EuroPLoP is the premier European conference on patterns. The conference offers a variety of tracks and workshops that allow you to learn about patterns, to receive feedback on your own work, and to discuss with fellow enthusiasts. It is a unique venue to exchange knowledge about best practices and learn from other experts in various fields. EuroPLoP 2008 will be held July 9-13, 2008 in the Irsee Monastery, Germany. Join us for an experience that will combine outstanding technical events with a visit to the lovely Bavarian countryside.

EuroPLoP accepts papers containing patterns or pattern languages as well as experience reports and other papers related to the theory and use of patterns. For the first time, EuroPLoP 2008 will offer thematic tracks allowing practitioners and researchers from a specific domain to exchange knowledge. In previous years, thematic clusters evolved implicitly including areas like:

* Software development
* Software design and architecture
* Software management and development processes
* Human computer interaction (e.g., user-interface aspects or novel modes of interaction)
* Education (ranging from professional training to classroom teaching)
* Business and organizational questions

This year, we like to invite you to champion one of these thematic areas or propose new topics by submitting a proposal for a thematic track.

Several open tracks will be retained to provide for new topics and topics outside the thematic tracks.
Call for Thematic Tracks
EuroPLoP would like to give delegates the opportunity to set the conference topics by proposing themes for dedicated tracks. Proposals should come from two (or more) potential organizers for the thematic track, one of whom should be an experienced pattern author while the other one should have a solid domain background in research and/or practice.

The proposal should include a short abstract of the theme (no longer than 200 words), a short biography of the organizers. Organizers of a thematic track will be expected to interact with the conference programme committee in reviewing papers for their track. At least one organizer is expected to chair the workshop for the track. The organizers may also propose a focus group related to the theme (see below for focus group details.)

Following acceptance of the thematic track proposals this call for papers will be re-issued with details on the selected themes.

Please send your proposal directly to the chairs of EuroPLoP2008, Till Schuemmer (till.schuemmer@fernuni-hagen.de) and Allan Kelly (allan@allankelly.net).
Submission Categories

Submissions should fall into one of the following categories:
Pattern papers
Short papers (5 to 10 pages) containing one or more patterns, longer pattern languages (about 15 to 20 pages) or sequences and work-in-progress papers. All accepted papers will receive in-depth shepherding by an experienced pattern author before the conference. Newcomers papers may receive further shepherding at the conference itself.
Proven practices papers
Papers about the craft of writing software or patterns, papers about the concept of patterns and proven practices in general, case studies of patterns in action, or papers about software development communities of practice.
Focus group proposals
Focus groups are free-format discussion groups or workshops lasting between 3 and 6 hours. They are designed to bring together people who are interested in a challenging topic related to patterns or proven practices. Non-conventional ideas such as goldfish bowls are welcome. Organizers of thematic tracks are encouraged to submit a focus group proposal that covers parts of their topic.
Conference Structure
The main track of EuroPLoP will be organized as a series of writers' workshops where authors work together to improve their papers. Before pattern or other papers are accepted for a writers' workshop, they are shepherded (non-anonymously). This means that an experienced author will discuss your submission with you, so that you can refine your paper prior to the conference. All submissions will be peer-reviewed.

The EuroPLoP proceedings are published in book form after the conference. Papers discussed at a writer's workshop at this conference qualify for submission to the new journal Transactions on Pattern Languages of Programming published by Springer.
Important Dates

* December 12, 2007: Proposal of Thematic Tracks
* December 20, 2007: Acceptance Notification on Thematic Tracks
* February 18, 2008: Paper Submission Deadline
* July 9-13, 2008: Conference

Organization

Program Chair: Till Schuemmer, till.schuemmer@FernUni-Hagen.de
Conference Chair: Allan Kelly, allan@allankelly.net
Focus Group Chair:Tim Wellhausen, kontakt@tim-wellhausen.de

For more information, please visit http://hillside.net/europlop.