#19073
Building Consortia in Scientific and Technical Communication 
When many of us began to establish our programs in Scientific and Technical Communication our main concerns were establishing a balance between technology and communication, establishing internships, and getting acceptance in whatever department in the university we happened to be part of. While those concerns still remain, we are faced with new, additional issues, as well as new problems associated with the older, but still present issues, in establishing and maintaining programs. This paper will note some of those issues and will make some suggestions for helping to approach them. I will not presume to have solutions, just ideas about which we can talk to perhaps help focus some discussion leading to some solutions. Rather than focus on each specific problem, I want to focus on a specific approach to new programs which, I think, might be a way to approach many of the problems and challenges we face in a global, electronic environment. The approach to a solution, which I'm proposing is developing 'joint ventures' or 'Consortia.' I'll herein explain my definition of joint venture or consortia programs.
Coggin, William O. CPTSC Proceedings (2000). Academic>Education>WPA>Collaboration
#13690
Building Effective Relationships with Engineers 
As the cycle times for developing new software technologies continue to shrink, the relationship between those who develop technology and those who write about it becomes ever more a factor in maintaining up-to-date, complete, and accurate documentation. Strong, positive working writerengineer relationships can relieve interdepartmental tensions and reduce the anxiety experienced by both writers and engineers at the end of a release cycle. Too often, differences in personality, communication style, and job requirements become barriers to building strong relationships. By examining our differences, we can explore strategies to improve the writer-engineer relationship.
Dwyer, Ginger K. STC Proceedings (1999). Presentations>Collaboration
#19706
Technical communication courses and training programs often benefit from peer review or group critique. To encourage learning, these activities require a constructive climate: Students must listen to one another, be receptive to feedback, and refrain from reproaches, interpretations, and judgments. Such a positive group spirit is not a given, especially if the school or corporate environment encourages competition more than collaboration. Teachers must foster an appropriate environment if they want their collaborative learning activities to be successful.
Doumont, Jean-luc. Intercom (2003). Articles>Education>Instructional Design>Collaboration
#23621
Building Relationships Between University Programs and Local STC Chapters
Collaboration between academic programs and STC chapters builds a sense of community and relevance for all participants. Neither academic programs or professional chapters by themselves provide sufficient educational or professional development opportunities. Working together helps inform faculty and students about workplace trends, helps introduce students to their future professional opportunities, and provides chapter members and their companies and organizations with access to up-to-date research and to students before they go on the job market.
Cunningham, Donald H. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Industry and Academy>STC
#31546
Building Successful Teams in the Midst of Transition
Some people seem to thrive on change. How do they do it? How do they manage change in a way that they not only survive, but also excel? They seem to make change work for them. Here are five essentials on how to take your team through times of transition. One of the most significant essentials for success during transition is teambuilding. Leaders who can challenge, motivate and empower their teams through change are successful.
McKee, Thomas W. Communication World Bulletin (2003). Careers>Management>Collaboration
#31828
Building the UX Dreamteam - Part 2
Skills in research, information architecture, interaction design, graphic design and writing define the recognized areas of User Experience design. However, there still remains much to discuss about what makes a UX team dreamy. Each UX Dreamteam has a finely tuned mix of skills and qualities, as varied as the environments in which they operate. Part two will address whether a person has the right ‘hard’ skills and ‘soft’ qualities like communication style, creativity and leadership ability to fit your particular organizational context. We’ll also touch on the quality of an individual’s personality that may or may not complement the others on your team.
Colfelt, Anthony. Boxes and Arrows (2008). Careers>Management>User Experience>Collaboration
#18861
Business Communication: Managing Information and Relationships
In many ways, the history of human civilization chronicles the increasing centrality of communication. Communication establishes relationships and makes human organization and cooperation possible. Whether you recognize it or not, you have no choice but to communicate. If you try to avoid communicating by not replying to messages, you are nevertheless sending a message, but it may not be the one you want or intend. When you don’t say yes, you may be saying no by default—and vice versa. The only choice you can make about communication is whether you are going to attempt to communicate effectively.
Bowman, Joel P. Western Michigan University (2004). Articles>Business Communication>Collaboration
#31807
Business Etiquette: New Day, New Time
Business etiquette including communication, ethics, and teamwork has changed considerably over the years. Core values of companies are evolving. Companies now want to be the "place to work". Issues that were once taboo in the business world are no longer. This can be observed in an employee's appearance for example. The once standard business suit has been replaced with casual dress. The normal peer to peer communication has been replaced with upward and downward communication throughout the business organization.
Ashe, Carolyn and Chynette Nealy. Association for Business Communication (2008). Articles>Business Communication>Collaboration
#27277
Business Lessons, Italian Style
Martin shares the intercultural tips and tricks he has learned during his thirteen years of working in Italy, and discusses how they contrast with his business experiences in America.
Martin, Brian. Intercom (2006). Articles>Collaboration>Regional>Italy
#20978
But I Don't Know Anyone: Networking 101 for Introverts
'But I don't know anyone is a common response when I give people the advice to build their professional networks. What they really mean is 'I don't know anyone who can give me a job.' This protest and response is missing the point. Networking is not justabout finding work. It's about building a professional network of peers who keep in touch on a professional level, who can help each other out from time to time, share pertinent information, and keeping your mind in shape.
Hamer, Emma C. Hamer Associates. Careers>Collaboration>Community Building
#25987
Buxom Girls and Boys in Baseball Hats: Adolescent Avatars in Graphical Chat Spaces
This paper explores the types of avatars adolescents use in graphical chat spaces and how gender is represented in these avatars. Content analysis found that adolescents predominately utilize publicly available avatars depicting drawn images of Caucasian human forms. Specifically it was found that females adopt postures that indicate subordination to others, while males display psychological withdrawal from the actions around them. The influence of gaming and fantasy is seen in male avatar selection.
