BaselHack 2017 RETRO

For preparation of the retrospective, please spend a little time (if you find any) thinking about what went good and what went ... not so good. If you do so, try to phrase your thought like

• We did great because ...
• We would have done better when ...

Thanks

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We did great in location, mobilization of participants, technical infrastructure, food, friendly and relaxed atmosphere, finances (?), all projects open-source on github, ...





We would have done better:

• more 'professional'-looking web page
• even more PR, social media, still find volunteer/professional to assemble teaser movie clip for next edition, publish access stats, ...
• software solution for organization, administration of users, ...
• 'enforce' accessible description of projects on github (example opendata hackathon)
• provide server to make prototypes with demo accessible via BaselHack web site
• better defined communication channels between organization team
• still better involvement of artistic component (FHNW arts department) and triregio (contact via Universities in Alsace?)

In retrospective I have the following suggestions, ideas and topics we should discuss/could improve on for the next BaselHack. Feel free to add items yourself - or comment:

For comments please add a "C:" upfront.

WIP

• Aftermath:

  • Evaluate and summarize most common issues teams were facing during their hack and provide solution panel/board at the next BaselHack (i.e. setting up servers respectively alternative solutions). Not sure if this is still possible but might be valuable to track for the next event.

• Visualize team building real time:

  • How to register for a team/pitch
  • Visualize "real time" team setup/size
    C: potential visualization: 'time lapse' of GoPro movie recordings (@StanBarrows ?)

• Cool Audio Signal:

  • initial hacking kick-off / Time until teams have to be built
  • for any messaging during the hackathon (info about lunch, timeline,... any message)
    C: better involve students from FHNW arts, & artistic component -> performances, logo design, sound, ..

• Physical and prominent Info board:

  • Including general information such as location map and time line (i.e. some didn't even notice feedback board or job wall)

• Light engineering:

  • When speeches/presentations take place i.e. projector screen needs dimmed light when projector is used
    C: TRUE, we failed to make use of the existing professional lighting control board :(

• Apero

  • Apero and cleaning in combination kind of killed the charm/ease of an apero (how to solve that? ...maybe start cleaning up 30 or 60 minutes later)
    C: also TRUE

• Communication:

  • include trinational zone more -> CH, DE, F
    C: follow up on discussions with the few french-speaking participants to identify optimal announcement channels
  • Invite classic (local?) media -> radio, tv, newspapers
  • Make very clear people should bring their hardware
    C: was stated in Info for participants, yet we might provide a small (virtual) server space for the setup of prototypes/demos, to remain at least a few months beyond the hackathon (at present only project 04 with accessible prototype: http://www.smartcontacts.ch/)

• Transportation for participants

  • Sponsor transportation for participants so they can expense it (to be discussed). They have to sign/guarantee to take part if they can expense. This was apparently done at HackZurich and other "bigger?" hackathons.

• Final pitches:

  • Team to state percentage of completeness of their solution (i.e. go to market or readiness -> to be discussed)
  • Notice of intent from team if they want to complete solution or bring to market so other people can join and hack on it as a community after the event
  • (Maybe 1-2 questions from jury or audience?)
  • Have something cooler than sponsor interviews while waiting for the results
    • A break?
    • A movie?
    • slideshow of cool pictures taken during hackathon including music?
      C: re-visioning of 1-min pitches intended, aborted due to technical shortcomings