Judging Criteria

  1. Progress
    Was the challenge well-researched? Was the solution well-designed?
    Did they form a strong team that can move the solution forward?
    Did they create an actionable plan or prototype?
  2. Practical
    Can this solution be reasonably implemented here?
    Will people be able to easily access and adopt it?
    Do resources already exist, or would resources be easy to secure, to sustain and continue improving on this solution?
  3. Potential
    How effective would this be at solving the stated challenge or need?
    Would people actually adopt it and use it?
    Could this scale to serve other communities and/or address other challenges?

Code of Conduct

At Houston Hackathon, we believe that everyone should feel welcome and safe. For this reason, we provide a Code of Conduct to guide the culture of the hackathon. Please read it in full — we reserve the right to remove and/or disqualify any persons or teams that breach this code.

Please honor the Houston Hackathon Code of Conduct (based on https://hackcodeofconduct.org):

  1. Create a welcoming environment for all participants: Hackathons are places where people should feel safe and free to contribute positively, free from discrimination or harassment.
  2. Respect Others: Everyone’s ideas, skills, and contributions have value.
  3. Encourage Learning: People from all walks of life participate, so refrain from assuming that everyone has the same context and understanding. Encourage questions and foster peer-to-peer learning.
  4. Encourage Contribution: Create ways for people to contribute positively with their skills and energy. Use additive language like “yes/and” instead of destructive language like “no/but.”
  5. Step Up & Step Back: Invite quiet participants to speak up and share their ideas, and encourage vocal ones to step back to make listening room for other voices.
  6. Aim for Access: Design solutions that anyone can use, and to build tools that are open. Bonus points for developing solutions with input from and access for those who are often excluded from the civic process: You can achieve this by making sure that the entire community is well-represented in the planning, design, and implementation phases!
  7. Strive for solutions that will achieve real impact for the greater good: Actively involve mission-aligned stakeholders, people with subject matter expertise, and people impacted by your challenge and solution. Ensure that all interactions remain respectful and helpful.

Impact Hub Houston and Houston Hackathon volunteers reserve the right to ask anyone in violation of this Code of Conduct to leave or not participate in the event and any related activities, events, and digital forums. If you wish to report someone in violation of this Code, please contact the Impact Hub Houston team at email: houston+hackathon[at]impacthub.net