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<channel>
	<title>Intercom</title>	<link>http://tc.eserver.org/publisher/Intercom</link>
	<description>A listing of works published by Intercom in the field of technical communication.</description>
	<language>en-us</language>
	<copyright>Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved.</copyright>
	<managingEditor>tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board)</managingEditor>
	<webMaster>webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer)</webMaster>
	<image>
		<url>http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif</url>
		<title>Intercom</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Intercom</link>
	</image>
	<item>
		<title>When Statecraft Fails: Tips on Surviving the Great Game</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35516.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35516.html</guid>
		<description>Following up on his article in the September/October issue, Hart explores how to avoid “rats” in office politics and offers advice on combating coworkers who might not have your best interests in mind.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Putting Ourselves in Someone Else’s Shoes</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35517.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35517.html</guid>
		<description>“Know your audience” is a standard rule of writing, and Henning shows how that applies to technical communicators. By looking at your project from the point of view of the end user, Henning illustrates, you can provide a better document and improve your company’s bottom line as well.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Style Manuals: The Politics of Selection</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35518.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35518.html</guid>
		<description>Bette Frick and Betsy Frick discuss how a style manual can save time and money, how to select the proper style manual and get buy-in, and how to create a style guide to use in conjunction with a style manual.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Editors and Designers: 6 Ideas for Better Collaboration</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35519.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35519.html</guid>
		<description>Demonstrates how collaboration between all involved in a project can improve the final product, improve the bottom line, and improve your own knowledge base. By understanding the point of view of your collaborators, you can present information better and be sure they understand your point of view better as well.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Single Sourcing Help Content for Software Manuals</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35520.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35520.html</guid>
		<description>Mohr details a method by which you can single-source content from an online help system to produce a manual for the same software application.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Intern Orientation 101</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35521.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35521.html</guid>
		<description>Munger, Pennington, and Brooks offer suggestions and advice on how to best acclimate a new intern to your organization for best results for both the company and the intern.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Romancing the Reader</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35522.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35522.html</guid>
		<description>Diane Wylie is not only a technical writer but also a writer of historical romance novels. Read how the two types of writing compare and how they differ.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>So What’s Up with Screen Captures?</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35523.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35523.html</guid>
		<description>In this first column on media matters, Lee discusses screen captures, including quality, manipulation, file type, file size, and more.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Accessibility—Good Business, Best Practice</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/35524.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/35524.html</guid>
		<description>Roberts and Pappas introduce their new column on accessibility by showcasing how accessibility can be a good business practice and increase a company’s bottom line.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Usability in Context-Sensitive Help: Re-Imagining the Ordinary to Provide More Business Value</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34506.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34506.html</guid>
		<description>Context-sensitive help is a practical way to cut down on customer support expenses and add more value to documentation. By providing more complex, context-sensitive help, the usability of the help increases while call center phone calls decrease.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Bringing Help to the Forefront: Strategies to Increase the Usability of Your Software User Assistance and Your Product</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34507.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34507.html</guid>
		<description>Makes the case for embedded help as one of the most effective ways to integrate help within an interface. Although it can be difficult, Bleiel illustrates a way to “elegantly implement and map embedded help.”</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Writing Questions That Are Easy to Answer</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34508.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34508.html</guid>
		<description>Have you ever found it difficult to fill out a seemingly simple form? Jarrett explains how to create questions that are easy to understand and accessible by all, focusing on details, the difference between prompts and fully formed questions, questions that need more explanation, and other aspects.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Returning Language to the Spotlight: The Interdependence of Usability and Words</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34509.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34509.html</guid>
		<description> that optimal word choices, good sentence structure, and general readability are the basics that comprise usability. “Writing is what most of us do most of the time.”</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Making Content Understandable: Inherent Usability in Plain Language</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34510.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34510.html</guid>
		<description>Using an example from his personal life, Haller shows how government writing should be simplified to ensure that a reader can understand government documents. He also discusses the importance of passing the Brayley Bill, the plain language bill.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Finding Usability in Workplace Culture</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34511.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34511.html</guid>
