Microsoft Office 2007 - How To Compete

As a developer, you have a unique understanding of how technology works. You know how to harness it effectively, to resolve problems and streamline processes. Why not use your talents to help a cause you really care about?

Charities across the globe need your assistance. But they need more than soup cans. They need souped-up applications that make the work they do easier and more successful. Reach out. Give back. Make this world a better place.

	Register today. Don't worry about the specifics of your project yet—that part comes later. Create an account now. It only takes a minute to sign up.

	Choose a charity to help. Could be one you know and love, or a new cause. Find out what they need. Brainstorm a tech-savvy solution. For ideas, check out the inspiration page. You can submit more than one solution to boost your chances of winning, but remember — it's quality, not quantity that counts.

	Start planning. Download the 2007 Microsoft® Office system beta software. Get familiar with the technology you'll use in your application design. Though you won't actually build your app, you will make a detailed plan of how to code it. As you develop your project(s), fill out the entry detail in My Account. You can edit this info until October 1.

	Keep a journal if you like. It's not a judging requirement, but you can document your thought process in a private journal. Go to My Account > My Entries to start your coding diary. These notes will not be used for judging—they're just for you.

	Create a PowerPoint presentation. Use our PowerPoint template to explain how your solution will work and how it benefits your charity. The first round of judging is based on this document, and submitting a great presentation is key to moving forward. Just keep it to ten pages or less. Maximum file size: 2 MB.

	Submit PowerPoint and entry info. Before October 1, log in to My Account to submit your PowerPoint presentation(s) and entry detail.

	20 semifinalists chosen. Based on the registration forms and the PowerPoints, our judges will select 20 semifinalists. We'll announce them on October 16, 2006.

	Present your solution. If you're a semifinalist, you'll explain your project to our Community Judging Board in a live one-on-one web cast. Since solutions will be in the design stage, you'll need to describe how your plan works and the technology it requires.

	Winners announced. Soon after the one-on-one web casts in October, the Judging Board will select 11 finalists. We'll announce them at the launch of the 2007 Microsoft Office system. The finalists' solutions will be posted on this site for a week. Then we'll choose the grand prize, 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-place winners.

	See your design in action. The grand prize and 1st-place winners are invited to join a team of Microsoft and HP pros. Together, you'll build and install your solution for your charity of choice, and make a video case study of your work. This isn't required, but it's a great opportunity to team up with industry experts. The grand prize winner will be featured in the next Office Noir installment. If you win, your cartoon likeness will join Kate Wolf, private eye, to bring the 2007 release to the developer masses. Hand out barbed witticisms like Halloween candy. And drink way too much coffee.

Develop without Borders is an international contest open to anyone 18 or older*.

* Void where prohibited. For full eligibility specifications for the Contest, see the Official Rules.