Jason Cameron

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4 min read

How to Build Cool Sh*t

A Guide to Effective Project Ideation and Execution for Hackathons

Who I Am

The Journey

  • 17-year-old student @ WLMAC
  • Started as a hacker @ JAMHACKS 7 (my first hackathon ever!)
  • Now part of the JAMHACKS 9 organizing team
  • Dog dad to Bella 🐕 [photo goes here]

The Hackathon Track Record

  • Somehow managed to win ~14 hackathons since starting
  • Including Meta, Cerebral Valley, B2B HTV, UofTHacks…
  • …and I’m still figuring things out like everyone else

The “Professional” Side

  • Currently: Developer @ StorageBox
  • Soon: Incoming @ RBC
  • Constantly: Breaking things and learning from it

“From first-timer to workshop host in two years. If I can do it, so can you.”

Why This Workshop Exists

The Problem:

  • Most hackathon projects never get finished
  • Many teams struggle with the same issues:
    • Scope creep
    • Technical roadblocks
    • Misaligned expectations

The Promise:

By the end of this workshop, you’ll have:

  • A framework for generating actually good ideas
  • Practical tools to execute effectively
  • Strategies for when things inevitably go wrong

PART 1: IDEATION THAT DOESN’T SUCK

The Human > AI Advantage

Beyond ChatGPT

  • AI can generate ideas, but can’t tell which ones are actually good
  • Your unique perspective and experiences are your superpower
  • Strike a balance between originality and usefulness

INTERACTIVE: The “So What?” Test

[Ask 2-3 audience members to share project ideas, then lead the group in asking “So what?” to dig deeper into potential impact]

Finding Your Sweet Spot

![Sweet Spot Diagram: Three overlapping circles labeled “What you care about”, “What you’re good at”, and “What others need”]

INTERACTIVE: 60-Second Self-Assessment

Turn to your neighbor and share:

  1. One thing you’re passionate about
  2. One technical skill you’re confident in
  3. One problem you’ve noticed people have

Red Flags in Ideation

The Project Killer Checklist:

  • “We’re building the next [Facebook/Uber/TikTok]”
  • No clear user or use case
  • Requires data you don’t have access to
  • Dependencies on 5+ external APIs
  • “We’ll figure out the details later”

INTERACTIVE: Red Flag or Green Light?

I’ll describe 3 project ideas - raise hands to vote if they’re viable or doomed

PART 2: FROM IDEA TO EXECUTION PLAN

The Art of the MVP

Minimum ≠ Mediocre

  • Focused feature set that solves ONE problem extremely well
  • Deliverable in 24-36 hours
  • Has a clear “wow” moment for demo

INTERACTIVE: Feature Slashing

I’ll describe a project, audience suggests features, I ruthlessly cut 80% of them

The 10-Minute Project Plan

Step 1: Core Functionality (5 min)

  • What’s the ONE thing this project must do?
  • What’s the minimum tech stack needed?

Step 2: Division of Labor (3 min)

  • Who’s doing what based on strengths?
  • Where are the knowledge gaps?

Step 3: Timeline (2 min)

  • Backwards planning from demo time
  • Milestones every 4-6 hours

The 40-30-30 Rule

![Pie chart: 40% building core functionality, 30% polishing UI/UX, 30% preparing presentation]

Where Teams Go Wrong:

  • 90-10-0: All dev, minimal polish, no presentation prep
  • 30-70-0: Feature creep, never finishing
  • 20-20-60: Over-planning, under-delivering

PART 3: EXECUTION HACKS

Setting Up for Success

x

The Momentum Mindset

Small Wins Strategy:

  • Build in 60-90 minute focused sprints
  • Each sprint should produce something demonstrable
  • Celebrate mini-milestones (seriously, it matters)

INTERACTIVE: Progress Visualization

Demo a simple but effective progress tracking tool

When Shit Goes Wrong (And It Will)

The 15-Minute Rule:

  • Stuck for 15+ minutes? Ask for help
  • No solution after 30 minutes? Pivot approach
  • No progress after 1 hour? Cut the feature

INTERACTIVE: Rapid Problem Solving

Describe a common hackathon technical issue, have teams brainstorm solutions in 60 seconds

PART 4: PRESENTATION MATTERS

The 90-Second Pitch Formula

Hook (15 sec)

  • Problem statement that resonates

Demo (45 sec)

  • Focus on the “wow” moment
  • Prepare for technical difficulties

Impact (30 sec)

  • Who benefits and how?
  • Next steps/potential

INTERACTIVE: Practice Round

Volunteers give 30-second versions of their pitch, get rapid feedback

The Secret Sauce

What Judges Remember:

  • Projects that make them feel something
  • Solutions to problems they’ve experienced
  • Teams that handled questions well
  • Working demos > fancy slides

Case Study: My Winning Projects

Project 1: [Name]

  • Problem addressed
  • Technical approach
  • What made it stand out

Project 2: [Name]

  • Problem addressed
  • Technical approach
  • What made it stand out

Workshop Time!

INTERACTIVE: Rapid Ideation Session

  1. Form groups of 3-4
  2. 10 minutes to brainstorm project ideas
  3. 5 minutes to select one and create mini-plan
  4. 2-minute pitch to another team

Resources & Next Steps

Tools:

  • [List specific useful tools/templates]
  • [GitHub repositories to check out]
  • [Boilerplates you recommend]

Connect:

  • [Your social media/GitHub]
  • [Workshop materials link]
  • [Contact information]

Questions?

_“Remember: The difference between a cool idea and a cool project is just doing the work. Now go build some cool sh_t!“*

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