SIGCHI Conferences Handbook (2024 - 2027)

Introduction

The SIGCHI conference handbook provides an overview and in-depth details on the various steps and processes involved when organizing a SIGCHI-sponsored conference. Conference organizers are expected to follow the provided guidelines and suggested timeline to ensure a successful conference. Various members of the SIGCHI Executive Committee (EC) are involved, or can provide support, during different stages of organization. This handbook also includes information on who to contact, when, and how.

Why do we need this handbook? The content of this handbook is based on many years of experience from previous SIGCHI-sponsored conferences. Typically, the steps and processes outlined here are passed on by previous and current organizers to future organizers informally or via internal documentation. Through a unified handbook for all SIGCHI conferences, we can ensure uniformity and complete access to information across different editions of a conference, and between all sponsored conferences. 

Who is this handbook for? The SIGCHI Conference Handbook is intended for all SIGCHI-sponsored conferences. Note that this does not include in-cooperation conferences. The main target audience for the handbook are the Steering Committee (SC) members of a conference series, General Chairs (GCs), and Technical Program Chairs (TPCs) or Program Chairs (PCs) of an upcoming or ongoing SIGCHI-sponsored conference. Other members of the organizing committee may find parts of the handbook useful too: the GCs and TPCs are responsible for sharing it out further, as needed. 

Who is this handbook managed by? The SIGCHI EC manages this handbook and is responsible for its content. If you find any discrepancies, missing information, or have other suggestions, please communicate these to the SIGCHI Conferences Team (sigchi-conferences-team@acm.org) or the EC (sigchi-ec@acm.org). 

SIGCHI Executive Committee

When organizing a SIGCHI-sponsored conference, Executive Committee (EC) members are involved at various stages, and can also provide you with helpful guidance. In the ‘Key Tasks and Processes’ section, each task specifies points-of-contact within the EC that may be involved or can provide guidance for it.

Below is a list of each current EC role with responsibilities related to conference organization. For the current list of EC members, and their contact information, please refer to https://sigchi.org/people/executive-committee/. To contact the entire EC, you can send an email to sigchi-ec@acm.org. 

• President: Leads the EC. All authority within SIGCHI ultimately rests with the President, and approvals ultimately stem from the President. 

• Executive Vice-President: Supports the President in leading and managing SIGCHI.

• Vice-President for Conferences: Oversees conference-related matters within the EC, with support from Adjunct Chairs for Conferences. The team oversees approval of budgets, facilitating knowledge sharing across conferences, and addressing diverse concerns that may arise among conference leaders/organizers.

• Vice-President for Operations: Oversees access to hardware and software tools, online services, and technical support for conferences and SIGCHI committees.

• Vice-President for Publications: Oversees all publications-related concerns for conferences and acts as the interface with the ACM Publications Board. 

• Vice-President for Accessibility: Is the point-of-contact for all accessibility-related matters for conferences.

• Vice-President for Communications: Manages all communications for SIGCHI. Conferences can connect with VP for Communications if and when there is a need to reach the wider SIGCHI community. 

• Adjunct Chair for Community Support: Oversees the SIGCHI Development Fund and the Gary Marsden Travel Awards programs, both of which are relevant to conferences. 

• Adjunct Chair for Conferences: Support the VP for Conferences on the SIGCHI Conferences Team. 

In addition, there are roles such as the Past President, AC for Awards, VP for Chapters, VPs at Large, and possibly other Adjunct Chair roles, that are not directly connected to Conferences but could be helpful. 

Planning Timeline

The following table provides a summary of the various steps for running a successful conference. Please give yourself sufficient time to complete these steps according to the provided timeline and deadlines. The deadlines here are a general guidance, and may not fit all conferences. For instance, larger conferences may require more time for planning, and conferences with journal-based publications may also operate differently. 

Naming Convention:

• SC: Conference Steering Committee

• EC: SIGCHI Executive Committee

• GCs: General Chairs

• TPCs: Technical Program Chairs (sometimes called ‘Program Chairs’)

• Venue Chairs: Chairs responsible for submission venues (e.g. Papers Chairs, Late-Breaking Works Chairs)

In addition to the above timeline, conferences are also encouraged to take a look at, and follow, the timeline provided by ACM.

