Project Management is the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives.
#13279
Helping New Writers Through Their First Year 
Are you afraid to hire an entry-level writer? Are you asking yourself questions like: Will an entry-level writer take up too much of my time? Will she be able to work independently? Will she succeed in this organization? Is a new writer worth the risk?
Von Haas, Elaina E. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Management>Writing
#19884
Helping Your Employees Manage Their Stress
This progression provides an opportunity to discuss the stress-related challenges technical communicators face in today’s changing environment. The focus is on on coping and thriving.
Gillihan, Dana L. and Joy Lashley. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>Management>Workplace
#29336
The Hidden Relationship Between Project Managers and Technical Writers 
Want to know the secret to better quality documentation and improved software design? Will Kelly outlines how the key is an effective relationship between project managers and technical writers.
Kelly, William T. TechRepublic (2003). Articles>Collaboration>Project Management>Technical Writing
#23035
The High Cost of Not Finding Information
In an increasingly information-based world, we turn out complex products that are less tangible than they are knowledge-based. The very complexity of the decisions we make and the products we manufacture makes it impossible to check, test and retest them adequately enough to be sure that they will function properly in any circumstance. Information disasters are a growing threat, and one that few businesses can ignore.
Feldman, Susan. KMworld (2004). Articles>Knowledge Management>Information Design>Search
#23384
Quality Systems (QS) have become essential for (inter-)national competition. Companies spend large amounts of money for 'measuring' quality defined by national and international standards. Quality, however, is a value, and like creeds and ideologies values cannot be measured with scientific exactness and are difficult to control. Total Quality Management (TQM) and other standardized concepts take that idealistic dimension into account. Certification according to ISO 9000, for instance, covers only about 50% of a TQM implementation.
Bock, Gabriele. TC-FORUM (1998). Articles>Project Management>Quality>Standards
#30195
High-Cost Usability Sometimes Makes Sense
Computing the net present value (NPV) lets you estimate the most profitable level of usability investment. For big projects, expensive usability can pay off.
Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2007). Articles>Usability>Project Management>Planning
#21403
Hiring a technical writer can be tricky, even if you happen to be one. Where can you find a technical writer? What characteristics should you look for? How can you tell a good writer from a bad one?
#18263
Hiring writers and editors on “gut reaction” can be risky. To be sure that you are hiring the right people, identify specific criteria that candidates should meet, use these criteria to create a set of questions to use during interviews, and develop a consistent interview and assessment process.
Tatge, Pamela K., Sheryl A. Moore and Nancy S. Robinson. STC Proceedings (1996). Careers>Management
#22612
Hiring Guide: Hiring the Best Technical Communicator 
Whether you sell widgets or wisdom, bicycles or bytes, a technical communicator makes sure that your best thinking is reflected on paper and online. Hiring a technical communicator is the same as hiring any qualified professional. This online guide offers some suggestions to help you find and select the best technical communicator for your job.
STC West Coast Canada (2003). Careers>Management>Interviewing
#26174
Running a translation business is not easy. As small as the industry may be, we as business owners face a full set of business challenges: personnel management, sales and marketing, client relations, and the list goes on. Everyday, we go into work hoping to improve the business, to make it more successful. Sometimes we wonder, what is the killer factor? What makes some companies more successful than others?
Iler, Huiping. WTB Language Group (2005). Careers>Management>Interviewing
#14646
Hiring Technical Writers: Are We Looking for the Right Skills?
Winsberg argues that the most valuable employees are those with a work ethic and analytical, organizational, and writing skills, rather than those with specific software experience.
Winsberg, Freya Y. Intercom (2000). Careers>Management
#14590
The goal of having a comprehensive collection of science information easily available to researchers and students has been expressed repeatedly for decades. These reports reiterate that our concept of a comprehensive collection of information has been attractive to the physical science community for decades.
OSTI (1999). Articles>Content Management>Scientific Communication
#20337
Hit the Bull's Eye with Targeted Information
Four years ago, the Publications department at J.D. Edwards was challenged with delivering documentation for a global customer base in both print and on-line media. Based on the principle, 'Write it once, use it many times,' they developed a single repository that contained information about 38 multiple-platform software products translated into seven languages. By managing each paragraph of information through a relational data manager, J.D. Edwards has leveraged this database to deliver user guides, training manuals, on-line helps, and CD-ROMs that provide users with targeted software information that is both high yield and just in time.
Uhl, Cyndi. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
#19578
Company meetings are often regarded as conservative and uninspired by those who must attend. We all know that meetings are necessary, but we also know that they can be wearisome. Not all meetings need be that way. In fact, meetings can inject some lighthearted fun into the day and stimulate the creative juices. This is a story about how a series of humdrum meetings at one consulting firm evolved into a creative expression that is as varied as the participants themselves.
