I have spoken at a number of CodeCamps over the last few years, but this upcoming Jacksonville CodeCamp is doing something very new and very exciting.  In fact, a new challenge that I am heading up is known as the "Code Countdown".  Since it is a brand new concept, let me explain it a bit to you.  In short, we are attempting to do the impossible.  That is right, we are building a complete website for a Not For Profit organization in one day.  This is not a test or example website, or one that might be just functional enough to demo.  It is going to be a real, live, fully functional website that will be used by the organization following codecamp. The coding starts at the beginning of CodeCamp and at the closing ceremony I will be presenting our finished work.  The whole event will be documented throughout the day.  Each hour I will be reporting on our progress.  The development area will be open for CodeCamp attendees to check out our progress and see what we are building and how we are building it.

When thinking about the task that is ahead of our team, it can be a little bit off-putting.  After all, the site has to be done by the end of CodeCamp.  Now, you would think that the deadline for completion should not be set first.  It should be based on how much can actually be done.  Then I started thinking....hmmmm "a project where the deadline is set ahead of time in hopes that the work could be completed on time.  That sounds eerily familiar".  Actually, that sounds like just about any deadline set by upper management that I have ever worked towards.

Can it be accomplished?  Only time will tell, but the team is really hardcore and  the four of us have never missed a deadline on a project that we have worked on together.  Of course, the four of us have never worked on a project together.   In the end, all of the sourcecode will be made available so you can see the most important thing: HOW we built the projet?  If you have an opportunity to attend the Jacksonville CodeCamp, stop by and share in the fun.