SAS Hacker's Hub

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As a business leader in&nbsp;the data&nbsp;and digital space, your days are&nbsp;probably filled&nbsp;with dashboards, project plans, strategy decks, and postmortems. These tools are vital. They distil performance into visuals and align teams around goals. However, the sheer formality of these tools can&nbsp;get&nbsp;in the way of understanding the necessary messiness of innovation.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
What if, instead, you could eavesdrop on innovation as it happens? Listening to your teams while they innovate is one of the most underused superpowers in the CDO’s toolkit.&nbsp;That’s&nbsp;where hackathons come in.&nbsp;<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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The value of understanding the discovery process<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
Hackathons are often seen as the playground of developers, data scientists, and tech tinkerers. Increasingly, though, they are now the R&amp;D labs for enterprise innovation. They allow diverse teams to coalesce for a limited&nbsp;time period&nbsp;to consider a real problem, explore&nbsp;cutting-edge&nbsp;tools&nbsp;and test hypotheses.&nbsp;<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
What matters here is not just the outputs, but the process itself. If you listen in on a hackathon team at work, you can hear how they are framing the business problem. You can see what tools are useful (and which ones are not). You can also see patterns: repeated frustrations with certain datasets, or surprising new insights drawn from overlooked sources.&nbsp;Crucially, you see discovery in its purest form, before it is packaged into a pitch or slide deck—and that in itself can provide some very interesting insights into business processes.&nbsp;<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
In the 2024 SAS Hackathon, teams addressed a wide range of business problems, including&nbsp;optimising&nbsp;the healthcare workforce to match staffing levels to patient flow, using digital twin technology to mitigate power outages in utility companies, and using a no-code approach to detect anomalies in insurance claims data to reduce potential fraud.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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Lessons from the coalface<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
These examples are all highly business- and industry-specific. However, they had two things in common. The first is that these teams were all solving problems that mattered to customers, regulators, or frontline workers. The second is that the tools they chose were not necessarily the high-tech, flashy options. Instead, they were the ones that made exploration faster, such as no-code interfaces, real-time analytics, and collaborative workspaces.&nbsp;<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
For CDOs, these choices are instructive. They reveal what your teams gravitate toward when the guardrails are temporarily lifted. They show which problems matter most, and which technologies are becoming indispensable. However, why does that matter to businesses?<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
The answer lies in a hackathon’s potential to spark change. These events give teams a chance to experiment without fear of punishment or corporate&nbsp;controls. And sometimes, these small experiments can spark&nbsp;big changes&nbsp;in thinking.&nbsp;<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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Supporting success<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
What can CDOs learn from the hackathon process about how to encourage innovation? Here are some ideas to help both within and beyond the hackathon experience.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;134224900&quot;:false,&quot;201340374&quot;:0,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;·&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Encourage exploration—but steer teams towards areas of value<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</li>
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Give your teams the permission and protection to&nbsp;explore, but&nbsp;steer them towards high-value areas. For example, encourage them to focus on known friction points in the customer journey, operational inefficiencies, or regulatory challenges. Innovation thrives within boundaries.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;134224900&quot;:false,&quot;201340374&quot;:0,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;·&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Track insights, not just outputs<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</li>
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Encourage teams to document what they build, but also what they learn. Ask them what surprised them, and what&nbsp;didn’t&nbsp;work, as well as&nbsp;what&nbsp;did. Find out which tools&nbsp;made&nbsp;things work quicker. This creates a knowledge base that can outlive the immediate innovation process.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;134224900&quot;:false,&quot;201340374&quot;:0,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;·&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Look beyond the prototype stage<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</li>
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Too often,&nbsp;good ideas&nbsp;do not get beyond the prototype stage. Make sure that your innovation efforts also include a&nbsp;“production&nbsp;path”&nbsp;team of engineers, architects, and product managers to focus on moving promising concepts from prototype to pilot. They will need to be involved from the beginning to ensure that ideas are built in a way that makes scaling-up&nbsp;feasible.&nbsp;<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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<li aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="·" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;134224900&quot;:false,&quot;201340374&quot;:0,&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:360,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;·&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Focus on storytelling as well as solving problems<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;</li>
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Even the best technical solutions need champions. Encourage teams to frame their solutions in business terms, to describe the metric that improves, or the risk that is mitigated. This helps to ensure that their efforts appeal directly to your peers in the C-suite.&nbsp;<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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Reaping the cultural dividend<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
Listening to the hackathon process also tells you something important about your&nbsp;organisational&nbsp;culture. You can find out whether teams collaborate across silos, and if more junior staff feel able to contribute ideas. You can also get an insight into whether people use the tools&nbsp;you’ve&nbsp;invested in, or find workarounds, and how ideas evolve in your&nbsp;organisation.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
These signals are priceless. They tell you whether your teams feel safe to explore, whether your technology stack empowers or frustrates, and whether people are working towards or around your strategy.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
As one participant in the 2024 SAS Hackathon put it:&nbsp;“The hackathon gave us the freedom to do what we always wished we could”.&nbsp;That’s&nbsp;the kind of&nbsp;insight&nbsp;no dashboard will show you.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134245417&quot;:true,&quot;134245418&quot;:false,&quot;134245529&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335557856&quot;:4278190080,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559731&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:200,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}">&nbsp;
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<div>See innovation in motion. Join the <a href="https://www.sas.com/en/events/sas-innovate/hackathon.html" target="_self">SAS Hackathon Boot Camp</a> for a hands-on experience that brings people together to collaborate, experiment and apply data and AI using SAS® Viya®.</div>
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