		<description>The authors give a detailed account of their assignment to create a content management system (CMS) for a large office and how paying close attention to workplace culture and behavior affected their design of an effective CMS.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Limitations of Mental Models</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34512.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34512.html</guid>
		<description>As human beings, we create conceptual models that enable us to understand the complex world around us. Hart believes that information designers should understand mental models as a tool for creating the best possible communications.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>What Technical Communicators Can Learn from Comics</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34385.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34385.html</guid>
		<description>Citing the rise of graphic novels, comics, and in particular, Google’s new web browser Chrome, which has a comic-book-style manual, Opsteegh argues that technical communicators can learn a thing or two about conveying information from graphic novelists.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Future of Technical Communication: Remix</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34344.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34344.html</guid>
		<description>In this follow-up piece to her 2004 article, Giammona explores the future of the industry and how technical communicators need to evolve to remain relevant and demonstrate their value.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Bloom Wherever You’re Planted: A Different View on Fostering Career Longevity</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34345.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34345.html</guid>
		<description>Potsus provides twelve tips on how to maintain your mental, spiritual, professional, and physical health in order to ensure you grow and flourish in your career, instead of wither away.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Career Planning and Longevity for Technical Communicators</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34346.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34346.html</guid>
		<description>Cooper discusses her unique approach to career planning and longevity: essentially, do what you enjoy doing and find people and companies that interest you.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Mining for Career Gold: Discovering Related Careers from Buried Skills</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34347.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34347.html</guid>
		<description>Set aside your job title and current responsibilities when considering a related career field to move into. Ost uses charts and matrices to illustrate how thinking about skills, interests, duties, and other aspects of your professional life can open up a world of opportunities.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Integrate Yourself!</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34348.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34348.html</guid>
		<description>Looking for a way to demonstrate your value to management? Pao’s advice is to become as involved in your organization as possible by volunteering for assignments and being proactive in project planning.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>More Than Grammar: Expectations of Technical Editing New Hires</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34349.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34349.html</guid>
		<description>Thomas asked the Technical Editing SIG listserve what they would expect from a technical editing new hire. Their answers show that expectations extend well beyond proper grammar knowledge and good spelling skills.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Editing Modular Documentation: Some Best Practices</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34350.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34350.html</guid>
		<description>The authors have come up with eight guidelines and three concrete suggestions on best practices for editing modular documentation, including ensuring that all topics are standalone, that titles are unique and descriptive, and more.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Hey Rocky – Watch Me Pull a CMS Out of My HAT</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34351.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34351.html</guid>
		<description>When companies decide whether or not to adopt a CMS or continue using a HAT, there are many factors to consider. Perlin outlines elements of both CMSs and HATs that could help you determine which is best for your organization.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Generational Effect on Social Media</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34352.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34352.html</guid>
		<description>In his first column for Intercom, Rich Maggiani discusses the onset of social media as a significant new form of communication, and how the youngest generation is now setting the tone while Baby Boomers struggle to keep up.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>&quot;Telescoping&quot; to Survive This Recession</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34353.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34353.html</guid>
		<description>“Telescoping,” or extending and adding to the range of services you provide, is one way to survive this recession, according to Frick.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Navigating the International Virtual Workplace: Strategies for Smooth Sailing in Global Communication</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34129.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34129.html</guid>
		<description>Focusing mainly on cultural factors, linguistic factors, technical factors, and legal factors, Thakur discusses best practices for becoming globally savvy in an increasingly globalized work environment. </description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Professionalizing Plain Language: A Postcard on Current Developments</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34130.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34130.html</guid>
		<description>With the passing of the Brayley Bill in Congress, the significance of plain language has become even more apparent to technical communicators. The author lays out a step-by-step plan to maintain the relevance of plain language as an important and necessary profession.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>South Korea Beckons: Global Awareness and Cultural Sensitivity Strategies for Western Technical Communicators</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34131.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34131.html</guid>
