Planning Committee Emulates Conference Theme  

Forum 95 offered an ideal opportunity for technical communicators from 21 countries to exchange ideas. The concept worked admirably. Much of the conference’s success can be attributed to the willingness of the four organizing societies, although from different countries, to work companionable together to create a truly international affair. A secondary concept--to organize videoconferences with technical communicators in Beijing and Moscow--added an event greater international component to the event.

Blicq, Ronald S. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>TC>International

Practical Tips for Working with Global Teams  

Save team members time and conduct meetings and other steps in the project process effectively by integrating these tips for working with team members scattered in various locations.

Nesbitt, Pamela and Elizabeth Bagley-Woodward. Intercom (2006). Articles>Project Management>Collaboration>International

Preparing for an Overseas Job  

If you have ever considered accepting an overseas contract, you may have already looked into the issues of visas, work permits, inoculations, and compensation. But to really thrive in an overseas job, you must learn as much as possible about the host culture so that you are prepared for the cultural rules and expectations; if possible, learn the language. This workshop raises a number of cultural issues and uses value-assessment exercises to help you determine whether an overseas job is realistic for you.

Guren, Leah. STC Proceedings (1999). Careers>Interviewing>International

Preparing Students and Employees for Global Technical Communication  

American businesses that fail overseas most frequently do so because of “an inability to understand and adapt to foreign ways of thinking and acting” (Ferraro). While educators must prepare students for the global marketplace, so too must corporations train employees currently in the workforce to help them deal with the challenges of doing business internationally. This paper presents a university course and a corporate training program that introduce the key issues of building effective global teams to students and employees respectively.

Flammia, Madelyn, Colin B. Kemp and Barbara Greene. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Education>International

Preparing Writers for a Global Role in Technical Communication through Metacognition, Transfer, and Learning to Learn  

We have added so many visual and electronic aspects to our courses that there is little time for the basic skill of technical communication—clear writing that communicates a specific message to a specific audience for a specific purpose. Because we cannot provide instruction in all skills and strategies students need for all jobs now and in the future, we should focus on the basic concepts required for writing any document in any medium. We must help students learn to transfer the skills and strategies for one communication project to the next; we must help them learn to learn.

Boiarsky, Carolyn. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Writing>International

Profiling Users from Around the World  

This full-day, post-conference workshop provides the tools and methods for answering the question, 'How and why do the information needs of a user from one country differ from those of a user in a different country?' In a highly interactive setting, explore the cultural biases you bring to technical communication with your peers who may or may not share your cultural context. Consider ways of creating world-ready information products that can be customized for any cultural context (localization) or standardized for world distribution (globalization).

Hoft, Nancy L. STC Proceedings (1996). Design>User Centered Design>International

Project in Partnership Across Borders - Bridging the Communication Gap

The whole process and structure of globalisation is still very fragile indeed. As international business and international relations converge, businessmen will need to learn much more about diplomacy and diplomats will need to become more knowledgeable about business

Harris, Anke. TC-FORUM (2001). Articles>Collaboration>International

Promises of a Global Intranet

Did you know an intranet could actually be more global than the Internet? The interactions within an intranet are more intense and frequent, and anonymity is replaced with specificity—your real name, job title and location. Company management often believes that a unified employee communication intranet site will foster a community, a shared corporate culture and a universal standard. But a review of two U.S.-based global intranets reveals that today’s reality may fall short.

Lopez, Joselito T. Communication World Bulletin (2004). Articles>Web Design>Intranets>International

A Prototype Theory Approach to International Website Analysis and Design    

As global online access grows, Web site designers find themselves creating materials for an increasing international audience. Cultural groups, however, can have different expectations of what constitutes acceptable Web site design. This article examines how prototype theory can serve as a methodology for analyzing Web sites designed for users from different cultures. Such analyses, in turn, can help individuals create more effective online materials for international audiences.

St. Amant, Kirk R. Technical Communication Quarterly (2005). Design>Web Design>Methods>International

Reaching Global Audiences: Doing More with Less  

Discusses several low-budget techniques for preparing material for a global market.

Bailie, Rahel Anne and Jerome Ryckborst. Intercom (2002). Articles>Writing>International

Reaching Out: Incorporating the Intercultural in our Programs  

New opportunities for program development are emerging as higher educational institutions are pressed to prepare graduates for the challenges of working in global markets. As communications program designers we must reach out, going beyond disciplinary boundaries in order to acquire new expertise. We need more investment in incorporating the 'intercultural' in our communications programs.

Atkinson, Dianne. CPTSC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Education>International

Reading on the Web about International Issues

A bibliography of online articles about international issues.

Hoft, Nancy L. Nancy Hoft Consulting (2003). Resources>Bibliographies>Online>International

Resources and Strategies for Successful International Communication  

Offers tips to technical communicators on how to communicate effectively with people from other cultures.

