There's an old adage that goes, "teamwork makes the dream work.” It's applicable to business (like launching a startup) and pleasure (like playing World of Warcraft). The entire point is to cooperate and help each other out to achieve a common goal. Needless to say, this is also true when it comes to joining Hackathons. This battle of the brains (and skills) is absolutely not meant to be forged alone: collaborations and camaraderie to form a strong team are crucial.

Hackathon Teamwork

Before you join a Hackathon, it's important to be well-prepared. Get to know potential teammates and have a good grasp of their skills and the role they hope to take on. It's important to work with someone that's a good fit, not just for you but with everyone else. Remember: it's all about combining to achieve a greater purpose. You'll want to win no matter what the challenge is when you get there.

Here are the skills that your Hackathon team shouldn't be without:

  • Design

Aside from the technological and internal aspects, the innovative creativity sought after during Hackathons extends to external aesthetics. Designers are responsible for bringing a user perspective to the process as things progress, as well as managing issues related to user experience (UX) and the user interface (UI). Graphic design also plays a key role here since the final product's look and feel will depend on it as well. There are many aspects of design that are necessary during Hackathons. 

  • Domain Expertise

This may seem self-explanatory, but it's worth noting. If you don't have an immediate resource that's well-versed in a certain field or domain, you won't be able to provide informed, timely solutions. Ideally, at least one person should have knowledge of something that can likely come up in the Hackathons. That means if the "problem" given for solving during a particular Hackathon involves a certain concept, the first thing to do is learn everything possible about its mechanisms. This can include functions and even possible visions that will help it progress. 

  •  Project Management

A throwback to the basics from your school days, there has to be someone on the Hackathon team that understands and can moderate project management. Having a leader or someone that takes on that position even temporarily is key. They need to have management and leadership skills that can help steer the team to victory. It's particularly crucial since the Hackathons themselves tend to be fast-paced and don't leave a lot of time for work to get done. 

Build a Skilled Hackathon Team

Hackathons can get pretty intense, so having a strong team is essential. Part of being well-prepared is putting together a team that's a combination of several strengths. Take note of skills that the team as a whole should have at least clear one representative for. This includes, but is not limited to, domain expertise, design, and project management. Having a skilled Hackathon team that can work together well to clinch the victory is what you need!
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