SIGSOFT Communications Playbook

This playbook defines SIGSOFT’s communication strategy across all channels.

Channel Overview

Channel Definitions

SEWorld (Mailing List)

Best for: Time-sensitive announcements that need broad SE community reach

Content types:

• Call for papers (one per event)
• Call for participation (one per event)
• Workshop calls (one aggregate post per conference)
• Job postings (PhD+ level, academic/research institutions)
• Award nominations
• Summer schools
• PC/reviewer recruitment

Not appropriate:

• Commercial promotions, tool ads, surveys, research project announcements

See the full SEWorld Guidelines for formatting and submission details.

Software Engineering Notes (SEN)

Best for: Substantive content with lasting archival value, formal academic tone, longer-form content, and material that should be preserved in the ACM Digital Library

Content types:

• Columns on SE topics
• Workshop proceedings (where SEN is publisher)
• Book reviews
• Reports and position papers
• Award announcements (detailed write-ups)
• Major SIGSOFT news and updates

Not appropriate:

• Time-sensitive announcements (use SEWorld)
• Unsolicited research papers (use conferences/journals)

See the SEN Publication Guidelines for formatting, deadlines, and submission details.

Blog (Medium)

Best for: Thought leadership, community building, and reaching audiences beyond academia. Good for timely (but not urgent) content, informal tone, and material that benefits from comments/engagement and search engine visibility.

Content types:

• Interviews with researchers
• Award winner spotlights
• Conference recaps and highlights
• Opinion pieces on SE topics
• Career advice and early-career content
• “Behind the paper” stories
• Community discussions

Not appropriate:

• Formal announcements (use Website)
• Time-sensitive CFPs (use SEWorld)

See the Blog Contribution Guidelines for submission process and editorial policies.

Website (sigsoft.org)

Best for: Permanent record, official information

Content types:

• Award information (calls for nomination, awardee lists)
• Committee and leadership information
• Conference calendar
• Policies and guidelines
• Webinar announcements and archives
• Resources for members
• Official SIGSOFT news

Social Media (X/Twitter, LinkedIn)

Best for: Amplification, real-time engagement, broader visibility

Content types:

• Links to blog posts
• Links to website updates
• Award announcements
• Conference highlights (live coverage)
• Community celebrations
• Retweets/shares of member achievements

Note: Social media is primarily an amplification channel—always link back to the primary source.

Mastodon (social.sigsoft.org)

Best for: Community building and discussion within the SE research community. Unlike the other channels focused on knowledge dissemination, Mastodon is a space for ongoing conversation and connection.

Content types:

• Discussion threads and conversations
• Conference live-tooting
• Informal community engagement
• Sharing and commenting on SE topics
• Connecting researchers with each other

Note: SIGSOFT runs its own Mastodon instance, giving the community a dedicated space outside of commercial platforms.

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIGSOFT)

Best for: Providing accurate, encyclopedic, and verifiable information about SIGSOFT to the general public. Wikipedia is a high-visibility reference that many people encounter first when searching for SIGSOFT.

When to update:

• Leadership changes (e.g., new chair, EC composition)
• Major organizational milestones (e.g., significant anniversaries, structural changes)
• Updates to the list of flagship conferences or sponsored events
• Corrections to factual inaccuracies
• Addition of notable awards or their recipients when widely recognized

How to update:

1. Create or log in to a Wikipedia account (editing without an account is possible but discouraged for organizational pages)
2. Navigate to the SIGSOFT Wikipedia page and click Edit
3. Follow Wikipedia’s guidelines — all content must be neutral, verifiable, and cited with independent reliable sources where possible (for example, peer-reviewed publications, reputable news articles, and other independent coverage); use ACM/SIGSOFT official sources only where appropriate for straightforward factual details
4. Do not use Wikipedia to promote SIGSOFT events or solicit participation — such content will be removed by Wikipedia editors
5. After saving, monitor the Talk page for any concerns raised by other Wikipedia editors
6. Major rewrites should be discussed on the Talk page before being made

Not appropriate:

• Calls for papers or participation
• Job postings or award nominations
• Opinions or promotional content
• Content that cannot be verified with a third-party citation

Note: Wikipedia is independently edited by the community and SIGSOFT does not control its content. Edits may be revised or reverted by other Wikipedia editors. The Information Director should periodically review the page for accuracy.

Content Type Matrix

Legend:

• P = Primary channel (original content lives here)
• A = Amplify (cross-post or link)

Workflow and Responsibilities

Channel Owner Responsibilities

• Monitor submissions and maintain quality
• Ensure content meets channel guidelines
• Coordinate cross-posting with Social Media chair
• Track metrics and report to EC periodically

Cross-posting Workflow

1. Content owner publishes to primary channel
2. Content owner notifies Social Media chair
3. Social Media chair creates appropriate post with link
4. For major announcements: coordinate timing across channels

Contacts