Lessons learned from hosting an Hour of Code event

In this paper, we describe our process for designing the DePaul Hour of Code event, a free, annual event hosted at DePaul University. The four-day event was designed to (1) engage underrepresented youth in computing activities, (2) identify unseen barriers to participation, and (3) explore ways to reduce structural barriers to participation. We share our design process, lessons learned, and recommendations for designing accessible informal computing events for youth.