February 2002
The Central Illinois Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication invites you to attend the March meeting:
| Program | My Experiences Volunteering at Ground Zero |
|---|---|
| Speaker | Susan Warsaw |
| Date | Tuesday, March 12, 2002 |
| Time | 11:30 a.m. |
| Place & Parking | Room 233/235 (Commons, 2nd floor, east end), Grainger Library, 1301 W. Springfield Avenue(between Mathews Street and Wright Street), Urbana. Check www.uiuc.edu/navigation/maps/ for a map. There is metered parking on the streets near Grainger (75 cents per hour). There is also a parking lot just east of Grainger, on Mathews (turn south off of Springfield on to Mathews). This parking lot has rental spaces that are rented until 5 p.m. and metered spaces. If you are attending an evening meeting, you can park in the rental spaces for free; otherwise, use the metered spaces. |
| Cost | FREE!!!! |
| Lunch | Will most definitely be served (which is why your RSVP is so important) |
| RSVP | By noon on Friday, March 8th, to themoster7399@yahoo.com or 217/762-9568 |
| Late RSVP | Late RSVPs and walk-ins are OK if a potential lack of food is not a problem |
WORKSHOP SUMMARY
Day 1: Basics of Dreamweaver web site management and development
Day 2: Dreamweaver advanced layout control and interactive capabilities
75% of the workshop will involve hands-on Dreamweaver learning; however, Randy Brooks, our workshop leader, will also demonstrate and discuss other issues pertinent to web design and development, including:
Students are encouraged to bring potential web site materials, including photos, PR materials, and text files related to an organization or hobby.
There will be plenty of opportunities for question and answer forums, student/leader interaction, and student/student interaction.
WORKSHOP DATES & TIMES
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 both days, with a break for lunch.
Each workshop is limited to 22 people. It's first come, first served.
WORKSHOP COST
$140 for STC members, $165 for non-STC members
The Central Illinois Chapter STC is able to offer this opportunity at a tremendous value because of Randy's commitment to STC and his home chapter.
This price includes the cost of all workshop materials.
PROVIDED WORKSHOP MATERIALS
Dreamweaver 4: Hands-On Training by Garo Green with Lynda Weinman (Berkley, CA: Peachpit Press, 2002). The book, which retails at $40, comes with a CD with trial versions of Dreamweaver and Fireworks software, video demonstrations, and tutorial files. That means it's also a great reference refresher after the workshop!
WORKSHOP LOCATION
Media Arts Center
Millikin University
1184 West Main, Decatur, IL 62522
PREREQUISITES
Prior Dreamweaver experience is not a prerequisite. Neither is knowledge of web design principles or HTML; however, such knowledge will prove helpful. The only real prerequisite is computer literacy. We have a lot to cover in two days. We'd rather spend that time focusing on Dreamweaver, not basic mousing skills.
REGISTRATION
1. Please indicate your continued interest in attending a March, April, or June workshop by emailing Nancee Moster at themoster7399@yahoo.com. Don't forget to identify the workshop date you desire.
2. Follow up that email by check within 72 hours to reserve your space. (Sorry -- we're not equipped to handle credit cards.) Please make the check out to Society for Technical Communication and mail it to:
Nancee Moster, Chapter President
Central Illinois Chapter STC
P.O. Box 70
White Heath, IL 61884
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
March 15th for the March workshop, April 5th for the April workshop.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Our itsy bitsy chapter is not a flashy, experienced workshop provider. We're offering this opportunity at a tremendous value because of Randy's commitment to STC and his home chapter. So if you need to cancel, we can refund your registration fee minus our cost for the workshop materials we must order in advance. We're estimating that cost to be $40. But the good news is we'll still send you the workshop materials!
