07-26-2019, 07:39 AM
At global Hackathon, customers break something to make something
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something.jpg" width="1024" height="652" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>Summer is a time for growth. Whether you’re traveling to an historical destination or picking out a book for the beach, the season is ripe for taking a break from the grind to focus on introspection and renewal, to make new friends, re-connect with old ones, and create shared experiences together. With any luck, come autumn you have a sharpened mind and a greater sense of where you want to go next.</p>
<p>Which is why summer is the ideal time for the Microsoft global Hackathon. Minds will be sharpened, advancement made tangible, and friends with diverse backgrounds will be brought together to create shared experiences.</p>
<p>By now you’re probably aware of the 27,000 employees who gather at Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington campus and 45 venues around the world, <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/life/hackathon" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">embracing the event</a> (part of One Week – a series celebrating the company’s people, products and ideas) as a platform for innovation. But at the 6th annual installment, there’s another rapidly growing segment that deserves its own spotlight: customer collaborations.</p>
<figure id="attachment_29638" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-29638 size-large" src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something.jpg" alt="Two participants wave " width="995" height="634"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">More than 30 customer teams join 27,000 Microsoft employees at the 2019 Microsoft global Hackathon. (Photo by Scott Eklund, Red Box Pictures)</figcaption></figure>
<p>“We started inviting customers two years ago,” explains Susie Kandzor, group program manager at The Garage, an experimentation and growth program at Microsoft that produces the Hackathon to further its mission of encouraging collaboration, creativity and experimentation. “In 2017, we only had four customers join us. Last year we had 10 customers join us, and the feedback from executive leadership was that they loved it and wanted more.”</p>
<p>For the 2019 installment, the largest private hackathon on the planet welcomes some 30 companies (a dozen more will participate around the globe). Each sends three to five representatives, cross-functionality encouraged, arriving with wildly diverse business hurdles they hope to jump – and confidence that the latest technological breakthroughs can get them there.</p>
<p>“This is how we channel innovation into a focused effort,” says Angela Yochem, executive vice president/chief digital and technology officer for <a href="https://www.novanthealth.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Novant Health</a>, a network of healthcare providers that attended the global Hackathon in 2018 and is sending two teams this year from their offices in North Carolina.</p>
<p>“Remember in the movie ‘Apollo 13,’ where there’s something wrong with the spacecraft and all the engineers get together, spill parts all over a table, and using their past experiences and backgrounds, solve the problem? A Hackathon is that, on steroids.”</p>
<figure id="attachment_29613" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-29613 size-large" src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something-1.jpg" alt="A doctor uses a touch-screen device to consult with a patient." width="995" height="719"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">By leveraging technology, Novant Health is improving the health of its community. (Photo courtesy of Novant Health)</figcaption></figure>
<p>“We’re going to talk about the art of the possible,” agrees Kirk Windisch, Novant Health’s vice president of Digital Products and Services. “I’m excited to find solutions that we haven’t even thought of yet.”</p>
<p>The 2019 list of customer attendees is as diverse as it is impressive. Where else could you find 3M, Starbucks, Mastercard and Blackbaud under one roof? From meals (Nestle) to electricity (Chesapeake Energy) to investments (Vanguard), you’d be hard-pressed to find a greater range of industries innovating alongside one another.</p>
<p>“In the past we’ve seen a lot of instances where companies talk between themselves, and the Microsoft Hackathon has introduced different companies to one another. We’re just humbled by the enthusiasm our customers have toward hacking, and honored that these customers have given us the opportunity to help develop their growth ideas,” Kandzor says of the Hackathon’s unique atmosphere.</p>
<p>One customer attending Hackathon 2019 is Bellevue, Washington-based <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">T-Mobile</a> – a company with over 80 million customers and annual revenues of $43 billion – wearing their self-proclaimed moniker of “The Un-carrier” with disruptive pride. Principal analyst Sarah O’Brien says T-Mobile is perfectly positioned for the Hackathon experience.</p>
<figure id="attachment_29614" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-29614 size-large" src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something-2.jpg" alt="Two T-Mobile employees collaborate at a workstation." width="995" height="608"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">T-Mobile employees, who proudly sport their branded black and magenta, are encouraged to share ideas that lead to new technology solutions. (Photo courtesy of T-Mobile)</figcaption></figure>
