Over the summer we decided to participate as the NovioQ team in the Build for the Future Hackathon, sponsored by OutSystems. While many of these types of events can be pretty mundane, the idea of experimenting with technology to help a non-profit with their outreach and digital efforts got us quite excited.
So, with full company support, we formed a team and we dove in head first and got to work. First off – we needed a name, and what better than to embrace our company logo and stick with the big green Q – we became the:
Quirky Hackers
We then found Justdiggit and realized what a great organization they were and how this project could make a real impact. Where else could we deploy cutting edge technology to engage a diverse population of farmers to help re-green the earth?
See a quick video describing their approach here:
“It was a great experience working with the NovioQ team to take our vision and see it come alive in a working prototype in just 5 days. They embraced what Justdiggit is all about and we thank them and OutSystems for the generous donation to our cause. We look forward to working with NovioQ as we advance our mission of regreening the earth”.
And what made it even better – after judges from OutSystems, AWS and Microsoft scored over 50 submissions for UX/UI quality, Technical soundness, Innovation and final Demo quality, the TEAM WON!
Yes, it was awesome seeing the team called up on the main stage in front of 1500 of their industry peers at the OutSystems ONE conference in Lisbon, but the best part was securing the big donation check of €10,000 for Justdiggit.
“We were ‘warned’ beforehand that the team would be fast, but we were still blown away by the amount of creative work NovioQ realized in just 6 days. We are very happy with the donation, and the high quality ideas. But the biggest prize for us is a new high-energy collaboration partner in our mission to regreen Africa. We look forward to the impact we can make together!”
Starting with OutSystems Developer Cloud (ODC) the team saw opportunities to tie in:
- google maps for mapping sites
- google earth for land analysis
- AI for coaching tips
- a mobile app to engage users on smart phones scattered across the continent
and on September 1, a crew of five had 1 week to build it!
The NovioQ management team cleared calendars, clients took a pause, the team organized their approach and off they went. 5 days of agile development, knocking down user stories, designing a killer UX, delivering awesome capabilities and in the end, a fully functioning mobile app that provides Justdiggit with a baseline to expand their reach and deliver their mission.
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