What should you know about hackathons – general principles and background information

What is a hackathon?

A hackathon, or a community hackathon, is a form of co-creation that results in a shared view of community problems and their innovative solutions. A shared time and space have been created for community members to work on community bottlenecks and solutions over a period of 48 hours. The work is done in teams that have gathered together within the framework of a common problem. A hackathon brings together the views of the citizen, official, entrepreneur, and expert. Through different people’s backgrounds and experience, (new) stronger networks, a broader foundation for the problem, and innovative solutions are born.

A hackathon can also be referred to as a social hackathon, as the original idea comes from the world of technology, digital, and IT. These technology, design, and software development sprints create innovative ideas and applications to improve everyday life over the period of 48 hours.

A social hackathon tackles innovative solutions for community services/products with the interests and benefits of the community in mind. The result is a service/product that is tailored to the interests of the people in the area, and that they themselves have contributed to creating. One of the main benefits of a hackathon for local people is the creation of new and stronger networking ties.

At hackathons, creation takes place together. Teamwork brings together participants from different backgrounds to develop ideas and solutions based on problems, and in the process they learn from each other.

Co-creation is characterised by the active involvement of the service user in the process of creating the solution. A typical community member can be an initiator, a service designer, as well as its implementer. So, nothing happens without the clear vision and input of the end-user. In the process of co-creating, the original problem may change and move towards solutions along completely different paths than the original formulation might have foreseen. Co-creation is a living process, one that brings the end user closer to an innovative and refined solution by including the ordinary person.

Innovation is a concept that is used quite often, particularly in the business sector, and aims to increase business revenue and profitability through innovative, tailored services and products. Social innovation has similar objectives, but in the context of developing the cohesion of citizens and communities. Social innovation aims to improve people’s wellbeing, to incentivise the strengthening of relationships in the community and to create a better balance for interacting as a society.

In other words, the process of social innovation takes place through hackathons and co-creation activities right in your community. By participating in or organising hackathons, you are contributing to the process of social innovation.

Vunki Mano! hackathon pioneer

The first Vunki Mano development festival was held in Vastseliina, Võru County, in 2018. Over a period of 48 hours, different ideas were developed into solutions using methods and timeframes derived from hackathons and service design. Vunki Mano! has developed its own methodology. Four hackathons were held in 2018, and the idea of development festivals has spread to other counties. In the autumn of 2020, an abbreviated format hackathon was held in Tartu County, with others set to take place elsewhere in Estonia.

Vunki mano! is a local expression in the local Võru dialect, which is used to wish momentum and strength!