<p>“I was at a conference not long ago, and my takeaway was the sheer volume of publishing, whitepapers and patents around machine learning and AI coming out of Microsoft – the true investment in it – and the notion that rather than treating it like a buzzword, there is thought leadership and movement to drive it forward for everyone,” she says.</p>
<p>“Our companies have a lot of shared experience and recognition that what made you successful in the past does not guarantee success in the future, so I’m excited that we can put these great teams together and build something impactful.”</p>
<p>Novant Health has over 650 locations in five states, and provides increased access to care through digital channels, and through advanced tech in their hospitals and physician centers. “We just deployed an AI-based system for treating stroke patients faster than ever before,” says Yochem, citing one exciting example. “With a stroke victim, every minute matters, and now we are able to save many more lives. It’s an example of how leveraging technology can impact the health of our community.”</p>
<figure id="attachment_29631" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-29631 size-large" src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something-3.jpg" alt="Two Novant Health employees consult monitors at a nursing station." width="995" height="664"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Novant Health team members train on new technology at patient check-in. (Photo courtesy of Novant Health)</figcaption></figure>
<p>And while Novant Health’s goal is nothing short of saving lives, other companies may simply seek to improve the quality of life.</p>
<p>“We’re empowered to achieve more, simply by combining forces,” says Jan-Jaap Oosterwijk, global head of innovation for digital platform security firm <a href="https://irdeto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Irdeto</a>, who is flying in with his team from The Netherlands. “I love the diversity of the event. I also really like that in the invitation, it was specified that the team doesn’t need to consist of engineers only. The Hackathon is open to people from any background, which will provide a wide range of perspectives.”</p>
<p>There are a lot of great brains working together at the global Hackathon, using a variety of technologies (last year, efforts focused on everything from artificial technology to sustainable farming). Much like a summer cookout, each customer brings their own specialty – in this case, a hack.</p>
</div>
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something.jpg" width="1024" height="652" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>Summer is a time for growth. Whether you’re traveling to an historical destination or picking out a book for the beach, the season is ripe for taking a break from the grind to focus on introspection and renewal, to make new friends, re-connect with old ones, and create shared experiences together. With any luck, come autumn you have a sharpened mind and a greater sense of where you want to go next.</p>
<p>Which is why summer is the ideal time for the Microsoft global Hackathon. Minds will be sharpened, advancement made tangible, and friends with diverse backgrounds will be brought together to create shared experiences.</p>
<p>By now you’re probably aware of the 27,000 employees who gather at Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington campus and 45 venues around the world, <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/life/hackathon" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">embracing the event</a> (part of One Week – a series celebrating the company’s people, products and ideas) as a platform for innovation. But at the 6th annual installment, there’s another rapidly growing segment that deserves its own spotlight: customer collaborations.</p>
<figure id="attachment_29638" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-29638 size-large" src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something.jpg" alt="Two participants wave " width="995" height="634"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">More than 30 customer teams join 27,000 Microsoft employees at the 2019 Microsoft global Hackathon. (Photo by Scott Eklund, Red Box Pictures)</figcaption></figure>
<p>“We started inviting customers two years ago,” explains Susie Kandzor, group program manager at The Garage, an experimentation and growth program at Microsoft that produces the Hackathon to further its mission of encouraging collaboration, creativity and experimentation. “In 2017, we only had four customers join us. Last year we had 10 customers join us, and the feedback from executive leadership was that they loved it and wanted more.”</p>
<p>For the 2019 installment, the largest private hackathon on the planet welcomes some 30 companies (a dozen more will participate around the globe). Each sends three to five representatives, cross-functionality encouraged, arriving with wildly diverse business hurdles they hope to jump – and confidence that the latest technological breakthroughs can get them there.</p>
