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Getting the Most out of Hack Day: Lessons from Hacking for Humanity

Getting the Most out of Hack Day: Lessons from Hacking for Humanity

Presented at the start of .Astronomy9 Hack Day

Dr. Arna Karick

November 16, 2017
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  1. Getting the most out of #dotastro hack day
    Lessons from hacking for humanity
    Dr. Arna Karick – Freelance Astronomy & Computing Consultant
    ! @drarnakarick " www.arnakarick.com | techsavvyastronomer.io

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  2. PhD Astronomy, University of Melbourne
    Galaxy evolution in Fornax + UCDs Postdoc, IGPP, LLNL
    More of the above + Virgo & M31 GCs
    Postdoc, ARI, LJMU
    HST/ACS Coma Cluster Treasury Survey Postdoc, Oxford
    HST follow-up for Atlas3D Galaxy Survey
    Research Data Analyst/
    e-Research Consultant/
    & Project Manager, Swinburne Research
    Research infrastructure projects, HPC,
    Data Strategy/Tech Institutes
    Freelance Consultant, Melbourne
    OzGrav: $31M pitch, Website, Gravity Spy2
    Astronomy Australia Ltd - Advisory Work
    techsavvyastronomer.io 

    RHoK
    .Astronomy6 – Adler, Chicago
    Next stop: Tech! – Data science/ML+DL/
    product development

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  3. at .Astronomy6
    #mindblown
    after .Astronomy6
    #canwedothatagain

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  4. My first Hack Day
    #SlightlyTerrified #ImposterSyndrome #WentIntoHiding

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  5. Getting the most out of #dotastro hack day
    Lessons from hacking for humanity
    Dr. Arna Karick – Freelance Astronomy & Computing Consultant
    ! @drarnakarick " www.arnakarick.com | techsavvyastronomer.io

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  7. We match local organisations that have a social impact with
    skilled technologists, keen to tackle challenges facing society.
    Our focus is on health, education, environment, sustainability,
    disadvantaged and vulnerable communities.

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  8. RHoK
    Cape Town
    Sanitation Hack
    RHoK
    Durban
    Global Hack
    @RHOKDurban
    RHoK
    Pretoria
    Socio-Economical
    Africa
    @rhokpta
    RHoK Australia
    Summer & Winter Hacks
    Largest, most developed community:
    Sydney, Western Sydney, Brisbane, Ipswich,
    Melbourne & Bendigo

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  9. We’ve supported 70+ projects
    Each year we have returning changemakers
    RHoK community has 500+ hackers

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  10. We are open by design
    - GitHub -
    We value social impact
    We don’t care about reward
    or competition

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  11. We are open by design
    - GitHub -
    We value social impact
    We do care about
    happy socks &
    ugly trophys
    We finish what we start

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  13. Minimum Viable Product
    Re-design or development of a new website
    Databases, interactive content, data collection
    Integrating widgets, maps, data for an existing website
    Mobile apps & gamification
    Some sort of proof-of-concept
    We embrace agile methodologies
    Working software/product –– over documentation
    Responsive to change –– over following a fixed plan
    Customer collaboration –– over contract negotiation
    Interaction/Individuals –– over process & tools

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  14. Minimum Viable Product
    Re-design or development of a new website
    Databases, interactive content, data collection
    Integrating widgets, maps, data for an existing website
    Mobile apps & gamification
    Some sort of proof-of-concept
    We embrace agile methodologies
    Working software/product –– over documentation
    Responsive to change –– over following a fixed plan
    Customer collaboration –– over contract negotiation
    Interaction/Individuals –– over process & tools
    Tip #1
    Research is all about being agile.
    Concept of MVP comes naturally to astronomers.

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  15. We also embrace “failure”
    Sometimes the idea isn’t that good
    Sometimes the platform/technology isn’t right
    Sometimes we don’t have the right expertise
    Sometimes the hackathon is the start of the journey/collaboration
    We change direction. We throw things out
    We pivot a lot… each time we learn something new

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  16. We use Slack – one #channel for each project

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  17. We value hack buddies & tech mentors
    We use docker, digital ocean, wordpress
    We try not to re-invent the wheel
    Collaboration & communication = success

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  19. We also embrace “failure”
    We change direction
    We throw things out
    We pivot a lot…
    Each time we learn something new
    Sometimes the idea isn’t that good
    Sometimes the platform/technology isn’t right
    Sometimes we don’t have the right expertise
    Sometimes the weekend is the start of the journey/collaboration
    Tip #2
    Participate in at least one non-astro hackathon.
    You meet really interesting, talented people.
    Good ones are awesome and you learn a lot.
    Don’t be discouraged by the bad.
    Good experience if you’re thinking of a tech career.
    Bring your own hack buddy.

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  20. #dotastro hack day
    gratuitous unsplash.com photo of earth…

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  21. Some things to inspire you…

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  23. Hacks can be hardware or people powered.
    Musical numbers & courtroom dramas are encouraged.
    Hacks can be functional. Hacks can be pretty.

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  25. A sense of what
    can be achieved
    quickly
    – MVPs -
    What might be
    needed for a
    robust final
    product
    Appreciation of
    realistic
    development
    timelines
    Great
    conversations
    with different
    people
    Lean and Agile
    principles
    Learn how
    languages &
    applications fit
    together
    Complexities of
    software
    development
    Code
    documentation
    Discovering
    useful tools
    Combining tools
    to create
    new things
    Starting new
    collaborations
    Making new
    friends
    Get involved in
    Open Source
    projects
    Collaborative
    Coding &
    Version
    Control
    Introduction to
    Code Testing
    Best practises
    in computing
    Machine
    Learning
    Code
    optimisation
    Data
    Visualisation
    Community
    Developed
    Tutorials

    - Jupyter -
    Identifying
    your own
    abilities
    Learn about
    other career
    paths
    Learning about
    tech roles &
    skills required
    Expanding your
    network
    It’s not really
    about what
    you do…
    or don’t do.
    It’s more about
    learning and
    community.

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  26. Tips Part #3
    1. Accept that you’re probably going to be a little it uncomfortable. Embrace it.
    2. You don’t have to pitch a hack idea, but sharing ideas is always good.
    3. Jump on someone else’s hack project OR pick up a previous #dotastro hack
    OR pick someone you would like to work with OR watch, talk, play, and learn.
    4. Don’t be afraid to tell people what you can do.
    5. Don’t be afraid to tell people what you can’t do.
    6. Don’t dwell on what you can’t do.
    7. Do buddy up with dotastro veterans and new friends.
    8. Talk to everyone about everything. Ask questions. Help others.
    9. Use Slack. Use Jupyter Notebooks. Use pen and paper.
    …not necessarily right

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  27. 9. Some people may float around before settling on a hack. Be inclusive.
    10. Try not to float for too long! Everything tends to move fast on hack day.
    11. Ideally discussions should be at level of the novice hacker.
    12. Be aware of the overwhelmed/shy/scared – #ImposterSyndrome
    13. Keep hacks simple. Aim for something you can demonstrate.
    14. Don’t worry about “failure”.
    15. Documenting, blogging & making hack tutorials are all good things to do.
    16. Tweet/Slack your hacks: ideas, calls for help, sucesses & failures.
    17. Have fun. This is a unique opportunity. Explore SAAO. Channel your inner Kermit.
    Tips Part #3 …not necessarily right

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  28. Be your creative selves. Make new friends.

    Don’t worry about what’s about to happen #NoExpectations

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