STC's Annual Conference Experience

1
STC s Annual Conference ExperienceProving the
Value and Sharing the Knowledge
2
Overview

• Finding value in the STC conventions (Emily)
• Bringing session value back to the team (Judith
  and Laura)
• Persuading management of the value (Amy)

3
First Impressions

• Overwhelmed
• Inspired
• Camaraderie

4
Diverse Sessions

• Technical Topics
• Latest software tools and technology
• Project management
• Back to Basics
• New to the field
• Students
• Graduates seeking first Technical Communications
  job
• Creative
• Science photography
• Creative writing workshops
• Alternative Career
• Marketing and advertising
• Scientific writing

5
Creative Writing-Painful but Inspiring

• Creative Writing Workshop for Technical
  Communicators
• (Presenters Amy E. Himes, Ron Blicq, Marella
  M. Colyvas, Susan Haire)
• Part 1 Loosened writing muscles, used character
  interviews to fine tune characters, discussed
  how to write dialogue
• Part 2 Learned to hook the reader, described
  and interpreted a scene
• Technical writing is comprised of rules,
  standards, templates, and structured writing.
  Creative writing is free form and allows you to
  stop judging what you are writing and be open.

6
Finding Your Lost Creativity

• Think about your creative dreams
• Work in micro movements
• Write morning pages
• Make a date with your artist self

7
Three, 10, and Change
Communication Principles to Live by and Other
Rules to Break
8
Three Laws of Communication

• Adapt to your audience
• Eliminate noise
• Use effective redundancy

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Three Laws of Communication

• Adapt to your audience
• Consider how your audience uses your information.
  Example print vs. online
• Be prepared for mixed audiences. Example Various
  roles, knowledge levels

10
Three Laws of Communication

• Adapt to your audience
• Eliminate noise
• Wordiness, grammar mistakes, graphics, flashy
  design can detract from your message
• Boring content flashy layout audience
  attention?

11
Three Laws of Communication

• Adapt to your audience
• Eliminate noise
• Use effective redundancy
• Present information in different forms. Example
  steps and visual concept and example
• Use consistent terminology in each form.
• Consider multiple channels of communication.
  Example integrated documentation and training

12
Three Laws of Communication

• Adapt to your audience
• Eliminate noise
• Use effective redundancy
• Goal We must strive to maximize, not what we
  write, say, or draw, but how much our audience
  gets out of our documents . . .

13
Golden Rules of Effective Technical Communication

• Cut the fluff fluff kills
• Use active, concise language
• Avoid mushy verbs Examples might, can, choose
  to
• Avoid vague language Examples more, some, a lot

14
More Golden Rules

• Fluff
• If you want to get access to XYZ
  application, you can complete this form.
• It is recommended that you save your document
  often.
• You can perform this task more quickly using
  the Tools option.

• Concise
• Complete this form to get access to XYZ
  application.
• Remember to save your document often.
• Use the Tools option to perform this task.

15
More Golden Rules

• Contemplate before you illustrate
• Do you really need it? You dont need pictures
  of text.
• Do you need all of the picture?
• Does the graphic enhance the text?
• Is the graphic placed properly? Never
  place a graphic before you
  mention it.

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More Golden Rules

• Be consistent.
• Pick a term and stick with it. Example headset
  vs. receiver
• Describe interface actions consistently and
  dont worry about being boring. Example
  press, push, select, choose, click

• Tips
• Choose initiates an action such as opening a
  window or carrying out a command. Example From
  the File menu, choose Save.
• Select does not initiate an action such as
  highlighting a menu item. Example Select the
  file format.
• Click instead of click on or click the OK
  button. Example Click OK.
• Press instead of hit or push. Example Press
  Enter.

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More Golden Rules

• Remember paper is permanent
• Errors can destroy credibility.
• Users may not know all rules but pick up on
  mistakes at
• some level.
• You wont be there to clarify weak or unclear
  information.

18
The Changing English Language

• You can
• Split an infinitive.
• End a sentence with a preposition.
• Use contractions.
• Use direct address depending on what youre
  writing.
• Start a sentence with a conjunction.

• Examples
• Split Infinitive
• Select this option to automatically
  save your document.
• Preposition
• Select which application you need access to.
• Conjunction
• Or, call Client Support Services
  for assistance.

19
The Changing English Language

• You can
• Use first person.
• Leave out the serial comma, unless it will be
  confusing.
• You should
• Use one period at the end of a sentence.
• Use active voice.

• Examples
• Commas
• Include your title, phone number and email
  address.
• Use Active Voice
• Complete the form to get access.
• You can find documents on Atlas.
• Avoid Passive Voice
• The form must be completed to get access.
• Documents can be found on Atlas.

20
Resources

• Woe is I The Grammarphobes Guide to Better
  English in Plain English
• Chicago Manual of Style
• STC web site www.stc.org
• Three Laws of Communication, Golden Rules and
  Changing English Language presentations in
  S\Common\Resources

21
Food for Thought

• Develop Departmental Style Guide to promote
  consistency
• Continue to learn about audiences
• Develop a database of user profiles
• Seek peer reviews and customer feedback
• Lunch and learn the Write Stuff or other
  communication tips

22
Persuading Management of the Value

• How can I convince my company/boss/CFO to let me
  attend an STC conference?

23
Benefits

• Networking
• Support/reinforcement
• Shortcuts
• Alternate solutions
• Knowledge
• New Technologies

24
Why not?

• Short staffed
• Will be out of the office
• Not in budget
• Cant send everyone
• Its never been done before
• Whats in it for the company?

25
The Proposal Process

• May be written, verbal, or some combination of
  both
• Anticipate the questions your company/boss/CFO
  will ask
• Ask at least one colleague to review it before
  submission

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Proposal Components

• What are you proposing?
• Why does it need to be done?
• What problem can it solve?
• Why are you the right person to do it?
• What happens next?
• How are you going to implement it?

27
The Case for Value-Addedness

• Give presentation upon return
• Plan session attendance jointly
• Recruit for open positions
• Write article/white paper
• Create STC library
• Implement what you learn
• Mentor a new employee
• Find solution for targeted issue

28
Round Two

• Be optimistic
• Offer options
• Chapter
• Regional/SIG-related
• Future conference presentations
• Provide examples
• Revise and resubmit proposal

29
After the STC Event

• Follow through with the proposal promises
• Share knowledge gained
• Offer to help others with this process in the
  future

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In Closing

• Questions?