Hackathon planning
What is a hackathon?
Master these hackathon fundamentals to help you get ready to plan a successful event.
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Explore metrics to measure the success of your innovation hackathon and enhance organizational impact.
Internal hackathons transform the workplace into a hub of innovation, where employees step away from routine tasks to tackle challenges with fresh perspectives. These events create a unique space where your team's deep understanding of company challenges meets the freedom to experiment with bold solutions.
But the true power of hackathons is about more than the winning projects—it’s about the lasting impact on the organization. So, how to measure these seemingly “immeasurable” results?
Measuring this success requires a strategic approach that goes beyond the surface. By leveraging key metrics, data-driven insights, and the capabilities of an innovation hackathon platform, you can unlock the full potential of your internal hackathons and drive meaningful, long-term results.
Want to learn more about running hackathons? Download this free guide on how to plan an internal hackathon for your entire company.
When it comes to measuring the success of your hackathon, there are some fundamental metrics that every organizer should track. These metrics give a good numerical baseline to help measure the hackathon’s reach and give a sense of the topics participants are most interested in.
Tony Hernandez, Chief Architect at JLL Technologies, shares insight into how his organization measures success based on its goals:
“Because we want our hackathons to be more collaborative, we're looking at both how many engineers are registering versus how many folks from the business are registering.”
Pro tip: Using a hackathon platform will centralize all this data into one place, making it easy to access.
The reality is that measuring the success of your hackathon is about more than the static numbers. Instead, it’s about measuring the overall long-term, actionable impact this event has on your company.
Janet Carmody, Head of Culture at Motorola Solutions, also shared how her organization maximizes the long-term impact of its hackathons:
"For the return on investment in our products, we have ongoing efforts for the rest of the year. We have a 'Hack-on' space in Devpost where teams can continue on with their projects, have oversight by some of our senior leadership teams, and get further resources," she said.
“And yes, some things go right into the patent process and some things need a little bit more work, but we've been touching on all of them," she added.
Measuring the impact hackathons provide involves:
Janet also highlighted the importance of recognizing the value of the experience that hackathons provide.
“Some of the value is intangible—the experience, the creative ideas that come out, and the connection,” she said.
“You can't lose in a hackathon—whether you have five people or 500 people, it always produces excitement, fun, and people getting together to geek out. So that intangible element cannot be understated,” said Janet Carmody, Motorola Solutions.
To truly showcase the value of your hackathons (and impress your boss), consider these enhanced metrics that tell the full story:
“We measure the hackathon as some of the input metrics that align with the culture that we're trying to create by having hackathons,” said Tony Hernandez, JLL Technologies.
By considering these factors, you can paint a comprehensive picture of the hackathon's true value and make a compelling case for its continued support within your organization.
[Free download] Internal hackathon template and planning kit.
So, how do you measure the “immeasurable”? Gathering data from various sources will help demonstrate the impact of your hackathon and set the stage for even better events in the future. This multifaceted approach will paint a complete picture of your hackathon's success—revealing what went well and any areas for improvement. Here's how you can collect valuable data:
Trey Spyropoulos, Manager of Communications and Organizational Effectiveness at Toyota North America, shared the impact hackathon projects have had on his organization.
“Toyota was able to announce a new feature in one of our vehicles that was the winner of our first-ever hackathon. So this is something that you can tangibly see that your work produces an end result that's not just you seeing it.”
Trey also highlighted that it’s important to recognize that hackathons provide intangible value. He stated the importance of not being overly focused on the projects getting added to the roadmap, particularly in complex industries.
“We want to caution ourselves on being too focused on how many ideas were approved and were productionalized. The new feature in the vehicle that was announced this week—that's been six years in the making,” he said.
“One of the main successes though, is the collaboration that it took to bring this to life. Our little team in Plano, Texas was able to influence something. And work with people all across the globe to make this happen. And what's impressive about it is how similar the concept from 2019 is to the productionalized version,” said Trey Spyropoulos, Toyota North America.
Every project submission tells a story about your company's innovation priorities, talent pools, and future opportunities. But without the right tools, these valuable insights often slip through the cracks.
This is where a dedicated internal hackathon platform becomes critical. By creating a permanent, searchable archive of projects, you're building more than just a repository—you're creating a space where team members can continue to reference and build on their ideas.
Your hackathon data could reveal:
Most importantly, using the right tools means that running regular hackathons becomes less about logistics and more about nurturing your innovation ecosystem. With an innovation hackathon platform like Devpost for Teams, you can set up, manage, and streamline running your internal hackathons.
Get a free hackathon consultation and see how Devpost for Teams allows you to:
Regular hackathons transform innovation from a ‘one-time thing’ into a habit. While a one-off event might generate excitement and promising projects, the real magic happens when hackathons become part of your company's rhythm.
Recurring hackathons send a clear message—innovation isn't just a buzzword in your company values—it's a core part of how you operate. When employees know they'll have regular opportunities to pursue their ideas, they start thinking differently. They spot opportunities in daily challenges. They build cross-departmental relationships that spark new ideas.
We've seen this across companies that run consistent hackathons:
The key is finding the right cadence for your organization. Whether it's quarterly sprints or biannual events, the goal is to maintain momentum and inspire people to build.
Pro tip: Check out these 6 tips to boost your hackathon’s success after it ends.
Internal hackathons are a powerful engine for innovation. By taking a holistic approach to evaluating their success—by assessing both tangible metrics and qualitative insights—you can unlock the full potential of these events and drive lasting results. Leveraging an innovation hackathon platform like Devpost for Teams gives you the full picture and makes it easier to run regular hackathons.
Remember, innovation is not a one-time thing. Fostering a culture of continuous improvement through regular hackathons is key to staying ahead in today's competitive landscape.