<p>“This is how we channel innovation into a focused effort,” says Angela Yochem, executive vice president/chief digital and technology officer for <a href="https://www.novanthealth.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Novant Health</a>, a network of healthcare providers that attended the global Hackathon in 2018 and is sending two teams this year from their offices in North Carolina.</p>
<p>“Remember in the movie ‘Apollo 13,’ where there’s something wrong with the spacecraft and all the engineers get together, spill parts all over a table, and using their past experiences and backgrounds, solve the problem? A Hackathon is that, on steroids.”</p>
<figure id="attachment_29613" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-29613 size-large" src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something-1.jpg" alt="A doctor uses a touch-screen device to consult with a patient." width="995" height="719"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">By leveraging technology, Novant Health is improving the health of its community. (Photo courtesy of Novant Health)</figcaption></figure>
<p>“We’re going to talk about the art of the possible,” agrees Kirk Windisch, Novant Health’s vice president of Digital Products and Services. “I’m excited to find solutions that we haven’t even thought of yet.”</p>
<p>The 2019 list of customer attendees is as diverse as it is impressive. Where else could you find 3M, Starbucks, Mastercard and Blackbaud under one roof? From meals (Nestle) to electricity (Chesapeake Energy) to investments (Vanguard), you’d be hard-pressed to find a greater range of industries innovating alongside one another.</p>
<p>“In the past we’ve seen a lot of instances where companies talk between themselves, and the Microsoft Hackathon has introduced different companies to one another. We’re just humbled by the enthusiasm our customers have toward hacking, and honored that these customers have given us the opportunity to help develop their growth ideas,” Kandzor says of the Hackathon’s unique atmosphere.</p>
<p>One customer attending Hackathon 2019 is Bellevue, Washington-based <a href="https://www.t-mobile.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">T-Mobile</a> – a company with over 80 million customers and annual revenues of $43 billion – wearing their self-proclaimed moniker of “The Un-carrier” with disruptive pride. Principal analyst Sarah O’Brien says T-Mobile is perfectly positioned for the Hackathon experience.</p>
<figure id="attachment_29614" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-29614 size-large" src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something-2.jpg" alt="Two T-Mobile employees collaborate at a workstation." width="995" height="608"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">T-Mobile employees, who proudly sport their branded black and magenta, are encouraged to share ideas that lead to new technology solutions. (Photo courtesy of T-Mobile)</figcaption></figure>
<p>“I was at a conference not long ago, and my takeaway was the sheer volume of publishing, whitepapers and patents around machine learning and AI coming out of Microsoft – the true investment in it – and the notion that rather than treating it like a buzzword, there is thought leadership and movement to drive it forward for everyone,” she says.</p>
<p>“Our companies have a lot of shared experience and recognition that what made you successful in the past does not guarantee success in the future, so I’m excited that we can put these great teams together and build something impactful.”</p>
<p>Novant Health has over 650 locations in five states, and provides increased access to care through digital channels, and through advanced tech in their hospitals and physician centers. “We just deployed an AI-based system for treating stroke patients faster than ever before,” says Yochem, citing one exciting example. “With a stroke victim, every minute matters, and now we are able to save many more lives. It’s an example of how leveraging technology can impact the health of our community.”</p>
<figure id="attachment_29631" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img class="wp-image-29631 size-large" src="https://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/at-global-hackathon-customers-break-something-to-make-something-3.jpg" alt="Two Novant Health employees consult monitors at a nursing station." width="995" height="664"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Novant Health team members train on new technology at patient check-in. (Photo courtesy of Novant Health)</figcaption></figure>
<p>And while Novant Health’s goal is nothing short of saving lives, other companies may simply seek to improve the quality of life.</p>
<p>“We’re empowered to achieve more, simply by combining forces,” says Jan-Jaap Oosterwijk, global head of innovation for digital platform security firm <a href="https://irdeto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Irdeto</a>, who is flying in with his team from The Netherlands. “I love the diversity of the event. I also really like that in the invitation, it was specified that the team doesn’t need to consist of engineers only. The Hackathon is open to people from any background, which will provide a wide range of perspectives.”</p>
<p>There are a lot of great brains working together at the global Hackathon, using a variety of technologies (last year, efforts focused on everything from artificial technology to sustainable farming). Much like a summer cookout, each customer brings their own specialty – in this case, a hack.</p>
</div>