Technology in Government conference: #HackNow event

[ChrisPope]

Next week I'm heading to Australia to lead a hackathon at the Technology in Government conference in Canberra. I'm a fan of hackathons — which at ServiceNow we often refer to as CreatorCon or HackNow events — they're a brilliant way to encourage learning, collaboration and innovation.

They're not only a practical opportunity for developers and software engineers to 'get their hands dirty' but also a great way to prepare for the future by experiencing next-generation functionality, platforms and products. And who doesn't love a bit of healthy competition? It keeps the mind sharp, and prepares you to work and think quickly, under pressure. The competitive atmosphere is not (I hope!) representative of the office environment, but the skills it draws out can be taken back and applied to improve the way work gets done at the office.

This upcoming hackathon is specifically aimed at supporting innovation in Government. Too often the public sector is characterised as slow to change or stuck in its ways, but in my experience the reverse is true. Over the last few years the public sector in Australia has pushed ahead with innovative IT solutions and automation to help drive efficiency, convenience and a better experience for citizens. Knowing that what comes out of the event could transform public services even further is a great incentive to keep focused!

Even though ServiceNow hackathons are serious, they're always fun. They start with noisy chatter, as people come together, make new connections and get excited for the day ahead. Then there's the quiet hum of teams knuckling down and concentrating as the work starts. Finally, you get a fizzing atmosphere of euphoria as projects are completed and submissions are put forward.

I'm constantly surprised by the quality, lateral thinking and inventiveness at our HackNow events. I've seen apps being created that we didn't even think were possible! It's astonishing what can be achieved in a day when people put their minds to it and work together as a team.

This comes from the mix of people our events attract. They're not just for developers; a diverse range of staff from roles including marketing, legal, support and management all attend. We think this approach, which we like to describe as 'low code, no code and all-the-way to pro-code', is a great way to ensure creative, out-of-the-box solutions get created. With a diverse number of government departments and agencies set to attend, it also creates the perfect opportunity to share knowledge, learn from each other and showcase some of the great innovation in government at home and abroad.

I can't wait to see some of the solutions the teams will come up with. There's some undeniable talent down under: at our global annual developer conference in May this year, it was an Aussie start-up, Factor5, that beat over 225 entrants from all over the world to win the day's $250,000 grand-prize.

What makes it even better is knowing that at the end of it, the applications created will help streamline government services, improve effectiveness and lower costs, making citizens' lives better. Bring on HackNow!