Your first step is to join the conference/hackathon platform! You may join the platform directly or you may receive an email from the conference organizers inviting you to join the platform. If you do not see an email in your inbox, be sure to check your spam folder.

Once you have clicked "Create Your Account" from your email, the platform will open. Create a username and password. These will be your login credentials for your personal profile on the platform. You will then have to confirm your email in order to continue. Both the username and password are case sensitive. 

After you have created your login credentials, you will need to update your profile and fill out the required fields. The tags selected during profile set up is how other participants will identify you on the platform.

Once your profile is created, it's time to learn how to navigate the platform. The homepage will consist of important information about the event, feature tracks, resources, prize amounts, partners, and much more. Be sure to scroll through the homepage to get you prepared, answer any FAQs, and get you pumped for the event!

The picture above highlights the navigation bar for the platform. This is where you will be able to explore the specific features of the event/conference. Toggle between each tab as you please and be sure to take advantage of all the features the platform has to offer.

Additionally, you will see the letter of your name appear in a circle in the right-hand corner. In this instance the icon above shows a "K", this is where you will access your personal profile. You can change information, add a photo, change your password, etc.

Hackathons will have a live webinar hosted by BeMyApp to help teach participants how to navigate the platform. You will receive a webinar invite in your email when the event organizer has decided on a date and time. 

By clicking on the sidebar labeled "chat" you have the ability to search and connect with mentors, speakers, and participants. This is a great way to ask questions and engage in conversation with others during your virtual conference or hackathon experience. Please remember to be respectful and courteous of others while using the chat function. The admin does have the ability to monitor chats.

 Besides connecting 1:1, you have the ability to engage in group discussions too. Once you have a created a 1:1 chat you can invite additional people by simply clicking the "person" icon with the "+" symbol in the top right-hand corner of the chat and searching their name in the search bar. Once their account appears, select the "circle" to the right of the name. Then click "Add [#] person to the chat" to create a new group chat. Repeat this step if you have more than one person you would like to add.

In the navigation in the top right corner of the platform, you will find a "Q&A" tab. This section allows attendees, speakers, and mentors to engage in a forum style Q&A before, during, and after the event.

To get started, click "ask a question". You will then write your question and attached optional files. Make sure to select the panel you are directing the question too. Once submitted the speakers and/or mentors that are assigned to that panel will receive an email notifying them that someone has asked a question on the platform. You are also able to send questions to a specific person.

When adding a project to the platform, it is customizable to help to personalize your project and help portray your ideas. Start by adding your project's title, description, challenge category, and working URL. You can even add background images/videos and project logo to the profile picture to spruce up your project. Need to make changes? No problem. Your team is able to edit the project page anytime before the submission deadline.

When it comes time to describe your product, it is important to be thorough and precise. Start by addressing the issue. Why did you choose this project? Why do you feel like this issue needs to be addressed?

Next, what is your solution to this issue you are addressing? Define why your project solves this problem in 400 characters or less.

After you define your solution, its time to describe how your project really works! Fill out the 1, 2, 3 steps, including images, titles, and descriptions for each step. Only have two steps? That's ok, remove any step needed. You can also add extra steps (5 step limit).

The moment of truth, time to add your presentation slides to the platform! You can also add pictures or embed videos of your project. Use view mode to see how it looks on your project submission.

Expand the icon with the "3 lines" which is located at the far right side of your screen. Once expanded, select the red button on the far right that says “Draft” to "publish" and select save.

Please note that when you have completed your project and it is final, you can submit your project there as well. Simply change your project from draft mode to publish mode. 

After publishing your project page, you can edit your submission up until the submission deadline.

When you add a project to the platform be sure to add your current team members to the project page too.

Each member of your team will need to register for the hack on the event platform individually. Once that has been completed, designate one person to add teammates to the project page. This person will then scroll to the section titled “Our Team” to search and select the team members by name or email address.

Registering Your Team/Creating a Project:

Each member of your team will need to register for the hack on the event platform individually first. Once that has been completed, follow the steps below:

1. Designate one person to register the team on the platform.
2. On the event platform, select “Project” at the top-right header bar. 
3. Select “Add Project”
4. Enter a project title and save. 
5. Quick tip: You can change the name of your project and edit project details on the platform anytime before the project submission deadline!  
6. Next, scroll down to the section titled “Our Team,” search for your team members by name or email address, add your team members.

Recruiting Team Members:

Need to recruit more team members? Check out ‘Hiring’ below the “Our Team” section. You can select what type of team member(s) you are looking for to complete your team. Note: You will have to publish your page in order to recruit team members. Select the red button "Draft" on the far right and toggle to "Publish" and select save.

Next, select the red button on the far right that says “Draft” to publish your updates and select save.

In the Q&A Lobby, simply post that you are either looking to join a team or would like to recruite team members. You can use the Chat to search and direct message with other participants. 

• Tips for looking for a team: Be sure to mention your profile type (designer, data analyst, engineer, etc) and the skill sets you have to offer! 
• Tips for recruiting more team members: List out the profile type(s) your team is recruiting, needed skill sets, and how many team members you are currently looking to add.

On the date of the conference, you will click the "Talks" tab in the navigation bar. This will show you info about each track, name of the talk, talk time, and speaker info. You can even select your favorites by selecting the "star" icon in the right-hand corner of the talk description. To attend a talk, you will simply click on the "go to this conference room" to join.