WORKSHOP LEADER
Randy M. Brooks, Associate Professor of English at Millikin University, has taught a variety of web design and publishing courses, workshops, and seminars. Not only has Randy designed and edited a variety of web sites, including several devoted to Haiku poetry, but he also has a thriving web design consulting practice. Honors and awards include Excellence in Educational Web Site Design, Master Communicators Award, Illinois, 1998. And he has been invited to contribute a chapter on "Online Publishing" for the Internet Encyclopedia. This three-volume encyclopedia will be published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. as a primary reference source providing state-of-the-art information concerning the Internet as a business tool, IT platform, and communications and commerce medium. Expected publication date: Spring, 2003. For more information about Randy’s depth and breadth of experience, check out http://faculty.millikin.edu/~rbrooks.hum.faculty.mu/index.html
BONUS
Randy has also offered to teach an STC workshop on Strategies for Web Design Consulting that teaches how to:
If you're interested in STC pursuing this workshop offering with Randy, please contact Nancee Moster at themoster7399@yahoo.com or 217/762-9568.
QUESTIONS?
Contact Nancee Moster at themoster7399@yahoo.com or 217/762-9568.
WWW, HTML, SGML, XML, PDF, DB, SQL, Java -- As a documentation professional, you're barraged with a never-ending stream of technologies that claim to do things better. Some will help solve problems, others will create new ones. How do you make sure the technology works for you?
You have a mountain of information to get into the hands of people who need it. If they can't use it, they complain and seek costly support and the product gets a bad rep. At worst, they go elsewhere. What's the best way to deliver information so they can and do use it?
When we want to understand anything at all, we look for structure, relations, and ultimately, multi-dimensional order. Structure is the link between content and user goals. In this seminar we'll examine how you can use the analysis and design of structure to make sense of the online experience, from the World Wide Web to online help and documents of all types.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
YOU WILL LEARN TO
WORKSHOP MATERIALS
JoAnn will use in-depth case-studies of what works and what doesn't, hands-on exercises, and problem-solving critiques of student work-in-progress.
You will receive an extensive workbook amply illustrated with good and bad examples, and step-by-step before and afters.
Be certain to bring with you a sample of past work, work-in-progress, or planned work that you want to improve.
DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS
Date: April 2-3, 2002
Time: Not sure yet. Worst case is 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 both days
Location: Pontious Farm in White Heath, IL (15 miles
west of Champaign/Urbana)
Cost: $725
JOANN HACKOS
JoAnn Hackos, PhD, is President of Comtech, an information design firm based in Denver, which she founded in 1978; Director of the Center for Information-Development Management, a member-sponsored organization for information development and training management issues; and co-founder and partner of SingleSource Associates. Dr. Hackos is called upon by major corporations to consult on the management of their information development and the information design, including product interfaces, Web-based information, and documentation databases. She and her staff members are also involved in the assessment of customer needs related to product usability, technical information, and training.
For more than 20 years, Dr. Hackos has conducted seminars internationally on subjects ranging from project management, designing effective interfaces and information, minimal information products, usability testing, online documentation and computer-based training, to managing the information-design and development process. The seminars are dedicated to enhancing the practices and products that will best promote customer satisfaction.
Dr. Hackos' book Managing Your Documentation Projects (Wiley, 1994) is widely regarded as the bible of publications management. Standards for Online Communication (Wiley 1997) is a compendium of industry process and publications standard practices. She is co-author of User and Task Analysis for Interface Design with Ginny Redish (Wiley 1998). JoAnn is a Fellow and Past President of the international Society for Technical Communication (STC) and editor of Common Ground, the publication of the Usability Professionals Association.
TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFORMATION
Check www.usabledesign.com.
By Laura LaCombe
CIL Chapter Member
We are so fortunate to belong to such an active STC chapter. I've talked with many technical writers around the Midwest who either have never heard of STC or perceive no benefit in joining. Chapters in their area, if they exist at all, don't offer the informational and continuing educational programs and seminars we enjoy month after month.
Just look at what we have coming up:A two-day Dreamweaver workshop with our own Randy Brooks, web site designer and Dreamweaver master extraordinaire. Workshops are available in March and April.
A two-day workshop by JoAnn Hackos in April entitled Structuring Information for Online Success.
The STC Annual Conference in May.
But for those of us who are hearing echoes of our parents' mantra, "Money doesn't grow on trees, you know," how do you decide where to spend your hard-earned cash? Cost is always a factor, as is schedule, location, and subject matter. Let's explore some of the benefits of each offering.
