Overview
The ACM Special Interest Group on Design of Communication (ACM SIGDOC) invites proposals for research papers, industry insight papers, experience reports, posters, panel sessions, and workshops. Proposals should explore interactions among technology and design in communication design, professional and technical communication (PTC), and user experience (UX) practice, teaching, and scholarship.
SIGDOC’s history tells a story of responding to changes in technologies and their users, increasingly moving toward social justice frameworks. This history and ongoing advances inspire our theme, as we look forward to the possibilities and pitfalls of new academic and industry practices, technologies, audiences, and contexts. For SIGDOC 2020, we focus on how technology and design have influenced one another since the organization was founded in 1975. The terms “technology” and “design” may be defined in their broadest senses in order to contemplate the past and future of socially just communication, documentation, and work practices across the following modes of analysis:
- Applied: How might interactions between technology & design limit and enhance work practices?
- Practical: How might engaging and updating technology & design promote useful, ethical practices?
- Social Impact: How might approaches to technology & design assist in reducing oppression and marginalization while working towards social justice?
- Methodological: What methods for studying the intersections of technology & design are available?
- Theoretical: What approaches to technology & design offer productive paths forward?
- Pedagogical: What do technology & design teach, and how do they affect teaching?
Submission Types
Submissions can take the form of any of the six (6) options below. Authors of accepted proposals for all types will be given the opportunity to write up their work for the peer-reviewed proceedings.
Research Papers (7-10 pgs.)
Research papers present integrative reviews or original reports of substantive new work: theoretical, empirical, and/or in the design, development and/or deployment of novel systems. Papers will be reviewed for academic standards, relevance, conceptual quality, innovation, and clarity of presentation. Proposals are not to exceed 500 words. The results described must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Final papers are not to exceed ten pages in length in ACM SIGDOC conference format, including figures and references. Note: At least one author from a paper must register and attend the conference in order for the paper to be included in the proceedings. Multiple papers and/or reports will be grouped thematically by the Program Chair into 75 minute panels at the conference.
Industry Insights (2-3 pgs.)
Industry insights present lessons learned from an industry-situated experience with a project, concept, technology, or trend that is of interest to scholars, researchers, teachers, and practitioners in communication design, PTC, UX, or other related field. Proposals in this category should be written from the perspective of a practitioner and should focus on one or two key “insights” learned during the process of an experience in industry. This insight should be situated within the larger field of practice and highlight specifically why this insight is significant for industry moving forward. Attention might also be paid to practical steps audience members and readers can take in light of the experience. Proposals are not to exceed 500 words. The results and experiences described must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere, and should not focus solely on promoting proprietary tools. Final papers not to exceed three pages in length in ACM SIGDOC conference format, including figures and references. Note: At least one author from an industry insight must register and attend the conference in order for the insight to be included in the proceedings. Multiple papers and/or insights will be grouped thematically by the Program Chair into 75 minute panels at the conference.
Example 1: Building Bridges to Customer Needs in Open Source Documentation by Hardin 2019
Experience Reports (4-6 pgs.)
Experience reports present experiential-based reflections on a particular case, methodology, or design idea from projects and deployments. Reports are reviewed for usefulness, clarity, reflection, and larger contextualization within the academic fields of communication design, PTC, or UX. Strong experience reports discuss both benefits and drawbacks of the approaches used and clearly call out lessons learned. Reports may focus on a particular aspect of technology usage and practice, or describe broad project experiences. Proposals are not to exceed 500 words. Final papers not to exceed six pages in length in ACM SIGDOC conference format, including figures and references. Note: At least one author from an experience report must register and attend the conference in order for the report to be included in the proceedings. Multiple papers and/or reports will be grouped thematically by the Program Chair into 75 minute panels at the conference.
Posters (1-2 pgs.)
Posters are a less formal presentation of work in progress, theories, experimental work, new concepts, late-breaking research results, or work that is best communicated visually and in conversation. Poster proposals may describe original research or novel designs. Successful applicants should bring their completed posters (up to 3 x 4 feet in size) to the conference where they will be displayed at a special session during the conference. Proposals are not to exceed 250 words. Final extended abstracts not to exceed 2 pages in ACM SIGDOC conference format. Note: Poster presenters must attend the poster session in person.
Panel Sessions
Panels should be comprised of multiple presenters organized around a specific topic relevant to the SIGDOC audience. Proposals are not to exceed 500 words. Final extended abstracts are not to exceed 2 pages in ACM SIGDOC conference format. Note: All members of the panel must register for and attend the conference for the extended abstract to be included in the Proceedings.
Workshops
Workshops provide opportunities for engaged introductions to new developments in the field and participatory discussion of current ideas and practices. Successful workshop proposals explain clearly how attendees will participate in workshop activities and must include a schedule indicating times, registrant activities, and speakers. Proposed workshops with no evidence of active participation by registrants will not be accepted. Proposals are not to exceed 500 words.
Proceedings
We offer four different types of submissions for the conference proceedings:
- Research Papers (7-10 pgs.)
- Industry Insights; (2-3 pgs.)
- Experience Reports (4-6 pgs.)
- Extended Abstracts and Poster Abstracts (for poster and panel submissions; 1-2 pgs.)
All authors who receive acceptance of their proposal are strongly encouraged to submit to the peer-reviewed conference proceedings. After notification of acceptance, full-length papers and extended abstracts will then be reviewed and sent back to authors for final edits and ACM formatting. Authors will then re-submit papers and abstracts as “camera-ready” submissions. Papers and extended abstracts will be published in the Conference Proceedings and in the ACM Digital Library.
Submission Guidelines
Proposals should not exceed 500 words and should include the following:
- The name, affiliation, and email of the primary submitter; if a collaborative proposal, include the names and email addresses of collaborators (not included in word count).
- Proposal title
- Specify the proposal type (research paper, industry insight, experience report, poster, panel or workshop)
- Proposal focus or topic
- The connection of the topic to the conference theme
- The approach/method used to examine this topic
- The connection of the topic to prior work/research in the field
- The takeaway attendees can gain from this proposed paper, insight, report, or poster and use in their own work
- An explanation and schedule of workshop activities (if workshop)
You may submit a proposal for a research paper, industry insight, experience report, poster, panel session, or workshop. Submit your proposal as an attachment in Microsoft Word (.docx) format to sigdocconference@gmail.com.
Important Dates
The timeline for the conference is as follows (all times in your local time zone):
- 15 February 2020, 23:59: Proposals due. Please submit as an email attachment in Microsoft Word (.docx) format to sigdocconference@gmail.com.
- 6 March 2020: Notification of acceptance/request to submit full-length paper or extended abstract
- 30 May 2020, 23:59: Drafts of initial papers and extended abstracts due
- 22 June 2020: Reviews of/comments on papers and extended abstracts returned.
- 18 July 2020, 23:59: Papers and extended abstracts (final version) due
- 3-4 October 2020: SIGDOC 2020 Conference in Denton, Texas, USA
Questions
Questions on the CFP or the process described here should be emailed to the Program Co-Chairs, Josie Walwema and Daniel Hocutt, at sigdocconference@gmail.com.