		<description>As an Indian living in South Korea for the past few years, Rahul Prabhakar has had the opportunity to gain a unique perspective of global awareness and cultural sensitivity. In his article, he details the positive and negative aspects of living and working amidst a different culture.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>A Real Nowhere Man: Managing Remote Teams Remotely</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34132.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34132.html</guid>
		<description>Provides advice on how to effectively collaborate with remote teams through communication, flexibility, sensitivity, and courage. He also points to the use of tools, such as email and videoconferencing, as a significant method for managing remote teams.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Tips for Writing a Document Destined for Translation</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34133.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34133.html</guid>
		<description>When writing a document that is going to be translated, writers should avoid certain terminology, take into account various aspects of a translation vendor, use a style guide, and more. Rimalower provides tips on how to create successfully translatable documents.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Turning User Experiences into Learning Experiences</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34134.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34134.html</guid>
		<description>Savita Taylor talks about her journey from textile engineering to technical communication and beyond.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Building Efficient Multilingual Workflows</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34135.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34135.html</guid>
		<description>O’Keefe gives detailed information on two technology standards that may be used in multilingual workflows: XSL and XLIFF.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Perils of Passion in the Classroom</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/34136.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/34136.html</guid>
		<description>Discusses the intricacies of burnout and how to recognize, prevent, and cure it.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Working at DreamWorks</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33734.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33734.html</guid>
		<description>Once upon a time, a technical writer got a job at an enchanted studio called Dreamworks Animation.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Caught in the Current of Writer River: Building and Participating in Community-Driven Websites</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33642.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33642.html</guid>
		<description>When hundreds of people engage in content-generation and exchange, impressive results can happen — namely, you find a lot of interesting, accurate content. Writer River doesn’t have nearly enough community to be on par with these sites, but it’s a step in the right direction.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Embracing the Un: When the Community Runs the Event</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33643.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33643.html</guid>
		<description>With the explosion of Web 2.0 come two new kinds of community events: BarCamps and BookSprints. Gentle and Swisher share their experiences with these unconferences.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Your Wiki Isn’t Wikipedia: How to Use It for Technical Communication</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33644.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33644.html</guid>
		<description>Learn how to use a wiki as an organizational tool within your company.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Web 2.0, Wikis, and Books</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33645.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33645.html</guid>
		<description>The founder of FLOSS manuals discusses the intersection of books and Web 2.0 and the continuing evolution of publishing and technology.</description>
	</item>
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		<title>Technical Communicators Put the &quot;Public&quot; in Public Health</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33646.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33646.html</guid>
		<description>How does Web 2.0 fit into the world of public health? STC Fellow, Dr. Thomas Barker discusses the values of social networking in regards to largescale public disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and the SARS outbreak.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Road to Personas</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33647.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33647.html</guid>
		<description>Who are your users? How do they work? How do your products fit into their routines? Filippo discusses audience analysis and developing user profiles to create effective user assistance.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Jazzing It Up in the Emerald City</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33648.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33648.html</guid>
		<description>According to STC member and jazz musician Matso Limtiaco, there are many similarities between technical communication and musical composition.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Web 2.0: The Tipping Point for XML</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33649.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33649.html</guid>
		<description>Have you been waiting for the right time to switch to XML publishing? O’Keefe illustrates that with the advent of Web 2.0, the time is now.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Keeping Current</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33650.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33650.html</guid>
		<description>In any field of applied studies such as technical communication, you have to be aware of industry changes. Keeping current with research&#xD;and academic journals is important, but so is keeping current with what is going on in your industry, particularly in your own city. If you are educating people to get jobs as technical communicators, then you need to be sure you are giving them the right training for the markets they are entering.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Eclipse: Don&apos;t Get Left in the Dark</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33396.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33396.html</guid>
		<description>Offers a detailed look at Eclipse—an open-source integrated development environment—and also discusses why it is becoming increasingly important to technical communicators in the software industry. </description>
	</item>
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		<title>Information Management and Hazard Analysis</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33397.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33397.html</guid>
