As Simple As Possible...And No Simpler  

A PowerPoint presentation about the difficulties of categorizing technical communication. It's not an easy thing to do, if the journals and textbooks in our own field don't consistently agree as to the major and minor categories. This PDF version of a PowerPoint presentation outlines the issues confronted by the EServer TC Library as it attempts to create a system of categories for its index of thousands of works in the fields of technical, scientific and professional communication.

Sauer, Geoffrey. ATTW (2005). Presentations>TC>Taxonomy

Assessing "Translation Readiness": A Maturity Model  

Generally, cost increases and quality decreases when turn-around time decreases. Explore the latest technology for making the translation process more efficient.

Kuehn, Heidi and Steve Iverson. STC Orange County (1998). Presentations>Language>Localization

Assessing “Translation Readiness”: A Maturity Model  

The importance of competent translation is becoming increasingly evident. Many companies are unsure of how to deal with the conflicts of high volume, fast turn-around and reasonable cost. We propose five levels of “translation readiness” or maturity: Reactionism, Quality Awareness, Consistency, Long- Term Solutions and Continuous Improvement. These levels indicate an organization’s ability to manage high volumes of translation more quickly while keeping costs under control. While recognizing the uniqueness of each organization, we propose that assessing the level of “readiness” can lead to improvements in quality, cost, and turn-around time.

Iverson, Steven P. and Heidi E. Kuehn. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Language>Localization

Assessing the Maturity Grade of Policies and Procedures Programs  

Policies and Procedures (P and P) refers to the types of communication about an organization’s internal operating practices. A P and P program refers to the context in which an organization develops and manages its P and P communications. Because a P and P program is an on-going investment, its role and value to an organization should be assessed. A P and P program must provide performance-based communication, using performancebased means, for an organization that is performance oriented. Urgo and Associates devised a model to assess the maturity of P and P programs. The model consists of a questionnaire and matrix that work together in measuring and describing four grades (levels) of maturity according to five functions commonly found in P and P programs.

Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Management>Policies and Procedures

Assessing Visualizations in Public Science Presentations  

Natural resource agencies and other technical and scientific organizations face an immense challenge of when communicating complex technical information to diverse publics. The laptop computer, presentation software, and projection unit have emerged as one of the primary presentation tools in many technical and scientific fields. Advances in software functions enable presenters to capitalize on a wide range of multimedia functions thought to make presentations more appealing, interesting, and effective. Our presentation reports on a specific research project and then provides guidance for enhancing their presentations.

Zimmerman, Donald E., Carol A. Akerelrea, Jane Kapler Smith and Garrett O'Keefe. STC Proceedings (2003). Articles>Presentations>Visual Rhetoric

Assessing Web Page Usability  

Assessing Web site usability can be complex, because the medium can be both a document and a 'software product.' Documentation usability testing asks how headings, page elements, and index entries help users find the content they need, and whether that content is useful. Software usability testing asks how well the user inteface supports users’ job-task activity, indicates functionality, provides navigation signposts and program status, and prevents errors. A Web site must meet a combination of these goals—links should lead to the content that users seek, through pathways that users can easily follow without reaching a dead-end or getting lost.

Hinderer, Deborah and Laurie Kantner. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Usability>Web Design

Audience Analysis  

A PDF document for teachers to revise and adapt for their students. The worksheet helps writers to make audience-based decisions about content, organization, formatting, style, usage, and mechanics.

Zuidema, Leah A. Michigan State University (2003). Presentations>Rhetoric>Audience Analysis

Authoring Technical Books  

Who can write a book? Timelines. Steps in bringing out a book.

Kahate, Atul. STC India (2003). Presentations>Writing>Publishing

AuthorIT: Time-Saving Techniques Using AuthorIT  

A presentation about techniques one could employ using AuthorIT.

Bracey, Rhonda. CyberText Consulting (2005). Presentations>Documentation>Software

Automatic Slideshow, Delay before Slide Advances

You are making a slide show which runs automatically throughout your presentation without the needs of mouse clicking or entering of keyboard. The automatic slideshow can be photographs presentations and etc. In every slide, you realize that the slide advances to another slide immediately after the last animation ends. The result? Audience does not have the chance to read your slides because it moves too quickly. You will need to make some delay so that all your slides will pause for a while before going to the next one. There are few ways to achieve this. This tutorial will cover two simple methods.

Tohlz, Shawn. PowerPoint Heaven (2005). Resources>Presentations>Software>Microsoft PowerPoint

The Basics of Quality

Can elements of the ISO 9000 standard help us improve the quality of the documents we write?

STC Proceedings (1999). Presentations>Quality>Standards>ISO 9000

The Basics of Quality: Quality and the Writer-Developer Relationship

To bring high-quality communication to the process to improve the quality of the products we produce.

Colvin, Richard D. STC Proceedings (1999). Presentations>Quality

Becoming a Journal Author  

This session will help participants understand how to write and submit a manuscript for publication in Technical Communication. It covers the types of articles the journal publishes, its audience, and suggestions for choosing topics, doing research, and preparing a manuscript.

Hayhoe, George F. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Writing>Publishing

Becoming a Journal Peer Reviewer  

This session will help participants understand the process for reviewing manuscripts submitted to Technical Communication. It covers the types of articles the journal publishes, review procedures and criteria, and approaches to writing constructive evaluations.

Hayhoe, George F. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Editing>Technical Editing

Beetle Bailey and Presentation Skills

An audience, whether it is one person or many, wants speakers to provide maximum relevant information, delivered in minimum time and in the clearest possible terms, centered on the needs and concerns of the audience.

Tracy, Larry. Klariti (2005). Articles>Presentations>Rhetoric

Behavioral Concepts: Effectiveness and User Response  

What are hazards and why do we need them? Best practices for key elements of hazards.

Guren, Leah. In Other Words (2006). Presentations>Usability>User Centered Design

Better Products Through Collaboration: Technical Communicators and Usability Professionals Working Together  

Currently, “user-centered design” is the touted methodoloay for software development for many companies. To many of us, it’s merely a more global articulation of what we have always believed to be the preferred methodology. Technical communicators and HF professionals have critical roles to play as part of a multi-disciplinary user-centered design team. (1) This paper presents some viewpoints on how technical communicators and HF professionals can increase each other's effectiveness.

Rauch, Thyra L. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>User Centered Design>Collaboration

Beyond the Universal User: How to Design for the Universe of Users  

There are problems with non-user-centered/system-centered design. We must know, understand, and work with actual users so that the people who use the product can do so quickly and easily to accomplish their own tasks.

Bowie, Jennifer L. Texas Tech University (2003). Presentations>Web Design>Usability>Personas

Black and White and Red All Over  

Color is a powerful motivation and selling tool. We can also use color to improve people’s performance. Color is comprised of hue, value and saturation. When selecting a color scheme for a web site or slide presentation select a pastel background, then a complimentary or contrasting secondary color for accents. Select black or neutral text. Avoid the jelly-bean syndrome of contrasting, saturated, adjacent colors that fatigue the eye. Instead, use bright colors only for accents, not for major areas.

Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Graphic Design>Design

The Blue Background in PowerPoint

Why is the default color of PowerPoint dark blue? People prepare the best slides man can create - and yet they leave the default color stay dark blue.

Fuchs, Amo. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Presentations>Visual Rhetoric>Color