My Experience at Cloudfest Hackathon 2025  ## Metadata - Author: [[Lumi Ciobanu | Creative Developer | Web Accessibility]] - Full Title: My Experience at Cloudfest Hackathon 2025 - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: [#CloudFest, #Hackathon, #OpenSource, #WordPress, #Community, #EventExperience] - #CloudFest - #Hackathon - #OpenSource Author: [Lumi Ciobanu] Source: [My Experience at CloudFest Hackathon 2025](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) Reference: [Blog post](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) date created: 2025-05-16 11:15 --- # Title: My Experience at CloudFest Hackathon 2025 ## Table of Contents: - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [00:00 – Arrival & Welcome](#0000--arrival--welcome) - [00:10 – Hackathon Project Introduction](#0010--hackathon-project-introduction) - [00:30 – Team Dynamics & Collaboration](#0030--team-dynamics--collaboration) - [00:45 – Coding, Problem Solving, and Fun](#0045--coding-problem-solving-and-fun) - [01:05 – Mentoring and Learning Moments](#0105--mentoring-and-learning-moments) - [01:25 – Challenges and Triumphs](#0125--challenges-and-triumphs) - [01:45 – Project Presentations & Demos](#0145--project-presentations--demos) - [02:05 – Reflections, Connections, and Community](#0205--reflections-connections-and-community) - [📖 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) Assessment](#-deib-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-assessment) - [✅ Logical validity](#-logical-validity) - [🔍 DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis-prompt) - [🔍 SEO Evaluation](#-seo-evaluation) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) --- ## 📝 Summary: Lumi Ciobanu’s firsthand account of the CloudFest Hackathon 2025 offers a vibrant snapshot of the event’s collaborative energy, inclusive culture, and technical creativity. The blog explores her journey from nervous arrival to confident project contributor, emphasizing cross-disciplinary teamwork, knowledge sharing, and the sheer joy of building in public. Key moments include the warmth of the welcome, project selection, the adrenaline of overnight coding, mentor-led learning, creative breakthroughs, and the celebratory spirit of final presentations. The post closes by highlighting how such events drive open source forward, nurture relationships, and inspire sustained contribution. --- ## 📖 Main Content: ### 🗒️ Notes #### [00:00 – Arrival & Welcome](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) - Lumi arrives, both excited and anxious, greeted by organizers and new faces. - The event starts with warm introductions, icebreakers, and a strong sense of community. - Organizers stress inclusion, openness, and collaboration as event values. #### [00:10 – Hackathon Project Introduction](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) - Project pitches cover a range from WordPress plugins to cloud infrastructure solutions. - Participants self-select into teams based on interest and skills. - Early nerves ease as teams form and goals are set. #### [00:30 – Team Dynamics & Collaboration](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) - Diverse backgrounds: devs, designers, documentation experts, and more. - Collaboration tools and clear communication become essential. - Real-time problem-solving, creative brainstorming, and lots of laughter. #### [00:45 – Coding, Problem Solving, and Fun](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) - The pace is fast and focused—sprints, stand-ups, and “just one more feature!” moments. - Sleepless nights, caffeine-fueled code, and the joy of overcoming blockers. - Snacks, memes, and friendly banter keep morale high. #### [01:05 – Mentoring and Learning Moments](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) - Veteran mentors roam, offering guidance and encouragement. - Lumi highlights “aha!” moments from feedback, code reviews, and group debugging. - Knowledge flows in all directions: everyone learns, regardless of role. #### [01:25 – Challenges and Triumphs](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) - Projects face bugs, integration woes, and the eternal crunch for time. - Some features are dropped, others reimagined, but teams stay supportive. - Celebrating progress over perfection, with many small wins along the way. #### [01:45 – Project Presentations & Demos](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) - Teams present demos to judges and fellow participants. - Focus on what was learned and built—not just what “worked.” - Supportive applause, honest questions, and a sense of accomplishment for all. #### [02:05 – Reflections, Connections, and Community](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) - Lumi reflects on personal growth, new friends, and the impact of collaborative work. - The hackathon ends, but connections persist—Slack groups, ongoing open source contributions, future project plans. - The event is framed as a microcosm of what makes open source work: curiosity, generosity, and teamwork. --- ## 📖 References: - Ciobanu, Lumi. [My Experience at CloudFest Hackathon 2025](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=) --- ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. **Original:** “Arriving at the hackathon, I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety, not knowing what to expect or who I’d meet. But the atmosphere was so welcoming, with everyone eager to collaborate and learn.” **Paraphrase:** Lumi describes her initial uncertainty and nerves upon arrival, which quickly faded thanks to a friendly, open environment where participants were eager to support each other and work together. 2. **Original:** “What I’ll remember most are not the lines of code, but the people I met, the late-night laughs, and the sense of being part of something bigger than myself.” **Paraphrase:** Her standout memories aren’t technical accomplishments but the friendships, laughter, and belonging she experienced, feeling connected to a greater cause through community participation. --- ## 📰 Newsletter: 🌍 **CloudFest Hackathon 2025: Collaboration, Code, and Community!