Want MORE? Then do MORE…
Why hackathons are a way to drive MORE… of everything
What is a hackathon and why are they beneficial? If you have read my previous blog, you already know all about this!
The business travel industry ecosystem has been talking more and more about how to foster innovation. Hackathons can be part of the answer*…
After supporting 2 hackathons for IATA in 2016 (#NDCHack), one of my key learnings is that they contribute to drive dynamism. Here’s why!
#NDCHack: “more” of everything
More stakeholders get involved
#NDCHack gained momentum. Developers from established companies came to challenge themselves and to compete with start-ups, students, passionate fellows. Also, more airlines joined – they were eager to find out how developers “play” with their content to create new shopping and booking experiences.
More diversity
Hackathons gather people from diverse horizons: different nationalities (the Dubai NDC hackathon gathered residents from 8 countries), different profiles, with a travel background or not (product managers, developers, graphic designers, UX experts…). It is the combination of specialties that drives creativity.
More to explore
The hackathon challenges I was involved with covered business travel as well as leisure travel. The most interesting part was to imagine how each project could be applicable to the other sector – in a context of consumerisation of business travel. Hackathons help you go beyond your defined business sector walls.
More creativity
There is a real shift happening today in terms of product development. We are evolving in an environment of (open) APIs, which allows developers to obtain information easily and quickly, and to create ad hoc solutions. It has never been so easy to create!
More entrepreneurship
With the Internet and the world of instant need we live in, we have the ability to put thoughts online within seconds! I witnessed participants who didn’t know each other teaming up, creating their app from scratch, and ending as winners of the hackathon!
I felt privileged as my role of mentor gave me the opportunity to be right in the middle of this ecosystem. It was exciting to be immersed in a developer’s minds.
…And MORE to come!
In 2017 Festive Road will be supporting 3 hackathons initiated by IATA.
- In Dublin from 19th to the 21st of May (more information online).
- In the Silicon Valley in August and in Paris in October. In addition to NDC, these editions will incorporate blockchain technology, One Order, and other innovations.
* …for the rest you just need to ask Festive Road
Want to know more about IATA hackathons?
Then check out…
Berlin hackathon – May 2016 – website – video
Dubai hackathon – October 2016 – website – video
My shared experience as a mentor on Festive Road blog – blog post
+ all over social media via #NDCHack
About Festive Road
Festive Road helps companies grow through better engagement. Headed by Business Travel Thought Leaders Paul Tilstone & Caroline Strachan, together with their network of international associates, they provide engagement, strategy, insights and event services. The Festive Road team has been recognised multiple times in prominent industry leader lists and industry awards as leading lights in the global business travel market since 2007.
