48h Knative - A Hackathon-Style Event

[rhuss]

48h Knative

“48h Knative” is a virtual hackathon event designed to reignite interest in Knative client contributions. Over the course of 48 hours, participants will collaborate to tackle a selection of pre-curated tasks, with the end goal of creating proof-of-concept solutions. By adding a fun, competitive edge, we aim to attract new contributors and create a lasting, positive impact on the Knative community.

Timeline

The event will follow a clearly defined timeline:

• Backlog creation: 8 tasks
• Presentation of tasks - 45 minutes in TOC, 5:30 PM CET, Nov 23 2023
• Selection phase (participants choose tasks): Nov 23, 2023 - Dec 5, 2023
• 48h Knative hackathon - Dec 6, 2023 4:00 PM CET - Dec 8, 2023 4:00 PM CET
• Wrap-up and presentation - Dec 8, 2023 4:00 PM CET

Backlog Creation

We will create a dedicated issue template for tasks, with all tasks collected on a “48h Knative” project board. Tasks can be proposed by any member of the community and will include:

• Difficulty level: Easy, Intermediate, Challenging
• Maximum team size: Up to how many people can work on the task simultaneously
• Detailed problem statement
• Exit criteria
• Checklist

Presentation / Pitch

We will host a 1-hour event during which each task owner will present their task. Each pitch should last a maximum of 10 minutes (though this could be adjusted depending on the number of tasks). The event will be recorded and could also be held asynchronously.

Selection

Participants will have 1 week to select tasks by assigning themselves to the corresponding GitHub issue. We will offer between 5 to 10 tasks.

Execution

The main event! Over the course of 48 hours, teams will work to develop proof-of-concept solutions for their chosen tasks. All work will take place on GitHub, with progress tracked using the “48h Knative” project board. We will encourage teams to regularly commit their code and to communicate openly and often, using the GitHub issue comments for their task.

Wrap-up

After the 48-hour hackathon, we will host a 1.5-hour wrap-up event. Each team will present their solution, discussing what they achieved, what challenges they faced, and what they learned. Following the presentations, we could hold a voting session where participants and viewers vote for their favorite solution. The winning team might receive a small prize, such as a badge on their GitHub profile or a feature in the Knative community newsletter.

After-Event Support

To ensure the work done during the hackathon has lasting value, we will offer support for teams to continue working on their tasks after the event. This could include regular check-ins, pairing with an experienced contributor, or offering further resources and guidance.

Repeat

If successful, the “48h Knative” event could be repeated on a regular basis (e.g., quarterly). We could also consider extending this event to other Knative working groups.