** This week, Lumi Ciobanu shares her journey through CloudFest Hackathon 2025—a whirlwind of teamwork, learning, and innovation. From the moment participants walked in, the air buzzed with anticipation and camaraderie. Teams tackled ambitious projects (think new WP plugins and cloud tools), powered by coffee, creative problem-solving, and mentor support. Highlights? “Aha!” moments, friendly competition, and late-night coding sessions that led to lasting friendships. Read Lumi’s uplifting take on how hackathons drive open source and community growth: [Full Story Here](https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/?__readwiseLocation=). --- ## ✅ Action Items: - **For Open Source Advocacy:** - Highlight CloudFest Hackathon as a model of how inclusive, low-barrier events onboard new contributors and promote open source collaboration. - Document and share hackathon project stories, emphasizing mentorship and the value of diverse team composition. - **For Contributor Engagement:** - Organize post-event touchpoints (Slack/Discord, retrospectives) to keep new contributors engaged. - Advocate for project documentation as a “first task” to empower non-coders. - **For Education:** - Develop workshop materials that replicate hackathon teamwork and rapid prototyping. - Integrate peer-mentoring and “learning by building” into WordPress training sessions. - **For OSPO Leadership:** - Use hackathon bes - Summary: The CloudFest Hackathon 2025 was an exciting opportunity to challenge myself, collaborate with talented peers, and contribute to an impactful and innovative product. It pushed my limits, helped me connect with passionate professionals, and gave me the opportunity to explore new places. This was my first time at the CloudFest… - URL: https://lumiciobanu.com/my-experience-at-cloudfest-hackathon-2025/ The **CloudFest Hackathon 2025** was an exciting opportunity to challenge myself, collaborate with talented peers, and contribute to an impactful and innovative product. It pushed my limits, helped me connect with passionate professionals, and gave me the opportunity to explore new places. This was my first time at the **CloudFest Hackathon**, and I was full of curiosity. I had heard so many great things, and I wanted to experience it firsthand and see what it was really all about. #### The trip to and from Rust, Germany CloudFest Hackathon was held near Europa-Park, in Rust, Germany. The place is magical—but getting there without a personal car can be a real challenge. I found the FlixBus from the Frankfurt airport to Rust very helpful. The ride took about three and a half hours, and the only concern was making sure I didn’t miss the only one bus that ran each day. The Cloudfest Hackathon was held at the beautiful Krønasår – The Museum Hotel, part of Europa-Park. The place offered an inspiring setting for creative energy and collaboration.  #### 3 Days of Hackathon I joined the Accessible Infographic project, led by [Anne-Mieke Bovelett](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bovelett/) and [Nina Jameson.](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nina-jameson-355a201aa/) The 3 days of the hackathon were intense, focused and competitive. The team was split into a few sub-teams: devs, documentation and marketing and I contributed to marketing and documentation team: * I built [the project website](https://visua11y.org/) following the design created by [Tobias](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobias-roppelt/); * I updated the content with pages; * I documented the process of team working with blog posts and social media posts. Our 16-member team worked incredibly well together, focused on delivering the best possible value in a short amount of time. Everyone stepped in where they were needed and contributed with their skills to move project forward. **The most challenging part?** Working in a noisy place filled with over 100 enthusiastic participants – exciting, but not exactly easy for a brain used to working from home.   #### What is Visua11y – Accessible Infographic? Visua11y is a tool that enhances infographic accessibility, making the content inside images readable and understandable for everyone, including people using assistive technology. ##### **How does it work?** 1. Once an infographic is uploaded in the block editor, it is processed by the Infographic API, which generates detailed information: comprehensive descriptions and structured data, such as tables, to better explain the infographic’s content. 2. The output is displayed using a custom WordPress core block. The current MVP supports two types of infographics: pie charts and bar charts. In short: Visua11y is like a magic wand that transforms a complex images into clean, accessible HTML markup. [Here is a demo of the MVP](https://visua11y.org/#demo), as it was presented at the end of CloudFest Hackathon. #### The Winner of 2 Awards The project was very well received and won two awards at the end of the Hackathon: * Overall Winner Award * Breaking Barriers Award. We didn’t expect to have such incredible recognition, but it gave us a strong boost of motivation to keep going and continue developing the tool with even more features.  Accessible Infographic Team. Foto: Roan de Vries #### My Takeaways What I enjoyed most was working in a team and contributing to a new product that will certainly have a meaningful impact on the web. I pushed my limits—working in a noisy environment and finding quiet moments to focus and write content for the website. I also enjoyed documenting the creative process through images over the three days, even if social media isn’t my favorite task. From the documentation shared by my teammates, I learned new things about how to approach accessible infographics—a topic I now want to explore and study further. The experience aligned with my career path, connected me with other accessibility specialists, and deepened my commitment to creating a more inclusive web. A big thank you to the team leads for guiding us on this amazing journey! , My Experience at Cloudfest Hackathon 2025, Lumi Ciobanu | Creative Developer | Web Accessibility, 01jq6zervvjdm1c7zxm6bk7227.