Execute a Hackathon to Solve L&D Challenges

Have an L&D challenge that you want to develop new and energizing solutions for? Consider hosting a hackathon. These events aren't just for tech companies. In a hackathon, teams are challenged to develop solutions to a specific business problem or to create a new process or product. Once they have brainstormed what they consider a winning idea, they develop a prototype. A panel of judges then reviews the solutions and chooses a winner, which ideally then moves forward into implementation. In this issue of TD at Work, John Parsell details how to run a hackathon, including the critical steps, guidance, and resources necessary to prepare for and run a 24-hour hackathon. Further, he:

• Offers tips on how to capture the spirit, energy, and creativity of a hackathon
• Shares how to create diverse teams that are equipped to create winning solutions that you can bring to reality
• Presents case studies and examples of noncoding hackathons to demonstrate how others are successfully leveraging this platform
• Job aids included in this issue are a sample hackathon kickoff agenda, scorecard template, and communication checklist.