March 2, 2016 – STC Multi-Community Techcomm Showcase Round 2

Recording

The event recording is available free at
http://stc.adobeconnect.com/p65lsf93in3/

 

Wednesday, March 2, 2016 from 6:45 PM to 8:45 PM (EST)

Register on Eventbrite
eventbrite-142

 

Join the IDL SIG, STC Twin Cities chapter, and Greater Pittsburg STC chapter for another Virtual Chapter Techcomm Showcase.

This multi-community STC educational event is offered virtually to IDL SIG members. We encourage you to host a viewing party to provide opportunities for networking. Note that all times are Eastern Standard.

Each hosting community is providing a speaker for the event who will provide a brief presentation and a question and answer period.

About the programs and speakers 

STC Certification: Why, and Where are we Now? presented by Alan Houser

STC re-launched its certification program in 2016. Alan will discuss the design of the STC certification program, lessons learned from the original certification program, who might consider certification and why, and steps to become a Certified Professional Technical Communicator.

Alan Houser is a technical publishing consultant and trainer with Group Wellesley, Inc., a Pittsburgh, PA-based company that provides authoring, content management, and workflow services to technology-oriented businesses. Alan is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where he earned an MA in Professional Writing and a BS in Electrical Engineering.

Alan is a Fellow, former member of the Board of Directors (2011-2014), and a past international President (2012-2013) of the Society for Technical Communication.

Audio Editing Tips: 3 Easy Steps to Improved Voice Recording presented by Robert Hershenow

Robert Hershenow’s affinity for audio recording spans not only decades but also diverse technologies, and over the years he has developed efficient methods for producing high-quality recordings on the cheap. This session explores the editing steps that are critical to professional-sounding recordings. Examples will focus on voiceover and will use Audacity (the free, open-source audio recorder and editor), but the concepts are applicable to any recorded content and any editing software.

Robert Hershenow is an independent technical communicator, recording engineer, and musician who has years of experience in sharing knowledge with others.

He is Co-Manager of the STC’s Instructional Design and Learning SIG and resides in Berkeley, California.

The Science and Psychology of Persuasion presented by Barbara Beresford

A successful technical communicator not only manages deadlines and deliverables, but also manages his or her influence with coworkers and superiors. If you have strong writing and editing skills, but are not as schooled in the soft skills needed to understand and positively influence the people with whom you work, attend this presentation on psychology and persuasion:

Learn about recent research on the conscious/unconscious minds that affect our behavior and decision-making

Identify how well people know themselves and what they want

Learn to use this information to understand and influence others

Barbara has been a technical writer and editor for 23 years, the last 12+ at MorphoTrust USA, Inc., where she writes user documentation for finger, face, and iris biometric technologies. Her minimalist writing style reflects her preferred approach to helping users quickly identify why a specific software system is used, what tasks are performed with the system, and how the tasks are successfully completed. She also advocates for the end user by working with developers to improve GUI design and usability.

Outside of work, she enjoys the arts community in the twin cities, especially the theater, and plays the violin in a community orchestra. In the warmer months, she tends a large garden, featuring native plants and boulders.

Register today and then join us online on March 2nd. 

About the in-person meeting: (register on the Rochester STC chapter’s site)

  • 6-7 PM Networking
  • 7-8:30 PM Presentations
  • 8:30 PM Wrap-up

Light refreshments will be provided.

Rochester Location Barnes & Noble at RIT (upstairs in the community room) 100 Park Point Rochester NY 14623

Walk-ins are welcome.

 

February 2, 2016 STC Multi-Chapter Techcomm Showcase

Recording

The event recording is available free at
http://stc.adobeconnect.com/p1gvk7pdxrg/

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

16:00 PST, 17:00 MST, 18:00 CST, 19:00 EST

Join several STC communities for a multi-chapter Techcomm Showcase.

Register on Eventbrite and plan to join us online February 2nd.
Register on Eventbrite

This multi-chapter STC educational event is offered virtually as well as in person. (Remote attendees will receive access information during the week before the presentation.) We encourage you to host a viewing party to provide opportunities for networking. Note that all times are Eastern Standard.

Join us on Feb. 2nd for our Multi-Chapter Techcomm Showcase, brought to you by the Rochester, New England, and Southeastern Michigan Chapters of the Society for Technical Communication.

Each chapter is providing a speaker for the event who will provide a brief presentation and a question and answer period.

