Hackathons/Timeline
Every event is different, but this can give you a rough overview of the tasks at hand and the timeframe you should complete them in. Some tasks are dependent on each other: To order the T-shirts, you need to know the number of participants and their sizes. Your timeline needs to be flexible enough to accommodate for last-minute changes, but you have to have a solid plan for a timeline, before you start organizing a hackathon.
This timeline can...
edit... give you an overview of the planning process for a Wikimedia Hackathon
... help you plan your event with your team, define team roles and areas of responsibilities
... help you develop an individual timeline for your own specific event. Sit down with you team, take out a calendar an some markers, and start creating your own timeline!
This timeline can not...
edit... give you a detailed description of every little task. For detailed descriptions, please refer to the Handbook for organizers!
Timeline-Table
editGlossary for the table
editTags: These refer to the according sections in the Handbook for hackathon organizers.
Task: Unless otherwise mentioned in the description, the tasks are to be done by the local organizer team. Please don't hesitate to ask the WMF Events team for help, if you need anything, or just want some feedback! Splitting the work between the different teams/ people in a way that makes sense for everybody, and a good communication about responsibilities between all members of the organizer team is crucial to an event's success.
Timeframe: An estimate for the time when you should complete this task.
| Tags | Task | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| ONGOING TASKS | ||
| Organizer team | Maintain constant contact with WMF Events team | 15 months - event |
| Manage participants | Maintain constant contact with participants (questions regarding scholarships, lodging, travel, payment, etc.) | when location is announced - 2 months after the event |
| Organizer team | Recruit volunteers to help with event organizing, keep them informed about ongoing tasks | 8 months - event |
| Finances + Sponsoring | Aquire potential sponsors | 8 months - event |
| Venue and Wifi, Food | Constant contact with venue on food, set-up, technical set-up, etc. | 4 months - event |
| Manage participants | Monitor registration numbers (and coordinate with venue, catering etc. if needed) | when registration opens - event |
| THE YEAR BEFORE | ||
| Proposing a hackathon | Decision for next Wikimedia Hackathon location is made by WMF | 15 - 12 months |
| Promotion | Make an event wiki page, list it on events (WMF Events team) | 15 - 12 months |
| Finances + Sponsoring | Budget: develop and approve with WMF | 15 - 12 months |
| Organizer team | Define internal team roles | 12 months |
| Organizer team | If needed, hire contractors, e.g. for outreach | 12 - 9 months |
| Promotion + Press, Newcomers, Stakeholders | Develop outreach strategies for press, newcomers, like-minded communities, stakeholders | 12 months - 8 months |
| Promotion + Press | Set up a website to promote event with sponsors and like-minded communities | 12 - 8 months |
| Finances + Sponsoring | Start applying for (local) grants | 12 - 8 months |
| Venue | Finalize contracts with event venue | 12 - 8 months |
| Manage participants | Scholarship process is defined by commitee | 9 - 6 months |
| Social events | Investigate Social event options and locations ( Will local tourism board or government provide free or discounted activities?) | 9 - 6 months |
| Diversity | Develop strategies to further diversity on your event | 9 months |
| Design + Printing materials | If you hire a designer for local logo designs / T-shirt designs, find and contract them | 8 months |
| Finances + Sponsoring | Develop sponsoring packages and sponsoring stragegy | 8 months |
| Venue | Contract hotels, if seperate from venue contract | 8 months |
| 6 MONTHS BEFORE | ||
| Organizer team | Video production: If you make a promotional video, contract someone do shoot it | 6 months |
| Design + Printing materials | Local logo design finished - design should be run by WMF Events team | 6 months |
| Food | Reserch and contract catering, if separate from venue contract | 6 months |
| Diversity | Reach out to stakeholders, locally and internationally, to implement diversity measures into your event | 6 months |
| Manage participants | Develop and test registration form | 6 - 5 months |
| Social events | Finanlize and contract social event plan | 6 - 4 months |
| Venue | Go over venue setup requirements and plan for room assignments - with WMF Events team | 5 - 4 months |
| Manage participants | Open registration form | 5 - 3 months |
| Manage participants | Write visa invitation letters | 3 - 1 months |
| Manage participants | Room reservations and travel arrangements | 3 months |
| Organizer team, Volunteers | Develop volunteer roles and duties | 3 months |
| 2 MONTHS BEFORE | ||
