The hackathon combines accessibility training with the practical development of accessible products through the collaboration of professionals and colleagues.
My Role
In 2020, the DRV decided to fully digitize its case handler IT. The DRV design system developed by my team played a significant role in this. I worked as a UX consultant to ensure a consistent user experience across all products.
I was asked to participate in an upcoming internal hackathon on accessibility. What I didn't know when I agreed was that time was short and the team had little experience with the topic.
Together with a small team of three people, we organized a three-day hackathon involving 90 participants and helpers.
The hackathon had a significant impact. It not only demonstrated the enthusiasm and importance of the topic but also created projects that were further developed, leading to a more inclusive product landscape at the DRV. Personally, the event paved the way for me to develop my role as an accessibility designer at the DRV.
My Superpowers on this Project
Guardian of the Big Picture
It is in my nature and working method to solve design problems not only one-dimensionally but to view them systemically as part of a larger ecosystem.
In order to develop the appropriate challenge for the hackathon, we have looked at the future challenges of the German Pension Insurance from different perspectives.
Master Good Vibes
A hackathon should be fun, and despite limited resources and tight deadlines, the planning should also be enjoyable.
Captain of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurial thinking was required to illustrate the positive and profitable aspects of accessibility to the DRV.
Background
The topic of accessibility is not new to the German administration. As early as 2016, eight years before this project started, public institutions were required to make their digital products accessible. However, progress has been slow. Although there are passionate experts in most departments, they are not well connected or still have too little influence on the development process. In short, the topic is often swept under the rug.
The DRV wants to change that and raise awareness about the issue. That's why the hackathon was initiated.
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Solution
What is better than just a training on accessibility? Concrete projects on accessibility!
Accessibility training builds competencies, but real challenges begin afterward. Developing accessible products requires expertise, sensitized individuals, and strategies. The hackathon connects all these elements by bringing together subject matter experts and colleagues to collaborate.
The hackathon aims to develop innovative solutions and promote understanding of different perspectives. This allows us to better understand and consider the needs of our colleagues with disabilities.
Participation not only provides new knowledge in creative problem-solving and accessibility but also enhances technical skills, promotes teamwork, and diversity. The event is open to everyone - from product owners to developers.
Concept
Multiple ways of interacting with accessibility
Our hackathon spans four days and is structured into three so-called "paths." These have been developed to meet the various needs of the participants and to ensure that the projects are feasible.
Hacking Path
In this path, employees from administration, IT specialists, and designers form random teams to develop an idea. Under the guidance of a Design Thinking expert, a workshop is held to address the challenge: "How can the daily work routine of a caseworker be improved?" Prototypes are developed during the event. We have also invited individuals with disabilities to benefit from as many perspectives as possible.
Training Path
We offer training workshops, led by coaches, to introduce new methods to new employees. In these workshops, participants are trained in topics such as Design Thinking, user-centered work, and many other creative methods.
Accessibility Awareness Path
Accessibility is a focal point of this hackathon. Parallel to the hacking, various awareness workshops, lectures, and training sessions on the topic are held, led by accessibility experts who also act as coaches within the teams.
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Process
Problem. Planning, Organization, and Execution with Limited Resources
A hackathon is usually organized by large teams. This makes sense because there are many parallel processes in planning, execution, and follow-up that are constantly changing. Locations need to be organized, people invited, an agenda created, and food provided. Everyone should feel comfortable during this event. With a team of 3 people who also have other responsibilities, this is a huge challenge.
How to Successfully Conduct a Hackathon with Only 3 People:
Design User-Centered Hackathons
“Hackathons are a huge and long workshop.” Imagining a hackathon this way makes the processes more tangible. To keep track of all parallel activities, we created a service design blueprint with the help of various stakeholders to distribute the tasks sensibly.
The blueprint helped us to plan pragmatically and revealed where expertise was still lacking and where we should recruit more participants.
Hackathon Personas
Participants of the hackathon have different needs and levels of knowledge regarding accessibility. To provide the best hackathon experience for everyone, we created personas based on interviews and mapped them to the blueprint.
During the event, we were able to respond as a team using the personas and already had suitable solutions for anticipated problems. I can imagine further developing these personas in the future.
Design Thinking Toolkit
We don't have to reinvent the wheel for the hackathon. The mantra "It's a long workshop and we know how to run workshops." helped us access common workshop methods.
Working with People with Disabilities
The best method to organize an accessible event on the topic of accessibility is to collaborate with people who have disabilities. During the planning process, we involved several organizations within the DRV that deal with accessibility issues. Initially, these organizations were not networked with each other, but a veritable cascade began with the planning phase of the hackathon. The team of three people suddenly received professional support from more than ten people, which was able to compensate for the organizational pressure and lack of resources.
Conclusion
Organize an event for over 80 participants using service design.
A hackathon requires extensive organization. It’s not just about the concept, the agenda, the venue, and workshop planning, but also about ensuring that participants with limitations have everything they need to be able to participate. This increases the number of people and subsystems involved. Through several iterations, we have created a service map for all parties involved to plan the event and clarify responsibilities and roles.
Results
- Very positive feedback on the event from customers and participants
- Raising awareness about accessibility in the German Pension Insurance
- Specific accessibility projects presented to the multi-project management
- Idea backlog for future projects
Credits
Jana Pfeiffer
Kristin Korn