Lineup

Audience-specific Content using FrameMaker by Bernard Aschwanden

Bernard Aschwanden

Bernard Aschwanden, STC President, works with clients to improve content creation, management and distribution workflows to improve quality and increase productivity. He is the founder of Publishing Smarter, an Associate Fellow of the Society for Technical Communication, and President of the STC, Bernard has helped hundreds of companies implement successful publishing solutions. Bernard is focused on publishing better, publishing faster and publishing smarter. 

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/bernardaschwanden

Know Your Users: Improving Learning Content by Connecting with User by Patty Gale

Patty Gale

As a learning content developer for a technical writing team at Autodesk, Patty Gale is involved in many aspects of the design, development, and production of learning content for 3D modeling software. A technical communicator for over 25 years, Patty has worked at businesses all sizes, from small start-ups to large corporations. Whether the sole writer or part of a larger team, Patty enjoys learning new technologies and determining the most effective way to share important information with users. She has received multiple awards from her employers and STC competitions, including an International Award of Distinguished Technical Communication. Patty holds Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Business Management.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patty-gale-9774461

Best Practices in Using Social Media for Your Business by Angel Bedford

Angel Bedford

Angel Belford is a communications professional with over 10 years of experience in writing, editing and content management.
Currently, Angel is the Web Content Administrator at Lourdes University managing all online content and the company Intranet. 
Prior to her current position she worked at FOX Toledo, a local news media organization, overseeing the Internet department, social media and the internal content management system. Angel was a technical writer at La-Z-Boy, holding this position for several years while creating documentation including user and administrator manuals, quick reference cards, and online manuals.
She has developed/maintained several types of digital and print documentation including: quick reference cards, websites, forms, user guides, training manuals, diagrams and newsletters.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelbelford

Meeting
6-7 PM Networking
7-8:30 PM Presentations
8:30 PM Wrap-up

Virtual Attendance Option
If you’re not able to attend in person, you are welcome to attend virtually through Adobe Connect.

RSVP: Register by Friday noon, January 29th. For questions or late registration, please contact Ben Woelk at programs@stc-rochester.org.

Register on Eventbrite and plan to join us online February 2nd.
Register on Eventbrite

IDL Progression – Urgent Call for Proposals

Hello IDL SIG Members,

Yesterday we received exciting news: our IDL Progression proposed for the 2016 STC Summit has been approved!

Now we need proposals from our members to fill four session slots within that progression. The timeline is very short – we must submit our lineup early next week.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT A PROGRESSION TOPIC AT THE SUMMIT, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

Please respond ASAP by email to manager@stcidlsig.org with as much of the following information as possible:

  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Email Address
  • Phone Number
  • Company/School
  • Twitter Handle
  • Public LinkedIn Profile
  • Session Title
  • Abstract (a marketing pitch for the Summit catalog)
  • Session Proposal (how your session will work; what you plan to do)
  • Audience Skill Level (beginner / intermediate / advanced / all)
  • Audience Prerequisites
  • Session Keywords (i.e. training, adult learning, interactive, etc.)
  • Audience Keywords (i.e. Manager, Everyone)
  • Bio
  • Speaking Experience
  • Examples of Presentations (short descriptions of previous presentations)

Progressions are 20-minute small-group sessions with attendees able to switch and select two sessions (out of five choices) during a 45 minute time slot. These are quick and good for discussions, problem solving, and quick case studies (as examples). Generally the presenters also have handouts with quick tips or supporting material (to summarize the big points). Flipcharts are provided for progression sessions; projectors are not.

Don’t wait – let us hear from you right away. If you have questions or aren’t sure about your topic, please write to Manager@stcidlcig.org and ask us!

Our 2015 Summit Progression was a great success, so let’s do it again.

Happy Holidays,

Robert Hershenow and Mellissa Ruryk

IDL SIG Co-Managers

manager@stcidlsig.org

December 12, 2015 Virtual Progression Webinars

Saturday, December 12, 2015

10:30 PST, 11:30 MST, 12:30 CST, 13:30 EST

UPDATE: This webinar was a huge success! See the recording on our Free recordings of IDL SIG webinars for members page. (requires password. Contact programs@stcidlsig.org if you did not yet receive your password.)

Please join the STC Instructional Design and Learning SIG for our first ever Virtual Progression – a new adventure in delivering bite-sized learning to our members and other interested attendees at a time and place that suits you.