Key Tasks and Processes

Conference Bidding and Site Selection

• Responsible Persons: SC of the conference series

• Start date: 24 months before the conference date

• Completion date: 18 months before the conference date

• Data to be Documented: Bids and votes on the bid

Useful Resources: 

• Guidelines for SIGCHI-Sponsored and Co-Sponsored Conferences

• Accessibility Guidelines

• Sustainability Guidelines

• Safety at Conferences Guidelines

Description: The Steering Committee (SC) opens conference bids, inviting future organizers to bid on organizing the conference. The bid typically includes an outline of the structure and organization of the conference, the location and venue, travel, intended organizing team, and financial plans. The purpose of these bids is to collect a list of potential General Chairs (GCs) and conference locations. Please ensure that the call for bids explicitly refers to the values upheld by SIGCHI conferences and expected from future conference organizers and that the bids may explicitly state how the conference will foster and support diversity, equity, accessibility, and sustainability. The Steering committee chairs collect the bids and invite the SC members for a meeting to discuss the bids which in most cases includes the organization team of the conference, the location, and the venues. Again the questions of diversity, equity, accessibility, and sustainability should be part of the discussion and selection process

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: SIGCHI VP for Conferences. The SC can consult with the VP Conferences on running bids. For questions of accessibility, sustainability and equity the SC chair can contact VP Accessibility, AC Sustainability, and AC Equity for any question. 

GC and PC Approval

• Responsible Persons: SC of the conference series

• Start date: After the bids are decided

• Completion date: Before submitting the PAF

• Data to be Documented: Approved GCs (name, affiliation, contact info)

Useful Resources: 

• The New ACM [Sanctions] Database 

• Guidelines for SIGCHI-Sponsored and Co-Sponsored Conferences 

Description: Steering Committee (SC) discusses bids and with this decides on the General Chairs (GC) and Program Chairs (PC) for the coming conference. According to the Guidelines for SIGCHI-Sponsored Conferences, the Steering Committee Chairs are asked to seek approval for the General Chairs and Program Chairs of the conference. They should send an e-mail to the SIGCHI VP Conferences who will then moderate the process. The approval is sent to the SC Chairs and to the VP Conferences, who will then in a later step approve the PAF.

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: SIGCHI President

Preliminary Approval Form (PAF) Submission

• Responsible Persons: TPCs 

• Start date: 24 to 18 months before the conference depending on how early SCs want to schedule dates and location

• Completion date: Ideally 18 months but at least 15 months before the conference, early enough before the next conference is announced

• Data to be Documented: PAF submitted, approval date, approved location, venue and volunteers

Useful Resources: 

• Establishing an ACM Sponsored or Co-sponsored Event

• Submission System for the PAF 

• SIGCHI Upcoming Conferences Web page

• ACM SIGCHI Information about the PAF

Description: The PAF is the form with which the general chairs of a conference set the dates for the conference, the location and venue. Then the contact person's PAF is submitted through a Web link. The PAF contains the beginning and end date of the conference, the location and venue, and the general chairs as well as the program chairs. The PAF is received by ACM HQ which checks it and sends the PAF for endorsement to the sponsoring SIGs. The VP Conference checks the PAF and endorses it. Then the conference dates will be added to the page of upcoming conferences and to the ACM Conference Calendar.

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: ACM HQ will receive the PAF for the conference. VP Conferences will endorse it and add the dates and location to the SIGCHI Web pages. 

Conference Organizing Committee

• Responsible Persons: GCs and TPCs

• Start date: After the Chairs and the PAF are approved, early enough before next year’s conference announcement

• Completion date: Before the conference takes place

• Data to be Documented: Selected chairs, their affiliation and roles

Useful Resources: 

• Submittable

• How to create an open call for volunteering

Description: With the accepted bid typically the central chair positions are fixed as the general chairs and the program chairs. Some bids also name other persons and roles like workshop chairs, panel chairs, etc. The general chairs should complete their organizing team about 1 year before the conference. This will allow the conference chair to announce the team at this year's conference. For the composition of the conference organizing team, it is highly recommended to choose and select people depending on their experience. The general chairs are highly encouraged to invite volunteers to different roles by open calls, e.g. by submittable. The committee should be inclusive about bringing in new (experienced) people to the conference, to be inclusive about the many dimensions of diversity and geographical distribution. SIGCHI recommends that the organizing committee should have roles for publication / proceedings, accessibility, diversity, and sustainability in their team. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: VP Conferences, VP Accessibility, VP Sustainability. 

