[Sigia-l] Virtual Worlds in Technical Communication

[Sean Williams]

_Techincal Communication_ the journal of the Society of Technical 
Communication is pleased to announce a special edition on the use, 
design, possibilities, and research questions related to virtual 
worlds as they are, and might be, used in technical communication contexts.

  The full text of the call for papers is below and is also available 
on the ATTW website at

http://cms.english.ttu.edu/attw/announcements

Please post widely!

Best wishes,
Sean Williams
(long time SIGIA-L Lurker)


DESCRIPTION
Virtual worlds, those online spaces where users navigate, 
collaborate, and socialize in three dimensions using avatars, have 
joined mainstream media, such as the World Wide Web, as a method for 
delivering technical information to users. For example, on 15 May 
2007, IBM opened a "business center" in the virtual world Second Life 
that is staffed around the clock by employees from different 
countries who offer technical support to users, enable 
collaborations, and provide sales information. Similarly, in late May 
the Swedish government opened a virtual embassy in Second Life to 
provide information on the country as well as information on real 
world consular services. Since large-scale use of virtual worlds for 
instrumental, non-gaming purposes is still in its infancy, technical 
communicators have an opportunity to influence how their 
organizations develop and deploy virtual worlds.

This special issue of Technical communication will examine the 
implications of virtual worlds, including  massively-multiplayer 
games, as a new method of delivering information to users and 
building user communities. This special
issue will investigate how these spaces should be constructed, what 
new research questions arise from presenting
information in virtual worlds, and how virtual spaces change the 
relationships of users to each other and to the information
they seek.

POSSIBLE TOPICS FOR THIS SPECIAL ISSUE
Ideas this special issue wishes to examine for virtual worlds
include:
.. New models for information design
.. Navigation complications and way-finding
.. Social networking and informal communication networks as a method 
of information delivery
.. Massively-multiplayer games as informational and instructional spaces
.. Usability and user-centered design issues
.. Expanded roles for experience and sensorial design models
.. Methods for testing, validating, and ensuring user satisfaction
.. Patterns and styles of virtual collaboration
.. Ethical issues associated with operating in virtual worlds

To that end, we welcome proposals for articles addressing these or 
related topics.

TYPES OF SUBMISSIONS
We welcome original research related to virtual worlds and 
massively-multiplayer games; case studies and reports on
experiences; experiments of assessment methodologies; theoretical 
investigations; opinion pieces; literature reviews
and annotated bibliographies; and tips or best practices for 
implementing virtual worlds in instrumental contexts.

SCHEDULE
The schedule for the special issue is as follows:
15 December 2007 500-word proposal
15 March 2008 Draft manuscript
15 June 2008 Final manuscript
November 2008 Publication date
Send proposals by e-mail to sean at clemson.edu. All proposals
and papers will be peer-reviewed.

CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have questions about a proposal idea or if you wish to be 
considered as a proposal or a manuscript reviewer for
this special issue, please contact Sean Williams at the e-mail 
address above, by phone at +1 (864) 656-2156, by instant
message to sdw8892, or in Second Life, "Omalley Qinan."


Sean D. Williams, Ph.D.         sean at clemson.edu
Associate Dean of the Graduate School
Associate Professor, Department of English
Clemson University