Prototype Track

We warmly invite you to submit prototype implementations of innovative IT artifacts. The Prototype Track offers the opportunity to demonstrate executable IT artifacts of various forms during live sessions at the conference and to discuss them with researchers and practitioners. We accept short papers as submissions, accompanied by an illustrative demonstration video. Accepted papers will be published in the AIS Electronic Library and presented during a separate “Prototype” session.

Contribution formats

The track offers the possibility to submit two different contribution formats:

1. Prototype Excellence: This format focuses on the functionality of the IT artifacts developed, including excellence in prototype design and development. Authors will have the opportunity to demonstrate insights into runnable implementations from ongoing research. It is expected that prototypes have already undergone an initial (preliminary) evaluation, but this does not need to be fully completed. Authors are encouraged to report and discuss initial evaluation results.
2. Prototype Innovation: In the second contribution format, the focus is on the degree of innovation of the developed prototype, with scientific stringency in design and evaluation being of secondary/minor relevance. Authors have the opportunity to present particularly innovative IT artifacts that stand out for their novelty, creative design, and potential competitiveness. An evaluation of the prototype does not necessarily have to have taken place in this contribution format. Instead, IT artifacts in early stages of development are welcomed.

Submission requirements

Prototype submissions are based on a short paper (1) and a complementary demonstration video (2):

1. Papers may be written in German and English and must be submitted exclusively via the conference online review system (https://www.conftool.pro/wi22/). Papers of both contribution formats must not exceed 6 pages in length (including title, abstract, appendices and author details and acknowledgements for revised papers; excluding references) and must be preceded by an abstract of max. 150 words and three to five keywords. Short papers must be submitted in the following formats:
   
   • First submission (anonymous version for review): pdf document
   • Final submission (print-ready version): doc document and pdf document

   Initial submissions must conform exactly to the templates defined in the MS Word (2007, *.doc) format: https://www.wi22.eu/assets/cfp/WI2022 Template.docx. The templates for the final Camera-Ready submissions must exactly match the templates defined in the MS Word (2007, *.doc) format. This also applies to Revise and Resubmit. Additionally, the contribution format (i.e., Protoype Excellence vs. Prototype Innovation) should be indicated above the abstract.
   

2. The short paper is to be supplemented by a demonstration video, which should have a duration of at least 2:00 and at most 3:00 minutes. Furthermore, the video must be playable with VLC media player version 3.0.14. Initial submissions are to be made anonymously; this also includes the video to be made, which can be enriched with corresponding author information and further details after successful acceptance.

All materials must be uploaded as a single compressed zip file via the submission system. If the zip file exceeds the 200 MB data limit, authors are instructed to provide the video via a link in an additional sheet (e.g., through an anonymized Dropbox link). Submissions that do not meet these requirements will be desk-rejected.

If the paper is accepted for presentation, a supplementary sheet must also be submitted, which specifies the technical conditions for the presentation of the prototype (e.g., space requirements, equipment). It should also include how the audience can interact with the prototype. The document may contain pictures and sketches if these are necessary for communication. These materials are only used as an organizational aid for planning the prototype presentations and will not be published in the conference proceedings. The supplementary sheet, for which there is no specific template, should not exceed 5 pages in length. Authors will be contacted separately to submit the supplement.

Possible topics of interest

Prototypes can address manifold aspects and topics of business information systems and be assigned to diverse areas of application. Exemplary, but not exclusive, main topics may cover:

• Business analytics, decision support
• Artificial Intelligence, machine Learning
• Human computer interaction, chatbots, assistance systems
• Virtual/augmented/mixed reality
• Internet of things, cyber physical systems
• Robotic process automation
• Gamification
• Security and data protection
• Healthcare and well-being
• Energy informatics, green IT
• Industry 4.0/service 4.0/work 4.0
• Trade, supply chain management, logistics
• Financial technologies, blockchain
• Education, e-learning

Evaluation criteria

Depending on the chosen type of contribution, there are different evaluation criteria to consider. The criteria can be seen as a rough orientation for the structure of the submissions, but are not to be regarded as a strict specification to allow for sufficient flexibility.

1. Prototype Excellence:
   • Relevance of the practical problem
   • Application of scientifically based or practically proven procedures during the design and development process
   • Clear and illustrative presentation of the developed prototype (e.g. functional scope, architecture, user interface, etc.)
   • Presentation of (preliminary) evaluation results based on methodologically sound research design
2. Prototype Innovation:
   • Relevance of the practical problem
   • Distinction from related work/ existing IT artefacts
   • Clear and illustrative presentation of the developed prototype, especially with regard to its innovative character
   • Contribution to science and practice
   • Possible roads for further development and future course of the research project

Prototype presentation and demonstration

Accepted contributions will be presented in a separate “Prototype” session. Presentations can be prepared and delivered in either German or English.

In parallel, there will be an opportunity for the prototypes to be presented during the conference in an interactive exchange with the audience. The format is intended to encourage conference participants to get to know each other, to try things out, to create new ideas, to discuss them and exchange knowledge in general.

Additionally, the submitted demonstration videos will be embedded on the conference website or a WI22 YouTube channel and made publicly available to the audience. This also serves to ensure a vivid presentation of results in the case of a virtual conference format if the pandemic regulations do not permit face-to-face attendance.

The best prototypes in the two categories “Protoype Excellence” and “Prototype Innovation” will also be presented live or via demonstration videos at the conference dinner.

Awards and Fast Track option

A total of three awards will be given for active participation in the Prototype Track:

• Prototype Excellence Award
• Prototype Innovation Award
• Best Reviewer Award

In order to be eligible for the two Best Prototype Awards, the authors of all Prototype submissions are asked to review the prototypes of their fellow entrants and select their own candidates for the respective award. For this purpose, at least one vote per team should be given to another Prototype contribution.

Selected papers in the “Prototype Excellence” category will also be considered for publication in the journal “HMD – Praxis der Wirtschaftsinformatik” on a fast-track basis. There is no guarantee of acceptance, as the contributions will go through a separate review process. However, remarks and recommendations are given in advance on how to expand the short contributions into full papers.

Timetable for the review process

The schedule for the review process is aligned with the dates of the regular scientific tracks:

• Last opportunity for submission (Submission Deadline): 01.09.2021 – 14:00
• Fast and constructive AE Feedback: 10.09.2021
  
• Submission of reviews by Reviewers: 10.10.2021
  
• Submission of reviews by AE: 20.10.2021
  
• Decision of track chairs: 27.10.2021
  
• Notification to authors: 31.10.2021
  
• Submission of revised papers: 15.11.2021
  
• Final decision and information to authors: 21.11.2021