Last fall I participated in the 48in48 Global Build Event as a project manager. 48in48 is a program that helps nonprofits build or revamp their websites during a weekend event. During the 48in48 buildathon, I helped my team build a WordPress website for a Georgia nonprofit organization called Cobb Global Outreach, Inc. It was exhausting and busy, but it was also a lot of fun. If you have always wanted to know what a 48in48 build event is like, I am going to tell you about my experience below and explain how you can join in the fun as well.
Joining A 48in48 Build Event
48in48 has three build events a year. You can do all three, or pick which date works for you. I chose the Global event in the fall. I was going to do the Women’s event in the spring and the Social Justice event in the summer, but my schedule didn’t permit me to do so. The best thing to do is to sign up for their newsletter so you can find out when the sign up date.
The sign up date comes out about a month or two before each event. Once you get the email confirming that you signed up, you have to do the onboarding training. The training took me about 30 minutes. They have several roles available for each team and they go quick. Project manager roles go the quickest. You can be a UX designer, WordPress developer, a project manager, or help with the SEO on the site.
There will be several emails coming to your inbox between sign up and the start of the event. Make sure that you read your emails. They provide you with a lot of event info and tell you who you main point of contacts are.
Working The Event As A Project Manager
A few weeks before the start of the event, the 48in48 team will send you more trainings on WordPress and the systems that they use during the event. If you haven’t had experience with this technology before, you will be able to learn a little bit of what is what before being thrown in the event. You will also be trained for each role in the group. You don’t have to do all the trainings, but I did because it was my first build event.
As a PM for your group, you are in charge of communitcating with your team and finding out if they are still going to participate in the event. If not, you have to connect with your EPMs. The EPM, or event project managers, are the ones that you deflect to when you have questions and have to turn in assignments. They help add people to your team with people drop or give you support.
The event is broken up into three days. By now you should have been able to contact your team, gotten them trained, and met with your nonprofit. You can join the event in person in Atlanta or work virtually like I did. During the three days, there times where you meet with all the people volunteering with you for the event, and then there are times where you will meet with your EPM and your team.
You have a checklist that tells you which tasks you are supposed to complete each day and who you turn the assignments in to. There are tech support people that will help you with accessibility and other parts of the website. If your nonprofit is up to it, you will also be able tospeak with them throughout the event. At the end of the event, you turn in your website and there is a contest for the best one.
Conclusion
I had a ball during my event. My team was awesome. They worked so hard. One team member worked all the way up until he had to evacuate for a hurricane. I enjoyed meeting my team members, and am proud of the work we did for Cobb Global Outreach. They loved the website my team created.
I gained a lot of experience as a project manager. During the weekend long event, I had to foster communication between my team, the nonprofit, and the EPM. Then I had to make sure that all tasks and assignments were completed on time. Being a pm for the event challenged me, but I really think that the experience also taught me a lot. The next 48in48 event is March 28th to the 30th. Sign up today to make sure you are able to join, gain experience, and have fun.