Do you have what it takes to solve a problem for the city of Baton Rouge using the power of programming…in just 24 hours?

With such a short time constraint, how can you be sure you’re going after the right problem? Josh Frank, Director of Product at Revelry Labs, presents Design Doing, Not Design Thinking: A Workshop to guide hackathon participants in hands-on exercises that will help you get concrete results.

If you haven’t already, register now for the Civic Hackathon: OpenData Challenge Hosted by Amazon Web Services and Loyola University’s Center for Entrepreneurship, and in partnership with the City of Baton Rouge and INNO.

Addressing Blighted Properties and Economic Equality

The City of Baton Rouge has multiple open data sources that can inform how they address blighted properties, public safety issues, traffic challenges, and economic inequality. However, they currently have no way to synthesize the vast amount of data to inform their decision-making processes.

Problems are everywhere. Ideas are aplenty. How do you validate that you understand the problem? And how can you be sure that this idea will provide the best solution for the targeted end user?

Brainstorming and group design efforts can get you nowhere and take up precious time. Some challenges – especially a hackathon competition – require swift processes, prioritized actions, and clear decisions.

A Design Thinking Workshop That Comes with Bragging Rights

Ask anyone who has ever participated in a civic hackathon: it’s rewarding, and the lessons you learn will qualify you to solve more problems for your own organization in the future. This hackathon is the perfect give and get: give your time, get free training.

Oh, and the top three teams receive Amazon Web Services credits!

In this workshop, Josh will help you turn problems into opportunities through active listening and tangible output. You’ll know exactly how to focus ideas and implement the next step.

In just 90 minutes or less, you’ll be equipped to prioritize opportunities quickly through a simple, proven mechanism, avoid tunnel vision, surface the best parts from all ideas, and most importantly: make clear decisions about a single idea to move forward into prototyping and testing.

Come Hack With Us at INNO!

As a part of INNO, New Orleans’ newest innovation conference, Amazon Web Services and Loyola University’s Center for Entrepreneurship are teaming up to host a 24-hour hackathon from April 29 – 30.

The Hackathon is happening at the Ace Hotel New Orleans, 600 Carondelet St.

On Day 1, you’ll learn all the best techniques and get access to the problems and their associated data. Then, you’ll start hacking through dinner.

The hackathon is not hosted onsite overnight, but you’re welcome to send your team off with specific tasks to complete before the morning.

On Day 2, all code is due by noon. See the full schedule here, and be sure to register!

This is the ultimate exercise in collaboration, critical thinking, and technological innovation.

What can we do in a day?