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title: Hackathon in a Crisis
tags: presentations
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<img src="https://opendata.utou.ch/presentations/digiges%202019.2/_unused/badapple3.png" width="100" align="left">

# Don't let a good crisis go un:hacked

<center><pre>
Oleg Lavrovsky ~ DSI ~ University of Zürich
datetime(2025, 10, 30) ~ CC BY 4.0
hackmd.io/@oleg/dsi-20251030
</pre></center>

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<small>ǝǝɯs</small>

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*hackathon* (noun)

An event where programmers() meet for
{collaborative computer programming}.
-- Wiktionary

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[](https://supportjamaica.gov.jm/)

<small>The relationship between hackathons and crisis response, particularly through international solidarity and disaster relief, is an increasingly important topic. I want to give you a few examples from my own experience.</small>

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<small>Following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) organized a global initiative to rapidly update maps for relief efforts. This involved [hackathons and mapping jams](https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Disaster_Response) where volunteers from around the world worked together to map roads, buildings, and infrastructure critical for aid delivery.</small>

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<small>Initiatives like [Random Hacks of Kindness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_Hacks_of_Kindness) were set up to coordinate global hackathons focused on disaster response, support charities with tools for information management and response. These events often prioritize projects that can be rapidly deployed or scaled during crises.</small>

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<small>Today with the proliferation of corporate advocacy and technocratic governance, giant companies like IBM are often behind hacker relief programs: perhaps for Corporate Social Responsibility, almost certainly not as an act of simple charity.</small>

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[](https://hackintegration.ch/home)

<small>Participants from different countries and backgrounds contribute to solutions that can be adapted to various contexts, fostering a culture of global solidarity and mutual support in crisis response. This was very much seen in events like [Versus Virus](https://opendata.ch/events/versusvirus-hackathon-3-5-4-20/) related to the COVID-19 pandemic.</small>

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<small>Research has shown that open mapping initiatives like OSM can increase the efficiency of disaster response. For example, a study by the [World Bank](https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/latinamerica/4-years-looking-back-openstreetmap-response-haiti-earthquake) found that OSM data helped in routing aid convoys and identifying areas of need more effectively, though challenges like data quality and validation were noted. I am eager to support research into the effects of hackathons like the one shown above, and develop my own [data aggregation tools](https://dribdat.cc) while supporting [research](https://hackintegration.ch) and [advocacy](https://awesome.dribdat.cc/).</small>

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[](https://observablehq.com/d/8845fb91a1955a66)

<small>The [Swiss {ai} Weeks](https://swiss-ai-weeks.ch) are a broad grassroots alliance formed around the crisis of A.I. Sovereignty and Sustainability, supporting the Apertus model built for the public good on the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. There were over two hundred happenings this September, which I cover in my blog (utou.ch)</small>

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<small>Indeed, we just had a workshop last week with a small scholarly community addressing such topics of interst. We shared data across events and borders, involved ethical and peer review, identified gaps and collected ideas for research direction. Visit the Impact section of our [shared library](https://hackthehackathon.org/resources/) for more literature and evidence-based publications.</small>

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# 💻💡 raw;data;now!

Hackathons and open mapping efforts have been instrumental in mobilizing international solidarity and addressing crisis response challenges.

<small>They enable rapid, crowdsourced data collection and analysis, support early warning systems, facilitate collaboration across borders, and question the often inefficient and unequitable status quo.</small>

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## 🇯🇲 Support Jamaica

Examples from COVID-19, geopolitical or natural catastrophe highlight the potential of tech-community-driven initiatives to support relief and preparedness efforts.

<small>Addressing opportunistic or hypocritical aspects concerns requires a careful ethical engagement, community involvement, and sustainable, context-sensitive solutions.</small>

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WELCOME TO THE HACKATHON

<small>Are you feeling the _heat_ yet?</small>

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:thumbsup: :thumbsdown: [e-mail]

<small>This presentation by Oleg Lavrovsky is licensed under a<br> <a rel="license" target="_blank" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License<br><img alt="Creative Commons Licence" style="border-width:0" src="https://opendata.utou.ch/presentations/digiges%202019.2/88x31.png" /></a></small>