Information Design Process  

Covers the stages in the information design process of: discovery, analysis, prototyping and review.

Deshpande, Shashank. STC India (2003). Presentations>Information Design>Workflow

Information Design Progression  

The Information Design Progression will focus on exploring several diverse topics in the evolving field of information design, including graphic communication, design principles, usability, and information design in teams and in the community. The topics provide practical techniques, examples of information design in action, and useful information that can improve your own projects and skill set.

Taylor, Cheri W. STC Proceedings (1999). Presentations>Information Design

An Information Make-Over for Performance Centered Design  

Technical communicators have long harbored a secret that we are reluctant to admit to outsiders: Users don’t like reading manuals. They do it only as a last resort. Even online help systems, which we originally hoped would be easier to use, have not met with great enthusiasm among users. It’s an all-too-common dilemma – there is a lot of information that could be explained, but users struggle along as best they can without it. Part of the problem has always been that users are reluctant to leave their work to seek information -- and rightly so. They have work to do and deadlines to meet. Even if your manual or online help contains a wealth of useful information, it takes them away from their work and interrupts their train of thought. If they do try to use it, the help window typically overlays the interface and adds its own set of navigation, resizing, and searching issues.

Battle, Lisa H. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Documentation>Information Design

Information Modeling for Single Sourcing  

Single sourcing involves identifying all information requirements up front, then developing them from a single source. Information is broken down into elements, which are reused wherever they are required. Information models identify to writers all the required elements, how to structure them, and how to reuse them. This paper describes the process of information modeling.

Kostur, Pamela and Ann Rockley. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Information Design>Single Sourcing

Insights on the Poster Preparation and Presentation Process    

Dissemination of research findings and effective clinical innovations is key to the growth and development of the nursing profession. Several avenues exist for the dissemination of information. One forum for communication that has gained increased recognition over the past decade is the poster presentation. Poster presentations are often a significant part of regional, national, and international nursing conferences. Although posters are frequently used to disseminate information to the nursing community, little is reported about actual poster presenters' experiences with preparation and presentation of their posters. The purpose of this article is to present insights derived from information shared by poster presenters regarding the poster preparation and presentation process. Such insights derived from the personal experiences of poster presenters may assist others to efficiently and effectively prepare and present scholarly posters that disseminate information to the nursing community.

Weaver Moore, Linda, Phyllis Augspurger, Margaret O'Brien King and Charlotte Proffitt. Applied Nursing Research (2001). Design>Presentations>Posters>Scientific Communication

The Institutionalization of Usability

Discusses practical usability, The Third Wave of the Information Age, the institutionalization of usability, developing a holistic strategy, measuring success, and getting started.

Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>Workplace

Integrated Strategic Communication: More than the Sum of Its Parts  

Adopting a hybrid organizational structure over 30 years ago has permitted the Communications Department of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control-Orlando to evolve new capabilities and undertake new missions. The result has been an independent organization that proactively responds to business opportunities, strategically applies numerous resources, and adds new skill sets that help Missiles and Fire Control capture and retain military contracts.

Voss, Daniel W. and William C. Wiese. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Business Communication

Interact to Produce Better Technical Communicators: Academia and Industry  

Focus groups exploring the possibilities of collaborations between industry and academia took place at annual STC conferences in 1993 and 1994. As a result, the STC Academe-Industry Advisory Committee has developed bibliographies and research tools concerning this subject and in 1996, spearheaded the successful effort to appropriate STC funds for academic internships. This session builds upon those earlier programs and has a specific goal: the findings of the focus groups will direct the next round of the Society’s Academe/Industry Relations Advisory Committee’s efforts to find new ways of increasing industry and academic collaboration.

Teich, Thea, Janice C. 'Ginny' Redish and Kenneth T. Rainey. STC Proceedings (1995). Presentations>Collaboration>Industry and Academy

Interactive Digital Presentations

As we enter the millennium, more and more people are learning how to utilize technology in their presentations. We are no longer limited to a laptop, projector and screen. Digital whiteboards are becoming more widely used in a presentation environment and this course will explain how to utilize this technology.

Presenters University (2002). Articles>Presentations>Technology

Interactive Media to Communicate Environmental Research Findings  

An emerging body of research suggests that interactive multimedia presentation technologies offer unique advantages for technology transfer and training programs. A research and development team is evaluating this claim by developing and testing an interactive multimedia tutorial on a complex environmental research topic: in-situ capping of contaminated sediments. A World Wide Web site has been created using text and animations to illustrate basic processes about capping technology. The tutorial’s effectiveness will be tested through evaluations of subject-matter experts and end users. Supplemental technical information will be added before the site is promoted widely.

Hodges, Mark H. and William Evans. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Scientific Communication>Environmental>Multimedia

Intercultural Research in Page Design and Layout for Asian/Pacific Audiences  

We, Fuji Xerox, implemented an intercultural survey in page design and layout of customer documents for business machines such as copy machines and printers. The research covered the main regions in Asia/Pacific: Australia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. We studied their preferences in printed colors, typography, page layout, and pictographs. The results show Asia/Pacific audiences share a lot of preferences in page design and layout, though there are some uniqueness in printed colors and pictographs. It also became clear American English is not a serious problem for people who are Queen’s English natives.

Ichimura, Mitsuyuki. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>Web Design>Typography>Asia

Interdisciplinary/Inter-Program Research

Two presentations about collaboration in research between diverse departments and units.

Brady, Ann, Robert R. Johnson, Michael J. Salvo and Tammy S. Conard-Salvo. CPTSC (2005). Presentations>Collaboration>Research

Internet Library

There's a lot of bragging on the Internet about how big it is, how much information the Web has to offer. I ran across a discussion group posting a while back where the moderator announced that one of the search engines had indexed 9 billion words. I went to the University of California online catalog and did a quick calculation: 9 million titles x 300 pages x 500 words.

Coyle, Karen. Karen Coyle (1997). Presentations>Information Design>Accessibility

Introducing DocBook

Structured documentation is semantic, rather than presentational. Components have identifiable structure. HTML and Word are somewhat structured. DocBook is strictly structured.

Walsh, Norman. NWalsh.org (2001). Presentations>Documentation>Standards>DocBook

Introduction to Agile Methods and Practices  

Rally's Hubert Smits provides a broad introduction to concepts of Agile software development and Agile methods. The talk is based on his experience as an Agile coach and Certified Scrum Master. Concepts that are known from waterfall or plan-driven development are transformed to an Agile perspective. Examples are release and iteration planning, progress reporting, meeting formats and scaling projects from 10 people teams to 300 people teams.

Smits, Hubert. Rally Software Development (2006). Presentations>Project Management>Agile

Introduction to Agile Methods and Practices  

Provides a broad introduction to concepts of agile software development and agile methods. The talk is based on his experience as an agile coach and Certified Scrum Master.

Smits, Hubert. Rally Software Development (2005). Presentations>Management>Agile>Methods

An Introduction to Content Management  

CMS analysis and design; an implementation example.

Garrett, David and Mary Pitz. STC Region 7 Proceedings (2002). Presentations>Content Management

Introduction to Information Film, Video and Multimedia Script Design  

In this seminar we’ll explore the basic concepts in the grammar and syntax of kinetic sight-and-sound media: film, video, and multimedia (motion media). We’ll not discuss how to write scipts. Rather we’ll concentrate on learning how to encode information into kinetic visual images using filmic design techniques. Throughout this seminar we’ll view and critique award-wining films and videos, and explore a multimedia flowchart to see how others have applied such filmic techniques to solve specific communication problems.

Shelton, S. Martin 'Marty'. STC Proceedings (1999). Presentations>Multimedia>Writing

Introduction to PowerPoint  

Discusses how to prepare a PowerPoint slide show.

Nielan, Cate. Intercom (2001). Articles>Presentations>Software>Microsoft PowerPoint

Introduction to Scrum Practices  

This tutorial brings Scrum to life by introducing Scrum principles, process, practices and roles in the form of an actual Sprint timebox. The prioritized, timeboxed topics are presented and delivered as arranged by the tutorial attendees.

Tabaka, Jean. Rally Software Development (2005). Presentations>Management>Agile>Scrum

Involving Users Throughout The Information Development Process  

Testing documents for usability is critical, but we don’t always get to do it. Even when we do, too often, it’s too little, too late. What we really want are documents that we are fine-tuning in usability testing because they already meet users’ needs, match our users’ mental models, and fit with the way that our users work.

Redish, Janice C. 'Ginny'. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>User Centered Design>Usability

Is Online “lnline” with Your Users’ Needs?  

In preparation for the next release of our flagship so~are product, the International Publications Department at Waters Corporation wanted to assess the usefulness of our current product software documentation with the idea of moving the next generation of documentation in the direction requested by our customers. Based on extensive customer contact, we formulated a plan to dramatically revamp the documentation, namely to replace the paper user’s guides and transform our existing online Help into a comprehensive Online User’s Guide.

Kroeber, Kurt A. and David L. Kelley. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>Documentation>Help