The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is an international professional society for the advancement of the theory and practice of technical communication. It has hundreds of local chapters (also known as 'communities.'
#20697
Finding the Right Technical Writer 
What skills to look for, and what questions to ask when hiring a technical writer.
Scott, Kendall V. Software Documentation Wizards (1993). Careers>TC>Interviewing
#20327
Schema theory says that humans acquire information by building and holding models of that information in their minds. To facilitate learning of new information, writers essentially define a schema for their audience and present new information within that schema. But how do they know that a given schema will work? Drawing on examples from the computer software field, this workshop shows that developing a schema to effectively deliver knowledge to an audience requires looking beyond the apparent organization of ideas.
Fothergill-Brown, Ann. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>TC>Information Design
#14767
Finding What You Want on the Web 
Fugate reviews a number of Web sites, search engines, and databases that self-employed technical communicators could use to track down information.
Fugate, Alice E. Intercom (2002). Articles>TC>Online
#28369
It's not easy to find rewarding work. Hart describes three steps you can take to help the process go more smoothly when searching for that new job.
Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Intercom (2006). Careers>TC
#15135
This article presents a brief history of the Association of Technical Writers and Editors, one of STC's parent organizations.
Rutkowski, Ed. Intercom (2001). Articles>History>TC
#31737
Five Books to Add to Your Technical Communication Library
Heidi Hansen takes 15 minutes to discuss five books that she read over the past year and published book reviews for.
Hansen, Heidi. Tech Writer Voices (2008). Articles>TC>Policies and Procedures>Podcasts
#23541
Professionals do not have to leave career progression to fate. Chart a career course that will bring personal achievement and satisfaction. A five-year career plan is a road map that allows for progress tracking, and development of solutions or alternate courses of action. Develop this action plan through self-assessment, and examination of the present and future. Consider several factors during career plan development and update the plan on a yearly basis. Use the written plan as a career guide and self-evaluation tool.
Crump, Jocelyn. STC Proceedings (1994). Careers>TC>Planning
#18832
Focus Groups: Planning the Education of Technical Communicators During the Next Ten Years
These focus groups continue the dialogue begun in focus groups organized by Ken Rainey and Katherine Staples, Education and Research PIC, at the 1993 annual conference in Dallas. Participants discussed the topic of how partnerships among the Society, business and industry, and colleges and universitates could strengthen academic programs in technical communication, empower the profession, and promote research.
Barnum, Carol M., Saul A. Carliner, JoAnn T. Hackos, Rita Reaves, Stuart A. Selber and Sherry G. Southard. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Education>Industry and Academy>STC
#30213
Focused Leadership in a Dispersed Environment
Society chapters often involve members who live and work in a very wide geographic area. Even members of chapters with smaller physical areas face long commute times from work sites to meeting sites. Often, the time spent commuting is enough to discourage even the most stalwart Society member from participation. Chapter leaders and committee managers are left with the problem of how to offer their members the means to participate in meetings more effectively.
White, Don. Tieline (2007). Articles>Management>Community Building>STC
#28234
Focused Sharing of Information for Multi-disciplinary Decision Making by Project Teams 
Today's electronic and paper-based approaches to the sharing of project information do not scale to the information sharing and interaction challenges of multi-disciplinary project team meetings. The inability to share and interact with information easily and effectively is one of the biggest bottlenecks in using electronic (online) information for collaborative decision-making. Through scenarios from recent construction projects, this paper summarizes existing approaches to the sharing of information and assesses their effectiveness in supporting multi-disciplinary decision-making by project teams. It then discusses recent research into interactive information workspaces where, with minimal software overhead, participants can share information that is relevant to a particular context to establish a common focus. We believe that the construction community can make significant progress quickly in leveraging existing and future investments in information infrastructure if it not only pursues information sharing through the use of product models but also formalizes the focused sharing of information and separates information interaction and view control from software services and underlying data as outlined in this paper.
Liston, Kathleen, Martin Fischer and Terry Winograd. Stanford University (2001). Articles>Collaboration>TC
#14309
Föreningen Teknisk Information
Föreningen Teknisk Information (FTI) är en förening för professionella informatörer med teknik och naturvetenskap som arbetsfält. Föreningen fungerar som ett kontaktnät informatörerna emellan och är ett forum för utbyte av erfarenheter. FTI arrangerar bl a studiebesök, höst- och vårmöte med seminarier och föredrag. På några platser finns också lokala arbetsgrupper. En viktig del i föreningens verksamhet är certifiering av teknikinformatörer.
#23424
Formalism and its Impact on Technical Writing
Discusses briefly the work market for technical communicators and their careers.
Baumert, Andreas. TC-FORUM (2000). Careers>TC>Multimedia>Technical Writing
#14529
Forming a Policies and Procedures Professional Interest Committe
This session offers participants an opportunity to learn and contribute ideas about forming a policies and procedures professional interest committee (PIC) within STC. The presenter defines 'policies and procedures' and its growing importance in industry. Represents STC’s requirements for forming a PIC. He proposes a mission statement, goals, objectives, and activities for having this PIC. Participants comment on and volunteer for making this PIC a success.
Urgo, Raymond E. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Collaboration>TC>STC
#18197
FORUM ’95 Conference Demonstrates International Cooperation
The unusual mix of participants and formats in the FORUM 95 conference supported international cooperation and demonstrated new approaches for professional conferences. The FORUM 95 conference, held November 13-15, 1995, in Dortmund, Germany, supported international cooperation through its themes and organization. Using English as the operating language, FORUM 95 attracted widespread international participation. With the theme of “Disappearing Borders,” the conference demonstrated how limitations in political boundaries, media, and employment locations have shifted during the last five years. For example, registrants from the former East Germany, South Africa, and Estonia brought new perspectives on technical communication. Among more than 320 attendees, 41% were German, 13% Dutch, 12% Swedish, 10% US, 6% British, 4% Danish, 3% Norwegian, 8% all other European, 3% all other.
Reilly, Annette D. STC Proceedings (1996). Presentations>TC>International
#10188
The largest FrameMaker® Reference Site on the Internet. This is the largest FrameMaker User Network (FUN) available to anyone around the world. Although this site is not produced by Adobe, we provide a solutions network for all FrameMaker® users. This can only be made possible with your support, ideas and suggestions. Please feel free to join one of our email lists and make sure to drop us your comments and ideas.
#28368
Free or Open-Source Tools for Technical Communicators, Part 1: The Software
This article takes a look at some of the most successful free and open-source products available for technical communicators and their clients.
Curley, Charles. Intercom (2006). Articles>TC>Software>Open Source
#24383
Free Professional Development: Starting a Journal Club
Have you ever wished that someone would offer advanced training for technical communicators in your community? In Winnipeg, we certainly did. However, we found that most training is expensive. Our chapter would bring in workshop leaders, but have difficulty getting enough people to sign up. Those of us who wanted training often had to leave the city, but not all of us could get our companies to pay to send us for training, or even to annual conferences. About four years ago, the Manitoba chapter stumbled upon an easy, cheap solution: We started a journal club. Four times a year, several chapter members meet to discuss the contents of the latest issue of Technical Communication.
Campbell, Alexa. Tieline (2003). Articles>TC>Community Building
#15137
#28572
From Individualism to Holism: Paradigm Shift on the Indian Technical Writing Scene 
We are witnessing a paradigm shift towards establishing ourselves as a dynamic, progressive society, which knows its place and responsibilities within the international arena. While growing independently, we are not only paving the path for the creation of a new social order in which fresh and diverse values coexist, but are also constantly in the process of developing a harmonious relationship with each other through collaboration, rising above vested interests and conflicts.
Kudesia, Saurabh. International Journal for Technical Communication (2007). Articles>TC>Editorials>India
#21266
From Information Worker to Knowledge Worker: Emerging Technologies, Trends, and Skills Sets
The business landscape has altered significantly over the past ten years. Downsizing, rapid technological innovation, and a new business common sense that stresses return on investment and value creation has permanently changed the way employees do their jobs. For technical communication professionals, these factors present new challenges and opportunities. The panel discussion will present an open dialogue and discussion about career development, technical innovation, and formulas for success now and in the future.
Squire, Ross. STC Proceedings (1997). Careers>TC
#29827
One way to resolve some of the conflict in English studies and technical communication over their diminishing cultural capital is to recognize the place of instrumental discourse in communication studies. Instrumental discourse is individually verified social agreements to coordinate and control physical actions. One purpose of literary works is to voice new concerns about social inequities. A purpose of rhetoric is to persuade others of the validity of those concerns. Instrumental discourse registers agreements about those concerns and brings them to temporary closure in laws, instructions, contracts, and constitutions. Instrumental discourse is the culmination of a process that often begins with a literary monolog, is continued in many rhetorical dialogs, and ends, for a while, in a chorus of approval. Each phase of this communication process--monolog, dialog, and chorus--has a place in English studies. If more English studies faculty would recognize the need to study the communications that promote dissensus and consensus, then they might contribute more to global discussions about social justice, cooperation, and sustainability, and they might gain more cultural capital and social influence.
Moore, Patrick. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2006). Articles>Education>TC>Workplace
#29649
From Starfish to Butterfly ... the Amazing Story of the AccessAbility SIG
This paper describes the remarkable history of the Society's newest Special Interest Group--the AccessAbility SIG--tracing it back to its origins in 1997 as the Special Needs Committee (SNC). The SNC, founded by Judy Skinner, was originally chartered to assist technical communicators with disabilities in the practice of our profession by researching and publicizing assistive technologies and techniques to overcome those limitations. Over its 5-year lifespan, the committee expanded its mission to include a second overarching goal--assisting all technical communicators in developing information products that are fully accessible to end users with disabilities. Its accomplishments included a data-rich yet eye-pleasing online newsletter, an ever-growing comprehensive web site that is becoming a definitive resource on accessibility, and a robust and dynamic listserv.
Voss, Daniel W. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Accessibility>Community Building>STC
#31775
Technical writing exists to communicate and disseminate technical information. And it's clearly a different animal from some other kinds of writing…say screenwriting.
Harper, Judith. Between the Lines (2007). Careers>TC>Writing>Screenwriting
#23420
From Technical Writing to Technical Communication: Looking to the Future
This paper focuses on the technical communicator’s role as it relates to computer technology.
Fisher, Julie L. TC-FORUM (2000). Articles>TC>Technology>History
#20582
From the Moon to the Microchip: Fifty Years of Technical Communication
Explores technologies and technical writing discussed in this journal over the past 50 years. Describes how computer technologies were applied to gain efficiency in production. Notes that single sourcing and content management focus on text creation.
Durack, Katherine T. Technical Communication Online (2003). Articles>Technology>TC