During the talk, you will be able to engage in the session using the chat function. Please abide by the code of conduct and be respectful of the speakers and other attendees. The conference admin is monitoring the chat and will remove any inappropriate messages.

Missed the talk, or want to rewatch a session? No worries! Talks are available for replay for up to 60 days after the conference ends. Click on the talk you wish to watch and the recorded session will appear. Click the "play" icon and enjoy recording as many times as you would like.

On the left-hand side, to keep you organized on scheduled talks, access talk links, save your favorite talks, and access speaker info. 

The agenda can be accessed at the top of the platform page labeled "Agenda". See a talk you are interested in watching? Click the star with the circle around it to add it to your favorites. The star appears on the top right corner of every conference session. Scroll through and toggle between all the conference tracks and sessions.

Once you open the agenda tab be sure to use the arrow buttons to navigate to all the tracks. The agenda will only display 3 tracks at a time so to see additional tracks click the arrow that points to the right-hand side of the screen. Each track represents a different topic, the title of the topic will appear in the white boxes at the top of the page under the date of the conference. In addition to the tracks, you will also need to make sure you select the correct day of the event.

Sessions can vary in time. Some sessions are only 30 minutes while others are 60-90 minutes. This includes the time that speakers take to answer questions at the end. Most speakers will usually leave the last 5 or so minutes for questions. Depending on the amount of time it will take to answer some questions, they typically will answer up to about 3-5. If your question does not get answered, remember to schedule a 1:1 meeting with them later! Speakers love to hear from you, don't be shy!

 The "Insights" tab is a great way for mentors/speakers, event organizers, and partners to share content with the attendees. Insights might include blogs, recent company news, code, white papers, data set information, etc. Be sure to check out the insights page for important event details and resources before submitting a question in the "Q&A" section since it may have been already covered in the insights.

Looking to connect with a speaker or get advice on your project from a mentor? You can book your own private session with the speakers/mentors through the 1:1 meeting tab at the top of the platform. When you click "1:1 Meetings" you will see a list of speakers and mentors that are available for private sessions. Simply scroll down until you find the speaker/mentor you are looking for and click "schedule 1:1 session", which appears under each speaker/mentor. Then select the time you would like to schedule. You and the speaker/mentor will receive a calendar invite for your confirmed session. We strongly recommend that you add this session to your calendar.

During your 1:1 call with a mentor/speaker, you can utilize your 25-minute session to network, gain insight, ask questions, and much more. These personalized sessions are to help you better understand topics and get to know them on a personal level. This is a great opportunity for those who are seeking to grow their network or ask questions that you may not have been comfortable enough to ask during the live session in the chatbox. 

1. Which browser should I use?

For optimal user experience, use Google Chrome. We also support Firefox. Other navigators such as Safari and IE do not guarantee a good user experience, some features may not work either.

2. Can we video chat as a group on the platform?

No, unfortunately, the platform does not have the capability to group video chat at this time.

3. I lost my password, what should I do?

If you have lost your password, you can click the forgot password on the sign-in page. You will receive an email to reset your password.

4. I can't log in I am certain I have the correct password and username, what am I doing wrong?

The sign-in feature is case sensitive for both the username and password, make sure you have the correct letters capitalized or not. 

5. I have a question or concern, how do I get a hold of someone from the BeMyApp team?

BeMyApp would be happy to assist. You can find the communication manager that is specific to the event at the bottom of the page. Email them your questions and concerns and they will get back to you!

6. Is the time on the platform local?

Yes, the platform displays the time of the events in your local time zone!

7. What is the role of mentors?

To coach and follow projects along with different steps of the event. They don't judge the projects on the final demos. Their main role is to share their own experience, knowledge, and expertise of the field in order to improve the ideas, motivate people, and give the teams a work-frame.

8. The platform is private. Can I invite someone on the platform?

Check with the admin for people to join the platform. This question actually depends on the conditions of the event.

9. I found a bug in the platform, who do I tell?

We love bug reports as they help us to strengthen the platform. If you have any technical problem, you can either check with the admin or fill in the bug report here http://bit.ly/ideation-bug-report

10. How does conference work?

Conferences are webinars lasting from 15 to 90 minutes. Only the speaker can be heard, the audience interacts with the speaker via the chat. The speaker can alternate between the webcam, presentation, and screencast. The recording starts at the time of the conference and the replay is published on the platform a few hours later.

11. I cannot get the conference page to load!

First, ensure you're using the most up-to-date version of Chrome or Firefox and have a decent internet connection. If you are using a proxy or internal network, it may also be responsible; try with a regular connection. One last move is to restart your browser or even your computer. If it is still not working, please report the bug to the admin or fulfill the bug report bit.ly/ideation-bug-report

12. I am getting a "problem with your connection" incessant popup even if my connection works. What should I do?

This problem usually appears when AdBlock or a similar intrusive extension is activated (or the connection is bad). Please deactivate the extension and refresh the page or change the browser. If it is still appearing, please fill in the bug report bit.ly/ideation-bug-report

©2020 BeMyApp - All rights reserved

Official Rules | FAQ | Privacy | Data | Code of Conduct