Birds of a Feather (BoF) Special Sessions
The BoFs are special sessions aimed to encourage moderated discussion on a specific topic. The topics are proposed by members of the community. The person proposing the BoF is the person responsible for organizing the content and format of the session, and for the moderation.
The length of a BoF depends on the venue and the program of the particular conference. They are generally allocated between 1.5 to 2 hours. They are generally held at the end of the day, after the last talk.
The format of a BoF is quite flexible, however it must not be confused with a focus demo. A BoF is expected to be primarily a discussion engaging the audience. A two-hour long talk or demo is not an acceptable format, neither should it be a sales-pitch.
A common BoF format starts with a short presentation by the moderator(s) highlighting the topic, the problem, the state of affairs, and proposing questions to the audience and avenues of discussion. The purpose is to guide and launch the discussion. Throughout the session, a moderator ensures that the discussion remains on topic. A panel of experts could be added, depending on the objectives of the BoF organizers. Care must be taken by the moderator to ensure that the panel does not dominate and that the audience is allowed to question, discuss, and share their thoughts and experiences.
Organizers are expected to publish their results in the conference proceedings. We recommend that BoF organizers arrange for a note-taker to record the discussion and facilitate the writing of the proceedings.