Conference Budget

• Responsible Persons: GCs

• Start date: At least 12 months before the conference

• Completion date: Ideally 9 months before the conference

• Data to be Documented: TMRF, rationale of the budget

Useful Resources: 

• Information from ACM about conference finances

• Submission system for for the TMRF

• TMRF Guidelines

Description: Conference budgets are at the heart of our conferences. They represent the financial effort of each conference and need careful planning. On the budget side, the general chairs of the conference are developing the budget based on previous years' experiences, on the expectation on the participation of previous years. The budget comprises many aspects from registration income, venue cost, food and beverages, hybrid cost, accessibility cost, and many more. The budget also includes ACM overhead which covers the cost that ACM and SIGCHI have concerning conference management and the different tools and services that are provided to conferences. It also includes a contingency, an important buffer in the budget to calculate for the uncertainties related to conference organization. General chairs must make themselves familiar with the rules and guidelines for financial planning of ACM Sponsored Conferences and plan their budget early. The General Chairs need to seek advice from the Steering Committee on the budget and involve the knowledge and experience from the SC and previous years of the conference series. In case any contracts are needed for the conference (venue, hotels, etc.), involving ACM HQ early it is highly recommended.

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: VP Conferences, ACM HQ (Diana Brantuas, John Otero)

Hybrid Planning

• Responsible Persons: TPCs and SC Chairs

• Start date: Before the call for bids

• Completion date: After the conference

• Data to be Documented: If the conference was running hybrid, document the setup, cost and resources with it for the next conference.

Useful Resources: 

• Hybrid guidelines

Description: The SC should discuss the hybrid options they want to offer and support for their conference series. This might also be part of a call for bids for the conference. The bid should then include a description of how the virtual part of the conference is run and how this is integrated into the in-person conference. The question of how hybrid is supported affects the conference planning and organizing team in several phases

• The steering call for bids and the selection of the bides

• The hybrid committee selection, which should be part of the conference organizing team

• The program chairs and the call for papers which should make clear what the registration options and participation and presentation options for the conferences are

• The local chairs and student volunteers who need to support the hybrid chairs 

• The hybrid guidelines describe the options very nicely and also have a timeline that give more detailed information

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: VP Conferences

Program Committee and Reviewers

• Responsible Persons: TPCs and SC Chairs 

• Start date: 10 months before the conference

• Completion date: 8 months before the conference

• Data to be Documented: List of members of the program committee and list of reviewers with their affiliation. 

Useful Resources:

Description: The program chairs are responsible for the entire submission process and review process. This starts with the different tracks of the conference, the calls for paper submission, defining the review process until the final TPC meeting, decisions, and notification. Core to this process are the volunteers in the role of ACs and Reviewers. The Program Chairs are selecting the members of the program committee. Depending on the conference this can be a program committee that is reviewing the papers but also a two-level structure of ACs who invite additional reviewers for the review. All of this can be handled in PCS. It is recommended that conferences have a transparent process on how to select and recruit members of the program committee. For example, it can be a combination of selecting ACs / members for the program committee that was involved in previous years with an open call for volunteering as an AC or PC member of the conference. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: VP Conferences, VP Operations

Call for Submissions

• Responsible Persons: TPCs

• Start date: 11 months before the conference

• Completion date: 9 months before the conference 

• Data to be Documented: Call for papers published on the Web site of the conference.

Description: The call for papers can be considered the „contract“ that the conference chairs have with their authors. The call(s) should not only clearly outline the topics, different paper formats, and tracks but also the reviewing process, the publishing process, and the expectation for registration of the authors. This includes also the submission site, the template for the submission, the announcement that the papers will be published in the ACM DL. As we are transitioning into ACM OPEN, this will also be the place where information about open access, registration cost, etc. needs to be clearly described. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and roles: VP Publications

Submission System (PCS)

• Responsible Persons: TPCs and Venue Chairs

• Start date: 9 months before the conference date

• Completion date: 8 months before the conference date (continue maintenance/updates until completion of publication process).

• Data to be Documented: Number of submissions, Number of accepted submissions, ACM e-right forms, Analyses of submissions and reviews.

