Comments on: Rejected by EuroIA

By: ericreiss

ericreiss — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:19:05 +0000

And we really look forward to welcoming you over to our side of the pond. In fact, I'd love for you to join us in Copenhagen this Friday and Saturday – registration is still open. As you may know, we have the IA Jam Session on Friday night, which gives anyone interested a chance to “strut their stuff.”

As to my late response to your initial blogpost, I only saw it today after one of the original reviewers complained that her comments appeared online.

By: Whitney Hess

Whitney Hess — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:07:10 +0000

Eric, I greatly appreciate your comments many months after the post, but please don't assume that I wasn't able to “accept the rejection graciously and move on.” That is in fact exactly what I did. I share my pleasures on this blog, and share my pains. Not getting to present at EuroIA was a disappointment for me, and I felt it was relevant to share with the community who has given me so much. It's important to me that people be equally aware of my successes and my setbacks.

I look forward to submitting to EuroIA next year.

By: ericreiss

ericreiss — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:51:47 +0000

For what it's worth, several of the reviewers saw Whitney's original presentation in Memphis, myself included. We all liked it. Yet we unanimously agreed that with around 18 slots to fill and 100 submissions to choose from, this particular talk was not our best choice. Moreover, we have always favored European presenters and/or submissions that present a uniquely European perspective and have never hid this fact.

May I add that there are also internal reviewer comments that we do not share with submitters for various reasons - for instance, some reviewers don't want to see their frank and open sentiments find their way to a personal blog such as this.

But to summarize, your submission neither fit the theme or tone of the conference and you were called out on this by your peers who reviewed your submission. In short, Whitney, it's too bad you couldn't accept the rejection graciously and move on.

By: joanna attree

joanna attree — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:13:14 +0000

I have to agree with Charlene above. Depending on the focus of the conference it could clearly be off-topic, and score low just on that basis. Equally, Europe is definitely not so much into self-promotion as the US is. It is seen as something slightly naff (cheaply unfashionable) that salespeople do.

Also, I find it slightly strange that you chose to reprint your rejection letter. Even as a case study it still smacks of sour grapes on your part. But again, perhaps that is another cultural difference.

By: Charlene Jaszewski

Charlene Jaszewski — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:19:40 +0000

I have seen Whitney's presentation, and as much as I loved it as an “inspirational” piece, i can see how they think it doesn't really fit the mold as a strictly IA presentation. I agree with the earlier poster who suggested it for a “self improvement” track presentation though! I wonder if we are more enamored about our self-improvement over here in the states?

By: Cennydd

Cennydd — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:55:39 +0000

I'm not sure that's really the case. Just as Americans aren't necessarily arrogant and self-aggrandizing, Europeans aren't necessary culturally averse to promotion. We're complex, multi-dimensional people too :)

I'm sure the reviewers understood the nature of Whitney's proposal – I think it's just more likely that EuroIA has a different set of criteria to IA Summit. Ian Fenn gives a good analysis of it below. It's also worth pointing out that the conference organisers couldn't listen to the recording since it was a blind submission.

By: Ian Fenn

Ian Fenn — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:29:31 +0000

Before I comment, I'd like to make clear my connection with EuroIA. I am the current 'UK country ambassador' for the conference. My role is simple: to encourage fellow IAs in the UK (and others generally) to submit proposals, attend the conference or otherwise participate. That is all. Otherwise, I am not involved in the organisation of the conference and did not participate in the reviewing of submissions. So, what follows is my personal opinion. I am not speaking on behalf of EuroIA or anyone involved with its organisation.

If I understand correctly, you submitted to EuroIA an identical talk to the one you did at the IA Summit. It is unclear whether you updated the talk (or proposal) to reflect the needs of EuroIA and its attendees.

As you know, I saw you do the presentation at the IA Summit and complimented you on it afterwards. I really did enjoy it. However, I do think your talk would have needed a great deal of work to reflect the needs of a diverse European audience of IAs and UX professionals. Otherwise, you would simply be a USA citizen visiting Europe to tell Europeans what has worked for you in the USA - and I wonder how valuable that would be to the majority of attendees?

EuroIA is a smaller conference than the IA Summit. There has never, to my knowledge, been a self-development or business development track, and I'll be surprised if I see one there this year. Diversity across Europe would be a significant problem in determining content. Yes, the UX industry is pretty advanced in the UK, but what about other countries?

In many ways, EuroIA has a difficult task: it aims to reflect and deliver against the diversity of IA and UX practice across a variety of countries and cultures.

Another point to bear in mind regarding the review process is that it's possible that the majority of the reviewers are reviewing proposals in their second language, English. So, their responses may seem terse as a result. To those poking fun, I ask how they would cope if they were reviewing a number of papers in a language other than their native own?

Whitney, I hope you will still attend EuroIA as an attendee and discover Europe for yourself. Network with other IAs and discuss how the approaches mentioned in your original presentation would need to differ for difference countries across Europe. Then, next year, who knows?

By: e.p.c.

e.p.c. — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:12:32 +0000

Knowing nothing about the potential costs involved, why not go anyway? Grab a space in a hallway or spare room and hold an informal session.

By: Yoni

Yoni — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:35:17 +0000

You kinda gotta wonder about Reviewer #5. Rated the submission “2 – Poor,” but still accepted it. Apparently, humor is particularly important to that one.

By: Gabby

Gabby — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:21:45 +0000

I think what we have here is fundamental clash of cultures: the very notion of self-promotion is not one that people outside the U.S. tend to be very comfortable with. This, of course, goes along with the tiresome perception of Americans as arrogant and self-aggrandizing. Had the conference organizers taken time to listen to the recording of your presentation, I think they might have understood its nature more clearly.