A special interest group (SIG) is a community within a larger organization with a shared interest in advancing a specific area of knowledge, learning or technology where members cooperate to affect or to produce solutions within their particular field, and may communicate, meet, and organize conferences. The term was used in 1961 by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), an academic and professional computer society.[1] SIG was later popularized on CompuServe, an early online service provider, where SIGs were a section of the service devoted to particular interests.[2][3][4]
The ACM includes many SIGs, some starting as smaller "Special Interest Committees" (SICs) and formed the first group in 1961. ACM supports further subdivision within SIGs for more impromptu informal discussion groups at conferences which are called Birds of a Feather (BoF).[5]
ACM's Special Interest Groups (SIGs) represent major areas of computing, addressing the interests of technical communities that drive innovation. SIGs offer a wealth of conferences, publications and activities focused on specific computing sub-disciplines. They enable members to share expertise, discovery and best practices.[6]
Organizations that are not technical may also have Special Interest Groups, which are normally focused on a mutual interest[9] or shared characteristic of a subset of members of the organization.[10] An important example for this are trade unions. For identity-based advocacy groups, see identity politics. The Japan Association for Language Teaching (JALT) has several SIGs. Together they organize a Pan-SIG conference each year.
These interest groups support and lobby for areas of special need. For example, the 'Sierra Club' focuses on protecting the environment as well as the wild places on earth. They also promote education on preservation of the environment. Similar advocacy groups promote their special interests and organize to help them with their issue. These political "entrepreneurs" are the classic view of the policy maker. Such groups need a patron to provide capital and support, so the cause has to be one that many will support, in competition with other causes that similarly seek support. Many of these dominant groups have subgroups that lobby for more specific issues, but assist in the overall cause.
^ "SIGMAA: Special Interest Groups of the MAA". Mathematical Association of America. 2008-08-22. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
^"History of SIGMAAs | Mathematical Association of America". www.maa.org.
^The Community Discovered Special Interest Groups, groups for specific interests within an educational organization.
^Friends General Conference Summer Gathering Adult Young Friends Program, a young adult-focused SIG in a Quaker organization.
^"Special Interest Groups ("SIGs")". OC Mensa. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
External linksedit
ACM: Special Interest Groups
MAA: Special Interest Groups
January 09, 2024
special, interest, group, this, article, about, technical, social, associations, other, uses, interest, group, disambiguation, political, advocacy, groups, advocacy, group, special, interest, redirects, here, restricted, interests, autism, similar, conditions,. This article is about technical or social associations For other uses see Interest group disambiguation For political advocacy groups see Advocacy group Special interest redirects here For restricted interests in autism and similar conditions see Autism spectrum Features and characteristics A special interest group SIG is a community within a larger organization with a shared interest in advancing a specific area of knowledge learning or technology where members cooperate to affect or to produce solutions within their particular field and may communicate meet and organize conferences The term was used in 1961 by the Association for Computing Machinery ACM an academic and professional computer society 1 SIG was later popularized on CompuServe an early online service provider where SIGs were a section of the service devoted to particular interests 2 3 4 Contents 1 Technical SIGs 2 Non technical SIGs 2 1 Political Interest Groups 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksTechnical SIGs editThe ACM includes many SIGs some starting as smaller Special Interest Committees SICs and formed the first group in 1961 ACM supports further subdivision within SIGs for more impromptu informal discussion groups at conferences which are called Birds of a Feather BoF 5 ACM s Special Interest Groups SIGs represent major areas of computing addressing the interests of technical communities that drive innovation SIGs offer a wealth of conferences publications and activities focused on specific computing sub disciplines They enable members to share expertise discovery and best practices 6 The Mathematical Association of America has 14 SIGs ranging from the Arts to the Web for instruction 7 8 The Association for Information Science and Technology calls its organizational divisions special interest groups Non technical SIGs editOrganizations that are not technical may also have Special Interest Groups which are normally focused on a mutual interest 9 or shared characteristic of a subset of members of the organization 10 An important example for this are trade unions For identity based advocacy groups see identity politics The Japan Association for Language Teaching JALT has several SIGs Together they organize a Pan SIG conference each year Mensa International has over a hundred SIGs 11 Political Interest Groups edit These interest groups support and lobby for areas of special need For example the Sierra Club focuses on protecting the environment as well as the wild places on earth They also promote education on preservation of the environment Similar advocacy groups promote their special interests and organize to help them with their issue These political entrepreneurs are the classic view of the policy maker Such groups need a patron to provide capital and support so the cause has to be one that many will support in competition with other causes that similarly seek support Many of these dominant groups have subgroups that lobby for more specific issues but assist in the overall cause See also editBirds of a feather computing Interest versus express advocacy Linux User Group Lobbying Organizational structureReferences edit Sig conference community historywiki acm org CompuServe Trs 80 org 1980 07 01 Retrieved on 2014 06 16 SIGs Gsbrown org 2010 04 08 Retrieved on 2014 06 16 Modems The Secret Guide to Computers Computercraft com Retrieved on 2014 06 16 Birds of a feather FAQ SC17 14 October 2016 Special Interest Groups www acm org SIGMAA Special Interest Groups of the MAA Mathematical Association of America 2008 08 22 Retrieved 2009 01 19 History of SIGMAAs Mathematical Association of America www maa org The Community Discovered Special Interest Groups groups for specific interests within an educational organization Friends General Conference Summer Gathering Adult Young Friends Program a young adult focused SIG in a Quaker organization Special Interest Groups SIGs OC Mensa Retrieved 2022 05 02 External links editACM Special Interest Groups MAA Special Interest Groups Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Special interest group amp oldid 1149498760, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
