Hackathon 2021 by Yieldbird!

Typically, hackathons, programming sprints, or simply design marathons, have a predetermined concept which teams try to solve and develop during the course of the event. We at Yieldbird decided to tweak this formula by giving the participants a free hand when it came to choosing the topic, which brought real-world company issues to the fore.

We formed teams not only among developers but also from sales teams and Data Science. Thanks to this, we operated on the borderlines of programming and the creation of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence solutions. This was all about explorations grounded in actual needs relating to the Publishers whom we work with on a daily basis, and indeed our own Yieldbird employees.

As befits a marathon, the conceptualization, operationalization, and construction of solutions took a great deal of time – not counting the presentation of the results, we worked for 12 hours straight (it is worth mentioning, however, that the dynamics at work were different to those of the ordinary working day).

Anna Jędrzejek, Project Coordinator at Yieldbird, co-organizer of the Hackathon

Organizing such an event was a pure pleasure – although it also involved a lot of time in terms of the preparation of a hackathonic “back room”, i.e. space, prizes, meals, or gadgets. However, we all certainly reaped the rewards in terms of fun, integration, cooperation between programmers, and the added value with regards to our exploration of the topic and our achieving a greater understanding of the business needs. We already know that in 2022 we will meet at the next Hackathon, which is set to take place in Warsaw.

Daniel Grek, Dev Manager and Frontend Developer, member of the winning team

A hackathon for a programmer is always a great opportunity not only to have fun but also to gain experience and insight relating to those IT areas with which we have less contact on an everyday basis.

In the inaugural edition of the Yieldbird Hackathon, an interesting solution that we came up with was to create random teams, whereby in addition to people with programming experience, the teams also included people from outside the IT department. This required an organization of the workflow and the solving of the problem in such a way that involved all members of the team.

For me, it was a great integrational experience – I believe that the hackathon in this formula allowed us to get to know the other team members really well, especially when you consider the time pressures and the general commitment to the task at hand. Once the hard work was done and dusted, the social dimension also represented an important opportunity for exchanging thoughts, ideas, and experiences.

Hanna Majka, Business Development Manager, Hackathon participant

As a member of the Business Development team, when I chose my first Hackathon, I tried not to have any preconceived expectations. Still, somewhere in the back of my mind, I saw images of people in checkered shirts, a Matrix screen, or workstations with seven monitors and lots of cables. And I did wonder to myself ”what can be programmed in twelve hours?”

The opportunity to not only watch this technical magic unfold, but also to be a part of it, was exactly what I needed as a deep-end Programmatic experience. As an experienced salesperson, I know that without understanding the nature of the industry in which I operate, I will never be a reliable partner for my clients. That is why from the very beginning I listened, watched, and followed; but I also asked questions and suggested ideas that could lend a new perspective to our project. It turned out that we quickly found our own rhythm. I watched with admiration as my colleagues changed ideas into successive lines of code. In the meantime, I started checking the necessary information and searching for databases. Somewhere in the background, I ended up creating a concept for our final presentation, because I always ask myself “how can I sell this?” The time simply flew by.

Although we did not earn first place, for all the participants on our team it had been a prize-winning effort and experience. Personally, I am most happy about the fact that I could see for myself up close what magic happens at each stage when it comes to building innovation; and this extends to creating code, planning strategy, selecting argumentation, and conducting the presentation.

It certainly won’t be my last hackathon!

Looking to organize a hackathon in your own company? Here are some Yieldbird insights…

Invite all employees to participate in the event, regardless of their programming experience. Mixed technology and business teams mean greater integration, and the harnessing of creative potential.
Collect creative solutions and suggestions in advance that may add to the overall hackathon experience.
Create the right atmosphere on the day of the event. If you want to conduct a hackathon in the office, make sure that it is possible to separate the hackathon space from the space where daily work is taking place. If there is no such possibility, then it will be better to look for an external venue.
Provide meals and drinks for the participants. Finger food and pizza are the perfect options, because it will be difficult to find time for a real lunch break given the nature of the challenge.
Select mentors with extensive technological and business experience who can advise each team during the hackathon.
Make sure you have hackathon T-shirts and small fun gifts for all the participants.