how to level up your event - code for america brigade training
DESCRIPTION
Slide deck on how to level up your Code for America EventTRANSCRIPT
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CHRISTOPHER WHITAKERMIDWEST REGIONAL COORDINATOR
CODE FOR AMERICA
@CIVICWHITAKER#CFASUMMIT
How to Level Up Your Events
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First, why are you having an event?• Trying to build out
a fully finished, fully functional app in one weekend?
• Trying to recruit people into your startup?
• Trying to get some free work for a specific app?
• Trying to get people to use your product (instead of somebody else’s?)
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Then…a civic hacking event is *not* for you
Civic Hackathons and Hack Nights are tools for *community building*
Building apps take time and effort that doesn’t always fit into a single weekend
Hackathons & Hack Nights build community by: Allowing space to talk about issues Educating your community about a certain skill or
topic Providing a safe learning space to recruit people into
your community
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Not to say you can’t build stuff at Hack Night
Hack Nights and Hackathons are great for: Prototypes and brainstorming Working on projects bit by bit each week Getting help with your projects
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Set up the game plan for winning
For Hackathons: Start with the problem Have the problem owners start off the day Provide resources Recruit Recruit Recruit Have run-throughs beforehand Communicate Communicate Communicate Have a game plan for post-hackathon
What happens to the project ideas? Whose telling what happened? How to you measure success?
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For hack nights,CONSISTENCY is your friend!
Consistency!
• Same time / day of week
• Same venue
• Same agenda
• Same time commitment
Why?
So that if I miss one week, I can always come next time – and I always know what to expect.
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Introductions are awesome
Who are you?
What do you do?
What are you working on?
OH! I totally have to meet that person!
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It’s not magic!
Hack nights should demystify the work that we do – both on the government side and the technology side.
Make a habit of explaining the tech things – even if you’re *pretty sure* that people know what you’re talking about.
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ASK QUESTIONS• This is not easy
stuff
• If you think people are confused, ask the question even if you’re the organizer and already know
• If the organizers ask questions – it sends a signal that its okay to ask questions.
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LEAVE TIME FOR BREAKOUTS!(That’s where all the fun happens)
Have a Civic Hacking 101 for new visitorsHave breakouts for areas that interest peopleMake it flexible – be able to add breakouts at
will
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Finally, talk about your hack night• Social Media
• Live Stream
• Blog
• Smack Talk with Chicago and Boston
• It helps draw people to your event
• (And smack talk is fun)
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@CIVICWHITAKER
#CFASUMMIT
Questions?