Zvalo, Peter. Writer's Block (1998). Careers>Management>Workplace>Community
#28606
In this offbeat presentation, Jean compares the impediments and obstacles encountered by an Agile mentor with those detailed in Homer's classical reference. Through the presentation and dialogue, you will discover who plays which classical roles in an organization's effort to adopt Agile practices: Cyclops, the Sirens, Poseidon, Circe, Cicones, the Lotus-Eaters, and even the good-and-faithful dog Argus.
Tabaka, Jean. Rally Software Development (2006). Articles>Project Management>Agile
#31455
How Companies Are Using Online Surveys to Measure Employee Satisfaction
With technology improving rapidly and costs continuing to drop, businesses are conducting more sophisticated online surveys. No longer confined to traditional paper-based surveys, companies are reaching out more than ever for employee feedback. These surveys include employee satisfaction, upward or "360" evaluations and the performance review process. Online surveys now contain open-ended questions, multiple formats and complex branching tools, giving businesses the potential to gather more insight about employees, corporate culture and business processes than ever before.
Frayne, Dennis. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Articles>Management>Online>Surveys
#29341
How Do You Deal With a CEO Who Wants to Run the IT Department?
A CEO is enamored with technology but doesn't understand the issues involved in implementing his time- and money-hungry IT ideas. What would you do to solve this problem?
Roberts, Becky. TechRepublic (2003). Careers>Management>Technology>Collaboration
#19470
How I Survived XML Single Sourcing
In Ontario Systems’ applications, customers can install various components and can change the user interface and data storage. Further, they can modify the system’s automated work flow and add custom features. To remain accurate, Ontario Systems’ documentation must dynamically change to reflect the changing application configuration. This session discusses how Ontario Systems implemented an XML-based single source system to create dynamic documentation and provides guidelines on this process.
Cantrell, Charles and Ann Rockley. STC Proceedings (2001). Articles>Content Management>Single Sourcing
#27837
Conventional wisdom defines business success largely by company size; the steeper the growth curve, the better. But is this model appropriate for freelancers? Most freelancers in publishing work independently; the amount of work we can accept is limited by the number of hours we can work and how many pages we can edit, proofread, or index per hour. For this reason, if we cultivate too many clients, we’re forced to turn down projects we’d like to accept. On the other hand, few freelancers have arrangements for receiving regular, predictable assignments from clients.
Shore, Lys Ann. Editorial Freelancers Association (1995). Careers>Freelance>Management
#25565
How to Build a Nonprofit for Your Community
This article details how mozdev.org built a nonprofit organization and shows you how to do the same for your community. I'll cover fundraising, obtaining legal advice, staffing, and more.
Boswell, David. O'Reilly and Associates (2004). Careers>Management>Legal
#19700
How to Conduct a Review Meeting
Although technical reviews of many draft user’s guides, references, and help systems occur through the black box (that is, the author sends out the material, and reviewers send it back marked up, without the two ever seeing one another), many technical communicators find that a personal meeting ultimately saves time and improves communication in the process of developing a technical communication product.
Carliner, Saul. Intercom (2003). Careers>Management>Editing
#14169
How To Evaluate a Content Management System
Selecting and implementing a content management system (CMS) will be one of the largest IT projects tackled by many organisations. With costs running into the millions of dollars, it is vital that the right CMS package be selected. This article outlines some of the lessons that we have learnt when assisting clients to chose a CMS. It offers ideas and tips, and provides an approach for identifying your business' actual requirements for a CMS.
Robertson, James. Step Two (2002). Articles>Content Management>TC
#12925
Each year during May and June we get hundreds of calls, letters and emails from young graduates who would like to work for Showker Graphic Arts & Design or any of the Graphic Design Network web sites. This year, since we had a specific letter from a potential employer, we thought it would be cool to show graduates how we approach reviewing candidates for employment.
Showker, Fred. Design, Typography and Graphics (2001). Careers>Management>Graphic Design
#24693
How to Hire Technical Writers: A Manager's Viewpoint
Hiring technical writers is an infrequent but important part of a manager's job. Clearly defining the job and the required skills is the first step. Then use all of your networks to find candidates. Read résumés to find those that best match your requirements. The interview team needs to be prepared to ask relevant questions that verify and expand on the résumé and samples. Compare the interview team's evaluations, then check the references of your best one or two candidates, and make a prompt offer.
Huettner, Brenda P. and Ken Jackson. STC Proceedings (1996). Careers>Management>Writing>Technical Writing
#26913
How to Interview and Hire People
Before you worry about interviewing, consider this: good interviewing does not make a good candidate out of a bad one. The higher the quality of the people coming in to your interviewing process, the higher the quality of those that will come out of it. Do not rely on HR or some other person to decide who enters the process. The more energy you, as a hiring manager, invest in recruiting, the better your results will be.
Berkun, Scott. ScottBerkun.com (2006). Careers>Interviewing>Management
