How to organise an internal hackathon
Guide on how to run an internal hackathon.
Published on 1st of April 2024. 4 min read.
These are the steps to conduct an internal hackathon: choose the hackathon type, define the hackathon goal and challenge categories, onboard mentors, create a hack guide for participants, write the rules, secure a great hackathon platform, and host a memorable winners’ ceremony
With this content, we aim to break down every planning step of organising an internal hackathon, from choosing the hackathon type to the final celebration.
What is the goal of an internal hackathon?
Internal hackathons can cover diverse company goals: accelerating innovation, hiring talents, creating brand awareness, developing a product, or engaging with partners, customers or employees are just some of many internal hackathons’ purposes.
If you're still uncertain about the concept of a hackathon, the issues it addresses, or the reasons why your company should host one, you may want to read this article first.
1. Choose the hackathon type
An internal hackathon can be:
Physical or in the presence
Online or virtual
Hybrid
We’ve written a deep dive into this matter in this article.
Make sure you read it if you’re not familiar with the available types of hackathons!
2. Define the hackathon goal and challenge categories
In this process, you ideally sit down with your team, responsible, other involved business units and company departments to converge on the main hackathon goal.
The goal of an internal hackathon can be very different and will depend on the company’s needs when planning the hackathon.
Make sure you think this through before starting any planning activity.
Examples of internal hackathon goals can be:
Boosting creativity and generating new ideas
Raising workplace attractiveness and improving the company’s public perception
Are you looking for some inspiration?
You can either read this article where we explain the main benefits of internal hackathons or read our internal hackathons-related blog posts.
Once you’ve defined your main hackathon goal, it’s time to understand if you would like to create additional challenge categories/topics/themes/problem statements.
For example, if you’re running a hackathon with the main goal of closing the gender health gap, you could propose the following challenge categories:
Improving Women’s Journey in Obesity
Advancing Accessibility & Precision of Diagnosis for Neurodivergent Girls
Rethinking and Innovating pregnancy and postpartum care
Transforming Healthcare’s Role in Preventing Intimate Partner Violence
3. Onboard mentors
The Mentors are key in internal hackathons.
The perfect persona for this role is a middle management employee, who is fully aware of the company’s mission and the hackathon goal.
At the same time, they have the technical knowledge to understand the teams’ ideas and direct them towards the hackathon goal if they’re deviating too much.
Try to build a heterogeneous group of mentors, putting together the totality of the skill set needed to cover all the hackathon aspects.
This could be a good skill set of mentors, for example:
Business mentor
Design thinking mentor
AI mentor
Technical mentor
Challenge specific mentor
Sometimes, it’s a good idea to onboard external mentors, who can bring a fresh external perspective to the event.
These people often participate under the “technical/AI/Design Thinking mentor” role, since their expertise can be related to special tools, methodologies, and approaches.
4. Create a hack guide for participants
Creating a hack guide document is crucial for your internal hackathon.
It provides essential information such as the agenda, the rules, and evaluation criteria, ensuring the teams are aligned and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them during the hackathon.
This document includes instructions on how to access and use the tools made available during the internal hackathon.
It also enhances the overall experience for everyone and improves the event’s success, making sure the participants stay focused and engaged during the whole duration of the event.
By providing participants with the tools and resources they need to succeed, you can create a memorable and impactful event.
5. Write the rules
Every respectful internal hackathon must have a Terms & Conditions document to be accepted by participants upon registration.
The purpose of the hackathon rules is to
Safeguard participant rights
Uphold fairness and transparency
Manage liability
Set clear IP ownership
Make sure your legal team is involved in this process!
6. Secure a great hackathon platform
The right hackathon platform fuels collaboration by offering communication and team-building tools.
The benefits of using a hackathon platform are multiple, for example:
Effortless sign-ups & management (streamlining registration and organization)
Centralised Information hub (providing easy access to all resources)
Foster collaboration (facilitating teamwork and idea exchange)
Enhance the judging process
An exceptional hackathon platform elevates the participant experience through a user-friendly and engaging interface.
This ensures smooth navigation throughout the event and keeps everyone informed of crucial updates.
7. Host a memorable winners’ ceremony
Celebrating at work is important!
An internal hackathon brings together multiple aspects worthy of celebration!
It's a chance to recognise employee achievements, celebrate innovation and collaboration, and boost morale.
8. Conclusion
While internal hackathons offer a wealth of benefits, detailed planning and flawless execution are crucial for their success.
First-timers often underestimate the intricate nature of organising one.
To ensure a thriving event, it is highly recommended to leverage the expertise of seasoned hackathon professionals.
Their ability to pinpoint project dependencies and implement best practices is the key to a truly successful online hackathon.
Get in touch to organise your internal hackathon.
