The development of a brief document for a hackathon
On October 26, 2023, we welcomed Cecilia Flores (PhD student at University of Bologna) to share her data with us in one of our virtual data sessions. Cecilia’s doctoral project investigates how interactions shape innovation in interstitial spaces. Her research is focused on processes of transfer and transformation of knowledge in those spaces characterized by the presence of actors coming from different backgrounds and disciplines.
Specifically, in our session, Cecilia shared data about a project held by the knowledge transfer office she was working in during the pandemic. In March 2020, Italy was the first country to close its doors, and the citizens promptly organized to create solutions for those suffering more. In a week, the University and a couple of local and international partners orchestrated a hackathon that helped to alleviate the seclusion of cognitively disabled kids. Cecilia provided us with first-hand data about some "objects" actors used to create these innovative solutions. She followed the trajectory and transformation of those objects during the whole hackathon and how they were shaped by interactions. Thanks to the forced and sudden digitalization, actors left significant traces on those objects through which we can read the story of what happened, the "incomplete battles," and some other cues of how interests, identities, and roles affect the development of innovative ideas.
We discussed various ideas and potential concepts and theoretical angles, and all enjoyed working with this different set of empirical material that reported how objects were transforming over time as well as actors’ interactions around these transformations. We also discussed Cecilia’s unique position in the setting, where she was not just observing but actively involved.
Thank you to everyone for once again joining the sessions and for providing helpful insights to Cecilia!
Journey of this dataset & idea
Currently, the ideas of the data session are helping Cecilia to revise her working paper. Updates will follow soon!