IF WEB SITES ARE YOUR THING
The Dreamweaver workshop covers the basics of Dreamweaver web site management and development, and advanced layout control and interactive capabilities. This is an intensive hands-on workshop with a comprehensive workbook and CD, led by an award winning web site designer. For only $140 (special members-only price), you'll gain advanced knowledge of Dreamweaver's capabilities in short order, and you get to keep the workbook.
IF INFORMATION DESIGN IS YOUR THING
JoAnn Hackos is a world renowned leader in our industry - a true legend. The author of many books on technical communications, Ms. Hackos brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her seminars. At $725, the Structuring Information for Online Success workshop is by far the most costly on a price/information perspective, but you get to learn from the master, and she might even sign your book. Check out www.usabledesign.com/01seminars/01eos.htm for more information.
IF HOBNOBBING IS YOUR THING
The annual STC conference is being held in Nashville this year, a mere hop and two skips down the road. This year's theme is Leading the Technical Communication Revolution and as always, the conference promises wonderful and informative sessions on all aspects of technical communications and STC leadership. At $420 (members-only early registration fee), you certainly get the biggest bang for your buck in terms of offerings and networking opportunities. Of course, that doesn't include travel expenses, and the Opryland Hotel is no Motel 6, so travel could get expensive. But you may want to take advantage of proximity, since next year's conference is in Dallas, in 2004 it's in Baltimore, and in 2005 we'll head for Seattle. Check out www.stc.org/49thconf/index.html for more information.
CHOICES AT-A-GLANCE
So, in a nutshell, here's what we have to look forward to, and what some of us have to choose between:
Dreamweaver workshop, led by Randy Brooks
Two offerings: March 23-24, April 13-14
Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois
$140
intensive hands-on Dreamweaver training
Structuring Information for Online Success, led by JoAnn Hackos
April 2-3
Pontious Farm, White Heath, Illinois
$725
use the analysis and design of structure to make sense
of the online experience, from the World Wide Web to
online help and documents of all types
www.usabledesign.com/01seminars/01eos.htm
Annual STC Conference
May 5-8
Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee
$420 by 4/19/02, $495 after, plus travel and lodging
Leading the Technical Communication Revolution seminars and workshop
www.stc.org/49thconf/index.html
WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE
Some employers will foot all or part of the bill, especially when you use your finely honed communication skills to stress the benefits your employer will gain from your newly acquired skills.
And, although if you say you heard it from me I'll deny it, a limited number of scholarships for CIL chapter members to the JoAnn Hackos workshop and the STC annual conference may be available. Find out more at the monthly meeting.
BONNIE IRWIN
...who responded to our lost our lease S.O.S. in dedicated volunteer mode. Not only did she find a meeting place for our March and April chapter meetings -- the beautiful Grainger Engineering Library -- but she made all the booking arrangements herself.
RANDY BROOKS
Many of you don't know that I had no handle on a workshop, instructor, location, or anything else when I sent my email to gauge local interest in a hands-on Dreamweaver workshop. I just knew that I desperately needed to learn Dreamweaver, couldn't find time to teach myself, and figured other people might be in the same boat. The good news: 41 people responded positively to that email. The even better news: One of them was Randy Brooks, Dreamweaver master extraordinaire. If you've read the rest of this e-newsletter, you already know why Randy is one of my favorite CIL chapter members.
MARIA FISH
Not only did Maria volunteer to serve as temporary web master while Beth Russell-Minda takes care of Natalie Rose Minda, born December 5, 2001, but Maria accepted the challenge of:Completely reorganizing the information on our chapter web site -- JoAnn Hackos would definitely approve of our structure for success
Completely restructuring our chapter web site to make it easier for other chapter members to assume sub-web master responsibilities -- and beef up their resumes
Teaching me the rudiments of Dreamweaver so that I can step up to the plate as our chapter's first sub-web master
Continuing to implement the design suggestions of the newly formed Web Design Committee
Continuing to serve as chapter web master despite her part-time studies at the U of I and her new full-time position as NCSA web master
Look for a preview of Maria's most excellent work by the end of this week.