Useful Resources: 

• PCS Website: https://new.precisionconference.com

• PCS Support: support@precisionconference.com

• James Stewart (PCS admin): jstewart@precisionconference.com (include SIGCHI VP for Operations in CC)

Description: PCS is used during the publication cycle to enable and facilitate submissions, reviewing, and final publication. For each edition of a conference series, a new PCS instance is created and made publicly available online. For ongoing conference series, the previous instance is duplicated to facilitate quicker set-up of the new instance. For a new conference series, either an entirely new instance or a previous instance from a different conference can be used. Once duplicated, TPCs can further edit the new instance as needed. Additionally, TPCs can add venue chairs, who are responsible for managing various submission tracks (e.g. papers, late-breaking works, demos), as chairs for individual submission venues. Consequently, venue chairs can manage and update their corresponding submission pages as needed. This is also the moment when all the decisions about the submission process and review process should be clear (schedule, review questions, ethics checkbox (or not), rebuttal best paper mark, ….) and it should exactly implement what is communicated to authors by the Call for Papers. Also make sure that it also implements what was communicated with the reviewers. A brief summary of steps to prepare PCS for submissions is as follows:

• TPCs request VP for Publications for a new instance by providing the list of venues that require submissions and the existing PCS instance of a prior conference that should be duplicated as templated (if needed).

• VP for Publications corresponds with James Stewart (PCS admin) to set up a new instance and add TPCs as chairs

• [Optional] TPCs discuss any change requests for the PCS system with the VP for Operations. Consequently, VP for Operations discusses and finalizes these changes with James Stewart. Note that this can be a time-consuming process to implement. 

• TPCs verify that the submission instances are set up correctly, update information as needed, and assign venue chairs for each submission venue within the conference.

• Venue chairs update venue-specific pages for submission and reviewing as needed.

• TPCs open up the system for submissions and release the call for submissions.

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: VP for Publications and VP for Operations

You can communicate PCS needs (list of venues and previous conference instance to duplicate) to VP for Publications, who can then request James Stewart (PCS admin) to initialize new instances. 

IF TPCs and/or venue chairs have any requests for technical changes to the system, they can discuss it with the VP for Operations, who can then move this forward. Please make change requests well in advance as this can take a significant amount of time to implement. 

Conference organizers can discuss any publication-related matters with the VP for Publications as needed.

Conference Website & Email Aliases

• Responsible Persons: TPCs and/or Web Chair(s)

• Start date: Approx 1 year before conference

• Completion date: Before the conference starts

Description: The conference organizers are responsible for maintaining a conference website with up-to-date information. A new website instance can be requested by contacting ACM Technical Support. Conferences typically have one or more web chairs that are in charge of updating information as needed. Additionally, conference organizers should have email aliases to enable communication. These aliases are also set up by ACM as needed. 

Online Program (QOALA and PWA)

• Responsible Persons: TPCs

• Start date: 2–4 months before conference start date 

• Completion date: Before the conference starts

• Data to be Documented:

Useful Resources: 

• QOALA for Organizers

• SIGCHI Programs App 

Description: SIGCHI Programs (PWA) can be used by attendees as the online program app before, during, and after the conference. The PWA provides users with the full conference schedule, session and content information, and other interactive features such as embedded videos, reading list, and comments section, among others. TPCs are responsible for setting up the conference using our dedicated tool called QOALA. A new conference instance can be requested by completing the short online form on QOALA. Once approved, TPCs can edit all details of the conference instance and populate it with content. Please refer to our video tutorial if it’s your first time using the system. The SIGCHI development team (sigchi-devel@acm.org) manages both PWA and QOALA and can provide assistance as needed. You can reach out to VP for Operations for any questions or discussions related to QOALA and PWA. This can be related to troubleshooting issues or requesting new/updated features based on the conference needs. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: VP for Operations

Conference Accessibility

• Responsible Persons: General Chairs, Accessibility Chairs 

• Start date: 19 months before the conferences

• Completion date: After the conference 

• Data to be Documented: Incidents and Best Practices

Useful Resources: 

• SIGCHI Accessibility Guidelines

• Supporting Accessibility Needs at SIGCHI Conferences: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3391774

Description: Conferences should take care that they offer accessible and inclusive participation. Therefore it is important that. Accessibility plays an important role at different phases of the conference organization. When selecting the organizing team the team should also have accessibility chairs. Within the organizing team you should discuss what accessibility challenges the conference aims to address about the venue, travel, hybrid participation, accessibility needs at the venue, catering accessibility needs of individual participants, etc., and also identify the other roles of the conference organization team who should be informed and involved in this. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and role:: VP Accessibility, Adjunct Chair for Community Support.

