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  Devpost Workshops Home Tab

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  Devpost Workshops Live Example

Inspiration

Participating in Hackathons has become one of my favorite hobbies thanks to Devpost's platform, however, I remember how daunting it was to take that first step into the Hackathon world. As a beginner, the idea of joining and completing a hackathon was exciting, but the thought of not knowing the necessary technologies and skills to build a technical solution or pitch an idea, left me feeling overwhelmed. With an infinite amount of resources available online, it was difficult to find a starting point in my learning journey.

This problem isn't unique to new hackers. Even experienced participants may struggle to branch out and learn new skills rather than sticking to their tried-and-true skillset. As someone who specializes in app development, I can relate to this personal struggle. While I would like the opportunity to try something new, I often find myself defaulting back to my comfort zone every time I sign up for a hackathon. This realization has made me aware of the need for accessible resources that simplify the learning process, remove barriers to entry, and eliminate confusion.

Introducing Devpost Workshops!

I propose that Devpost should add a new feature called Devpost Workshops on their website! This tab would be similar to the existing "Hackathons" and "Projects" tabs and would offer hackers the opportunity to view live or pre-recorded workshops where they can develop a range of relevant skills in the tech world and hackathons. As opposed to many existing video streaming platforms out on the internet, this one is specialized in learning technology so there are features that support Hackers in better learning the content being streamed.

Features

• Search: You can search using keywords, certain users, topics, or tags to find Workshops that are relevant to you. If you do not know what you want to learn, below the Search bar, there are Live and Playback Workshops that you can join and watch.

• Live/Playback Workshops: There will be two versions of Devpost Workshops. Live will be Workshops in real-time where hackers can join and learn new skills like coding languages, app development, and more. The newest live Workshops will be available on the Workshops tab which will be placed next to the current Projects tab on the website. There will also be a Playback section below the Live Workshops section on the Workshop tab where you can see the most Popular Workshops that were once streamed live.

• View Source Code: While the Workshop Host is coding/teaching, they can send files with source code to their viewers to be able to download and use throughout the workshop. These files will be available during Playback Workshops too.

• Step-by-Step (Live Pacing): During the Live Workshop, Workshop Hosts can pace themselves according to their live audience by asking their audience anonymously whether they are done with the current step or not. In this way, viewers can truly learn at their own pace without feeling scared or uncomfortable joining a live session. The Playback Workshop can be sectioned into these steps to make it easy to navigate them.

• Ask Questions Live (Live Workshops): During the Live Workshop, Viewers can send in questions and the Host can answer the questions for everyone to see in the Live Questions Box. This will make it easier for new viewers who are joining a live Workshop to understand what is going on and these questions will be displayed in the Playback version too.

• Send Questions to Host (When Live is Over): If viewers have any questions that weren't answered, they can have the option to send questions to the Host who will then send an email with the question to the Host and they can respond back.

• Workshops can be Saved on the Personal Portfolio Page: People can save their favorite Workshops so that their fellow Hackers can see what Workshops they have attended or liked and be encouraged to watch them. They will appear below the User's Portfolio.

• Hackathons will have the option to host Workshops specific to their Hackathon (only for those Hackathon attendees, no Playback available): Suppose you are a company, group, or individual who is hosting a Hackathon. In that case, you can schedule Workshops to go live during your Hackathon which is specific to attendees that have been signed up for your Hackathon. This could give people an incentive to join Hackathons to gain access to exclusive Workshops. There will not be a Playback for these.

• Hackathons will have the option to add existing Workshops in their resource sections: Suppose you are a company, group, or individual who is hosting a Hackathon. In that case, you can also add existing Workshops to the Hackathon's resource section so that you can help your attendees with idea creation or learning new skills.

Devpost Workshops' Benefits

• Hackers: There are clear benefits to Hackers with the added tool of Devpost Workshops such as being able to learn new skills, compete in more hackathons, and grow in their professional and technical skills.

• Hackathon Sponsors: People from Hackathon Sponsor teams can host Devpost Workshops to show Hackers how to use their specific technology and bring huge exposure to their brands. This can help them in finding valuable potential employees/talent from Devpost. In addition, when more people join Hackathons after being exposed to Workshops, that will increase exposure to their brands through Hackathon attendance.

• Hackathons: There will be more people ready to give hackathons a try once they learn skills from Workshops which will increase attendance in Hackathons. Hackers will also get more out of Hackathons which will make Hackathons more desired and in demand.

• Workshop Hosts: These people can be anyone from an 18-year-old self-taught developer to an industry expert who can benefit greatly from hosting the Workshops. They can earn employment opportunities from sponsors, gain exposure to their own companies/coding academies, etc. They can also be sponsored by a brand to show how to use their product in a workshop which could make it a monetizable side hobby.

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