| Organizer team | Communicate to volunteers when the first activity is organised (like a welcome party for volunteers only) or when the preparations on site start, so that volunteers can base their travel plans on this. | 2 months |
| Program + Sessions | Program outline on website - with WMF Events team - Rough daily schedule as well as room, uses, sizes and a/v set-ups should be published on event page. | 2 months |
| Design + Printing materials | Order all generic printing materials (banners, roll-ups, Friendly space posters) | 2 - 1 months |
| Manage participants | Scholarship decisions - with WMF Events team | 2 - 1 months |
| Mentoring program | Contact potential mentors, inform them about commitment | 1 months |
| Communicate with participants | 1st email to participants | 3 weeks |
| Finances + Sponsoring | Sponsors: Finalize list of Sponsors so that their logos, ads, etc. can be added to Program book | 3 weeks |
| Design + Printing materials | Order all special printing materials (T-shirts, name badges, lanyards, booklets, etc.) | 3 - 2 weeks |
| Newcomers, Diversity | Hold pre-hackathons for newcomers | 3 - 2 weeks |
| Mentoring program | 2nd mentor email | 2 weeks |
| Manage participants | Close registration form | 2 weeks |
| Venue | Have a final meeting with the venue regarding food, room set-ups, wifi, etc. | 2 weeks |
| Communicate with participants | 2nd email to participants | 2 weeks |
| Venue, Finances + Sponsoring | Ship all items to the venue – inform all Sponsors to ship their items to be included in conference bag | 2 weeks |
| Design + Printing materials | Go over final registration list and print name badges | 2 weeks |
| EVENT WEEK | ||
| Technology | Libera Chat should be notified of events, and provided IP address(es) to raise IP cap to allow people to get onto IRC, send an email to support libera.chat asking for an "iline" with a list of IP addresses, and expected number of attendees.
|
1 week |
| Technology | Wikimedia Phabricator should be informed, and provided IP address(es) to add throttle exception so new users can create accounts | 1 week |
| Promotion + Press | Send press release, contact journalists | 1 week |
| Communicate with participants | 3rd and final email to participants | 1 week |
| Mentoring program | 3rd and final mentor email | 1 week |
| Manage participants | Manage last minute registrations (name badges, lodging, travel etc.) | 1 week |
| During the event | Review F&B orders, catering, AV, room setup, sleeping rooms, Video, Wireless, etc, and make adjustments | 1 week |
| During the event | Put final registration stats: attendance, budget and feedback up on public wiki | 1 week |
| During the event | Logistics: Create the conference contact list and distribute to all staff/Volunteers/venues/vendors | 1 week |
| During the event | Logistics: Track and receive all shipped materials to the venue | 1 week |
| During the event | Logistics: Meetings with team and venue staff: Here you will adjust for any last minute updates to the conference set-ups, F&B, AV | 1 week |
| During the event | Put together badges and welcome bags // Volunteers: Have a volunteer bag stuffing party once all materials have arrived at the conference venue | 1 week |
| During the event | Communicate with participants // Sponsors, Program, Scholarships, Lodging: Send final info emails and draft welcome letters for: sponsors, speakers, attendees, staff, vips, scholarship winners | 1 week |
| Organizer team | Volunteer coordination being executed by volunteer coordinator | event |
| During the event | Manage help desk and registration desk | event |
| During the event | Facility manager / logistics manager for venue | event |
| During the event | Wifi specialist on call | event |
| During the event | A/V specialist / technican | event |
| WITHIN WEEKS AFTER THE EVENT | ||
| Promotion + Press | Send press release | within 3 days after |
| After the event | Lodging: Collect full hotel room pick-up list | within 1 week after |
| After the event | Logistics: Collect and pay all outstanding invoices from vendors | within 1 month after |
| After the event | Videos: Post videos of presentations online, in coordination with video production team or company. | within 1 month after |
| After the event | Write official blog post and outcomes | within 1 week after |
| After the event | Send thank you email and feedback survey | within 1 week after |
| After the event, Finances + Sponsoring | Send thank you email to sponsors, include selected photos/ videos and press clippings | |
| WITHIN MONTHS AFTER THE EVENT | ||
| After the event | Logistics: Conduct a post event meeting with all staff, venues, vendors, etc. | within 1 month after |
| After the event, Finances + Sponsoring | Logistics: Create the final post-event budget report | within 1 - 2 months after |
| After the event, Finances + Sponsoring | Maintain contact with sponsors | after event - forever |
| After the event, Newcomers | Have a follow-up community event for new members of your community | within 6 months after |