In-person, Online and Back Again -- A Tale of Three Hybrid Hackathons

2025-08-10

AI Summary

Hybrid hackathons face unique challenges—including misalignment between physical and virtual spaces, synchronization breakdowns, and insufficient support for dynamic mode transitions—while existing research lacks systematic integration of organizational design and participant practices. Drawing on hybrid collaboration theory, this study develops a four-dimensional analytical framework encompassing synchronization, spatial distribution, dynamic transition, and technical architecture. Through ethnographic observation, in-depth interviews, and collaborative behavioral data analysis across three hybrid hackathons, we examine how implementation modes (offline-dominant, online-dominant, or balanced) differentially affect resource access, communication efficiency, and team coordination. Key findings reveal critical organizational blind spots in preparatory design; participants’ reliance on adaptive, self-organized strategies to compensate for infrastructural and procedural gaps; and the pivotal role of time management and seamless physical-virtual transition mechanisms in determining collaborative efficacy. The study contributes both a theoretically grounded framework and empirically informed practical guidelines for designing and facilitating hybrid innovation events.

Technology Category

• Game Theory and Economic Paradigms: Coordination and Collaboration
• Humans and AI: Planning and Decision Support for Human-Machine Teams
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems

Application Category

• User Modeling, Personalization and Recommendation: Accountability, Transparency, and Ethics for personalization
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems
• Security and Privacy: Data transparency and provenance

Abstract

Hybrid hackathons, which combine in-person and online participation, present unique challenges for organizers and participants. Although such events are increasingly conducted, research on them remains fragmented, with limited integration between hackathon studies and hybrid collaboration. Existing strategies for in-person or online-only events often fail to address the unique challenges of hybrid formats, such as managing communication across physical and virtual spaces. Our work addresses this gap by examining how hybrid hackathons function, analyzing how organizers structure these events and how participants navigate hybrid-specific challenges. Drawing on established theories of hybrid collaboration, we examine key dimensions - synchronicity, physical distribution, dynamic transitions, and technological infrastructure - that shape collaboration in hybrid events. Through an exploratory case study of three hackathon events, we analyze how these dimensions are implemented and their effects on participant experiences. Our findings reveal differing organizer considerations of the hybrid dimensions in the hackathon design, leading to distinct experiences for participants. Implementation styles - favoring in-person, online, or balanced participation - led to varied participant experiences, affecting access to resources, communication, and team coordination. Organizers in our study also relied on technology to bridge hybrid interactions, but overlooked critical aspects like time-zone management, dynamic transitions, and targeted support for hybrid teams. Additionally, participants in their teams responded to gaps in event scaffolding by adapting collaboration strategies, revealing gaps in organizers' preparedness for hybrid events. Learning from our findings, we offer practical recommendations when organizing hybrid hackathon events and recommendations to participants when attending them.

Problem

• Examining challenges in hybrid hackathon organization and participation
• Analyzing hybrid collaboration dimensions like synchronicity and infrastructure
• Addressing gaps in hybrid event scaffolding and participant support

Innovation

• Analyzing hybrid hackathon collaboration dimensions
• Exploring synchronicity and tech infrastructure
• Adapting strategies for hybrid team coordination