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Vol.28 No.1, January 1996
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Vol.28 No.1, January 1996 |
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CHI conferences provide an opportunity for people in Computer Human Interaction to get together socially and intellectually, to learn from each other, share ideas and swap stories. Local groups provide some of the same stimulation and support. In fact, some local groups get started in anticipation of a CHI conference coming to the area (e.g. see the SIGCHI Bulletin July 1994). The CHI conference also relies on local volunteers for both the operational and technical side of the conference. These volunteer activities as well as attendance at the conference helps form personal connections between the local group and the larger CHI community.
The next CHI conference will be in Vancouver in mid April 1996 so it seemed an opportune time to check in with the local group. David Darvill is the chair and provided me with a glimpse of the history, background and current plans of the group. If you are from Vancouver, and not already a member of VanCHI, this is a great time to get involved with the group, and, of course, attend the conference.
Tell me something about the history of the group. When did it get started?
David: It started as a gleam in the eye of Susan McIntyre during the summer of 1994. Our first organizational meeting was held at MPR Teltech on September 22, 1994.
What prompted its formation?
Basically, three things happened:
Who were some of the people involved at the beginning?
Susan McIntyre, Alice Wong (who had been involved in the Ottawa Chapter), Jeff Brace, Mark Leonard and myself. All of these folks were or still are at MPR. We were also lucky to find another GUI local interest group that had been formed recently by the Software Productivity Centre in Vancouver, an organization formed to provide guidance and information to its members about software issues. We have had joint meetings with this GUI SIG and with the local chapter of the Human Factors Association of Canada (HFAC), to which many of us also belong.
Who are the current officers?
We still have not designated an "official" slate of officers. I expect that we will be doing that at our first meeting this fall. I took over as contact person when Susan left to move back to Ottawa.
What is the main background of the members?
Varied. We have folks with backgrounds in systems engineering, psychology, kinesiology, ergonomics and computer science. All share an interest in HCI or CHI, the order of letters depending on their background!
About how many members do you have?
Very hard to tell at this point since we have no paid membership yet, nor even an up to date list of those who have attended previous meetings. I'd estimate that we have a core of about 10-15 potential members, but we had 25-30 people at our last meeting in the spring of 95.
What are your main activities?
So far, the meetings have involved talks by members only.
Are any members of the local group involved in CHI 96?
Mark Leonard is the local arrangements chair for CHI 96.
Are you planning any activities in connection with the conference before, during or after?
At this time, we have nothing formal planned. Our focus is on getting VanCHI up to speed so that we can have a real local focus for the interest that I am sure will be generated here in Vancouver by the activities at CHI 96.
Tell me about CHI activities in Vancouver?
Here are some that I am aware of. I know we have a growing Human Factors Group at MPR Teltech; we have five people doing everything from task analysis and user requirements to GUI design and usability evaluations. Simon Fraser University (SFU) has recently created a Human Factors and Interface Technology Institute and have a number of faculty and students interested in graphics, GUIs and usability evaluation. The University of British Columbia (UBC) have folks working on CSCW issues. The Software Productivity Centre has established a GUI SIG (see above)
What is the size of Vancouver?
Vancouver is the largest metropolitan area in British Columbia at around 2 million population. It continues to grow as more people discover its beauty and climate. We have the ocean, or at least a reasonably protected extension of it in the Straight of Georgia, and the mountains, with some of the finest hiking and skiing in the world, right at our doorstep. The BC Ferry between Vancouver and Vancouver Island can provide one of the most spectacular and economical mini-cruises available anywhere. And of course, Whistler and Blackcomb mountains are only a couple of hours away to provide excellent skiing or golfing.
What is the best time of the year in Vancouver?
Any sunny day can be the best time of year in Vancouver. You are more likely to get sunny days in the summer, but after a week or so of rain, drizzle and very low clouds in the winter, a single sunny day can re-set your entire outlook on life. A major advantage for the many of us who have moved to Vancouver from elsewhere is that you don't have to shovel the rain in the winter.
Tell me anything more that you would like people to know about your city or your group
Interest in CHI in Vancouver is growing fast. The Vancouver area has an increasing number of companies that are developing exciting new software. Introducing them to the importance of CHI issues in their design and development is the challenge. A local SIGCHI Chapter will allow us to reach more of the designers and developers from these organizations. Come see for yourself, I promise you'll love it!
How can people get more information?
Anyone who is interested can e-mail me at darvill@mprgate.mpr.ca.
BayCHI has been at it again. Not satisfied with simply having speakers -- even great ones -- at its monthly meetings, BayCHI has begun experimenting with what can only be described as interactive speaker presentations. These have taken the form of mini 1-1 interviews or staged discussions. Richard Anderson, the program chair for BayCHI conducts will interview one of the local people as a short segment within the overall program. These interviews not only add interest and variation but they provide "teasers" to upcoming local events, follow-ups to past presentations or live FAQ sessions. For instance, an unadvertised conversation Richard had with Robin Jeffries (CHI96 program co-chair) and Austin Henderson (past SIGCHI chair) allowed the audience to learn about the CHI 96 submission deadlines and the paper review process. Richard has also staged live conversations between speakers as the featured presentation. The most notable of these was the conversation that took place between Ted Nelson and Aaron Marcus at the June 1995 meeting. This conversations billed as: "What Did He Know and When Did He Know It? Xanadu and the Curse of WIRED" provoked rave reviews from the audience. One member wrote later to Richard, "Great theater and entertainment with technical interest as well".
On a less dramatic level, BayCHI has begun to distribute a BayCHI membership directory. Don Patterson is to be commended for his effort in massaging the BayCHI database into a form that makes this all possible and for the time he spent verifying the information with members. The directory is distributed only to current members who now number 514. In addition to the directory, members benefit from the BayCHI programs, tutorials, job bank, consultants' directory, web site and newsletter.
You can now get all the particulars of their next local meeting by dialing +1-408-235-9244. And don't forget to check out their web site at http://www.acm.org/~baychi.
Congratulations to the new BayCHI officers: David Rowley, Chair; Allison Hansen, Vice-Chair; Clark Streeter, Treasurer.
Kate Ehrlich, Local SIGs Chair,
ehrlich.chi@acm.org
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Vol.28 No.1, January 1996 |
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