St. Amant, Kirk R. Intercom (2000). Articles>Collaboration>International

Review of Technical Communication Programs Outside the United States    

This review examines technical communication programs outside the United States and comments on such features as their location in the university structure, links with public relations, the inclusion of internships or practicums, the balance of theory and practice, and typical courses offerings. It also provides a listing (including Web addresses) of a dozen major programs in seven countries. The review concludes that programs abroad share many features and goals with programs in the United States and suggests how international programs can illustrate the value of technical communication in the global marketplace.

Alred, Gerald J. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (2001). Articles>Education>International

Running a Successful International Teleconference  

Kratts suggests guidelines for minimizing confusion during international teleconferences.

Kratts, Aimee. Intercom (2001). Articles>Collaboration>International>Teleconferencing

Schemas in Intercultural Communication    

Raju demonstrates the importance of understanding cultural schemas—models providing patterns for understanding ideas or objects in a cultural context—when dealing with international technical communication.

Raju, Rita. Intercom (2008). Articles>TC>International>Cultural Theory

Science Communication and Global Change  

Scientific publications about global changes (i.e., global warming, ozone depletion, and acid precipitation) and their effects (e.g., drought, UV-B radiation exposure, and fish kills) often convey four misimpressions to the reader: (1) A global change occurs at some specific time. (2) A global change occurs uniformly around the world. (3) Change occurs only unidirectionally. (4) Change occurs at a constant rate. These mistaken impressions result largely from how the results are presented and described. Therefore, technical communicators should be aware of the possibility of such misrepresentations and subsequent misinterpretations. They should recognize the complexity of the subject matter, convey to the reader an element of that complexity and its ramifications, and strive to present an accurate view of the processes involved when writing about the results of global-change research.

O'Hara, Frederick M., Jr. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Scientific Communication>International

Sensitivity to Other Cultures  

Shares experiences and observations collected from working with colleagues in Asian cultures. Discusses the importance of actively working to accommodate the needs of communicators from other cultures by beginning the dialogue in their language.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2006). Articles>Collaboration>International

The SIGCHI International Advisory Task Force

SIGCHI has established an International Advisory Task Force to help address issues of the internationalization of the organization. The task force has 20 members, from Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America.

Boy, Guy and David G. Novick. SIGCHI Bulletin (1997). Articles>Human Computer Interaction>International

The Society for Text and Discourse

The Society for Text and Discourse is an international society of researchers who investigate all aspects of discourse processing and text analysis. The purpose of the Society is to consolidate research in discourse processing and to enhance communication among researchers in different disciplines.

University of Memphis. Organizations>Rhetoric>International

Some Philosophical Underpinnings for Communication: Western and Eastern Foundations as seen in Commonplace Principles  

This paper focuses on one area of Western and Eastern philosophical underpinnings for communication, namely, the use of Commonplaces. However, it needs to be pointed out that we mainly focus on the Western tradition, while making some preliminary references to the Chinese rhetorical tradition since Chinese culture has very rich sources of foundation of rhetoric and communication. However, to our knowledge, ‘Commonplaces’ is a research topic that has been embarked on because of its rich traditions. In particular, we visit this singular concept of Commonplaces in two cultures: First, a brief view of the Western rhetorical tradition relating to definition/theory behind the use of Commonplaces as used in the Classical, Medieval, and the Renaissance world as the basis for communicating either orally or in written form. Second, we will briefly trace some Chinese rhetorical underpinnings of using Commonplaces, philosophies, points of view that mankind could use to communicate better, get along with people in order to achieve both informative and persuasive ends.

Hildebrandt, Herbert and Yunxia Zhu. Association for Business Communication (2007). Articles>Education>Communication>International

Sources in International Technical Communication: An Annotated Bibliography

This annotated bibliography offers citations for people who are interested in learning more about international technical communication. This bibliography is far from exhaustive, but it is both growing and selective. I will add to this list as I have time and as I learn of new sources.

Hoft, Nancy L. Nancy Hoft Consulting (2003). Resources>Bibliographies>International

Spread the Word: World Usability Day 2007

We are proud of the work we did to make World Usability Day 2007 a success. With 156 events in 40 countries and 30 online events, WUD 2007 was a resounding success. On the ground, events were held on six continents. Online events included a panel and several speakers focusing on the theme of Healthcare as well as other important topics.

Rosenzweig, Elizabeth. Usability Professionals Association (2008). Articles>Usability>International

STC International Technical Communication Special Interest Group

Members exchange information on internationalization, localization, translation, international standards, cross-cultural communication, and technical communication worldwide. Projects include a bibliography and 'kits' of articles on specific topics, including the translation kit. The newsletter is Global Talk Online.

STC. Organizations>Language>International