Call for Papers — 2006
- Important Dates
- Instructions for Presenters
- Topics
- Criteria for Acceptance
- Submission Requirements
- Submission Instructions
- Session Type Descriptions
Important Dates
Session description and presenter bios for website: Deadline has passed
For urgent updates contact rhill at asis.org
Presentation materials for CD-ROM: February 1
For urgent updates contact rhill at asis.org
Session Proposals: Submission deadline has passed
Research Papers: Submission deadline has passed
Poster Proposals: Submission deadline has passed
We seek proposals for presentations, case studies, panels, posters, and pre-conference workshops. Proposals can address core IA principles, emerging trends and technologies, or the business of IA. We are also interested in cross-disciplinary contributions to the practice of IA from related fields such as library science, user experience, interaction design, and user centered design. Sessions may be designed for beginner, intermediate, or expert audiences.
We encourage submissions from practitioners, academics, and students. We also want to hear from developers, business analysts, managers, and others who work with information architects and/or deal with information architecture.
This year we have added a new submission type: peer-reviewed research papers. Submissions in this format should make empirical or theoretical contributions to information architecture. Although this format aims to encourage contributions from academic researchers, we strongly encourage anyone to submit research papers, including anyone not affiliated with an academic instutition.
Submit your proposal using our online submission form.
TOPICS
Suggested topics include, but need not be limited to:- Core IA skills
- Taxonomies, search, findability
- Business and IA (e.g. cross-functional teams, value proposition, management)
- Globalization
- Academic research and theory
- IA Careers and Education (e.g. local IA communities, degree programs)
- IA in practice (e.g. enterprise IA, content management implementations)
- IA and other disciplines (e.g. user experience, interaction design, information design)
- Future directions and challenges (e.g. social computing, rich internet applications)
A survey was conducted after the 2005 IA Summit to identify other topics of interest to IAs. The Key Topics Survey Results are available.
CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTANCE
Successful submissions will be judged on the following attributes:- Appeal to new and/or established IA practitioners
- Solid practical or research merit
- Original, inspirational, or thought-provoking content
- High-quality written and graphic presentation
- Contribution to IA practice, theory, and community
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
A full paper or presentation will not be required until after a proposal is accepted, but can be included if available. The submission system we are using can accept up to 3 attachments as described below.
Please note that when proposals are being assessed, the abstract is read first. It is, therefore, crucial to write an abstract that clearly describes the topic and why it would be of interest to the IA Summit audience.
Overview Information- Title of session
- Name of Presenter(s)
- Full contact information on the person submitting, who will be the sole contact person regarding the proposal
- Type of Session - pre-conference workshop, presentation, panel, or poster
- Level of Session - beginner, intermediate, advanced, all audiences
- Summary or Abstract (up to 500 words) . Note: If your proposal is selected, the summary will be published on the website and in the attendees' conference guide.
Document 1:
- For presentation, panels or pre-conference workshops
- Description of Session (1 to 3 pages)
- Core IA-related issues addressed
- Targeted audiences and audience level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, all audiences)
- Theme, format, and content of presentation
- What the audience will learn or take away
- Where and when the session has been previously presented (if applicable)
- For pre-conference workshops, include infrastructure/material requirements and other details (see pre-conference workshop description)
- For research papers:
- At the proposal stage (December 15th), we require only a 500-1000 word abstract.
- If your proposal is accepted, the full version of the paper must be submitted by February 1st, 2006.
- For specific details about the requirements for research submissions, refer to the section "Regular Program Sessions - Research Papers" at the bottom of this page.
- We encourage anyone to submit research papers, not just academic researchers.
- For posters
- Description of poster (2 to 5 pages, including mock-up)
- Context of the work
- One or two innovative points
- Mock-up or fairly accurate sketch of proposed poster
Document 2:
- Speaker Biographies (1 or 2 paragraphs each). Note: If your proposal is selected, the bios will be published on the website and in the attendees' conference guide.
Document 3:
- Additional Materials: This can be one document or an archive of materials. If you are proposing a poster, please include a mock-up of the poster if possible. Any other materials that are relevant to the proposed session can be included.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions for Presenters
The Summit proceedings will be published on CD-ROM for distribution to all attendees.
For your presentation materials to be included in the CD-ROM, we must receive them by February 1. The materials should be as close to final as possible.
To upload your materials, go to http://www.softconf.com/start/IA06/final.html and enter the passcode that was included in your acceptance email.
If you have any questions, contact rhill at asis.org.
The online submission form provides fields for data entry and allows submitters to upload files in support of a proposal as described above. Online submission for proposals and papers is coming soon. In the meantime, we provide the following submission guidelines for you to keep in mind.
- Document Format: Documents can be accepted in DOC, RTF, PDF, PPT, and TXT formats. Documents for “Additional Materials” can be zipped.
- Document Size: Uploads must not exceed 500 KB in size. If a file cannot be sufficiently reduced, then mock-ups or other materials may be posted on a separate website and links provided.
