What is a Hackathon?
Traditionally, a Hackathon is an event in which computer programmers and other collaborators (graphic designers, interface managers, etc.) collaborate on software development. The word Hackathon appears to be portmanteau of the words "hack" and "marathon"; hack refers to out-of-the box thinking that extends or re-uses existing code, while a marathon, in this context, refers to a sustained effort of putting ideas and code together to solve key outstanding issues or problems. In the past such Hackthons have been used to develop new functions for software, develop proof of concept for new products, or simply putting together something surprising, and illuminating. http://rewiredstate.org/   is one of many organizations that has been systematically managing Hackathons and provides details on the entire gamut of possibilities that can be talked within the Hackathon format.

How is a Hackathon structured? 
Hackathons typically start with a presentation about the specific event. Details about rules, and norms, and the focus areas for the organizers are discussed. Participants come singly, or in teams, and register at the event as a team that is typically a mix of a programmer, visualizer, and a domain expert. The team proposes a specific a specific issue at this time. Subsequently, the Hackathon begins and can be as short as lasting a few hours or be as long as several days. For Hackathons in a 24 hours or longer format, eating, sleeping, etc. is informal and often at the venue. Teams occupy a space and subsist on pizzas, energy drinks, and collaboratively work together (in between bio-breaks!). The organizers may or may not provide consultants at the site to work with teams to develop or nudge ideas along. After the close of submissions there is usually a series of demonstrations in which each group presents their results. 

What is a Policy Hackathon?
A Policy Hackathon is a “Hack for a Cause” type of a Hackathon. Over the past 4-5 years, with increasing availability of large data in the public domain a range of statistical and programing needs have emerged in managing and visualizing social challenges facing society. National and local governments are often unable to triangulate and correlate information sources, or develop applications that may directly respond to its citizen’s needs. Early examples of this kind of Hack are National Hack the Government Day in 2010, organized by the newspaper The Guardian and Rewired State in UK, The Policy Hackathon, organized by IIM Bangalore in 2012, the 12th Plan Hack , organized by the Planning Commission, Government of India in 2013. 

What does the IIM Bangalore Policy Hackathon focus on?
The IIM Bangalore Policy Hackathon focuses on using nationally representative datasets to contribute real time solutions of emerging policy challenges facing the nation. The output is in the form of a short white paper that is crystalized during the event covering a) an understanding of the policy problem, b) using data to summarize the problems and study the efficacy of alternative possibilities, c) developing ways by which existing policies need to be adapted or new policies may be needed. Teams are constrained to work on a common dataset but have the freedom to merge this with other open source datasets available online. 

What kind of Value does the IIM Bangalore Policy Hackathon Create?
The key goal of the IIM Bangalore Hackathon is to develop a culture and practice of developing evidence based public policy responses to challenges. Increasing digitization and its public availability implies that many large problems already have solutions “out there”. Harvesting such data however needs a complex set of skills that are truly difficult to find within an organization or disciple. The Hackathon provides an unmatched opportunity to network with and meet some of the most motivated and talented software professionals, social scientists, web/UI designers all in one place! This has been and hopes to be the birth place for high-impact policy solutions that provides a new of using existing technology to drive socio-economic development. This would be a fantastic source of development of ideas and solutions that could revolutionize the way we develop products for not only the bottom-of-the pyramid, but also with each other. Identifying and funding such ventures is a key goal for the IIMB Hackthon as well. 


For more details please write to cppconference@iimb.ernet.in