OOPSLA '95
  ----------
  CALL FOR PANEL PROPOSALS
  Oct. 15-19, 1995
  Austin, Texas

We are inviting proposals for panels for OOPSLA-95, to be held
from October 15-19, 1995, in Austin, Texas. The deadline for
submissions has been extended to March 20, 1995 :)

This year we want to encourage more creative formats, with the primary
goals of enhancing technical content, group participation, and
learning.

Controversial topics are always a plus. Blatant marketing always a
minus.

Details for submitting proposals are appended at the end of this
message.

========= CONTENT ==========

Technical content ("Stuff", to quote Kent Beck) is the name of the
game. We definitely want the panels to provide a forum where members
of the audience increase their understanding of some aspect of object
technology.

We'd like to make discussions as concrete as possible.

One possible way to do this is by focusing them on fairly well defined
examples or problems where applicable, so that panelist's discussions
are also (at least initially) focused on that example. This will take
more preparation on the part of the organizer.

We would also like to increase the discussion time, possibly at the
expense of the formal "presentation" time.

Where applicable, we should have the panelists a short and very
pointed list of their recommendations related to the problem being
discussed, and would like proposers to  describe what attendees might
expect from the panel and the discussion.

======= TOPICS ======

Any interesting and relevant topic will be considered. Some candidate
topics:

- domain/business modeling: applying objects to tackle some of the
problems of domain or business modeling

- experience reports on methods, frameworks, re-use, transitioning,
management nightmares, etc., perhaps inviting those who submitted
experience reports as papers to past oopslas

- "views" and objects: towards the notions of "subject-oriented"
software

- reports and discussions on experiences with applying objects,
especially discussions of "things we would do differently"

- distributed objects: problems to be solved, conflicting vs.
converging  standards

- large-scale deployment of OO technology and systems

- object databases: ready for prime time in "traditional" areas?

- directions in patterns

- "Name that pattern" panel: Starting from concrete examples
descriptions (source code, if appropriate) panelists and/or groups try
to describe with a growing toolbox of patterns

- metaphors for understanding, teaching, and learning objects

- experiences with and extensions to methods: users' perspectives

- architecting and designing for change: characterizing variability
early, different forms of parameterization, customizability,
configurability

- CASE tools and methods: the next generation?

- language directions: research and practice

========= FORMATS ==========

We do not need to conform to traditional panel formats, and really
want to encourage group participation and learning. We have the option
of using  somewhat smaller meeting rooms for the more innovative
formats.

Some suggestions for new formats include:

- Have a specific object design or requirements modeling task, with
100 flip-charts, some number of attendees, and 10 panelists who would
circulate around looking at things, then go  back on the stage and
summarize interesting aspects. This one could be a great format, but
would need careful planning.

- Cards: red and green cards are given to audience and panel/moderator
can instantly poll audience for opinion.

- "Fishbowl": group/circle of 6 chairs with one empty chair at a
table. There are 3 categories of  participants: the 5 official
'panelists'; the 'volunteers' who want to be on  the panel and
randomly receive one of N (~20) "tickets to speak"; and the 'passive'
others, who will only watch and perhaps ask questions. Any volunteer
may take the empty chair when he/she wishes to participate and say
something, at which time someone else (volunteer or panelist) must
vacate their chair. Panelists must summarize at the end, so they must
track points even if they are off  the table.

- Solicit questions for panelists on-line right after panels are
selected i.e. around June 95.

- For "live questions", give people a few minutes to write their
questions (at  their option) on a transparency and project it while it
is being answered, and/or have a facilitator at each mike who gets
them to rewrite/rephrase so as  to be useful. Where applicable, try to
have the question phrased as a  particular sample problem to be solved
(though this will not work if a reasonable answer needs a lot of
knowledge about context which cannot be  reduced to its essence in a
sample problem).

- Have the presenters either present someone else's position
(sometimes works out  too "lame") or present their own but _summarize_
someone else's position.

- Live object applications: the panel is given a problem, then goes
off to solve it individually in different rooms or different sections
of a large hall. This was tried in OOPSLA-93 ("Shootout at the OO
Coral") and was fairly successful.

- A "Meet the Panelist" after some panels in an informal gathering

- Experience panels should have users of methods, libraries &
frameworks instead of methodologists.

- Panels with 'not-entirely-a-resounding-success" stories.


========= SUBMISSION GUIDELINES ==========

Electronic submissions vastly preferred!

Send submissions to:
 email: dsouza@iconcomp.com
 Mail/Fax to:
  ICON Computing, Inc.
  12343 Hymeadow Drive, Suite 3C
  Austin, TX 78750
  v. 512 258 8437
  f. 512 258 0086

Each submission should include:
 - the panel title
 - brief summary of key issues to be discussed and why
 - proposed panel format
 - panel moderator contact information
   (name, affiliation, address, phone, fax, email)
 - brief discussion of what attendees might expect to gain from
   the panel and discussions
 - panelist information (with short bio and position paper
   in completed submission)

Panel proposal must be received by March 20, 1995 (extended from March
1). Proposers will be notified of acceptance by 1 May, 1995. Camera
ready copy for panel position papers is due on 15 July, 1995.


-----------
ICON Computing, Inc.
Object Education and Consulting
12343 Hymeadow Drive, Suite 3C Austin, TX 78750
(v) 512.258.8437 (f) 512.258.0086 (e) info@iconcomp.com
--


-----------
ICON Computing, Inc.
Object Education and Consulting
12343 Hymeadow Drive, Suite 3C Austin, TX 78750
(v) 512.258.8437 (f) 512.258.0086 (e) info@iconcomp.com