Narrative 2 Numbers (N2N): Leveraging a Hackathon Approach to Generate Ideas and Approaches for Using Mixed Methods to Strengthen Public Health Preparedness and Response

ABSTRACT Public health emergencies require rapid decision making using incomplete and evolving information, yet tools to quickly integrate actionable qualitative and quantitative data remain limited. To address this gap, we describe a replicable hackathon model that enabled the development of mixed-methods solutions to inform public health preparedness and response. The NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute hosted Narrative 2 Numbers (N2N), a one-day mixed methods hackathon to generate innovative approaches for real-time, data-informed public health action. Fifty-six participants from diverse backgrounds in engineering, epidemiology, data science, and public health attended, self-organized into interdisciplinary teams, and designed prototypes to address priority preparedness and response hazards identified in NYC's Jurisdictional Risk Assessment. Winning projects included community voice-reporting systems, social sentiment dashboards, and platforms linking qualitative community input with rapid public health response. The success of N2N supports the role of hackathons in fostering innovation in public health emergency preparedness and response.