Everyone wants to be champions. Victory falls to those who desire it the most, though, in both life and hackathons. A hackathon is an ultimate test of skills and stamina, with little time to solve problems and submit prototypes.
In order to win hackathons, here is what you can do:
Tip 1: Make a winning plan
Be clear about your reason for participating in the hackathon. To win, be hungry. Plan and train in advance for the hackathon. Set up some models, repositories for GitHub and modules that can help create faster prototypes. Do your analysis, review APIs, and go through applications for samples. Brainstorm with your team if the theme or subject is available in advance. Be prepared to incorporate realistic concepts that can be easily implemented.
Furthermore, run a mock hackathon a week before the competition. Act as a team together and get to know your teammates well. Know the strengths and limitations of your squad. Find out how to fairly allocate jobs. Work on any particular issues you are facing. Decide on a channel of contact to share files and messages.
Tip 2: Set up a repository on GitHub
To build your product, set up a repository on GitHub. To help the team create new functionality, use the function divisions.
Make sure to follow best practices for Git/Github: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkyHhd9Ot3k
Tip 3: Create a good team
The simple component is preparation. Performance is based on the execution of plans. It takes a team effort to get ideas adopted. It is easier to work under pressure and build something cool, very quickly, when team members have good chemistry.
Team up with colleagues who you have a strong friendship with. If you have mates from previous hackathons, you can even get them aboard. Be ready in advance with your presentation if there is a chance to present your idea and shape your team. With a simple and succinct summary, clarify your idea.
Look for the skills you need to develop the prototype when developing the team. A successful team has individuals from different fields and backgrounds, such as architecture, creation of frontends, creation of backends, business development, etc. Based on their area of expertise, delegate tasks specifically to all. Finally, to complete your squad, pick a good leader. Pick someone who is good at quickly making choices.
Here are the TOP 10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN HACKATHONS
Tip 4: Focus on the user and use cases
Any of the proposals for the hackathon are not perfect. You won’t have the time to execute anything you’re doing in a hackathon either. Filter them based on the value they have, after generating ideas. Think like an owner of a product and strive to create a minimum viable product (MVP). Focus on the key statement of the problem: Who is the end-user? What’s your assumption? What problems do you solve for them?
Consider the time involved in the execution of the concepts. Pick only those features that can be created in 24 hours. You may design a rough prototype on paper with a specific product vision. Share this with the team so that everyone understands what the main components are and who constructs what.
Tip 5: Validate Ideas
Without examining, do not leap to conclusions about definitions. Be transparent about what you create and why. Share with the team the dependencies, goals, and checkpoints. Speak to the product’s future end consumers or buyers. Comprehend their points of suffering. Conclude your presentation with these perspectives. Before prototyping and after constructing the product, validate the idea.
Tip 6: Build an MVP
You need a strong MVP, with a well thought out value proposition, to win any hackathon. Although pursuing several ideas can be enticing, building a lot of features in a short period of time is not realistic. Fix the product’s possibilities and drawbacks beforehand. To create a working prototype, function on two or three primary components.
Tip 7: Get to know your audience
Get a better picture of the judges, sellers, and sponsors. Find out who they are, their qualifications for assessment, and hackathon winners from the past. Customize accordingly your submission and final presentation. At the hackathon, communicate with them. Introduce yourself and explain your vision for your product. In addition, if experts have been assigned to your team, take their assistance to better understand the issue statement. Refine accordingly to your project.
Tip 8: Choose the right approach
Prioritize the development of a completely usable product interface for the frontend. It takes a lot of time to set up the backend, which you can’t afford to lose at a hackathon.
Tip 9: Take short breaks
Taking a break is a good idea after hours of coding. Not only is a quick break relaxing, but it also offers the chance to check in as a team and update each other on the project’s progress. Go for quick breaks, and who knows, with the next big idea that might win the hackathon, you might even come back.
And an additional tip that can assure a great hackathon experience!
10) Invest time for the presentation
The secret to winning a hackathon is a successful presentation. Don’t wait to schedule the presentation until the end of the hackathon. Picture your dream demo, and work from there backward. Incorporate the correct message and demonstrate the product’s main characteristics. Try to make things as clear as possible. Explain the issue solved by your product, how it varies from rivals, and share market figures to back up your conclusions. For questions from the judges, be prepared. Don’t forget to share your experience and the reasons for adopting the concept as a team. Train and aim to make the proposal more engaging. Have the audience interested in the demonstration.
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