FAQ

The information below should provide a general idea of how this event will work.  If you have a questions you do not see answered below please send it to organizers@c4c-stl.org and we will be happy to answer it and possibly post it here.

What hours will the facility be open?

The CAIT facility will open at 5pm on Friday, October 16th and be open around the clock until 8pm Sunday (October 18th).  During this time the facility will be open around the clock to team members willing to put in extra hours to complete their project.

Will teams have a "leader"?

Yes, each project will be assigned a team lead who will be ultimately responsible for all decisions relating to their project.  They will be the single point of contact with the client and be responsible for assigning tasks to other team members.  We still envision each project being a collaboration of talented people but every project needs leadership to be successful.

Will I have to be available all weekend?

We are hoping each volunteer steps up to work as long as necessary for these great causes during this weekend.  We are currently working with each agency to scope their project to something that is achievable and will not necessarily required around-the-clock development during this event, but we all know that projects rarely go as planned and sometimes extra work is required.  We are asking that anyone volunteering be available as necessary during the entire duration of our event.

What role will I play on a team?

Each team leader will work to assign reasonable responsibilities to his/her team members with the goal of delivering a great solution to our charity organizations.  It is anticipated that not all volunteers will have a task to keep them occupied every minute of the weekend and we are looking for every individual volunteer to take the initiative to find tasks they can work on for their project even when none are assigned.  Volunteers can even use their skills to help other teams as time allows.  We are all working towards the same goals and want to work smart and efficiently and take advantage of everyones unique skills and contributions as best as we can.

Will the charitable organizations we are working for have people available during this event?

Yes, each organization has agreed to participate fully and as much as necessary.  They will be available to help make design decisions or for any other task required of them.  They are excited for the support and greatly looking forward to this event.

How large of a team will I be a part of?

Each anticipate each team will be between 3 to 6 people strong and there may also be sharing of personnel between teams.  This will largely depend on the response we get for volunteers and the final scope of specific projects.

How will I know if I'm selected?

We will notify all volunteers of their selection as soon as possible.

Will I know in advance what project I will be working on?

Yes, we will group our teams and assign leaders well in advance of the event.  On the Friday evening kick-off meeting we will perform team introductions and introduce everyone to the key stakeholders from their client.

Will hardware/software be provided or do we have to bring our own?

The CAIT facility is a fully equiped training facility and we will have access to 5 classrooms.  Each classroom has a whiteboard, projector, and roughly 20 computers containing most current development tools (including VS.NET 2008 and SQL 2008).  Each of these computers also has high-bandwidth internet access which will allow teams to download and install any other tools necessary.  Wireless internet is also available to anyone wishing to bring their own laptop.  Collaboration tools (such as source control, etc) will be external to CAIT so people will be able to work from personal laptops. 

What development tools/software will be available?

The choice of development tools and frameworks will depend on the projects and the teams capabilities.  Each team will be assigned a lead (identified well in advance of the event) who will work with the clients to do some initial planning which may identify specific tools or technologies required to implement a particular solution.  We are encouraging all teams to research and utilize any available products or Content Management Systems which could help them complete their task.

Will food/snacks be provided?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided throughout the effort. Soda and coffee will be available continously.

Can I work on a team with my friends?

The team composition is decided first and foremost to ensure the team can do the project successfully; this usually means the teams will consist of multi-disciplinary members. If you and your friends provide such collaboration, we can possibly arrange the same grouping.

I am not a software developer but would still like to contribute what can I do?

Aside from the very obvious need for developers, a successful project depends on more than just that. We need graphics artist and graphics designers to provide some creative spark and great user experience to our clients. We also need Project Managers that can arrange and provide team members with the next set of tasks to fulfill. We will also need testers to make sure the project fulfills the basic need and also provide useful functionality when users do the unexpected. We will even need some network technicians to make sure deployment and configuration of specific projects is executed correctly.  In essence we need everyone of YOU!

How many volunteers do you need for this event?

We are currently finalizing our list of projects and just beginning to actively organize volunteers.  At this point we are anticipating the need for 40 to 50 volunteers. 

How will I know if I’m qualified enough to work on my team?

We are hoping to build teams from a pool of resources of varying skillsets.  Not only will teams need senior leadership people with extensive experience in specific technologies, but this is a great opportunity for mid to jr. level developers to get involved in their community and learn from the peers.  We want EVERYONE who is interested to sign up and express this interest.  We might not be able to select EVERYONE this first time around but we will maintain this database and during the second annual C4C event we will be selecting a new group of volunteers to assist our existing teams.