Scheidt, Lois Ann. Indiana University (2004). Articles>User Interface>Collaboration>Gender
#20371
By the Water Cooler in Cyberspace, the Talk Turns Ugly
Thousands of message boards for individual companies have emerged over the last few years, creating a window on what some employees feel but never say publicly. Often the view through this window is rather ugly.
Abelson, Reed. New York Times, The (2001). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration>Online
#23365
Can Academic Partnerships in Technical Communication Work?: Lessons from Minnesota 
Interuniversity partnerships are widely encouraged as a way for public universities to pool increasingly scarce resources, to minimize duplication of academic programs, and to cooperate rather than compete. Joint programs in technical communication have not been widely studied, but they seem especially logical for several reasons.
Black, Suzanne. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>Management>Collaboration
#28014
Can Collaboration Help Redefine Usability?
A collaborative knowledge space would provide great value to the usability community. In particular it would: Help define the field and give it a presence that provides professionals and the public with a single source for theoretical, practical and speculative information about usability; encourage the integration of research and practice; invite colleagues in related fields to participate and share their perspectives; serve as a platform to advance our understanding of collaboration and knowledge management tools. Most of the tools needed to implement a collaborative knowledge space are already available and there are a number of related activities already underway that could feed into this project. It would be a great deal of work but I believe it would also yield a great deal of benefit.
Kreitzberg, Charles B. Journal of Usability Studies (2006). Articles>Usability>Collaboration
#20765
The Care and Feeding of Teams: Strategies for Team Leaders
Teams, like individuals, go through various developmental stages. Understanding these stages enables a team leader to know if the team is developing normally. Although the team leader’s role and level of involvement vary from stage to stage, there are strategies that the leader can use to spur the team’s growth at each stage.
Hansen, Lauren Y. and Susan M. J. Lester. STC Proceedings (1999). Careers>Management>Collaboration
#15099
Lists fifteen rules for conscientious cell phone usage.
Robart, Kay. Intercom (2001). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration
#22020
The Center for the Study of Group Processes
Welcome to the Center for the Study of Group Processes. We're located in the Sociology Department at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. This site offers access to information about the Center, as well as group processes research, researchers, and events at Iowa and around the country.
#25003
The Challenges of Remote Collaboration
Open source development works because of remote collaboration; developers working together despite physical distance. With mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships, in-house developers are struggling with the same issues open source developers have addressed. Mark Murphy explains some of the challenges of remote collaboration.
Murphy, Mark. O'Reilly and Associates (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Online
#29215
Changing the Center of Gravity: Collaborative Writing Program Administration in Large Universities 
Technical communication practices have been changed dramatically by the increasingly ubiquitous nature of digital technologies. Yet, while those who work in the profession have been living through this dramatic change, our academic discipline has been moving at a slower pace, at times appearing quite unsure about how to proceed. This article focuses on the following three areas of opportunity for change in our discipline in relation to digital technologies: access and expectations, scholarship and community building, and accountability and partnering.
Johnson-Sheehan, Richard D. and Charles Paine. Technical Communication Quarterly (2004). Articles>Education>Writing>Collaboration
#27352
Chapter Development Stem Overview
The Chapter Development Stem offers sessions for all conference participants, not just the STC leadership. We have broadened the scope of the stem to create room for some new and innovative topics that compliment our traditional mix of chapter-related sessions. So take a look at what we have to offer and think about how you can include several Chapter Development sessions in your conference plans.
Hoyt, Thomas B. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Collaboration>Community Building
#24705
Chapter seminars help members by providing current technical communication information, significant additional chapter funding, recruitment of new members, and a proving ground for new leaders. Seminars need a definite organization and leaders need clearly defined responsibilities and authorities. Seminars must provide useful relevant information, either focused or diverse, delivered effectively by skilled speakers. Seminars are not expanded monthly meetings; they must be quiet properly equipped pleasant facilities. Seminar finances must be balanced to provide the desired surplus, or the sting of lost funds will linger long after the sweet success of a stimulating program is forgotten.
Malcolm, Andrew. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Collaboration>Community Building>STC
#30721
Charlie Kreitzberg on Web 2.0 and You
This is the recording of the presentation from the Catalyze Community monthly webcast featuring Charlie Kreitzberg on December 13, 2007. Charlie spoke on "Web 2 and You - How Web 2.0 Will Catapult Business Analysts and Usability Professionals into Center Stage" which examined his models for understanding Web 2.0 and explored the vast opportunities for professionals who define and design new software and websites.
Catalyze (2007). Design>Collaboration>User Experience>Web Design
#29450
Chinese Home Site Visits: Tips and Hints
You may only get one opportunity in a home visit and good planning and preparation is important. Here are some tips and hints from recent home site visits in both China and Taiwan.
Wong, Josephine. Usability Professionals Association (2007). Articles>Collaboration>Regional>China
#22085
Choosing an Intranet Project Sponsor
Numerous surveys across a diverse range of IT projects have identified that the lack of support from senior management (project sponsorship) is one of the biggest causes of project failure. This briefing explores the need for a project sponsor, the role they need to play, and how to choose one.
Robertson, James. Step Two (2004). Design>Web Design>Intranets>Collaboration
#31041
It's not about what software you use, or how you organize your document, or how big the document is; but about whether the expectations the client has set, have been met. The question is, then, how do we assure we're meeting all the client's expectations? The answer is client buy-in.
Mink, Don. BA Collective (2007). Careers>Consulting>Business Communication>Collaboration