Conference Safety

• Responsible Persons: GCs, Equity Chairs 

• Start date: 12 months before the conference

• Completion date: 3 months after the conference

• Data to be Documented: Incidents and Best Practices

Useful Resources: 

• Safety guidelines for conferences (currently in development)

• Equity volunteer training

Description: Conferences should aim to be places focused on a scholarly exchange, though in acknowledgments of power dynamics shaping who can freely participate and who cannot. Considering how to increase the safety of conferences for marginalized and minoritized people in the research community plays a key role here. Within the organizing committee, you should discuss potential safety strategies starting by contacting the CARES representative for your conference and working with them on your safety programming. There is generally a need for static measures (such as the creation of a code of conduct communicating expected behavior) as well as dynamic stand-by volunteers or staff educated in bystander training and in the knowledge of the SIGCHI and ACM policies and processes in place. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: Adjunct Chair for Equity, CARES

Registration (CVENT)

• Responsible Persons: GCs, Registration Chairs

• Start date: 6 months before conference: initial setup

• Completion date: 14 months before the conference

• Data to be Documented: Aggregated registration data per country (by ACM HQ)

Useful Resources: cvent.me/<conf_code>

Description: CVENT is an online registration system that is offered as a free tool for conference registration. This is an online system that allows the registration and the payments of the registration. The system can be configured to the different registration types and registration fees. The organizers can use other registration systems. However, if you use CVENT this gives SIGCHI the possibility to receive aggregated registration data from the different countries. From CVENT also the number of registrations per category is extracted and entered into the financial closing report of the conference. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: ACM Technical Services, VP Operations

Post-conference Survey

• Responsible Persons: TPCs and SC Chairs 

• Start date: At least one month before the conference

• Completion date: Two months after the conferences 

• Data to be Documented: The results of the survey should be stored and handed over to the SC chairs and to the next conference chairs.   

Useful Resources: 

Description: The conference chairs should create a post-conference survey. For this, we can offer a seat in the SurveyMonkey. We are happy to offer examples of questions for this post-conference survey.

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: VP Conferences, VP Operations

Handover Meeting

• Responsible Persons: GCs of this year and the next year's GCs, potentially SC chairs of the conference series

• Start date: Planned, e.g., during the conference when the new GCs are present

• Completion date: One or two months after the conferences 

• Data to be Documented: The handover is an important moment to transfer knowledge from the conference organization to the next team. This might be a repeated meeting as needed.

Useful Resources: This is where a good conference archive comes in place. Ideally, the core information is stored in a central cloud service, all data from the just closed conference is copied there and handed over to the next team. 

Description: The conference chairs should report on the conference experiences. This could be potentially done by holding a short SC meeting in which the current general chairs and the incoming general chairs are present. In subsequent meetings, the general chairs from the just-closed conference should meet with the incoming general chairs and walk them through their conference experience, the documentation, and the timelines of the conference. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and role:  

Conference Closing

• Responsible Persons: GCs 

• Start date: Directly after the conference is closed

• Completion date: Two to three months after the conferences 

• Data to be Documented: This closes the financials of the conference   

Useful Resources: This is where a good conference archive comes in place. Ideally, the core information is stored in a central cloud service, all data from the just closed conference is copied there and handed over to the next team. 

Description: All conference finances should now be closed. This means collecting all financial data, and receipts, making sure that reimbursement claims are being made and invoices to ACM are coming in. ACM SIGServices will create the final closing of the conference. This includes then the registration income, the credit card cost, and potentially VAT reclaims. The final closing report will be sent to the conference leaders, the SC chairs, SIGCHI President, EVP, and VP Conferences. 

EC Point-of-Contacts and role: VP Conferences.

SIGCHI Hardware, Software, and Services

SIGCHI provides conference organizers with various software tools and services that can be used to run the conference. Some of these are provided via ACM, while others are managed by SIGCHI or externally. Additionally, SIGCHI also maintains some hardware equipment for on-site video operations, which can be used by conferences.

