Is there something you’ve always wanted to share and discuss with the CHI PLAY community but didn’t quite have a space for it? Something you want people to be more aware of? Contribute a Perspectives on Play (PoP) talk and let everybody know!
PoP replaces the Rapid Communications (RC) track. We recognized a need to clearly distinguish this track from similar ones, especially Work in Progress (WiP). We also wished to inspire contributions from voices within and outside of the CHI PLAY community—from researchers working in underrepresented fields who can share new viewpoints, to professionals with practical insights grounded in industry practice. Finally, we aimed to signpost a space for alternative types of submissions, from the bite-sized to formats that differ from what you might normally expect in a typical conference paper.
We envision PoP talks as short but compelling contributions that will spark discussion and debate as well as collaboration opportunities within our community—and adjacent ones.
Example: Reflections on the Status Quo
A bite-sized position statement on an emerging topic that may have representation within informal venues (e.g., among experts in social media channels, or specific game communities or game development circles) but has yet to be formally presented at an academic venue. Perhaps there are research practices you think need to be discussed by a broader CHI PLAY audience, e.g., maybe you are interested in communicating critical opinions and (meta-)reflections about ethical considerations, methodological details, or specific game phenomena, as well as critical examinations of specific games as art objects.
Example: Visions of the Future
A critical reflection or provocation on a new approach to game design practice and/or research that could have a meaningful and practical impact on CHI PLAY itself. We are open to visions of how the CHI PLAY community (in research and infrastructure) might develop in future, including potential directions and challenges. This could focus on anything from theory that is not yet used much by CHI PLAY researchers, ideas and suggestions for how to design and maintain a welcoming and inclusive community, or how our community might want to improve transparency e.g., through pre-registration of studies.
Example: Building Bridges from Practice and Other Communities
As a game developer or industry researcher, or as a games journalist or critical reviewer, or as a scholar or practitioner from an adjacent community: there’s something you’ve always wanted to communicate to the CHI PLAY community or seek further engagement on with people who may have other points of view, e.g., research you would find useful, lessons learned from your own practice or perspective, calls for research on a particular phenomenon, or introductions to a new framework.
An ideal PoP talk conveys an impactful message in a short (2-page) but rigorous package. We also accept a more visual-heavy format than traditional papers, similar to pictorials, e.g., blueprints, illustrations, photo series on the maker process, etc.
Submissions are due July 20th, 2022 (AoE, end of day). Check out the full call and submission site at CHI PLAY 2022. If you have any questions about whether your envisioned contribution might be suitable for the PoP track, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at pop@chiplay.acm.org.
Katja Rogers and Katie Seaborn
Co-Chairs, Perspectives on Play (PoP)
CHI PLAY 2022