Hack all the things!
Why researchers need hackathons (and hackathons need researchers)
If you say ‘hackathon’ to people outside the tech community, they’ll often assume that you’re proposing something not quite legal. They are, of course, mistaken. In the context of a hackathon, ‘hack’ refers back to its earlier meaning, which is to play or to look for shortcuts and quick solutions to tackle a challenge. Typically, hackathons are timed competitions (often 48 hours, but sometimes shorter) where teams and individuals compete to create something that solves a problem or exemplifies a theme. There’s a bit of a cliché now, that hackathons are the domain of awkward males with computers fuelled with energy drinks and pizza. There’s an element of truth to this, but the culture is changing to be more diverse and inclusive. And this is where GovHack comes in.
GovHack is a huge, nation-wide hackathon that will be happening in July. Last year, it happened in eight cities around the country and the number has grown to eleven in 2014. GovHack asks competitors to see what they can make using data supplied by government agencies. A huge variety is available from all levels of government across many different themes. And this is why researchers should come along. GovHack attracts a crowd with great technical skills in analysing and visualising data and building apps and websites. But a truly great hack doesn’t only look amazing, it answers a need or a question. Researchers from all sorts of disciplines have questions that could be answered with government data – whether they work in public policy or health, history and culture, economics or urban planning. GovHack even has specific prizes for digital humanities and data journalism projects.
ResCom and GovHack local organiser Fiona Tweedie talks GovHack at the recent Open Government Partnership conference in Indonesia
If you’re a researcher interested in Australian life and culture, GovHack needs you! Don’t think that because you don’t code on weekends you don’t belong. Jo Hawkins, a Western Australian historian, has blogged about her GovHack experiences and the importance of researchers. Researchers bring the questions that focus the hacks and give them purpose, lifting them from a display of skill to something compelling and truly valuable. So for a challenging, stimulating and mind-expanding weekend, come along to Melbourne GovHack, 11- 13 July.
Book here – if you have any questions or if you need extra tickets, contact Fiona.