Bonnie, Randy, and Maria, you are much loved, treasured, and revered. - Nancee
By Mike Bates
Region 4 Director-Sponsor
The Society's board of directors held their third meeting for the 2001-2002 year January 25-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The board considered many initiatives and approved these actions:
CHAPTERS
The new Central Pennsylvania chapter was approved by interim action on January 22, 2002, given a $350 startup grant, and assigned to Region 4.
In Region 1, the Clarkson University Student chapter and the Region 7 Tri-Cities chapter were dissolved because of continued inactivity and regardless of the attempts to reactivate them.
GRANTS AND LOANS
A Special Opportunities Grant of $7,580 USD was approved for Dan Jones and Dan Voss for a study entitled Marketing Technical Communication to High School Audiences: Creating a Tutorial for Teachers and Promoting a Writing Contest for Students. When the study is complete, a report will be published in Technical Communication.
A loan of $3,000 USD was approved for the Oklahoma chapter to host the Region 5 Conference scheduled October 4-6, 2002 in Oklahoma City, OK.
NEW AWARD PROGRAM
A new Society-level award program was approved to recognize Special Interest Group (SIG) members for their outstanding work and dedication. This new program will be known as the Distinguished SIG Service Award (DSSA). The first awards will be selected by the board of directors and awarded next May at the annual conference in Nashville.
TEACHING FELLOWSHIP
The first Teaching Fellowship for Practicing Professionals for $4,000 USD was approved for Stewart Whittemore. The goal of the STC teaching fellowship program is to promote positive academe and industry connections and to make it possible for practitioners to help in the education and training of future technical communicators.
STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS
The board of directors strongly supports a greater role for STC standards organizations such as IEEE, ISO, and W3C. As a result, they approved membership and will support delegate participation in the US Technical Advisory Group (an organization that plays a supportive advisory role for the creation of ISO standards). The board also approved delegate participation in the W3C (STC already is a member of that group).
SEVERAL CHAPTERS CHANGE NAMES
It was announced that several chapters have changed their names since the last board meeting: Sweden chapter changed to the Nordic chapter, the South Carolina chapter changed to the South Carolina Midlands chapter, and the Central New Jersey chapter changed to New Jersey chapter.
Editor's Note: Candidates for STC office agree to campaign only through STC newsletters.
GUY K. HAAS
I am a candidate for Secretary of the STC because I believe communication and attention to detail are vital.
The STC could do a better job of communicating with its membership. The Board of Directors does publish meeting summaries in a timely fashion, but sometimes upcoming decisions are not well-publicized. In most chapters, it is not difficult to attend a council meeting and keep abreast of issues. At the international level, the members have more limited access. The STC Forum at the annual conference is a once-a-year chance to raise issues and engage in dialog, and the cost of participating is rather high unless you live nearby. I suggest that we need an electronic venue where members can discuss matters that will come before the Board--not award decisions, grants, and the like, but such items as certification, collaboration with other organizations, technical communications education, and member benefits. The Board or the staff could post a discussion topic, provide some background information, and allow interested members to ask questions and share viewpoints before the Board makes its decisions.
During the last three decades, I have served on the boards, councils, and bylaws committees of several organizations, including social and alumni groups, homeowners organizations, school and school district organizations, and my STC chapter. I often have served as secretary, as treasurer, as web master, and sometimes as presiding officer. Most of these bodies have had legal requirements about record keeping and reporting. I have sometimes drafted and often edited and amended the bylaws of the organizations in which I participated. Before becoming a technical communicator, I was a software developer, and served for several years on two programming language standards committees of the American National Standards Institute (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology). Please allow me to bring my detail-orientation to the office of STC Secretary.
ANDREA L. AMES
Make a Difference! Vote for Your Future!
by Andrea L. Ames
STC Assistant to the President for Recognition
Candidate for STC Second Vice President
In response to inquiries and requests from several chapters' leaders for an article about my candidacy for STC Second Vice President, I'd like to share my thoughts with you about our future--yours, mine, STC's, and the future of the technical communication industry as a whole--and why I want to continue to serve you on the STC Board of Directors for the next four years. As you might know, the candidate elected to the office of Second Vice President will serve for one year in that position and will then serve one year each as First Vice President, President, and Immediate Past President. This is an important vote, and I hope this article enables you to make an informed decision when you cast your ballot.
