons:
Event Planner: Responsible for the logistical aspects of the event, such as securing a venue (physical or virtual), managing the schedule, and coordinating with vendors if necessary.
Marketing and Communications Lead: Manages the event's promotion to potential participants and handles communications before, during, and after the event.
Financial Lead: Oversees budgeting, financial planning, and management of financial resources for the event.
Technical Lead: Oversees the technical aspects of the event. This can include managing the event platform in a virtual hackathon, setting up necessary tools and technologies, and providing technical support during the event.
Facilitator Coordinator: Coordinates the activities of facilitators who support the teams during the hackathon.
Student Representatives: Provide valuable insights from the participant's perspective and help tailor the event to the needs and interests of the student body.
Teacher Representatives: Support in various tasks and help ensure alignment with educational objectives.
Challenge Owners: A partner from a company, city, or non-profit organization responsible for each challenge. They present the hackathon challenge and may also participate in judging the solutions.
Larger Hackathons:
In addition to the roles mentioned above, larger hackathons might include:
Sponsor Liaison: Engages with potential sponsors and manages the relationships with them throughout the event.
Interest Group or Sponsor Representative: Assists in providing support, resources, and networking opportunities. This individual could be a representative from an industry related to the hackathon's theme.
Knowledge Institution Representative: Offers domain-specific expertise and insights, often representing universities, research institutions, or other knowledge-based organizations.
As the organizational lead, you and your co-founders may already possess the skills and experience to fulfil some of these roles. Take some time to map out your collective expertise and identify any gaps. Are there roles that none of you can comfortably fill? These could be the roles you need to recruit for.
Remember, your hackathon's scale and complexity will significantly impact your core team's size and composition. After completing Step 3, 'Scoping the Hackathon', you will have a clearer picture of the size and scope of your event, which will help you make more informed decisions about your core team. For now, please familiarize yourself with these roles and start considering who among your colleagues or network could fill them. Remember, the goal is to maintain an efficient team structure, evenly distributing responsibilities and encouraging diverse perspectives. Your core team is crucial to the successful planning and execution of your hackathon, so it's worth investing time and thought into this process.
1.6 Staffing for the Event
Depending on the hackathon's scope and objectives, you may require additional staffing roles:
Facilitators: Experienced in agile, lean startup, and design thinking methodologies, facilitating the process and guiding the students.
Jury Members: Evaluate the final solutions, offering diverse expertise and insights.
Technical Support: Ensure smooth operations by addressing technical issues.
Prototyping & Maker Experts: Provide expertise in various digital making tools.
Experts: Host workshops, provide feedback to students, and contribute to breakout sessions.
Presenter: Oversee the public phase of the hackathon, ensuring engagement and flow.
In this way, we want to give you an overview of the initial organization you might need. In the following chapters, we'll guide you on how to decide who and how many of these staff members you need and how to prepare and recruit each of them. Keep following this playbook's steps and get your questions answered.
1.6 In Conclusion
Understanding and structuring your organizational team are essential first steps. Each member plays a unique role, contributing to the hackathon's overall success. Remember, you're part of a team aiming to create an unforgettable and engaging learning experience. With your initial organizational team in place, the next step is to define the hackathon's objectives and scope, which will further guide your team's structure and staffing needs.
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