As I noted in my “Introduction to a series of posts on CHI 2021” post, there are many guidelines, policies, procedures etc. one should be aware when chairing a conference. This relates to the ACM SIGCHI Guide on organising and ACM SIGCHI Sponsored conference. If you come across my blog post via a search I must first strongly remind you the guidelines I’m writing about are for those organising an ACM SIGCHI sponsored or co-sponsored conference not an in-cooperation conference. Second, the guidance I’m referring to is intended to supplement the ACM planning guide with extra links and help on topics such as accessibility. Finally, nothing I state in this blog post should be read as official with respect to ACM or SIGCHI or CHI 2021. The ACM policies are dynamic, so to are SIGCHI’s and everything official for CHI 2021 can be found on the CHI 2021 website. In saying that, I hope you find some of the comments below interesting.

In my experience in June of 2021 the ACM SIGCHI Guide on organising and ACM SIGCHI Sponsored conference are guidelines with over 40 sections. Currently the guidelines are a work in progress and it is meant only to supplement the ACM Conference Planning Guide.

This SIGCHI page is best thought of as a help page which is broken down into five sections related to different phases including, starting out inc. the ACM SIGCHI Statement on Inclusiveness agreed by SIGCHI EC (Nov 17, 2015) and SIGCHI Conference Management Committee (Dec 10, 2015)]. site accessibility, accessibility accommodations, visa/travel concerns, venue size etc. are the first and key steps to being inclusive. Along with advice on diversity and inclusion which notes that SIGCHI conferences are now taking steps to increase the participation and success of underrepresented groups in HCI.

The following sections are on, before preliminary approval, general considerations (including accessibility), planning for the conference and what to consider after the conference is over.

If I try to summarise 40 sections, this blog post might end up as long as the guidelines! To me what is important in this document are the many volunteers who poured countless hours into it to help others. I myself know of dozens who helped since 2015 but the information has been building up for decades.

My top ten “interesting and surprising things” you might not know about include:

1. information on accessibility, site selection and bidding (some like IUI have calls to host, whereas CHI does not issue calls to host CHI, this will be the subject of an *entire* post in itself around site selection in the future),
2. information on steering committees and chairs,
3. Statement on Inclusiveness and how this needs to be inter-woven into everything
4. advice on websites and social media e.g. did you know that every SIGCHI website should have an /access page which brings up information on accessibility?
5. information on professional staff i.e. never employ someone without discussing it first with the ACM,
6. what does delegate expectation mean?,
7. GDPR issues which can be very tricky to deal with and surprise a lot of volunteers e.g. thinking of handing over mailing lists of email addresses to another volunteer? Talk to your steering committee and the ACM first. Privacy matters.
8. benefits/constraints of being an ACM conference and likewise the benefits/constraints of being SIGCHI sponsored, e.g. did you know SIGCHI provides access to the QOALA system to help you plan your conference and hence host your mobile program?
9. Re-publication of work in English did you know that “English is considered the international language of ACM SIGCHI and its journals and conferences”,
10. when you are planning your conference you should think about Bathrooms at conferences e.g. did you know that many SIGCHI volunteers have developed helpful guidelines on All-gender or gender-inclusive bathrooms

Of course, these guidelines are not complete. For example, the section on the ACM Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment which applies to all ACM-related activities notes that those involved in your conference, symposia, meeting must be trained and made aware of this policy and know how to ACT if something is reported. However, since this section was written SIGCHI has developed the SIGCHI CARES program. As a result, when I as a general chair spot this, I send an email to the ACM SIGCHI Vice President for Conferences and let them know this should be updated. You can do the same, if you see something, scroll to the end and you will find a link so you can send helpful feedback. e.g. “Managed by Conferences”