over 5 years ago
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The project, Blow Soap Bubbles in AR, took home the second place prize in the AR track of the second Facebook Online Hackathon. Here’s a hackathon tip from a member of the team, Lasse Mejlvang Tvedt, about his experience to help you along the way:
Focus on learning something new
I think this is the most important tip I can give. When entering a hackathon, it's not a guarantee that you will win. So to make sure your effort pays off, do something that is rewarding even if you don't win. The real victory for me is that I learned A LOT while doing the hackathon, and that was the main focus of this project. To be one of the winners, and getting a project I can proudly put in my portfolio is just a bonus. So get out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself, learn something new, and you will always be a winner.
The presentation of the project is important
Making a good case study on the project doesn't only make you a better candidate, but also gives you something you can use to present to potential clients and to use in your portfolio later on. I've learned that using 1/4 of the time to create a good case study is a good balance for me. I like to document highlights of my process so I can use it later on in a case study. I also like to get hands-on documentation to see how users use and react to the end product. I believe this makes the case study a lot more "human".
Be part of the community
Ask the community for feedback and help when you need it. Every time I ask for help in the community forum, I try to answer at least 1 question someone else has asked in the forum. This way, I've made a lot of new friends within the same field, and I can ask for feedback without showing too much about my concept. Releasing early prototypes and seeing how the community welcomes them is also a great way to test your ideas.
Be specific when asking for feedback
A lot of people will give positive feedback when asked general questions. That’s why it’s useful to ask specific questions to get constructive feedback. Ask specifically about details. Try getting the user to give you feedback that will push the quality of your project even further.
Break a challenge into smaller challenges
When I'm facing a challenge, I like to break it into smaller chunks. It is easier to get an answer for a specific detail, rather than a tutorial on how to solve the whole problem. And you will probably learn more.
Do you have a tip you’d like to share with your fellow devs? Be sure to share it in the Facebook Online Hackathons Facebook Group; we know they’ll appreciate it!