Hackathons are growing in importance and value to businesses, corporations, and communities. In this post, we'll go over some of the complexities of creating an excellent hackathon submission and highlight some tiny, impactful changes that can be made to help your project stand out from the crowd. Read on!
1. Prioritize Submission
Submission is by far the most significant aspect of hackathons in general. Even if you cannot address all of the problems raised in this article, or if your project has not yet been completed, you should still submit what you have. Don't be scared to put your work or your team's efforts out there. Submitting and receiving comments will boost your confidence for future hackathons. Others may see your concept and contact you after the hackathon to collaborate on improving it into a feature-complete mainnet project.
2. Your User Interface Is Your First Impression
A common theme in hackathons is not spending a lot of time on the user interface since sometimes the goal is to get something working. However, a well-designed UI can make a massive difference in the long run.
Remember that you're not building a DApp for AirSwap; you're building a DApp for the AirSwap community of developers and enthusiasts. A good user interface is about more than just aesthetic design; it's about ease of use and productivity. When Striking won the ETHWaterloo hackathon in 2016, they were first to market with an elegant, easy-to-use UI. They won because they had a great user experience and could make the most out of new AirSwap APIs. A great UI will help your project stand out from the crowd.
3. Keep It Simple
There is often a great temptation to add many bells and whistles to your project. People tend to want to build the most advanced, impressive, and complex project they can. But this is rarely the winning approach. It's better to be more focused and build a simple version of your idea that can be built out later. This will allow you to be more successful in the long run. For example, if you need to build something for the AirSwap community, you can leverage the AirSwap market data APIs and data structures to build something quickly instead of building your own from scratch.
4. Explain the Importance of Your Project
If you don't explain the importance of your project, no one else will. It's essential to explain how something you're building is of value to the community and how it fits the ecosystem. Make sure to be clear on the value proposition of your project and how it uniquely adds to the Ethereum ecosystem.
In most cases, the judges are not experts in the space you are building in. That means they may not understand the importance of your project. If you can explain in simple terms what your project does and why it's necessary or valuable, you'll go a long way.
5. Run a Live Demo
A live demo is always helpful when submitting. It shows a lot of commitment and makes it easier for judges to see the potential of your project and how it works in action. A live demo also shows that you have something tangible to show for all the work you've put in.
Level Up Your Next Blockchain Hackathon Submission!
A hackathon is an excellent opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people and build something valuable. It's also a great way to get the community to rally around your concept and support it.
If you enjoyed our hackathon tips, check out more in our other blog posts! Hackathon.com is the go-to place for hosting hackathons for corporate events or signing up for one! Get more info on our services and be "in the know" on the latest events by getting in touch with us today.