At a Glance

Detailed Information

Conference Website

Every conference should have a complete website for each year it is held on. The website is hosted by ACM and managed by conference organizers. Please reach out to ACM Technical Support (ishelpdesk@acm.org) to set up your website well in advance (> 1 year before the conference). The typical URL format for a conference is https://<conference_short>.acm.org/<year> (e.g. https://cscw.acm.org/2023). You should be able to use the previous edition’s website as a starting point and edit it as needed. Please make sure your website contains detailed information related to calls for submissions, technical venues, registration and conference attendance, and organizing committee with contact details.

Mailing Aliases

Aliases are used by the organizing committee to communicate internally and externally. A conference’s web chair is typically in charge of creating these once they have access to the website. Please follow the typical naming convention used for aliases (refer to CHI 2023 as an example). The person who manages the conference website (e.g. web chairs) should also be able to manage aliases. Contact ACM Technical Support for any support needs.

Precision Conference (PCS)

Conferences use PCS as the platform for the full submission process. TPCs typically are responsible for coordinating all conference tracks on PCS. Here, they can assign individual venue chairs and proceeding chairs. Venue chairs can, in turn, manage the submission and review process for their corresponding venues. Please ensure that submission venues are set up and completed at least 3 months before submission deadlines. James Stewart manages the development and maintenance of PCS, and can respond to any support requests. Please contact the SIGCHI VP for Operations for any PCS change requests. 

QOALA Conference Management

QOALA is the conference management web app used to create an interactive program, which can then be viewed by people on the SIGCHI Programs app. in charge, TPCs set up and manage the conference instance on QOALA. They can request for the conference to be created by completing the request form available after signing in on QOALA. The request is then approved by the SIGCHI VP for Conferences or VP for Operations. Once the conference instance is created, you can import content items from PCS and set up the schedule. Please check out our video tutorial to get acquainted with the system. In general, please start setting up the conference instance about 3 months before the start of the conference, and ensure that the program is made public at least 1–2 weeks before the start. Please contact the SIGCHI VP for Operations if you have any change or support requests for QOALA.

SIGCHI Programs Web App (PWA)

While QOALA is the conference management tool used by conference chairs, the PWA is the interactive program app used by attendees and visitors. It provides an overview and description of content and session, including the schedule, room locations, and links to various material. Please contact the SIGCHI VP for Operations if you have any change or support requests for PWA.

CVENT

CVENT can be used by sponsored conferences as the attendee registration system at no additional cost. 

SurveyMonkey

If conference organizers need to create surveys or forms, this should be done using the professional SIGCHI account. Please contact the SIGCHI VP for Operations to request a seat on the account if you don’t have one already. Once you have been assigned a seat, you will be able to create, share, and analyze new surveys. Only one member of the organizing committee should request a seat. Surveys can be shared with collaborators without a seat for cross-checking when they are being created.

SIGCHI YouTube Channel

Videos such as previews and presentations are hosted on the SIGCHI YouTube channel. Additionally, live streams are also broadcasted on this channel. Please contact the SIGCHI Video team at least 2 months before the conference for questions related to video uploads and broadcasts. We have guides available with guidance on collecting videos from authors as well as a guide for creating videos that meet SIGCHI requirements.

ACM Digital Library (DL)

Publications are hosted on the ACM Digital Library. The publication workflow enables transmission of paper PDFs and supplementary material from PCS to the DL. Our github repository contains handy scripts and documentation for uploading material to the DL. Please contact the ACM DL team (Anna Lacson & Craig Rodkins currently; check ACM Staff Directory for updates).

Zoom

Conferences can use ACM’s Zoom account for hosting online/hybrid meetings or webinars. To make use of this, contact ACM Technical Support well in advance and request for a license. ACM will provide you with a username and password, which you can use to create and host meetings/webinars.

Overleaf

SIGCHI members can avail an Overleaf discount. To get this offer, please make sure you are an active ACM SIGCHI member (verify at myACM). 

Grammarly

SIGCHI members also have free access to Grammarly. Instructions to avail this are available on our website.

Video Capture Stations

SIGCHI manages a set of 5 capture stations, which include hardware, software, and peripherals for capturing live sessions at the conference. These sessions can be recorded with side-to-side views (speaker and slides), or single views. Please refer to our Onsite Guides section for detailed information. You can request capture stations by sending an email to sigchi-video@acm.org with all relevant information (number of stations, address, dates, responsible person); please ensure that requests are sent at least 2 months before the conference date. 

