#13096
Technical communication is usually seen as a practical profession -- one that emphasizes products, process and results -- rather than one that emphasizes theory and broad, generalized application of research results.
Grice, Roger A. STC Proceedings (2001). Presentations>TC>Workplace>Theory
#14824
Bridges To Trust: Achieving Corporate Expectations within a Skeptical Environment 
Explains some of the tough challenges, novel approaches and successful procedures implemented at Leybold Inficon--actions that worked there, and may also be helpful to you in building a more tightly-coordinated technical communication function within your company.
Inch, Richard. STC Central New York (1999). Presentations>Workplace>Assessment
#26531
Bringing Practitioners into Programs
Four presentations about how to connect academic programs with workplace practitioners in technical communication.
Barker, Thomas, David Dayton, Elizabeth O. (Betsy) Smith and Tracy Bridgeford. CPTSC (2005). Presentations>Education>Collaboration>Workplace
#18250
Inadequate document control/documentation causes most ISO 9000 audit failures. For certification in ISO, QS 9000 and related standards, quality programs must be clearly documented through a series of controlled, sequential documents. This paper will overview how to do it successfully.
Paradis, Gerard. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Workplace>Standards>ISO 9000
#21704
Effective Interpersonal Skills 
Become genuinely interested in other people. Call people by their names. Talk in terms of the other person's interest. Smile. Listen.
STC India (2003). Presentations>Collaboration>Workplace
#14511
Electrify Your Work: Empowerment
We’ve all heard about empowerment. It means being innovative, taking risks, reaping rewards. But how do you apply it to your work? How can you empower yourself and others? This demonstration examines the true meaning of empowerment and offers time-tested scenarios to drive the points of empowerment home. See the empowered individual; feel the teamwork blossom; and learn how to “just say no”!
Walech-Roth, Laura L. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Workplace>Collaboration
#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
#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
#18249
Improving Information Quality in Your Web Space: A Take Charge Approach
With the arrival of the World Wide Web, traditional methods of controlling the quality ofpublished information have been overcome by a technology that allows almost anyone to create and publish information. With this new found freedom in publishing, the quality of information available to the public has decreased when measured by traditional publishing standards. Technical communicators must meet new challenges in monitoring and ensuring that information produced in their organizations and companies is of the highest quality. This paper discusses how the problem evolved and how taking ownership of information on the Web may solve it.
Colvin, Richard D. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>Web Design>Workplace
#27395
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
#13269
ISO 9000:2000; What Does It Mean to Technical Communicators?
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has been working on the revision of the ISO 9000 series of Quality Management Standards over the past few years, and a draft document is currently being reviewed by interested parties around the world.
Robinson, Ralph E. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Workplace>Statistics>ISO 9000
#14526
Living Through Layoffs: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Meets The Corporate World
Corporate 'downsizing' is effecting a large worker population: and not just those workers being laid off. The pervasiveness and breadth of layoffs at this time is changing workers’ trust in the future and ability to plan for tomorrow. The loyalty to firm is changing also. As one woman said 'the company used to be my family. This was my community, my network, like my parents’ hometown was to them. Its been bombed.' Trust in the future as it was known is shattered. Belief in the 'do a good job and you’ll be rewarded' is low. The effect of the economy on the workplace is grieving and distrust, and shattered selves.
Patton, Jill. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>TC>Workplace
#13889
The Need for Architect/Construction Worker Dichotomies in Information Architecture as a Profession 
I would suggest that before we adopt the 'information architect' model and concede the construction worker (role of 'other') to many members of our field in order to negotiate management positions for a few, that we look to other professions to see how they have resisted this dichotomy. It may be argued, perhaps, that professions such as medicine and the law have managed to avoid successfully such hierarchical dichotomies -- at least in part. At the least, we should debate the possible implications of such systems more rigorously than we have to date.
Sauer, Geoffrey. CPTSC Proceedings (2002). Presentations>Information Design>Workplace
#27385
The ROI of Usability and Making Usability Routine
Makes the business case for usability, and examines the impact of making usability routine throughout an organization.
Weinschenk, Susan and Jay More. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Usability>Collaboration>Workplace
#18210
Roles for Communication in Academia and Workplace: Teaching, Learning, and Mentoring
The education of technical writers follows a vertical path, as discussed by panelists who represent three stops along that path. A new teacher of technical writing discusses moving from teaching basic writing to teaching more experienced and critical students. A professor who is in charge of new teachers discusses how he helps them meet the needs of students who demand more from their teachers. A mentor from industry discusses how she guides college graduates through the transition to professional writer and helps experienced writers continue their education on the job.
Tatge, Pamela K., Jack W. Jobst and John H. Carpenter. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>Education>Mentoring>Workplace
#14368
A storyboard is a tool used by teams to write documents. Information needed to create the document is posted on cork boards or walls in a designated room accessible to all team members. In this room, the document grows from outline, to draft, to a thoroughly reviewed final document. During its growth, the document can be tracked using a simple flagging system.
Moore, Shirley F. STC Proceedings (1997). Presentations>Workplace>Workflow
#14518
Survey Of Computer-Supported Writing Facility Use In Technical Communication Programs
Just as the profession of technical communication is fundamentally linked with the use of computers, so technical communication education and computer labs go hand-in-hand to prepare students for the professional world. Because of the importance of computer instruction, we need to discover how technical communication (TC) programs are managing these expensive yet quickly outdated facilities. Described here are the results of a survey of TC program directors questioned about their computer-supported teaching facilities. A profile of a 'typical' computer lab in a technical communication program is offered.
Wharton, Kim Tresselt. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Writing>Workplace>Macintosh
#18253
There's More Than One Way To Wire That: When Assembly Workers Are Technically Writers 
While technical writing is becoming a more obvious part of undergraduate education, it is not uncommon for an engineer to face the task of writing documentation without much training in the craft of communication. Other members of production teams may have received even less training, and yet have an equal or greater need to have a say in how documentation is produced and what it contains. In this paper, we will examine a situation in which an assembly worker, or system integrator, demanded the opportunity to document the appropriate ways to assemble complex Test and Measurement systems (for evaluating the electronic components of products such as PC’s, cars, and cellular phones), and the effects her change in roles has had on the production processes for both systems and their documentation.
Hall, Susan P. and Lili Fox Vélez. ACM SIGDOC (1999). Presentations>Documentation>Workplace
#27389
Web Design Standards: 10 Organizational Secrets
The practices and processes that facilitate the organizational development needed to create a successful Web design standard.
Schaffer, Eric M. Human Factors International (2006). Presentations>Web Design>Style Guides>Workplace
#32547
Updating a Corporate Style Guide: Process and Reality
Establish a company-wide team of writers and editors to process comments on the style guide. If applicable, aim for a geographically diverse group that represents all of your company's documentation groups.
Gelb, Janice and Alysson Troffer. STC Proceedings (2008). Presentations>Slideshows>Style Guides>Workplace
#35380
Social Media Policies: An Introduction
Despite what some people say, rules still apply when it comes to social media. Policies provide structure—for you and for your colleagues/employees.
Fleet, Dave. SlideShare (2009). Presentations>Workplace>Policies and Procedures>Social Networking
