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Introduction
In September 2017, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) held a hackathon—a concentrated event that brings together various professionals and end users to build innovative solutions to challenges end users face in their work1—in Tokyo for 2 days. The event aimed (1) to identify new ideas to address challenges in humanitarian surgical care and (2) to deepen innovation networks in the humanitarian medical aid sector. This paper describes how MSF organised the hackathon and subsequently supported four projects launched at the event. The paper shares lessons learnt based on this experience for others holding hackathons with similar aims.
Challenge selection
To identify the challenges to tackle in the hackathon, we interviewed a range of surgical experts within MSF. Numerous challenges were raised. Following the Field Guide To Human-Centred Design, we tried and devised five possible solutions to each challenge in just a few minutes2: this tests their suitability for a hackathon-type event. We also narrowed the scope of our challenges by giving them a specific context while still trying to provide enough latitude for creative solutions to emerge.
Mentors and participants
MSF asked Japan Biodesign—a partner of the Stanford University Biodesign programme with trained leaders in innovating medical devices using design thinking principles3—to mentor participants. MSF surgical care experts also provided medical advice. Fifty-seven people, comprising medical professionals, engineers, developers, business people and students, were recruited mostly from MSF and Biodesign’s own networks. While several participants worked at medical device companies, all came representing themselves.
Group work
Mentors strongly encouraged participant groups to employ principles of design thinking. In contrast to more conventional hackathons,4 therefore, participants began the hackathon by thoroughly investigating and fully deconstructing their chosen problem and identifying the specific needs arising therein. Only then did they ideate solutions.
Awards
We employed three specific criteria to judge solutions: originality, impact and …