MW2008 Proposal Review: Offers out this week

The International Program Committee has completed their review of Museums and the Web 2008 proposals, and this weekend David and i sat down to put together the conference program.

Per usual, all of the proposals came in right at the last minute (see the graph). We wondered if not mailing a physical "Call for Papers" postcard this year would have an impact (Did you notice that you didn't get it?).

There were fewer proposals this year (~150 instead of ~180 last year), but we can't negate the 'San Francisco effect'. MW2007 was a bigger meeting all around.

We certainly didn't see any change in quality. If anything, some of this year's proposals seemed a bit stronger, more well reasoned.

Program Review is always very challenging. There is a lot of good work, and many more proposals than we can include on the formal program. As we struggle to put together the schedule, we're balancing a number of factors, including the:

• quality of the proposal
• opinion[s] of the Program Committee
• interest shown in the topic by delegates at past meetings
• track-record of the proposers.

We're also looking at the big picture, including the:

• need to provide a varied meeting structure
• overall composition of the program
• desire to facilitate interchange, and leave time for discussion
• a need to mix old and new voices, and to limit the number of times we hear from any one person, no matter how good.

Often, when faced with choices between similar proposals, all these factors come into play.

There's also the possibility that a project would be best served by being presented as a Demonstration, rather than as a formal paper. Sometimes, to appreciate the work, you just have to be walked through it. So in some cases, when the results of the review go out this week, we'll be passing on the Program Committee's recommendation that a proposal be re-submitted as a Demonstration. Demonstrations are very popular at MW; evaluation forms regularly call it the best part! The deadline for Demo proposals is December 31, 2007. There is an option for Demonstrators to submit papers but it's not required.

That so many people are willing to share their work is a testament to the value of the community. Together, we've built up a significant resource! We're very grateful to everyone who submitted a proposal for MW2008.

Thanks, so much.

jennifer (and David)