Ideation Framework

Hackathon Ideation Framework

  • Use the framework below to help you and your team get to a winning hackathon idea!
  • The framework provides a bit of structure to keep you on track and make sure everyone is included in the process.
  • It’s also designed to help you get to know each other if you’ve just formed your team.
  • Use your imagination for this one - leave your day-to-day work at the door and dive into the world of Open Payments!

 

Step 1:  Intros [Suggested time: 15 min]

  • Introduce yourself and answer one of the icebreaker questions:

Examples:

  • When was the last time that you played?
  • What was the last thing you built and what did you learn?
  • What’s your favorite language and why?

 

Step 2: Share your skills and pick your roles [Suggested time: 5 min]

  • Pick a role for everyone

The following roles need to be assigned:

  • Timekeeper
  • Presenter
  • Pitch creation

 

Step 3: Blue sky thinking [Suggested time: 10-15 min]

  • Do some blue sky thinking:
    • What would you build given infinite time and infinite resources?
  • Everyone should write down at least one idea on a sticky and share it with the group

 

Step 4: MVP ideation and development  [Suggested time: 30 min]

  • Spend some more time thinking about and writing down your MVP ideas - these can be new or refined from your blue-sky thinking
  • Create 3 columns to make sure you understand the problem to be solved (is it really a problem?), the solution (how will you solve it?), and the benefits (who will benefit and how?)
  • Everyone should write down at least one idea on a sticky and share it with the group

 

What is the problem?

Access to credit helps improve economic standing, but many underserved individuals lack credit histories or stable employment, making loan qualification difficult. Banks pass high loan processing costs onto borrowers through interest rates and fees.

What is the solution?

A user-friendly micro-loans platform that manages the loan lifecycle, from disbursement to repayment.

What are the benefits?

Flexible repayment schedules that include variable repayment amounts or grace periods during off-seasons. Instant payment across different payment networks, reducing transaction costs and delays.

 

Step 5: Voting [Suggested time: 15 min]

  • Vote on your ideas to decide on an idea to proceed with. Everyone gets 1 vote.

 

Step 6: Plan the implementation [Suggested time: 30 min]

  • Start to think about how you would build the solution in the limited time available.
  • Which tech will you use?
  • What's your simple architecture?
  • Which features are non-negotiable?
  • Who will be responsible for building what?
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