diversity-inclusion

This repository collects the guideliness and ideas to run more inclusive and diverse conferences, using the ACM Recommender Systems Conference, and the SIGACCESS Accessible Conference Guide as an example. Please contact me using this repository issues page if you have any questions or want to contribute

Preparing a successful, accessible, and inclusive conference:

In order for conferences to be accessible and inclusive, the preparation should start as soon as the conference is starting to be planned. That can be up to three years in advance. In this section, the main checkpoints are discussed according to the timeline.

Now:

• Have the code of conduct on the main page of the conference (see example from RecSys2018)
• Have presentation guideliness always available in the conference website, like those in the RecSys'19 website. The proposed guideliness are: accessible presentations and the inclusive language in presentations. For updated versions check the RecSys'21 website

During the Conference Planning

• If your conference is part of SIGCHI, please be aware of the high-level conference accessibility requirements Organizing a SIGCHI Sponsored Conference
• Make a copy of the ACM RecSys - Accessibility Questionary and share it with the relevant chairs, making sure they fill all the questions. Follow up regularly.
• Go through the Event Planning List with the conference organizers and think about what can you do, what can't you do. If any of the things you can not do might be a problem for some people, be transparent about why you are not able to acomodate people's needs.
• Review with the conference venue the Accesibility Questionary and the Event Planning List.
• Assess sites for accessibility before contracts are signed. Example things you might want to negotiate up front include small rooms for quiet space, and sufficient seating.

When the talks are accepted.

• Remind presenters to follow the presentation guideliness (they should already available in the conference site)

When the Registration Opens

• Follow-up on any open items in the Accessibility Questionary.
• Review any incoming accessibility request, and follow up directly with the people requesting to ensure their needs are covered during the conference.
• Request budget for any unforeseen accessibility requests that need to be met.

During the conference

• Follow-up on any open items in the Accessibility Questionary.
• Remind all their chairs of their responsability to make the conference accessible and inclusive. Ask them to read the Accessibility Questionary, the SIGACCESS Accessible Conference Guide, and the event-planning list.
• Remind presenters to follow the presentation guideliness already available in your site.
• Have an email address that people can write to in case the code of conduct is not followed, or in case of any accessibility and inclusion need.