Join Citizen Attaché at HUB Ottawa for a two-day hackathon on the weekend of August 24th-25th, 2013.
The hackathon will bring together technologists, data analysts, and international development experts from across the sector to create useful products, insights and analysis of Canada’s international aid data.
Apply by August 8th.
Successful applicants will be asked to confirm their registration following the application deadline. Registration is $25.00 and covers 3 meals, snacks and coffee throughout the event.
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A hackathon (also known as a hack day, hackfest or codefest) is an event in which computer programmers and others involved in software development, including graphic designers, interface designers and project managers, [and subject-matter-experts] collaborate intensively on software projects. Occasionally, there is a hardware component as well. Hackathons typically last between a day and a week in length. Some hackathons are intended simply for educational or social purposes, although in many cases the goal is to create usable software. Hackathons tend to have a specific focus, which can include the programming language used, the operating system, an application, an API, the subject and the demographic group of the programmers. In other cases, there is no restriction on the type of software being created.1 Our hackathon is being planned by Citizen Attaché staff and volunteers, and will be hosted at HUB Ottawa.
There will be six teams of five people who will work together on specific projects during the two days of the event. Each team will have a different project that is designed prior to the event by international development experts in consultation with data analysts and technologists. The teams will be a mix of software developers, technologists and international development specialists - balancing the need for in-depth technical skill with on-the-ground international development project knowledge.
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Day 1 |
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9:00 am - 9:30 am |
Introduction and Expectation Setting |
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9:30 am - 11:15 am (with 15 minute break between sections) |
Opening |
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45 minutes. |
Opening Part I - Panel/Speaker Why is data useful for international development? And: Presentation: Showcase projects from around the world that have used foreign aid data to date. |
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45 minutes |
Opening: Part II - Context Setting Briefing: Canadian International Development efforts: what does CIDA do? How does it work? What are projects? Briefing on the language and basics of international development (ex. bilateral vs. multi-lateral, etc.). Where and how does aid flow?
- includes a presentation on the tools available already for data analysis and viewing; a presentation of the types of data available and a description of the data fields. |
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11:15 am -12:00 am |
Project and Team Set-Up Each subject matter expert who has submitted a project briefing will give a 2-3 minute presentation. This will act as a pitch to have the event participants work on their project. Participants then break into teams and get a more in-depth briefing on their project. |
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12:00 am - 1:00 pm |
Lunch |
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1:00 pm - onwards |
Project Work begins - Each team should spend time framing the problem, talking through it very specifically before beginning solving the problem. - Once the teams are formed, the groups should do a skills-assessment and teams should change accordingly. - Begin coding. |
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4:30 pm - 5:00 pm |
Optional progress briefing, more team work/coding - We will encourage people to bounce between groups for this 30 minute period to explore the different projects. |
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6:30 pm |
Dinner (quick informal dinner) |
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7:00 pm - onwards
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more project work (possible overnight coding for those who want to stay) |
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Day 2 |
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9:00 am - 9:30 am: |
Logistics briefing and updates |
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9:30 am - 1:30 pm |
project work in teams (same teams as day one) |
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12:30 pm |
Informal lunch (130: coding stops) |
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1:30 pm |
Each group presents their product, including giving a demo.
The presentations will highlight the technological aspect of the solution, and the insights they have gained that are useful for aid effectiveness, or for increasing Canadian’s understanding of international development. |
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3:00 pm |
Judges deliberation and voting. || Networking break for participants. Awards/Recognition. |
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4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
Post-event social |