General talk about software patterns

[Linda Rising <risingl AT tds.net>]

PLoP 2011 – Call for Submissions

This is your invitation to participate in this year’s Pattern Languages of Programs (PLoP) conference and share your knowledge with experts in your field.

Patterns help to shape our world in a positive way by reporting successful solutions that have shown to work in the past. Whether you have been a pattern author in the past or wonder why no one has written down those patterns you know all too well, this is your chance to contribute your expertise and receive feedback from pattern experts and practitioners!

PLoP is the premier international conference on patterns. The purpose of PLoP is to promote the development of pattern languages, primarily about aspects of software: design and programming, testing, software architecture, user interface design, domain modeling, education, human relations, and software processes. Patterns and pattern languages for domains outside software are also welcome.

PLoP 2011 will take place October 21-23 in Portland, Oregon in conjunction with the SPLASH (formerly OOPSLA) conference. At the PLoP 2011 conference you will meet pattern enthusiasts from all over the world, learn about successful designs and architectures, and receive constructive feedback from your peers on your own writing.

Important Dates
Paper submission deadline -- extended to May 31, 2011
Start of shepherding June 10, 2011
Notification of acceptance August 15, 2011
Early registration ends September 15, 2011
PLoP conference days October 21-23, 2011

Submission Categories
PLoP accepts papers containing patterns or pattern languages as well as experience reports and papers related to the theory and use of patterns. In addition, you can submit proposals for free-format discussion groups or workshops that bring together people interested in a hot topic related to patterns or proven practices. Proposals addressing interdisciplinary topics and topics from other domains than software development are especially encouraged. Non-conventional formats are welcome.

Submissions should fall into one of the following categories:

Pattern Papers
Short papers (5 to 10 pages) containing one or more patterns. Longer pattern languages or sequences and work-in-progress papers will also be considered for inclusion. All accepted papers will receive in-depth shepherding by an experienced pattern author before the conference. Papers may receive further shepherding at the conference itself.

Papers on Applying Patterns
The focus of these papers should be on applications of patterns in industrial projects, as well as on systematizing the application of patterns. They should stimulate a general discussion on how to disseminate the patterns literature more widely in higher education and industry. This track also aims to provide visibility to research attempts for integrating patterns in software engineering industrial practices.

Best Practices Papers
Experience shows that certain pattern papers may feel "artificial" in the sense that although the content and writing style is very good, forcing it into one of the traditional pattern forms does not benefit the reader. The Best Practices category introduces an alternative to the traditional papers where content can be presented as an essay or in a more classical article or paper style.

Focus Group Proposals
Focus groups are free-format discussion groups or workshops lasting approximately three hours. They are designed to bring together people who are interested in a challenging topic related to patterns or proven practices. Non-conventional ideas such as goldfish bowls are welcome. Focus Group proposals are invited in advance of the conference.

Pattern Workshops
In addition to the Focus Groups, PLoP 2011 welcomes ideas for half-day or full-day traditional (OOPSLA style) workshops with a pattern focus. Participation in these workshops will be an alternative to the Writers’ Workshops as they will be held in parallel.

Submission Procedure
The core of PLoP is a series of Writers' Workshops where authors work together to improve their papers. The Writers' Workshop is essentially the presentation method for a paper at a PLoP conference. More information about the Writers' Workshop can be found here: http://www.cs.wustl.edu/~schmidt/writersworkshop.html.

Before papers are accepted for a Writers' Workshop, they are shepherded. Shepherding is an iterative process where an experienced author discusses the submission with the authors with the goal of refining the paper prior to the conference. To learn about shepherding, please visit
http://hillside.net/conferences/shepherding. All submissions are peer-reviewed.

Following the shepherding, papers may be accepted directly into a Writers' Workshop, or into the Writing Group. Writing Group papers will receive additional face-to-face shepherding at the conference itself. Writing Group papers reaching the required standard will be considered for workshop review on the final day of the conference.

The PLoP proceedings are published after the conference through the ACM Digital Library. Papers discussed at a Writers' Workshop at PLoP qualify for submission to the new journal Transactions on Pattern Languages of Programming published by Springer. You will find more information:
http://hillside.net/patterns/tplop

To submit your paper, please visit: http://www.hillside.net/plop/2011/submission

There is a three stage submission process:
- Initial submissions are assessed for suitability. Accepted papers are assigned a shepherd who will help the author improve the paper.
- Half way through the shepherding process, authors are expected to submit a second draft. The paper will be assessed for quality and the author's willingness to accept feedback. This review will determine whether a paper is accepted to the conference or not.
- Authors and shepherds are expected to continue until the final drafts are due.

At least one of the authors of accepted papers are expected to register for the conference before the close of early-bird registration. Failure to do so may result in acceptance being withdrawn.

For more information, please visit: http://hillside.net/plop/2011/

I am looking forward to reading your submissions, learning about the patterns that you have observed, and to meeting you in Portland. Welcome to PLoP 2011!

On behalf of PLoP 2011 and the Hillside Group,

Lise Hvatum
Conference Chair