Key Contacts

Use Resources

• Policies

  • SIG Conference Planning Guide

  • SIGCHI Conferences

  • Organizing a SIGCHI (Co-)Sponsored Conference

  • Organizing a SIGCHI In-Cooperation Conference

  • ACM In-Cooperation Conference Guidelines

  • Volunteer Reimbursement Policy 

• Guidelines

  • Guidelines for SIGCHI-Sponsored and Co-Sponsored Conferences

  • SIGCHI Ethics and Conduct

• Example bylaws

• CSCC Meeting Notes

Code of Conduct

For the latest version, please refer to https://archive.sigchi.org/about-3/code-of-conduct/

This page outlines the official SIGCHI code of conduct, which guides our members’ communications across various venues and platforms, be it online or in-person. Please familiarize yourself with the points below and keep them in mind during your interactions.

• The official ACM Code of Conduct and ACM Policy Against Harassment apply across all SIGCHI communications.

• As a community, we welcome questions, sharing of experiences, and proposals for solutions related to SIGCHI–so long as that which is shared is not itself discriminatory. Please double-check the medium and audience for where your comments will best align with the conversations you’d like to have.

• Reconsider what you wish to bring up in conversations, in suitability, in sensitivity. Do you feel prepared for difficult questions/criticisms and know not to take them personally? Do you lack the spoons to further engage? Where a subject or conversation you wish to be part of may be difficult or put you in a vulnerable place you may convey this to our moderators beforehand.

• Moderators of our forums have the role of maintaining the purpose of the space. Should any issues or violations arise, moderators will remind you and everyone of the specific code of conduct violated. In case of harassment, discrimination, or problematic content, they will publicly acknowledge the issue, name the violation, and use their judgment on what to do next (be that providing a warning, removing the offending party, or using the moment to educate).

• Please keep comments concise where possible. What you have to say is important but we ask you to stay aware of the space you take up. Many voices deserve to be heard.

• Please do not post advertisements, spam, or unrelated content. Messages or content that are not suitable will be removed, and members who post them might be removed and banned if deemed necessary.

• Do not use, post, or discuss potentially harmful content. If you must, first provide a warning to participants. This includes but is not limited to discriminatory content (racist, sexist, genderist, classist, ableist, etc.) and offensive, stressful materials. Be careful not to share content (phrases, slang, etc.) or references to people or situations that are sensitive in nature (to people of various genders, abilities, ethnicities, religious affiliations, cultures, ages, education levels, economic or political grouping), or that could be interpreted as offensive or unnecessary to communicating your main message. If there are sensitive issues or worries that might arise when sharing, ask yourself why you wish to share it.

• We encourage constructive criticism and critique. Be hard on systems and soft on people; in other words, avoid personal attacks as far as possible, and let us collectively find ways to address complaints around systemic issues to be overcome.

• Be patient. Show sensitivity to anyone speaking, be kind and be supportive. People’s lived experiences are not for debate; their ideas, policies, and suggestions are. Technical issues, anxiety, and glitches are expected. The lines between these two are not always clear so give one another the benefit of the doubt. Grace, sensitivity, and validation go a long way toward creating community.

• Not everyone has access to the bodies, knowledge, or communities that you do. SIGCHI is an internationally accessible, culturally diverse community. Access to education about needs around identity, social justice, and cultural sensitivities are not equal. There are differences between us and material limits that must be respected, even if disagreed with. There may be times when identifying words or phrases are insensitive or just don’t feel right to you. If these issues come up, take each other in good faith and (if you have the capacity) correct the individual. Help in refocusing on the topic of the moment. If you misgender, incorrectly pronounce, or unintentionally discriminate against someone: identify the issue, begin your comment again with the error corrected, and continue.

• Please disengage, take a moment to yourself, or ‘tag someone in’ whenever needed.

• Alert moderators or organizers if you notice unacceptable behavior. In the event of harassment or discrimination by another, or a potentially dangerous or concerning situation, directly send an email to sigchi-4all@acm.org. You can also get in touch with SIGCHI Cares if needed.

• You’re all set! Go ahead and play your role in community building.

Terminology

Conference-Specific Timelines

While we provide a general timeline as guidance, specific conference series might have adapted versions of the timeline that are suited to their needs. Here, we will document conference-specific timelines that can be used by the steering committee and organizers of future editions.