If you have any questions about me or my candidacy, feel free to contact me at andrea@verbal-imagery.com. You can also visit my Web site www.verbal-imagery.com for postings of recent chapter-meeting presentations and other information.
THE VISION
If elected, I will work for the next four years to raise our strategic value--both as individuals and as an industry--to the organizations for which we work.
My vision for the industry is one in which:Our main goal is to ensure users' success--not necessarily to write documentation or to coerce our users to read documentation
We design and develop information to enable users to use products--not to fill in for the deficiencies in product design
In other words, in this vision of the future we will no longer define ourselves by the information products (manuals, help, etc.) we deliver--nor the tools we use to develop them. Instead, our employers will recognize the value we bring to the products and information we design and develop. Think about it: The real value we bring is not the documents we develop but users' increased success! My goal is to work to help the organizations in and with which we work understand this and help enable them to get the most value from us.
As I've traveled around the country speaking with members, I've met many of you who share this vision. From my 17+ years of experience in the industry, my vast network of associates, and the strategic work I've done with various kinds of organizations, I'm convinced that this is the right vision. The question remains: How will it happen?
THE IMPLEMENTATION
The move toward this vision has already begun--primarily via STC. As our new mission statement proclaims, we are certainly "designing the future of technical communication." STC is one of the most valuable and powerful tools we have, and our work in STC is one of the most important contributions we can make to our own careers. The power of many, the visibility of a large and well-respected professional organization, and vision and leadership are the ingredients that will change the face of our industry.
To do this, I want to work with the Society as I have during my 15-year STC career to enable members of our industry to become leaders and to be recognized for that leadership--particularly within our organizations and among our employers' and clients' industries. Working with the Board of Directors, committee managers, and chapter leaders, I can support and maintain important programs--like branding and governance--that are already working to move us in this direction. I can also work with other leaders to devise new initiatives to raise the visibility of STC and our industry, as well as help our employers and clients further recognize our value.
WHY ME?
Not one to sit around and wait for someone else to take the lead, I've spent most of the past four to five years working to begin changing our industry to fit my vision. In my own career, I have focused on learning and developing skills, technologies, and tools to design and develop information for products and user experiences, rather than documentation deliverables. I am a technical communicator specializing in audience analysis, information and interaction design for product user interfaces and online assistance, usability, and user-centered product and information design and development process.
To assist others in the effort to move toward the future, I've acted as a mentor, teacher, and educational certificate coordinator to:Design programs and courses around these skills and technologies
Impart to my students strategies and problem-solving skills so that they can participate in this new world
Guide those asking for assistance to develop their careers in similar directions
I've spoken at many STC chapter meetings, regional conferences, and annual conferences, and met many of you--the members of our industry. My presentations are aimed toward helping you make career development choices that increase your value to the industry and to your employers and clients. I've encouraged you to:
I used my term as Director-Sponsor (1998-2001) to learn as much about you and the Society as possible. Understanding how our organization works enables me to influence STC's direction and effect change. I've also participated very actively in two very important Society initiatives:
The results of these programs are already permeating the Society and changing the way we do business. From the Board of Directors to the Society Office to Society-level committees to chapters to members, everyone will feel the impact of these very positive changes.
I've also served the Society extensively in other international-level positions and at the regional, local and chapter levels. Details follow in "About Andrea: Andrea's STC Awards and Service."
And although I've spent a lot of time talking to members of the profession, I also draw from extensive experience of my own in the corporate world, academia, and government--both as a direct employee and as a consultant.
I hope you'll consider the future of your career and what you would like from your professional organization. Then I urge you to vote, as your vote does make a difference!
ABOUT ANDREA
Andrea L. Ames, M.S., is a technical communicator specializing in user-centered product interface and online information architecture and design, interaction design, and usability. She has more than 17 years of experience designing, developing, and producing usable technical and scientific information for products, software user interfaces, multimedia and online information systems, and print documentation. Andrea is a Senior Information Developer at IBM Corporation, where she leads information development for data management products. She is a member of the STC international Board of Directors; coordinator for two University of California Extension technical communication certificates; and a published author and freelance writer. She teaches at the university level and speaks internationally at professional conferences.
Honors and awards: