#13122
From Ice Cream to Mousetraps: Explaining Technical Communication to K-12 Students 
Technical communicators who desire to “spread the word” about their profession will find ready audiences in the educational institutions of their local communities. This paper examines techniques which the author has used in elementary, middle, and high schools to explain technical communication. They are techniques which require the students to do a simplified form of technical writing. The author also explains why doing these types of presentations is an enjoyable activity.
Crawley, Charles R. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Education>Instructional Design
#27386
From Inspiration to Action at A.G. Edwards
Discusses how his team of Certified Usability Analysts (CUAs) were instrumental towards making usability a routine practice at A.G. Edwards.
Nadel, Jerome and Pat Malecek. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>Workplace
#13283
From Last Minute to Ground Floor Development
A transition from being a last minute resource to participating in product design and contributing to overall quality is occurring for many technical communicators. This move is not always easy; there are often many hurdles. With increased awareness of resources such as usability experts, multi-disciplinary teams, and customers, technical communicators can smooth the way and gradually get in at the ground floor.
Adams, Linda, Christopher Morrow and Nicole Vanop. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Usability
#14242
From Project Manager To Producer: A Guide to Creating Multimedia Deliverables
As technical communicators tackle multimedia projects, they realize the importance of using a process that can handle the dynamics of multimedia. This paper presents a multimedia development process that was developed and implemented by a team of technical communicators at IBM. It incorporates the basic elements of a standard information development process, and helps guide a team through elements introduced by new media, such as video production and deliverable distribution.
Anderson, Amy. STC Proceedings (1995). Presentations>Multimedia>Video
#26214
From Purchase to Productivity: Bridging the Documentation Gap
Marketing documentation entices clients to buy your products. Technical documentation tells clients how to use your products.
Alexander, Bruce, Avis French and Elaine Randolph. STC Orange County (1998). Presentations>Documentation
#13140
From Sea to Shining Sea…Bi-Coastal Teaming
This presentation addresses the issues that technical communicators face when team members are in different geographic locations. Issues such as communication, team building, project management and planning, and successful practices that help teams succeed without regard to their physical locations will be discussed. The management of distributed teams, what obstacles managers face, including labor and employment laws, cost-of-living relative to salaries in varied locations, and how to conduct performance appraisals when managers and employees work thousands of miles apart will also be explored, along with employee perspectives and issues of change and collaboration.
Chappell, Leah P., Deborah Gill-Hesselgrave, Strecker Peterson. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Collaboration>Online
#22572
From Uncredible to Incredible: Tips for Speakers
Suggests ways that speakers can increase their credibility with their audience.
Fritze, Shelley and Maureen V. McIntyre. Intercom (2004). Articles>Presentations>Rhetoric
#13470
Full-Employment Legislation for Technical Writers
Most of us view government regulations negatively. Yet they provide a multitude of opportunities for technical writers. What are these opportunities? Where are they? How can you take advantage of them? A chance opportunity knocked on the author's door. Her experience can guide you to find and knock on opportunity's door.
Dean, Carolyn. STC Proceedings (1993). Presentations>TC>Legislation>Technical Writing
#18403
The Future of Education: Lessons Learned from Video Games and Museum Exhibits
Education is hot in business as well. The rise of corporate universities is well established, with companies literally spending billions of dollars to educate their employees. Education is now a business, with multiple companies offering courses and degrees as a successful, profit-making business. Of course, one of the problems when everyone is for something is that everyone has a different idea of what it is that they are for. Everyone who is for education seems to have a different idea of what to do, hence the challenge. The one thing everyone agrees upon is that our educational system is in trouble. Something has to be done to fix it. But what? To me, anything that is truly worthwhile is something that is also a major challenge. If you were facing an easy task, why bother? So it's a great year to be graduating, for anything truly worthwhile, anything that will make a difference, not just to you, but to many, is going to be hard. This is a great year, for there are great challenges ahead of you.
#23139
The Future of Technical Writing in India 
Technical Writing in India has experienced explosive growth in business volumes as a result of outsourcing. 75 writers based in India are registered with the STC. Estimated 2,500- to 3,000-strong workforce.
Biswas, Nilanjana. STC India (2003). Presentations>Writing>Outsourcing>India
#13486
Games, Information Design, and New Technologies for Technical Communicators
Developments in communication technologies such as video scriptwriting and interactive multimedia require that technical communicators develop the skills and literacies necessary for adapting to the demands of designing information for media other than print. This paper presents a semiotic theory and model of multimedia discourse which will help technical communicators conceptualize and produce texts in new media. The model operates on the premise that communication practices can be considered as language games. The model focuses on the rhetorical and semiotic features of multimedia language games, and how to manipulate them.
Heba, Gary M. STC Proceedings (1993). Presentations>Information Design>Multimedia>Games
#14346
Gathering Input for the Best Possible Prototype
Prototyping has long been a part of the sofiware development process, but is still an underutilized aspect of documentation design, particularly for online design. Developing a detailed approach to prototyping lets writers design and confirm document usability early in the development cycle. Implementing detailed prototyping in an iterative design cycle ultimately leads to the best possible document for the audience.
