Deloitte Hackathon

[SAMBUNITHIK]

I'm currently participating in a Deloitte Hackathon focused on ServiceNow. If you have experience with ServiceNow hackathons or similar competitions, I'd greatly appreciate any advice, best practices, or tips that could help. Thank you in advance for sharing your insights!

[Tanushree Maiti]

Hi @SAMBUNITHIK 

Based on my experience as a Hackathon participant, here are a few suggestions:

1. Choose a unique idea that addresses a real business problem or significantly improves productivity.
2. Leverage AI capabilities, such as AI Agents, Now Assist, or other relevant AI features, to enhance your solution.
3. Build an end-to-end demo flow that clearly demonstrates the complete user journey and business value.
4. Focus on your presentation. A well-structured and engaging demo can make a significant difference in how your solution is perceived.

[Dr Atul G- LNG]

Hi @SAMBUNITHIK 

1. Choose a Realistic Use Case

• Select a real-world business problem that you can realistically solve using the ServiceNow platform.
• Focus on demonstrating the value and impact of your solution rather than building a complex application without a clear purpose.
• A strong use case with a practical solution is more valuable than a large application with limited business relevance.

2. Focus on Key Modules Instead of Building Everything

• Do not try to build the complete end-to-end application, as that may not be practical within the hackathon timeframe.
• Instead, select 2–3 key modules or capabilities that represent the core value of your solution.
• Build and demonstrate those features effectively through a clear demo.

3. Leverage AI Capabilities

Since we are in the AI era, try to include AI-powered features wherever possible, such as:

• Now Assist – AI-powered assistance for productivity and insights.
• Virtual Agent (VA) – Conversational self-service experience.
• Flow Designer – Workflow automation and process orchestration.
• Process Automation (PA) – Automating business processes.
• Machine Learning (ML) – Predictions, classification, recommendations, and intelligent decision-making.

Adding AI capabilities will make your solution more innovative and aligned with current platform trends.

4. Get Inspiration from Existing Examples

You can explore existing applications and use cases built using ServiceNow Build Agent and other AI development capabilities. Pick ideas that solve real business challenges and adapt them based on your own creativity.

Look for examples where teams have:

• Identified a specific business pain point.
• Built a focused solution.
• Used automation and AI to improve user experience.
• Demonstrated measurable business value.

Most Important Point: Provide Accurate Details in the Submission Form

If you need to complete any form where the business or judges ask for details about your solution, make sure you provide accurate, clear, and relevant information about what you have actually built.

The judges will review your submission details first before moving to the demo. Your form is your first impression and helps them understand your solution, business problem, approach, and value.

Make sure you:

• Clearly explain the real business problem you are solving.
• Mention only the features and modules you have actually built.
• Provide correct technical details and avoid adding anything that is not implemented.
• Highlight AI capabilities, automation, workflows, or platform features used in your solution.
• Explain the expected business impact and value.

Remember, judges may not know everything about your implementation from the demo alone. The submission form gives them the context they need to evaluate your idea properly.

This is a key learning from previous hackathons: a well-prepared and accurate submission can make a significant difference in how your solution is understood and evaluated.

https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-advocate-blog/unleash-the-power-of-build-agents-in-th...

https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-advocate-blog/more-calls-more-builds-the-buildmorewit...

Note: This message was written by me and refined with the help of an AI tool. I have used AI only to improve the wording and clarity; the content and ideas are my own.