7 hackathon pitfalls when planning (and how to avoid them)

Thinking about organising your own hackathon? It sounds exciting, right? The idea of bringing together creative minds, fuelling innovation, and solving real problems is exciting. But before you dive in, let’s talk about some of the common pitfalls that can turn your hackathon vision into a logistical nightmare.

#1 Wasted time learning the details

One of the first challenges you'll face is learning the ins and outs of hackathon event planning. From securing a venue (or setting up a virtual space) to scheduling and managing registrations, the details and pressure can be overwhelming. If you're not familiar with the process, you'll end up spending a lot of time just figuring things out which more than often leads to procrastination. This learning curve can eat up precious hours that could be better spent on other critical tasks, let alone your actual day job.

Do your research up front and make sure you start with a well thought out and detailed project plan. You’ll want to consider the resources you have, the audience you want to participate, the timing and format, and most importantly, the outcomes you want from the event. What are you actually trying to solve, fix, create? Hackathons have a lot of moving parts, and without doing your research and putting a solid plan in place, you and your team may quickly find yourself getting lost in the details.

#2 Difficulty getting all stakeholders on the same page

Speaking of stakeholders, getting your executive leadership, participants, sponsors, judges, and mentors on the same page can be a Herculean task. Each group has different expectations and requirements, and aligning them can be challenging. Misaligned expectations can lead to frustration and conflict, detracting from the overall success of the event.

Make sure you have a well laid out communication plan from the start. Determine which types of communications and meetings are needed for each group. Plan the messaging, outline expectations, and make sure everyone knows key dates and deliverables. Keeping the various stakeholders informed throughout the process will help you avoid any surprises or misunderstandings.

#3 Oversight on key logistics and milestones

When you’re managing everything yourself, there’s a high risk of missing key logistical details. Whether it’s scheduling virtual events for different time zones, arranging for adequate internet bandwidth, ordering the catering or managing a participant registration system, there are countless small but crucial elements that can slip through the cracks, even if your event is virtual. As the event draws closers, the anxiety builds and questions from teams/participants build - make sure you have someone onhand to manage these, so to give everyone a great experience in time. Event planning is not everyone’s forte and it’s easy for anyone to overlook important logistical details amidst the chaos.

To avoid this, it all goes back to the original plan. It's crucial to create a detailed, logical project plan and checklist that covers all aspects of the event. Assign specific tasks to team members to ensure nothing is missed, and set up regular check-ins to monitor progress. Use project management tools to keep track of tasks and deadlines. Effective communication is key, so establish clear channels and protocols for updates and feedback with everyone involved in the planning. By being organised and proactive, you can manage the myriad details and ensure the event runs smoothly.

#4 Confusion and unnecessary work with fragmented tools

Using fragmented tools to manage different aspects of the event can create confusion and unnecessary work. You might find yourself juggling multiple platforms for project management, registration, communication, project submissions, and judging. This not only complicates the process but also increases the chances of errors and miscommunication. Version control headaches are common, especially with multiple stakeholders involved. An integrated approach is crucial for a seamless experience.

When planning a hackathon, you’ll need to think about the stack of tools you have available and weigh that with the benefits of an integrated event management platform. These platforms can centralise all aspects of the event, from registration and communication to project submissions and judging, into one cohesive system. This streamlines processes, reduces the risk of errors, and ensures that all team members and participants are on the same page. A comprehensive tool can drastically simplify the planning process and create a more seamless and efficient experience for everyone involved.

#5 Scope-creep and over spending

Without a clear understanding of what’s required, it’s easy to fall victim to scope creep and overspending. You might start with a simple plan but as you get into the details, you start adding more—maybe a special keynote speaker, extra meals, or additional prizes. Before you know it, your budget has doubled, and you're scrambling to find the funds to cover everything that is needed.

Start with a clear and detailed budget and then maintain strict budget control through the planning process to avoid overspending. Outline all essential expenses and allocate funds accordingly. Be disciplined about distinguishing between must-haves and nice-to-haves, and resist the temptation to add extras unless they fit within your original budget. It can also be helpful to establish a process for evaluating and approving any additional costs to prevent impulsive decisions that can lead to financial strain.

#6 Lacklustre participant experience

All the issues mentioned above can culminate in a lacklustre participant experience. If the event is poorly organised, participants can become frustrated, confused and apathetic. This can lead to low engagement and satisfaction, defeating the purpose of the hackathon. And a poor experience can harm your reputation in different ways and make it hard to attract participants to future events.

A seamless, well-planned event is crucial. You want everyone involved in your event to have a good experience and leave inspired and motivated. Throughout the planning process, always remember the participants and consider their experience. What elements can you bring in that keep them engaged? What kind of gamification can you add? What kind of things will add value to the event and help motivate them? Yes, you have a lot of details to work through and time is limited. But ultimately you have to create an event that is fun, engaging and inspiring for the participants. That's what it's all about.

#7 Forgetting the impact

One of the most common pitfalls in running a hackathon is the post-event wrap-up. After the intense process of planning and executing a hackathon, many organisers fail to properly evaluate the event once it’s over. Exhausted and relieved that the event has finished, they overlook the crucial follow-up work needed to assess whether the hackathon's goals were met. This can mean missing out on valuable insights about what worked well and what could be improved. Without this evaluation, it’s challenging to gauge the true impact of the hackathon and learn from the experience for future events.

At the end of your event you’ll want to collect feedback from all participants, including attendees, sponsors, judges, and organisers. Use surveys and direct interviews to gather detailed insights. Analyse key metrics such as project quality, participant satisfaction, and engagement levels. Hold a debrief meeting with your team and other stakeholders to discuss the outcomes and next steps. You'll also want to compare the results against your initial goals and success criteria to see if they were achieved. Document these findings thoroughly to build a reference for future hackathons, ensuring that each event can be better than the last. Remember, it’s not just about the event itself, but the outcomes and impact it generates. ROI is a question never far from the lips of seniors so ensure you have the business case on hand.

Also think about what happens to all the ideas/solutions generated and the people involved. Will you create an ongoing task-force dedicated to getting these ideas implemented? Were there some ideas that were great but need refinement based on your organisational guardrails/tech stack/compliance?

Achieving Hackathon success

Let's be honest—organising a hackathon is almost like taking on a second job that consumes your evenings and often creeps into the weekend. Balancing this with your regular full-time responsibilities can be incredibly stressful. The pressure of meeting deadlines, handling last-minute changes, and ensuring everything runs smoothly can take a toll. Your north star is total success, but that's no easy task and the journey can be rough.

Instead of going through the hassle and stress of organising a hackathon on your own, you may want to consider partnering with experienced professionals. A dedicated hackathon organiser can take care of all the details, ensuring a smooth and successful event. They bring expertise, streamlined processes, and integrated tools to the table, allowing you to focus on what matters most—innovation and growth.

In the end, whether you plan the event on your own or outsource it, a well-executed hackathon can lead to amazing innovations, stronger team collaboration, and tangible results that benefit your organisation. By recognising these common pitfalls, you can ensure a positive experience for everyone, ultimately achieving the goals of your hackathon.

So, get ready to fuel innovation and watch your ideas come to life—just make sure you have the right plans and support to make it all happen.