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Ok, so there are some things you need to know. And some things you'll want to know. I think this is it, but I'll try to keep this page updated with that info, so you might want to check back before you arrive, just in case...(or watch as a registered wiki user).
Are you registered? If not, please do so here ==> RHoK Registration
Back to main Chicago page ==> RHoK 2.0 - Chicago
MSI and CNA Insurance are event sponsors
Welcome Reception
The Event - Chicago Hackathon Central
This is a hackathon/barcamp style event (flavors of both). Check this out: hackathon, barcamp. What this means is that we get folks together and they collaborate on a project for a period of time, in this case, about 26 hours. All these project definitions have a theme of disaster and crisis humanitarian relief. Other than the initial kickoff and some checkpoints throughout the day (oh, and food), there won't be much structure to the event. We can help to direct the participants to particular interests or match skills the day of the event, but it will also be up to you to find your home, projects that interest you, area of research you want to dive down, or folks you want to collaborate with. Ultimately, you will want to become part of a 'team'. And your team could also include other RHoK cities, and you may choose to take a project started in another city, or bring folks onto your team from theirs. This is why we want to ensure we are setup for the collab part too (see below).
You may know some friends before you arrive and have some ideas of things you want to work on, or you may connect with folks before the event, others will not know until they show up on Saturday where they can fit in. Don't worry, it will work out if you are nervous. Although the focus sometimes seems on coders at these events, and we do have a lot of tech folks, a well rounded team often also includes a manager/team-lead (really really important, keeps you on schedule), graphic designers, documentation folks, presentation experts, social media resources, information-experts, architects, usability designers, etc. There are no limits to team size, although we believe that the innovation part happens best with smaller teams, 4-8, although teams of 1 and 2 are common too.
The focus on specific projects, with a team approach is important. Teams will work on their solution, and do a presentation (which could also include a demo) on Sunday, which will be judged. There will be REAL PRIZES for First, Second, and Third place teams (more detail will be published on these).
The projects are defined around problem definitions in the space of crisis and disaster relief. There are some broad reaching, big thinking projects, which could have many pieces or phases, which you may want to bite off just a slice of. There are others which are smaller, and could be completed in the time of the hackathon. Some (many) are carry over from previous hackathons, perhaps you want to continue those or take them into a new direction. And not all the projects necessarily have to result in a completed/coded solution. Some could be prototypes of ideas. Others could be research proposals or analysis based. We encourage collaboration, both within and across cities. However, if a team takes a parallel approach to a problem definition solution that another city/team has started, this isn't the end of the world, the problem space that one solves will never be exactly the same as someone else, this is part of the innovation cycle. Parallel tracks off the same idea are therefore perfectly ok.
Participants are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to review the problem definitions on the wiki in advance of the event. New problem definitions may be added before Saturday, others are being tweaked, others will be conceived that day (by you or a SME that might attend the event): Problem_Definitions_RHoK2.0. And some, as you will notice, are at varying degrees of detail or structure. Oh well, we will have to just go with what we have, but realize that if you are unfamiliar with the 'domain' of crisis/disaster management, that is ok, just learn what you can.
Yes, off the main Chicago wiki page I'll be tracking information about how to register your interest in projects ahead of time, connect with other Chicagoans ahead of time, etc. Also, any day-of information (like, what we are working on and with whom) will be tracked here as well. So what are you waiting for, get back there ===> RHoK_2.0_-_Chicago
And in general, we will be using various collaboration tools, including this wiki, IRC, twitter, ustream, etc., on the day-of-event (details off main). If you are unfamilar with wiki-syntax (its easy), here is a quick primer: Wiki_markup, http://wiki.rhok.org/Help:Contents. You will need to have a registered account on this wiki to be a contributor, takes 10 seconds to setup and do.