Top tips for your first hackathon

So you have taken the plunge and have signed up to your first hackathon or tech challenge! This blog post will provide you with the tips you need to make your first hackathon run as smoothly as possible, and will *hopefully* help lead you to a win!

What is a hackathon?

A hackathon is an event where developers, and other technical professionals, work together on a project over a relatively small timeframe.

The specifics vary from hackathon to hackathon:

• Some last 24 hours, others two months.
• Some are team based whilst others are individual.
• Some allow prep time and others do not allow any prior preparation.

Taking part in a hackathon is a great way to develop your technical and soft skills and build a portfolio of projects to show off in the future. Hackathons are also a great way to practice working collaboratively, which is an essential skill for any developer.

So on to the tips…

Before the hackathon

• Read over the rules and requirements of the hackathon properly. 

• Some hackathons have restrictions on using existing projects or on the number of people in a team, make sure you read the rules before starting the hackathon to avoid any silly mistakes.

• Remind yourself of the tech, if you have time. 

• Often a hackathon is based on a particular software, language or tool, if time allows you should spend some time in the run up to the hackathon refreshing your memory on the tech, Youtube is your friend here!

• Find a team. 

• Consider building a team with a range of skills, including soft skills - a project manager is often essential in a hackathon! Some hackathons will help solo developers find a team with Slack channels or Discord servers, this is a great way to find a team and also practice working with new people!

During the hackathon

• Decide on a MVP (Minimum Value Product). 

• You can then also have a list of ‘nice to have’ features. This ensures you have a clear goal in mind of what you will be submitting to the Hackathon.

• Read the judging criteria before submitting and finalising your idea.

• Give the judges what they are looking for! You can often pick up points for things in the mark scheme like accessibility, which could be overlooked if you do not read the judging criteria. 

• Plan your time out, including breaks - and stick to the timetable! 

• Time can really run away with you on a hackathon so having a rough timeline that includes key achievements can really help to keep a project and team on track.

• Communicate with your team. 

• Communication is key when you are working with a team and a short deadline. Be open with your team if you are struggling and also have the confidence to raise any concerns you have sooner rather than later.

• Don’t forget the submission.

• Are there questions you need to answer, a video you need to create or even a presentation needed? Make sure you do not leave these elements to the last few hours, as these parts often what a huge part of the judging is done on! If you are working in a team consider assigning a specific person the role of keeping on top of the submission requirements. 

After the hackathon

• Reflect on what you have learned.

• The intense format of a hackathon is a great opportunity to learn something new, so make sure you take time to appreciate and record all that you have learned! Why not put a few bullet points down in your GitHub repo or add some notes to your CV - get your thoughts down while they are fresh!

• Relax! 

• Make sure you take a break to decompress before taking on your next challenge.

Conclusion

• In summary, a hackathon is a great opportunity to learn something new and work in a team.
• Organisation and being conscious of your work are key to success in a hackathon - make a plan that takes hackathon rules and requirements into account - and stick to it!
• Ready to hack? Search online for hackathons that interest you, many software providers host their own hackathons and you can find centralised repositories on websites like devpost.com.

Share your own hackathon experiences! What tips do you have for first-time participants?