- Language: Submissions must be in English.
- Research papers: All research papers will be peer-reviewed. Please selection "Research" in the "Type of Session" field.
Successful submitters will be required to provide a copy of their presentations, research papers, or poster mock-ups by February 1, 2006 for inclusion in the Summit proceedings and Summit website.
For research papers, abstracts (500-1000 words) must be submitted by December 15th. If accepted, the full paper must be submitted by February 1st, 2006. All research papers will be included in the Summit proceedings and posted to the Summit website.
Final posters are not due until the Summit begins; however, a PDF of the final poster will be required by March 5 for posting on the Summit website.
Presenters at regular Summit sessions (other than Poster presenters) receive registration to the Summit at cost (around $200). Pre-conference Workshops are offered at additional charge to Summit participants, and Workshop presenters are compensated according to the number of Workshop registrants, unless otherwise negotiated.
SESSION TYPE DESCRIPTIONS
Pre-Conference Workshops
Pre-conference Workshops are available to Summit participants at additional charge. They are typically one half or one full-day, and take place during the two days before the regular Summit program begins.
Pre-conference Workshops provide an intensive environment for concentrated learning. They may offer core or advanced skills development; in-depth introductions to new areas of practice, research, or theory; or deliver content in a unique format. Pre-conference participants typically expect insightful and practical coverage of topics that are key to their areas of interest. Finalized Workshop presentations and handout materials are due February 1, 2006.
In addition to the requirements outlined in the Submission Requirements section above, proposals for Pre-conference Workshops should include:
- Learning objectives
- Justification for a Pre-conference format (versus Regular Session)
- Description of manner in which workshop will be conducted
- List of supplies and equipment
- Any restrictions or conditions (e.g. attendance limit, special requirements)
- Samples of hand-outs / takeaway materials
Regular Program Sessions - Presentations and Panels
Regular program sessions will be offered during the three days of the Summit. A session can be a presentation by one or more speakers; or can be a moderated panel of related or disparate speakers. A session can also take another format as suggested by the submitter (sessions with some audience involvement are always popular!).
A session can present a case study, description of best practices, theoretical discussion, presentation of research findings, or other material.
Sessions are typically 45 minutes, but another length can be proposed if appropriate.
Successful submitters will be required to provide a copy of their presentations by February 1, 2006 for inclusion in the Summit Proceedings document.
Regular Program Sessions - Research Papers
Research papers provide an opportunity to present original contributions to the research, theory, and practice of information architecture. Submissions should demonstrate an awareness of relevant literature, both empirical and theoretical, while clearly indicating the importance of the research to IA practice.
At the proposal stage we only need a 500-1000 word abstract. If accepted, you will be required to submit a full paper. As a general guideline, the full paper should be between 2000 and 5000 words (roughly 5-10 pages, and due Feburary 1, 2006).
Although we are seeking original research contributions, this does not mean that research contributions must strictly conform to the traditional format for academic research papers. The exact nature and format of the submission lies with the author. However, regardless of the format, research papers should still meet accepted academic standards for quality, clarity, validity, and originality.
Research submissions should be made based on the following information:
- At the proposal stage (December 15th), we need only a 500-1000 word abstract. If your proposal is accepted, the full version of the paper must be submitted by February 1st, 2006.
- All research proposals (500-1000 word abstracts) will undergo blind peer-review. Please anonymize your submission. If your submission is accepted you will be asked to submit a full version of the paper, complete with author and affiliation information.
- Submissions should be appropriately referenced in APA style as described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed., 2001).
- The final papers should include a title, abstract (200 words or less), and the full text. Papers should be single-spaced, no smaller than 10pt font.
- Accepted papers will be presented in a scheduled session during the conference. Authors are expected to be in attendance to present their work.
- Accepted papers will be included in the conference proceedings and made publicly available on the conference website.
Poster Sessions
Posters are presented in a common room or circulation area, usually over a 90 minute period, during which Summit participants circulate and talk to individual presenters in an informal manner. The posters then remain available to Summit participants for as long as possible. Handouts, interactive elements, and multimedia are common components of poster presentations.
We are interested in posters that provide visual demonstrations of information architecture ideas, deliverables, and accomplishments. We encourage work by students, developers, and designers. We welcome work of a specialized or experimental nature; work concerning new features, design elements, methods, or processes; and works in progress. The spirit of the Poster Session is one of inclusiveness. Even if you have never presented at a conference or poster session before, if you follow the submission requirements and have an original, interesting proposal, then your poster will have a good chance of being selected.
Each poster presenter or team is provided with a table for materials and a display space of approximately 3.5 x 7.5 feet (100 x 225 cm). Most people find that a poster of approximately 20 x 30 inches (50 x 75 cm ) is a good minimum size. Presenters are required to be available at their posters during the poster session period.
Final posters are not due until the Summit begins; however, a PDF of the final poster will be required by March 5, 2006 for posting on the Summit website.