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 effect or to produce solutions within their particular field, and may communicate, meet, and organize conferences.
[2][3][4] The ACM includes many SIGs, some starting as smaller "Special Interest Committees" 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).
SIGs offer a wealth of conferences, publications and activities focused on specific computing sub-disciplines.
[7][8] The Association for Information Science and Technology calls its organizational divisions special interest groups.