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CHI 2009 CONFERENCE PREVIEW

As technology becomes pervasive in our environment, computer-human interaction (CHI) design professionals have the opportunity to enhance the quality of life through innovative design and application of technologies. "The CHI 2009 Conference presents a robust program of leading ideas in research and current practice that support the future of technology," notes Dr. Dan R. Olsen Jr., Conference Chair and Professor of Computer Science at Brigham Young University," and we welcome you to experience new directions of human-computer interaction at the conference." This year's event will be held April 4-9 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts. USA.

Originally a small conference for psychologists interested in user interface design, the annual CHI conference has grown to include a very diverse participant group, including interaction designers, computer scientists, engineering psychologists, developers and performing artists (to name just a few) and to deal with larger problems such as the organizational integration of technology. This year’s conference marks 27 years of research, innovation and development in Computer-Human Interaction. CHI 2009 will draw more than 2000 professionals from over 40 countries.

Featuring over 700 works, the CHI conference is the premier worldwide forum for the exchange of information on all aspects of human-computer interaction. These works are presented in several different venues including panel discussions, paper sessions, works-in-progress, a doctoral consortium, courses that provide leading-edge HCI knowledge, workshops, special interest group sessions, student design and research competitions, case studies, and interactive demonstrations. New this year are presentations of Video Showcase projects, Transactions on Computer-Human Interactions (TOCHI) journal articles, results from the User Experience Community, the Engineering Community and a significant number of presentations from the Design Community.

The following areas represent a small portion of the total conference:

Presentations of Special Interest

Sustainability and "Green" Computing

Presentations in this area range from systems that encourage Community Supported Agriculture to a conceptual prototype designed to spark homeowners to conserve electricity.

Technologies for Developing Countries

Social Networking Technologies

Surface Computing (Interactive Walls & Tables)

Usable Security & Privacy

Video Showcase

Video Showcase is a new submission area at CHI. It is a high-visibility program that presents 25 of the best user interface techniques and methods, as well as visions of the future of human-computer interaction. Analogous to ACM SIGGRAPH's electronic and animation theater, Video Showcase will engage the audience with a wide variety of ideas in a short period of time. Videos will be shown on Tuesday evening in a party-like atmosphere, as well as in a continuous loop at a high traffic area of the conference venue.

Courses

In addition to the technical presentations, CHI 2009 offers a diverse series of full and half-day courses. These courses range from basic classes, such as "Human-Computer Interaction: Introduction and Overview" to narrowly focused advanced topics, such as "Giving Children a Voice in the Design of Technology: Methods and Strategies".

Other examples of the wide range of offerings include "3D User Interfaces: Design, Implementation, Usability," and "Mobile Interaction Design". Courses are eligible for Continuing Education Credit.

Professional Networking

Valued equally with the technical sessions and courses are the informal conversations that help form a community of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) professionals. Many attendees return each year because the relationships formed with other members of the community are as important as technical sessions. Conference attendees can spend a week immersed in courses, encountering unexpected new ideas, and networking.

Plenary/Keynote Speakers

The conference formally opens and closes with plenary speakers. This year's speakers are Dr. Judith S. Olson and Dr. Kees (C.J.) Overbeeke.

Opening Plenary Speaker

Dr. Judith S. Olson will open the conference with "Even Small Distances Matter: Social Ergonomics in Collocated and Remote Teams."

Dr. Olson will discuss social ergonomics, which she defines as the design of workplaces and systems that fit the natural social capabilities and inclinations of users. She will review highlights of what is known about natural social capabilities and inclinations, and show how these influence interactions in both collocated and remote teams. As part of the presentation she will provide a set of practical guidelines for use by teams working either collocated or remotely.

Olson is the Donald Bren Interdisciplinary Chair of Information and Computer Sciences in the Department of Informatics, the Merage School of Business and the School of Social Ecology at the University of California at Irvine and a 2008 ACM Fellow in Human-Computer Interaction and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW).

Closing Plenary Speaker

Dr. Kees (C.J.) Overbeeke will close the conference with a talk entitled "Dreaming of the Impossible."

Dr. Overbeeke will discuss an integration of science, engineering and design, in which design leads the way. He will show how design practice and research are powerful generators of knowledge, and that this knowledge can transform the world.

Overbeeke is a professor in the department of Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands. In his over 25 years in design, Overbeeke has introduced and published several new subjects in design research such as design and emotion, funology, aesthetics of interaction, rich interaction, and design and ethics. In addition, he initiated the "Design and Emotion" and the "Designing for Pleasurable Products and Interfaces DPPI" conferences.

Sponsors

Organizations contributing to the financial support of the conference include Autodesk, Inc.; Google, Inc.; Microsoft Corp.; and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

About ACM

ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery (www.acm.org) is the world's largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting computing educators, researchers and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources and address the field's challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession's collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.

About SIGCHI

CHI 2009 is sponsored by the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Human Interaction (SIGCHI). The ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction is the world's largest association of professionals in the research and practice of computer-human interaction. SIGCHI serves as a forum for ideas on how people communicate and interact with computer systems. This interdisciplinary group of computer scientists, software engineers, psychologists, interaction designers, graphic designers, sociologists, and anthropologists is committed to designing useful, usable technology that has the potential to transform individual lives. SIGCHI has more than 60 local chapters for HCI professionals across five continents, publishes the SIGCHI Bulletin quarterly, and co-sponsors conferences and workshops to advance the field of computer-human interaction.

More Program Information

For complete information about this year's conference, consult the Advance Program.

Press Information Schedule

Please review the press information sheet and activity schedule after you review the conference preview. You may find that we have already scheduled an interview time for one of your interest areas.

Press Interactivity Tour on Monday, April 6, 6:00 pm

Preview the tour with this overview (PDF)of the interactivity demonstrations and map.