InfoD: Conference VisionPlus 12 (Call for Speakers)

      ** Conference Announcement ** (Call for Speakers)
         VisionPlus 12 at Schwarzenberg:


         'Information Design - Achieving Measurable Results'

DATE: July 5-7, 2007 Schwarzenberg, Bregenzerwald, Austria

WEB: http://www.iiid-visionplus.net/

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: JANUARY 15, 2007

The International Institute for Information =

Design (IIID) is proud to announce that the next =

VisionPlus conference will be held July 5-7, =

2007, in Schwarzenberg, Austria. This will be the =

twelfth VisionPlus conference that the IIID has =

sponsored since 1995. VisionPlus 12 at =

Schwarzenberg is the event to attend in 2007 if =

you want and need to know what is happening at =

the vanguard of informational communications. =

This is a unique opportunity for information =

designers, graphic designers, corporate =

professionals, academics, and government =

officials to learn, discuss, challenge one =

another, and synthesize innovative new approaches =

for knowledge transfer in everyday life, =

business, education, and science.

The IIID is currently accepting proposals for =

papers and presentations for this premier event. =

The official form is appended to this Call for =

Speakers. The deadline for proposals is January =

15, 2007.


** THEME
The theme for VisionPlus 12 is 'measurement.' How =

can we measure and quantify the impact and =

results of informational communications? This has =

become a hot topic both in business and academia. =

VisionPlus 12 will explore this challenging and =

controversial question from all sides:
- How and to what extent can we measure the success of a given work?
- How do we quantify the role and impact of intangibles like design?
- What techniques and technologies can be used to get measurable results?
- How are information designers building the =

necessary metrics into their projects?

The IIID solicits speaking proposals on any =

aspect of the theme. We are particularly =

interested in case studies where the results are =

quantified. However, we also welcome proposals =

which probe the complexities and ambiguities of =

the 'measurement challenge.' As always, our goal =

is to explore, discover, debate, and promote =

understanding and further collaboration.


** TOPICS
The IIID takes a broad, multi-disciplinary =

approach to information design. We encourage =

proposals from any practice area, including but =

not limited to the following:
- Information design educational initiatives: =

curriculum development and exchange programs
- Information visualization in print, digital, and kinetic media
- Usability testing: methods and measurement
- Orientation systems in print, digital, and =

kinetic media: wayfinding, traffic guiding, and =

transportation information
- Information architecture: Web site design and navigation systems
- Instructional design: patient information =

leaflets, medicine labeling, and product use =

manuals
- Simplification of complex information: =

financial, legal, and health communications
- Forms design: collecting information from large, diverse audiences
- Political and civic engagement in multiple =

media: voting instructions, ballot design, tax =

bills, etc.

** SESSION FORMATS
Based on the experience of past events, the IIID =

has learned that participants favor (a) a variety =

of conference session formats and (b) shorter =

presentations followed by ample time for =

questions and discussion from the floor. The IIID =

invites proposals for any of the following types =

of sessions:
1. Opening Keynote Speech: 40-45 minutes (plus =

15-20 minutes for questions and discussion)
2. Individual Presentations: 20-40 minutes (plus =

15-20 minutes for questions and discussion)
3. Panel Discussions: 45 minutes (plus 15-20 =

minutes for questions and discussion)
4. Breakout Sessions: 45-60 minutes
5. In-Depth Workshops: 90-180 minutes
The times listed above are general guidelines. =

The VisionPlus 12 program committee will make the =

final determination of speaking time on a =

case-by-case basis.


** THE VENUE
The conference will be held at the Angelika =

Kauffmann Hall in Schwarzenberg, a picturesque =

village in the hills of Vorarlberg, the =

westernmost province of Austria, bordering on =

Switzerland and Germany.


** PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
To be considered, the proposal must include the following:
1. Proposed title
2. Speaker(s)
3. Preferred format (keynote speech, podium =

presentation, panel discussion, workshop, etc.)
4. Synopsis / abstract of content (100-250 words)
5. Speaker qualifications (50-150 words), including past speaking experience
6. Technical requirements for session (sound, video, Internet access, etc.)
7. Response contact information (name, phone, and email)
You may also attach samples of work that =

illustrate or substantiate the synopsis. The =

IIID, however, will not return these samples. =

Please prepare your proposal in English and send =

in digital format (preferably PDF).


** PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
The deadline for proposals is January 15, 2007. =

Send your proposal via email to: [email protected].


** PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND SELECTION
All proposals will be considered by the following =

Program Committee for VisionPlus 12:
1. Peter Simlinger, IIID Director and Principal, =

Simlinger Informations-Design GmbH, Vienna
2. Robert Swinehart, IIID President and =

Professor, School of Design, Carnegie Mellon =

University, Pittsburgh
3. Wes Ervin, IIID Vice President and Public =

Affairs director, The Health Care District of =

Palm Beach County, Florida
4. David Sless, IIID Vice President and Director, =

Communications Research Institute, Melbourne
5. Veronika Egger, IIID Treasurer and Principal, is design, Vienna
6. Harry Metzler, IIID representative and graphic designer, Schwarzenberg
VisionPlus 12 at Schwarzenberg
7. Erika Remund Jagne, General Secretary, SGD Swiss Graphic Designers, Zuri=
ch

The Committee will evaluate the proposals using the following criteria:
- Completeness of proposal (all required information has been provided).
- Relevance of the subject to the conference theme
- Clarity and focus of the synopsis
- Timeliness and broad appeal of the topic
- Innovative approach to the subject matter
- Credentials and conference-presentation experience of the speaker


** ANNOUNCEMENT OF ACCEPTANCE
The Program Committee will respond to all =

proposals, one way or the other, via email on or =

before February 5, 2007. The IIID will keep all =

proposals and attachments for future reference.

Benefits to Speakers
There are numerous benefits to being a speaker at VisionPlus 12:
- You will be entitled to participate in the =

entire 3-day conference, including all meals and =

social activities, free of charge.
- You will be provided free accommodation for =

four nights (July 4-8), with breakfasts included, =

at one of the conference hotels.
- You will be given a year=B9s free individual =

membership in the IIID (or, if currently a =

member, an equivalent value discount on the next =

membership invoice).
- Your name and session title will be publicized =

in the pre-conference marketing materials, the =

IIID Web site, and the conference guidebook.
- Your presentation will be considered for =

publication in the Information Design Journal =

(IDJ). (PLEASE NOTE: The IIID makes no commitment =

that the IDJ will publish your paper.)
- You will have ample opportunities to meet and =

discuss with peers from around the world who =

share your interests and may become valuable =

resources and potential partners.
As a general policy the IIID does not pay =

honoraria for speaking nor reimburses speakers =

for their travel expenses. The IIID will consider =

requests for travel subsidies on a case-by-case =

basis, particularly for students or speakers who =

must travel very long distances to attend the =

event.

Speaker Responsibilities
If your proposal is accepted, you must be =

prepared to make the following commitments:
- Send the final presentation/paper in digital =

format to the IIID by no later than June 11, 2007
- Secure the permission to cite client names, =

research findings, etc. if applicable
- Provide an alternate speaker if you have to cancel for any reason


** CONFERENCE LANGUAGE
The official language for VisionPlus 12 will be =

English. In past conferences, the proceedings =

have been translated into German via headsets. =

Other translations may be provided, depending on =

attendee needs.


** KEY DATES
January 15, 2007 Deadline for proposals
February 5, 2007 Notification of acceptance
June 11, 2007 Deadline for final presentations and papers
July 5, 2007 VisionPlus12 at Schwarzenberg begins


** MORE INFORMATION
If you have questions regarding this Call for =

Speakers, or any other matter relating to =

VisionPlus 12 at Schwarzenberg, please contact:
Peter Simlinger, IIID Director: [email protected]

To get the latest news on VisionPlus 12, =

periodically visit the IIID Website: www.iiid.net


** ABOUT THE IIID
The IIID is a not-for-profit membership =

organization founded to develop research and =

practice in optimizing information and =

information systems for knowledge transfer in =

everyday life, business, education, and science. =

The IIID is affiliated with the International =

Council of Graphic Design Associations (ICOGRADA) =

and is a partner with the American graphic =

designers association (AIGA) in furthering =

information design initiatives. The IIID also =

maintains close links with the Swiss Graphic =

Designers, the German designer associations (BDG =

and AGD), the International Society of =

Typographic Designers of Great Britain, Design =

Austria, and the Czech Institute for Information =

Design.
The IIID has held eleven VisionPlus conferences =

since 1995 and has published more than twenty of =

the conference papers as =B3VisionPlus monographs.=B2 =

In addition, the IIID has organized five Summer =

Academies devoted to student/faculty =

collaboration and exchange (Vienna, 2002; =

Salzburg, 2003; Gifu, Japan, 2003; Bozen/Bolzano, =

2005; and Chicago, 2006). The IIID also sponsors =

Expert Forums focused on specific subject =

matters: financial information design (New York, =

2002 and Boston, 2005), knowledge management =

(Chicago, 2003), manual design (Eskilstuna, =

2000), and traffic guiding systems (Vienna, =

2006). The VisionPlus conferences have always =

been a fertile meeting ground where participants =

from all over the world exchange knowledge, =

challenge one another, and synthesize innovative =

new approaches.
The IIID has been the driving force behind =

initiatives to establish an Information Design =

University under the auspices of UNESCO. The IIID =

partners with universities and government =

agencies in the USA and European Union to help =

develop information design curricula and =

student/faculty exchange programs.
As a result of all its activities, the IIID has =

earned the reputation as the premier =

international association devoted to the practice =

and teaching of information design in all its =

manifestations.

_________________________________________________________________

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your options, visit:
 http://list.InformationDesign.org/mailman/listinfo/infodesign

For all Information Design matters:
 http://www.InformationDesign.org

Problems? Write to:
 [email protected]
_________________________________________________________________