CHI Conference Job Description

General Conference Co-Chair (Confirmed by SIGCHI Executive Committee)

SIGCHI Chair through SIGCHI Vice Chair for Conferences
ACM Program Director, Area Chairs, Conference Manager, CMC Liaison, CMC Trainer/Process Advisor, Professional Management,
Publications Coordinator, Technology Support Liaison,

Pre-Conference Responsibilities:

Determine the technical, operational, and social vision for the conference. In partnership with the CMC, determine theme and design (both technical and graphic) for the conference.
Oversee the financial, administrative and logistical management of the conference.
Uphold all ACM Policies and Procedures.
Ensure the quality of the Technical Program.
Participate in CMC-sponsored trainings.
Work with management team to refine and implement conference vision and goals. Develop and implement conference schedule (number of sessions and number of acceptances for each venue).
Prepare detailed budget planning and control document with budget team for submission to CMC and EC. (The budget team is comprised of the General Conference Co-Chairs, CMC Liaison, Trainer, Conference Manager and others as requested.) Acquire input from professional management and appropriate volunteers on estimated costs. Document all assumptions associated with each line item.
Submit completed budget planning and control document to CMC Liaison to present for CMC review. Incorporate changes as directed.
Adhere to the approved budget. Ensure that Area Chairs adhere to their area budgets and conference financial procedures.
Plan and facilitate structure and content of all conference planning meetings.
Recruit appropriate volunteers for all committee positions.
Attend facilitated hand-off meetings at previous conference in order to identify conference issues with immediate impact.
In cooperation with CMC Trainer/Process Advisor and Conference Manager, and using customized draft timeline, develop master conference timeline integrating detailed timelines submitted by Area Chairs and contractors.
Manage all committee volunteers and professional management associated with the conference. Determine and communicate management structure for the conference.
In cooperation with Conference Manager, request and collect status reports (usually three) from Area Chairs to ensure conference planning process is on track (see sample Status Report Form).
In partnership with CMC, provide training for Area Chairs.
Collect, review, edit, and collate all text for the Call for Participation and submit it to Publications Coordinator. Ensure that general instructions to submitters are current and accurate.
Arrange to attend previous conference fall Technical Program Meeting in order to observe responsibilities at this meeting.
Authorize all committee travel and expenses. (Note: Travel for General Conference
Co-Chairs is authorized by the SIGCHI Vice Chair for Conference Planning.)
Monitor conference planning and financial progress through scheduled planning and review conference calls. Ensure history of the conference planning process is maintained through the documentation of all financial or other major decisions and the associated decision-making process as well as any changes to original assumptions.
Work with Conference Manager to recruit and confirm plenary and any other invited speakers. Ensure that speakers and speaker topics are appropriate, interesting, timely, and consistent with the conference theme. Prepare plenary speakers to address the conference audience.
Support publications schedule and coordination process in partnership with Publications Coordinator.
Provide final review and approval for all publication, promotional, and publicity materials (including Author Kits) as well as approving print quantities.
Work with the Regional Liaisons to obtain international balance in the Technical Program.
At fall Technical Program meeting, participate with Technical Program Area Chairs to plan and organize the conference sessions. Ensure that a broad range of organizations, topics, and timely work key to informing the community of HCI activity world-wide are represented.
Ensure all Area Chairs provide requested Author Kit materials (including acceptance and rejection letters and special instructions to presenters) to Conference Administrator for mailing of Author Kits.
Create general information packet for Session Chairs. As needed, assist Area Chairs in the selection and confirmation of Session Chairs.
Ensure that the appropriate text is provided for Advance and Final Programs. This includes all session scheduling, orders of presentation, and verified spelling of presenters' names and affiliations.
Work with the Publications Coordinator and Area Chairs to ensure all presenters have supplied appropriate camera-ready art and electronic text in a timely manner.
Provide final review and approval for all design and quantities ordered for conference retail items.
Work with ACM Program Director and Conference Evaluation Contractor to determine evaluation questions and evaluate specific sessions as appropriate.

On-Site Responsibilities:

Act as the public face and gracious host of the conference.
Attend daily financial meetings with financial services contractor and Conference Manager.
Participate in press conference and press interviews as scheduled by publicity contractor.
Open and close the conference. Introduce plenary speakers (and possibly other invited speakers).
Host VIPs and deal with key people.

Post-Conference Responsibilities:

Prepare and submit a conference final report (executive summary) as directed to document decisions, activities, results of experiments, and recommendations of importance to future General Conference Co-Chairs and the CMC.
Participate in Conference Review as directed by CMC.