The AI Hackathon Day: Build, test, and deliver real AI prototypes that unlock momentum
The AI Hackathon Day is where organisations shift from identifying opportunities to building real AI solutions. It is a full-day, high-intensity no-code/low-code workshop where teams design, build, test and refine working AI prototypes, automations, workflows and tools that deliver meaningful organisational value.
Within the Seven Stages of Organisational AI Transformation, Hackathon Day activates:
-
Stage 5: Collaborative Experimentation. The stage where ideas become working prototypes.
The AI Hackathon Day is the first point in the journey where tangible outputs are created evidence of what AI can do inside your organisation. Teams leave with working prototypes, validated workflows, documented builds and clarity about what should be scaled, improved or integrated.
But what makes The AI Hackathon Day especially unique is this:
The AI Hackathon Day is only successful because of the critical pre-work that happens between The AI Value Discovery Day (Stage 4) and the event itself.
Before the workshop, Dixon AI works with the organisation to ensure:
-
a nominated AI Lead is in place
-
AI Champions are appointed and ready
-
all required tools, licences and logins are available
-
all data sources required for building have been prepared
-
access permissions and security requirements are confirmed
-
the organisation arrives with clarity on which projects they want to build
The AI Hackathon Day is when the building happens. But the preparation is what makes the building possible.
What it Delivers
Working AI Prototypes That Deliver Real Value
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Shared Innovation Experience
A Tested, Iterated Build That Shows What Works and What Doesn’t
A Clear View of the Organisation’s Build Capability
A Prioritised List of Builds Suitable for Scaling or Integration
Organisational Readiness for Strategy Day (Stage 6)
Key Outcomes
Working Prototypes of High-Value AI Solutions
Teams leave with functioning solutions that illustrate the organisation’s potential for workflow automation, augmentation and optimisation.
Build Skills That Deepen Organisational Capability
Participants gain hands-on experience with chaining prompts, agents, workflows and no-code tools strengthening their ability to build independently after the programme.
A Realistic View of Tooling, Data and Access Constraints
Because the day uses the organisation’s real tools and data, limitations and opportunities become clear enabling better governance and strategic decisions later.
A Strong Evidence Base for the 12-Month AI Strategy
The successes, failures and learnings from the Hackathon feed directly into the AI Strategy Day (Stage 6) helping leaders design a grounded, practical and achievable roadmap.
A Surge in Organisational Motivation and Momentum
Seeing tangible outputs built in a single day removes scepticism, builds confidence and creates excitement about what is possible.
Why Hackathon Day Works
Hackathon Day is uniquely effective because it unlocks the transformative power of doing, not just analysing, planning or learning. It is the first moment when AI becomes real when teams actually build things of organisational value.
It is the embodiment of Stage 5: Collaborative Experimentation in the Seven Stages of AI Transformation.
Here’s why it works so well:
Hackathon Day succeeds because Dixon AI ensures the organisation is ready before the day begins:
-
AI Lead appointed
-
AI Champions identified
-
Access, data, licences prepared
-
Projects selected
-
Governance considerations understood
The Pre-Work Guarantees Success
Unlike typical “hackathons”, the outputs are designed for immediate organisational value not hypothetical ideas.
Teams Build Real Solutions, Not Concepts
The no-code build environment develops practical skills that cannot be gained through training or theory alone.
Builds Deep Capability by Doing
Hackathon Day is one of the few organisational moments when teams who rarely work together collaborate to solve real problems enhancing cultural alignment and innovation.
Creates Cross-Functional Collaboration at Scale
Leaders can only make informed decisions about tooling, data policy and resource allocation when they have concrete, real examples of what teams can build. Hackathon Day supplies that evidence.