Online Competition

The Four-Step Process

1. Register and form your team (February 25th – March 11th)

   Registration opens: February 25th, 2007 at 12:01 a.m. (Eastern Time)
   Registration closes: March 11th, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time)

   • Team lead registers:
     • Complete the registration process at www.redhatchallenge.com
     • Look for an email confirmation with login info. (Remember to check your junk or bulk folder if you don't see the email in your inbox)
   • Team lead forms team:
     • Team leads must login to their account to create their team. Do not forward the team lead's registration confirmation email to other team members. Get accurate email addresses for your team members. You will be able to send your teammates an invitation email from your team lead workspace.
   • All other team members must register via the triggered invitation email from their team lead.
     • Once signed up, the team members will have access to their individual contestant workspace. This is where team members can update their personal information, upload their resumes, view Red Hat's question once released, etc.
   • Create a winning team.
     • Although we allow teams of three to five members, we recommend forming teams of four. Studies have shown that teams of four are most conducive to creativity and collaboration.
     • Build a team with varied backgrounds and skill sets! Many teams attribute their success to differences in gender, culture, areas of expertise, and professional backgrounds.
2. Develop your 3-5 page concept plan (March 12th – March 25th)
   • Login to your workspace on March 12th, 2007 to receive your challenge question.
   • Attend the Red Hat Challenge global conference call on March 16th, 2007.
     • This live worldwide call will provide an opportunity to hear Red Hat executives explain their thinking behind the challenge and allow all contestants to ask questions in a moderated fashion.
     • You can also listen to the recorded call after March 16th via audio files available through your contestant workspace.
     • The conference call time and dial-in instructions will be available through each contestant's workspace on March 12th.
   • Concept plan submission deadline is March 25th, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.
   • Develop a winning concept plan.
     • Before you receive your question, review:
       • The Red Hat corporate website
       • Articles and press on the open source software movement and players
       • Suggested concept plan submission outline
       • First round judging scorecard
       • Final round judging scorecard
     • After you receive your question:
       • Review the Red Hat background materials. These will be made available in your contestant workspace and user account once your question is assigned.
       • Go beyond the classroom. Talk to active participants in the open source community, technology experts, software engineers, computer scientists, and business leaders in the technology industry.  
       • Don't wait until the last minute. Give yourself extra time to submit your pdf plan by the deadline. Also, take into account time zone differences when planning your submission
3. Judging phases (March 26th – April 10th)
   • First round: March 26th – March 30th
     • Concept plans judged online by Red Hat employees and executives
     • Plans will be viewed by approximately 4-6 judges
     • Top 5 plans will move on to final round judging
   • Final round: April 2nd – April 10th
     • Top 5 teams will be notified that they have qualified for final round judging via email on or about April 2nd
     • Each team will prepare a 15 minute oral presentation of their concept
     • Each team will orally present their concept to a panel of Red Hat judges via toll-free conference call between April 2nd and April 9th
     • Red Hat judges will have a 15 minute window after each team presents to ask questions of the team
4. Winners announced (on or about April 11th)
   • Top 3 teams will be announced online on or about April 11th
   • All participants will have access to judging feedback in their workspace shortly after the winners are announced.
   • The top team will be invited to send one representative to San Diego, California for the Red Hat summit (May 9th – May 11th). During the summit, the team representative will accept the $20,000 grand prize on behalf of their team and will have access to the summit events, meals, and sessions.