		<description>As a technical communicator, how can you “stay in the loop” throughout the life of a project? Frampton discusses the ways in which TCs can contribute their expertise from the very beginning.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Moving Toward a Content Reuse Strategy, Slowly and Carefully</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33398.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33398.html</guid>
		<description>The authors of this article use their own experience in implementing a content reuse strategy to assist the reader in effectively making the changes necessary while minimizing the effect on the departments or the company as a whole.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>How to Correctly Initiate a New Localization Project</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33399.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33399.html</guid>
		<description>Undertaking a localization project is a multi-step process. This article offers a step-by-step guide to localization that makes the project seem less daunting.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>What Do Movable Type and XML Have in Common?</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33400.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33400.html</guid>
		<description>Compares Gutenberg&apos;s invention of the movable type to the creation of XML. But where movable type changed the “economics of a mechanical process,” XML changed the “economics of content authoring, formatting, and customization.”</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Typography 101B: The Role of White Space in Making Words Readable</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/33401.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/33401.html</guid>
		<description>Hart continues his dissection of typography in this second installment, in which he discusses the important of spacing for the readability of words and sentences.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>DITA Tools from A to Z</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32792.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32792.html</guid>
		<description>Introduces readers to the major DITA tools for editing, content and translation management, and publishing.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>DITA and the Technical Communicator</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32793.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32793.html</guid>
		<description>How will DITA conversion affect your work? Sigman shares what she&apos;s learned from her own survey of technical communicators.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Tailor-Made DITA</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32794.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32794.html</guid>
		<description>DITA is known for the rigidity of its structure, but technical communicators have opportunities to adapt it to their content through specialization, a term that refers to the customization of DITA structures.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>DITA in Business</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32795.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32795.html</guid>
		<description>The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) has formed a new committee for encouraging the use of DITA in all areas of business. Readers can learn how to work with their organization to make the sharing of DITA content possible.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Ethics Case: The Engineered Résumé</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32796.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32796.html</guid>
		<description>A proposal specialist must decide whether to pursue more information about a new coworker whom she has reason to suspect was dishonest during the hiring process.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Hidden Cost of DITA</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32797.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32797.html</guid>
		<description>Many people see DITA architecture as a shortcut to avoiding content modeling. O&apos;Keefe warns readers against this mistake.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Building a DITA-Wiki Hybrid</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32816.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32816.html</guid>
		<description>Learn about theoretical and practical examples of merging DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture), a structured authoring methodology, and wiki’s freeform authoring and editing capabilities.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The &quot;Quick Web&quot; for Technical Documentation</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32817.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32817.html</guid>
		<description>So how did the wiki become a seemingly permanent fixture in the landscape of today’s Web? Which wikis have succeeded as technical documentation, and how can we replicate their success?</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Why You Should Care About the New ISO User Documentation Standard</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32698.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32698.html</guid>
		<description>Why should technical communicators be interested in ISO&apos;s user documentation standard? Hayhoe discusses the various advantages of this new systems and software engineering standard, and makes an argument for how the profession can gain by adhering to it.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Why Certification by the STC Won’t Work</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32687.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32687.html</guid>
		<description>The virtues of certification cannot be ignored, but they are outweighed by the drawbacks: There’s no evidence that employers will value certification; it can be highly subjective; and it requires ongoing renewal, even for experienced practitioners, to avoid diluting its value. The more important task must be to demonstrate our value to employers. Only once they understand our value will certification provide a means to assure employers that they can expect to receive that value.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Certification - Why We Need to Begin </title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32688.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32688.html</guid>
		<description>I believe certification of technical communicators is unavoidable, given the current status of related professions and our technological environment. Either the STC develops a certification program, or someone else will do it.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>When Good Projects Go Bad</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32255.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32255.html</guid>
		<description>Learn how to recognize and address problems in a project before it is too late.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Magic Three</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32256.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32256.html</guid>