Mobley, Karen L. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>User Centered Design>Usability
#18251
Getting the Most from the Quality Improvement Process
The Quality Improvement Process can be used to improve customer satisfaction and reduce cost and cycle time. The “R.U.S.T.” four-step action process provides a helpful guideline to begin quality improvement by Recognizing the opportunity for improvement, Understanding requirements and expectations, Starting to apply systematic process changes, and Testing the results by measuring.
McDonald, Audrey M. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Workplace>Assessment
#18532
For a presenter, a high-quality microphone, combined with the right sound system, will give your voice a rich sound that can be heard throughout a room. Here are some things to consider if you want to add a microphone to the company conference room or your presentation traveling kit. The basics A microphone is essentially an energy converter that takes in sound waves and converts them into electrical energy. Two main types of microphones are available: condenser and dynamic. A condenser mic uses a power supply to provide a charge that works with a thin diaphragm inside the unit to create a signal. A dynamic mic creates a signal when the sound pressure moves a coil or ribbon across a magnet. Because they usually produce a richer sound, condenser mics are the more popular of the two; however, they require batteries or a power supply and are more expensive and more fragile than dynamic models. Dynamic mics are usually considered less accurate in sound quality, but they are generally more rugged and can withstand varying temperatures, humidity levels and a lot of abuse. These qualities make dynamic mics ideal for use outdoors or on the road.
Hill, Julie. Presentations (2002). Articles>Presentations>Multimedia>Audio
#13192
Drawing on experience in bringing the material of many clients to the Internet and CD-ROM, this paper describes how to develop an intelligent online document repository. The paper describes how to plan scalable solutions, how to manage production, what to watch out for, and how to maintain your collections into the future.
Thurston, John. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Publishing>Online
#20519
Give Participants Something to Flip Over
Let me start off by saying that I do NOT like toys or other distractions in training. I’m NOT one to provide little widgets to keep participants’ hands occupied or provide cutesy pens or such trinkets. I’ve always viewed them as distractions that shouldn’t be necessary if your training is engaging and relevant.
Traut, Terence R. Presenters University. Articles>Presentations>Rhetoric>Microsoft PowerPoint
#13191
Global Communication: Building a Bridge between Ohio and Japan
In 1999, an alliance was formed between the Central Ohio and Tokyo Chapters. This unique relationship, the only STC sister chapter, was based on the desire to share information about our profession, our industries, and our cultures. This presentation addresses the challenges and rewards we discovered in forging this globe-crossing bond.
Kauppi, Michael, Brenda McGuire, Laura Modisette and Sue Wolford. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Communication>Regional>Japan
#15238
Globalization, Localization, Translation 
The best way to create documents that localize and translate well is to follow the general guidelines for good technical writing, know English as well as possible, and know at least one foreign language as well as possible.
Pringle, Mary Margaret. University of Minnesota (2001). Presentations>Language>Localization
#26523
Globalization, Pedagogy, and Research
Four presentations about the teaching of scientific and technical communication programs in a highly international industry climate.
Cleary, Yvonne, Clinton R. Lanier, Russel Hirst and Kirk R. St. Amant. CPTSC (2005). Presentations>Education>Globalization
#18864
English may be the world's quasi-official language, but that doesn't mean U.S. businesspeople or academics are off the hook when presenting in foreign cultures. Here's what it takes to be an effective — and culturally correct — speaker to international audiences.
#29384
A Good Speech is Like a Good Relationship: 20 Tips for Presentation Success!
Contrary to what many people think, a speech is not a performance. Rather, it's a relationship -- ideally a meaningful one -- that you create with a group of people. Like any good relationship, a speech requires caring, trust, openness, accessibility, and two-way communication.
Burton Nelson, Mariah. Expert Magazine (2002). Articles>Presentations>Rhetoric
#21699
A primary technique to achieve improved user-interface is clear, distinct, consistent visible language.
Deshpande, Shashank. STC India (2003). Presentations>Graphic Design>User Interface
#18213
The Graphic Design of Text: A Review of Research
Technical communicators can make reading easier by using type-design principles proven to enhance reading performance. This paper, based on the author’s master’s thesis of the same name, revealed research related to the graphic design of text and concluded that further research is needed to measure the impact of typography on readers (expert, intermediate, and novice) and the ways in which they read (to do, to read to learn, to read to assess, and to read to learn to do).
Matis, David W. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Typography>Graphic Design
#18201
GRAYSCALE: A Workshop in Ethics and Technical Communication
Increasingly, technical communicators are confronting ethical issues in the workplace. Conflicts arise that appear to defy black-and-white solutions. To render every verdict as “gray,” however, begs the question. This workshop exposes participants to the use of value analysis to clarify ethical conflicts in technical communication. The presenters use a framework of 10 common values, based on the initial work of the STC Ethics Committee, to support objective analysis and resolution of such ethical conflicts. The workshop gives participants the opportunity to explore ethical dilemmas “hands-on” through small-group discussions and a series of role-playing vignettes on selected conflict scenarios.
Allen, Lori A. and Daniel W. Voss. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>TC>Ethics
#13282
Guided Web Tours: Developing Comfort from a Distance
You’ve just created a new Web-based business application, or perhaps you’ve redesigned an existing one. You need to introduce users to the site and help them become familiar and comfortable with the new organization and navigational techniques. They need the information quickly and concisely. What do you do? You give ‘em a guided Web tour….
Currie, Cynthia C. and Michael T. Yarter. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Usability
