Old Hands And New Hands

(OopslaProgramCommitteeMembershipPatterns)

If a program committee is the same year after year, it is difficult for a conference to move forward. It develops its own ruts and blind spots, and becomes isolated from mainstream progress.

Yet a committee learns pragmatic techniques and practices that are part of the culture. Part of this is the culture of program committees, which is remarkably regular across software conferences. But part of this is the culture of the conference itself. This culture serves the industry and must be preserved; yet, it must change with time as the industry changes.

Therefore: Staff the program committee so that at least half are old-timers, who can carry on the traditions of the conference through time. These experienced members also tutor the newcomers so they can support the next generation. This experience brings solutions to tactical problems that would be lost on the newcomers.

A program committee is a culture, and much of the culture of a conference derives from the program committee culture as it is handed down from year to year.

See also ChairContinuity.