		<description>With an inundation of tools for technical communicators to choose from, what are the best ones for specific tasks? And what should be the focus of technical communication—content, design, style?</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>STC&apos;s New Direction</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32257.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32257.html</guid>
		<description>Read about STC&apos;s new strategic goals and the direction in which the organization is heading.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Feast or Famine: U.S. Technical Writer Employment, 2007</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32258.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32258.html</guid>
		<description>Gives an in-depth overview of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics information regarding salary data for technical communicators.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Job Hunting in a Recession</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32259.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32259.html</guid>
		<description>Being unemployed can be very stressful and difficult—but being unemployed during a recession can be even worse. Molisani gives his tips and advice on how to weather the storm, and what steps you can take to find a job.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Training for Transit</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32260.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32260.html</guid>
		<description>Carole Beaudin-Hayes thought her job as a technical writer would lead her to a life of sitting behind a desk. Little did she know that there was much more to the world of technical communication in the transportation field.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Teaching Students in Trades and Technologies</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32261.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32261.html</guid>
		<description>Teaching students in academic settings can be very different than teaching technical communication to nonacademic students. Campbell gives tips on how to teach those in trades and technologies effectively.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Screencasting Redux</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/32262.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/32262.html</guid>
		<description>In a continuation of a previous introductory article about screencasting, Archee continues the discussion by delving deeper into the history, benefits, usefulness, and future of this powerful technical communication tool.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Adventures in Screencasting</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31845.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31845.html</guid>
		<description>How do you best assist users whose learning styles are more visual than verbal? Tietjen discusses the benefits and the how-to of screencasting, a mixture of visuals, audio, and complementary text.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Be Productive When a Project Stalls</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31849.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31849.html</guid>
		<description>With more and more companies adopting the Darwin Information Typing Architecture, Baril discusses how to choose a compatible content management system that also supports your company&apos;s processes. </description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>How to Build a Business Case</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31844.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31844.html</guid>
		<description>Learn how to convince your company to grant your purchase request through tips on building an effective business case.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Is Lone Writing Becoming a Team Sport?</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31847.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31847.html</guid>
		<description>Larbi discusses the transition—including advantages—that many lone writers face as globalization becomes more prevalent and individual consultants transform into lone writer teams. </description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Long-Distance Editing</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31848.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31848.html</guid>
		<description>Check out seven tips that will help you and your team remain busy and useful when you have extra time or gaps between projects.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Two Views on STC Certification</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31846.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31846.html</guid>
		<description>The ongoing discussion of certification continues with these concurrent articles, each arguing a different side of the coin.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Branding Your Company</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31361.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31361.html</guid>
		<description>Branding dates back to ancient times and can be an aspect of every field. Not only does branding provide clients with a sense of professionalism and reliability, it can also help define your company. </description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Communication in Customer Service</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31363.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31363.html</guid>
		<description>Expounds on the ins and outs of customer service, specifically with regard to effective communication practices. </description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Culture of China&apos;s Internet</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31354.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31354.html</guid>
		<description>With China fast overtaking the United States as the world&apos;s largest online market, Rogers provides helpful information on how technical communicators can tailor their Web sites to appeal to Chinese visitors. </description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Language Quality-Assurance Software</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31353.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31353.html</guid>
		<description>Explores the benefits of using Language QA Software to optimize documentation for organizations and companies.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Moving from Information Mapping to DITA</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31357.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31357.html</guid>
		<description>Is your company making the move from Information Mapping to DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture)? The author compares and contrasts the two methods and shares insight on how to ease the pain of switching from one to the other.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Much Ado about Nothing, Part 2: Deconstructing a Page</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31362.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31362.html</guid>