Register on Eventbrite and plan to join us on December 12th.

What is a virtual progression?

A regular in-person progression lets you pick two or three of a number of simultaneous sessions and you have to miss the other “x” number of sessions. If you have attended the STC Summit you also know that these sessions are not recorded so once they have happened, they are history.  Our virtual progression offers an advantage over this model, because if you attend one session or two sessions in the “progression” you will receive links to recordings for all four sessions.

How does it work?

We will have two presentations happening simultaneously, followed by a second set of two presentations. Instead of asking our presenters to repeat themselves, these sessions will only occur once… but again, even if you attend only one, you can listen to all four!

We recognize it’s a busy time of the year, so this will be short and sweet; over the holiday period, you’ll have lots of time to catch the other recordings.

 

Schedule

The schedule starts at 10:30 AM Pacific (11:30 AM Mountain, 12:30 PM Central, 1:30 PM Eastern) – log on a few minutes early so we can start on time. When you register, pick one of the two EARLY options and one of the two LATER options. Each session will last 20-25 minutes with time for Q&A afterwards.

The second session starts at 11:15 AM Pacific (12:15 PM Mountain, 1:15 PM Central, 2:15 PM Eastern)

 

Pricing

Sessions are FREE for IDL SIG Members; $10 per session for non-SIG STC members; $15 per session for non-STC members.  (Remember, it’s only $10 to join the SIG if you are already an STC member… what a great time to join our SIG!)

 

Session Descriptions

Mellissa Ruryk presenting on 9 Things You Didn’t Know (you need to know) about Word

This is a presentation suited for beginning technical writers or more advanced ones who keep getting stumped by Word’s idiosyncrasies. We can almost guarantee everyone will learn at least one thing about Word, no matter how long you’ve been using it. Mellissa is co-manager of the IDL SIG and has worked with Word since version 3.0 (and before that she was a Wordperfect maven. At plenty-nine, she’s been around for a while!).

Robert Hershenow presenting on Audio Editing Tips: 3 Easy Steps to Improved Voice Recording

You might have recorded audio before for some of your training videos and been a bit disappointed in how you sounded. Or, you’ve never recorded before but want to learn tips so you know what to do right, from the very start. Robert can help you! Robert is co-manager of the IDL SIG and learned his audio chops as a radio engineer, recording studio owner and musician – including appearances as one of the Rough Drafts (at the STC Summit 2013 and 2014).

Scott McCoy presenting on The Mentor Board (cue echoing fadeout:  MENTOR BOARD MENTOR Board Mentor board mentor board)

You’ve heard about the Mentor Board before but think it doesn’t have much to do with you. In fact, the Mentor Board won’t function without you, and it’s one of those cases (again) where you get back way more than what you put in. Mentoring is a way to grow – not just the next gen of technical communicators but also yourself. (Ever heard the adage that you don’t really know something until you can teach it to someone else?) In addition, others have already registered as mentors and you can gain more than you can imagine when you connect as a mentee (one who is mentored). Either way, listen to Scott as he tells you the whys and wherefores. Scott is the Mentoring team lead for the SIG.

Robert Hershenow presenting on the STC Body of Knowledge (TCBOK)

Here is the quick’n’dirty guide to becoming published in (or at least, increasing the odds of contributing to) STC’s BoK: our storehouse of knowledge of all things Tech Comm). He is going to cover what you need to know to get started, and where you can learn more. Robert is a member of the Technical Communication Body of Knowledge (TCBOK) task force.

Register now

Register now and bring a friend – there will be lots of room for everyone. One lucky registrant, drawn at random, will win a $25 AMAZON gift certificate simply for registering and attending. See you there!

Register on Eventbrite and plan to join us on December 12th.

eventbrite-142

 

 

Recording of our 3rd annual Virtual Open House

Big thanks to all who attended tonight’s virtual open house.

The meeting was recorded so you can review it again or perhaps see the open house for the very first time.

Here is a link to the recording: http://stc.adobeconnect.com/p4wxu8slitf/

Feel free to pass this link on to anyone you think might be interested. Help us spread the IDL SIG love around!

Download the IDL SIG Virtual Open House 2015 slides as a pdf.

And don’t forget to visit our website for news and updates http://www.stcidlsig.org/

We look forward to hearing from you soon!