[CHI '95 Home] [Call Home] [Table of Contents]
[Deadline] [Send To] [Additional Inquiries]

Demonstrations

Demonstrations enable conference participants to view systems in action, discuss the systems with the people who created them, and, sometimes, to try them out. Demonstrations are intended to show early implementations of theoretically novel interface concepts or HCI systems. Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of their potential as demonstrations and their promise for bringing new and exciting ideas to the conference. Commercial products are eligible, but sales and marketing activities are not appropriate.

Each demonstration will be allotted about forty minutes for a lecture-style presentation with a computer-based demonstration. Submission of a related theoretical paper along with the submission of a demonstration is encouraged.

Categories

Formal Demonstrations

Formal demonstrations are for mature presentations that can be communicated effectively in front of a large audience using projection technology. After a formal demonstration has been conducted, presenters are encouraged to schedule a follow-up informal demonstration for participants interested in a more interactive setting. Follow-up informal demonstrations are dependent on available space and time.

Informal Demonstrations

Informal demonstrations are appropriate for work that is very new, in a prototype stage, or otherwise not as fully developed as a formal demonstration. Informal demonstrations can also be used by presenters who feel that their work may be more effectively presented to a small audience. Informal demonstrations are presented to a small number of people without the benefit of projection technology. Significant audience interaction is possible with informal demonstrations, and hands-on experience with the systems is encouraged.

Informal demonstrations are neither reviewed nor scheduled before the conference begins. Those persons interested in presenting an informal demonstration at CHI '95 may do so by signing up for a time at the conference. Informal demonstrations are dependent on available space and time.

Topics

Analysis and Evaluation Techniques

Methods for analyzing and evaluating effectiveness of designs and implemented systems: task, function, or interaction analysis; discourse and other linguistic analyses; analysis of contents of particular domains; usability testing.

Application-Specific Designs

Interfaces for specific application areas, in which the domain places significant constraints on the design or implementation of the interface: intelligent tutoring systems; CAD/CAM; process and power system control; aerospace programming; expert systems; information retrieval; decision aids; creative arts; word processing and desktop publishing; aids for the impaired.

Design Process

Explorations of the design process, techniques for capturing designs, and methodologies for producing good designs: software psychology; contextual design; participatory design; design support tools; design notations; design methodologies; graphics design.

Development Tools and Methods

Toolkits and interactive systems for constructing interfaces: user interface toolkits; user interface management systems; rapid prototyping; programming assistants; specification notations.

Group Work

Explorations of people using computers to work together, and systems for enhancing group work: observational studies; domain- specific designs; group interface design issues; development issues; impact studies of group-oriented software for cooperative work; theoretical constructs and models.

Interaction Technology and Techniques

New input/output devices and techniques, and exploration of existing devices and techniques: auditory, visual and motor input/output devices and strategies; graphic presentation techniques; data displays; visualization techniques.

Interface Components and Designs

Exploration of interaction styles, metaphors, and graphic elements that support the interface: interface metaphors; screen layout; intelligent interfaces; adaptive systems; natural language interfaces; graphical interfaces; "look and feel" designs; hypermedia; tutorials; on-line help.

Location, Audio-visual, and Computing Support

CHI '95 demonstrations will be held in rooms dedicated to this activity throughout the conference. Formal and informal demonstrations will be held in adjacent rooms. Formal demonstrations will be scheduled into 40-minute blocks of time. Informal demonstrations will be scheduled into 30-minute blocks of time.

The standard Audio-Visual equipment for demonstrations is one overhead projector, up to two slide projectors, one video player, and one audio player (cassette or CD). If requested in advance, presenters may also have access to either a high-end Macintosh, high-end PC, SGI IRIS, or Sun Sparcstation running the most current standard operating system. Other computing support will be available only if negotiated well in advance with the Demonstrations Chair.

Audio-Visual and computing support needs must be specified on the standard Planning Information Sheet. If you need additional or special equipment, you must indicate the request on the planning sheet of your submission and provide a detailed description in an attachment. We encourage such requests, and will evaluate them based upon our ability to support equipment needs and in accordance with our judgement about importance to the demonstration content.

Review Process

All submissions will be reviewed for both content and presentation promise by at least 3 reviewers. Presenters should have something new and significant to say. Material should be stated clearly, and support for all statements should be provided. Demonstrations that appear to be a sales pitch for a commercial product will not be accepted.

Acceptance criteria include:

Format

Summary

Submitters of formal demonstrations should prepare a two-page summary which will appear in the Conference Companion if the formal demonstration is accepted Since this summary will be read by many people who will not view the system, it must be understandable without seeing the demonstration. It should contain appropriate references to papers and computer implementations that are closely related. It must be prepared in the Conference Proceedings format.

Proposal

Submitters of formal demonstrations should prepare a proposal for purposes of review. The proposal should contain:

Script Outline

Submitters of formal demonstrations must also include a script outline which will be used to review the submission. The script outline should include at least six screen pictures. The outline should also begin with a statement of the problem and the proposed solution, and how it addresses the problem. It is recommended that presenters refer to the screen pictures liberally throughout the text. The screen pictures should be an enhancement to the story, not a distraction. Presenters should also refer to related work in the field, specifically to other implementations of similar ideas.

Upon Acceptance

Authors will be notified of acceptance or rejection by the end of November 1994.

The two-page summaries of accepted formal demonstrations will be published in the CHI '95 Conference Companion. Electronic versions will be published on a CD-ROM. The primary author of each accepted formal demonstration will receive an Author Kit with detailed instructions on how to submit both the camera-ready copy and the electronic version of the summary. These materials are due on January 6, 1995.

Checklist for Submissions

Every year some submissions are returned without review because the authors failed to follow the guidelines established by the conference committee. Don't let this happen to you! Please follow the steps in this checklist in preparing your submission, and double-check that you have met all the requirements before sending it off.
  1. Read the General Submission Instructions.
  2. Note that submissions must be in English, and that electronic mail or FAX submissions will not be accepted.
  3. Fill out the Standard Cover Sheet.
  4. Fill out the Planning Information Sheet.
  5. Prepare a two-page summary in the Conference Proceedings format for publication, as described above.
  6. Prepare a proposal for review, as described above.
  7. Prepare a script outline for review, as described above.
  8. Be sure that your submission contains no proprietary or confidential material. Submission of video or pictures of identifiable people should be done only with the understanding that responsibility for the collection of appropriate permissions rests with the submitter, not CHI '95.
  9. Collect the Standard Cover Sheet, the Planning Information Sheet, the Summary, the Proposal, and the Script Outline, in the order given, in a packet, and make six copies. Use 8.5 x 11 inch or A4 paper.
  10. Make sure each copy of the packet is STAPLED, not loose or held by clips.
  11. You may include a self-addressed reply postcard which will be mailed to acknowledge receipt of your submission.
  12. Send the six copies of your submission packet, and the reply postcard, to the Demonstrations Chair at the Send To address. Be sure to allow enough time for your submission to arrive by the indicated Deadline.
Keith Instone // instone@acm.org // 94-12-06