Stephen Danelutti InnerVentures
Microsoft Teams as the collaboration front end and Power Platform as the low/no code platform for Biz Apps is the perfect combination for hackathons. Your employees are the citizen developers who's ideas you can unleash to innovate and drive new business value. You just need the right approach.
Hackathons are organised innovation events that involve as many people as you like in a concerted drive to come up with ideas and develop them in a short period of time. Think software design, development sprints and innovation culture forming, all in one.
The right plan
The right tech
The right stakeholders
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Microsoft Teams: Set up a Team for the Hackathon, private Channel for organisers.
Planner: Set up a Team Tab for Planner with a simple set of steps and tasks for each workstream.
Timing: Make sure you plan before and after phases, these are what will ensure a successful "during".
Numbers: Are you targeting the whole organisation or a smaller test group. Depends on your experience level.
Prizes: Swag will do for all participants but winners should get something special.
Decide which of the 4 main products will be used: Power Automate; Power Apps; PowerBI; Power Virtual Agents
Where all collaboration happens but also where Biz Apps can be developed and consumed. Use production, ringfence participants
Employee Ideas (Teams App template) or Innovation Challenge (Power App template) to manage ideas formally
Below is low/no code but for hardcore hackers, Azure is the platform
6. Organiser/s
1. Execs - one from IT, one from the business
2. Judges
3. Basic hackers - from the business
4. Advanced hackers - from IT
5. Group Leads
Communications Company Communicator (Teams App template) to engage and inspire whole company
New channel - more effective than email, simple and mobile first
This channel targets whole company to engage/inspire them
Teams is just for Hack participants
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