		<description>In a continuation of his January column, Hart sheds some light on page layout and design—and gives color to a seemingly “black-and-white” concept.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Online Teaching Opportunities for Technical Communicators</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31358.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31358.html</guid>
		<description>Supplement your income and provide students with real-world knowledge and experience. Learn what kinds of online teaching opportunities are out there for technical communicators.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Prepare Your Site for the Global Market</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31355.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31355.html</guid>
		<description>Are you looking for ways to maximize your company&apos;s global Web presence? Look no further, as the authors have laid out a step-by-step plan for creating and designing a multilingual site. </description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Schemas in Intercultural Communication</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31356.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31356.html</guid>
		<description>Raju demonstrates the importance of understanding cultural schemas—models providing patterns for understanding ideas or objects in a cultural context—when dealing with international technical communication.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Using Linux at Work and Home</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31359.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31359.html</guid>
		<description>For those who dream about gaining high-speed, efficient, and bug-free performance from their PCs, Archee discusses the option of Linux, the world&apos;s most developed computer operating system—and it&apos;s free. </description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>When Tech Writers Don&apos;t Read Directions</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31360.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31360.html</guid>
		<description>Find out what the Unspoken Rule of technical writers is and how to avoid violating it.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Audience Matters</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31078.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31078.html</guid>
		<description>By incorporating usability techniques--more commonly used in product design--writers can better understand their audiences and the ways they use (or have problems using) the content. Read on for tips on how to incorporate usability techniques into your work.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The Flexible Intranet</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31077.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31077.html</guid>
		<description>The key to efficient and effective user support is an intranet site that supports employees in performing their tasks. However, most intranet sites offer an overload of information that users often must interpret on their own. Van Mansom outlines a useful approach to creating corporate intranet sites.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Good Money--and Good Causes</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31080.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31080.html</guid>
		<description>Grant writing is a high-paying market for talented writers, and knowing the &apos;rules&apos; for writing grants makes the task easier to manage. Discover ten strategies for winning the grant award.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Keep Your Site Competitive</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31079.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31079.html</guid>
		<description>To gain a competitive edge--or even survive--in a world gone flat, a company must assert a level of uniqueness. Companies creating global Web sites can use competitive analysis and landscape analysis to analyze the market; Lee-Kim details how to add cultural analysis to this mix.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Screencasting: the Future of Technical Communication?</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31082.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31082.html</guid>
		<description>Screencasting has numerous advantages for software training: the added realism of the screen versus paper-based or static online screens, ease of use, and low cost. Archee reviews two popular programs.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Using Humor in the Technical Writing Classroom</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/31081.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/31081.html</guid>
		<description>Humor in the classroom is about engagement and involvement. Learn some new techniques to use and when to tread carefully.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Bring on Rich Media</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30778.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30778.html</guid>
		<description>Technical communicators must adapt to the changing dynamics presented by the addition of rich media in the technical documentation space. Discover some suggestions for how to do so.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Documenting While on Patrol</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30781.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30781.html</guid>
		<description>While the jobs of Mary Clouse and the rest of the Security and Documentation Unit of the New York State Senate Technology Services department aren&apos;t as glamorous as those of the senators themselves, they ensure that the Senate can use its automated systems to conduct its daily business smoothly, efficiently, and securely.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Don&apos;t Let Your Work Become a Commodity</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30779.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30779.html</guid>
		<description>Learn specific steps technical communicators can take to respond to the commoditization of technical tasks.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Information Development in a Flat World</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30780.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30780.html</guid>
		<description>The flat world has had a clear impact on information development and will continue to increase competitive pressure on the profession in the foreseeable future. By adapting to the realities of global organizations and global audiences and instituting a disciplined work environment that thrives on standards and best practices, technical communicators can remain competitive.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Much Ado about Nothing, Part I: The Importance of White Space</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30782.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30782.html</guid>
		<description>White space is a paradox: by definition it contains no information, yet it clearly communicates despite lack of content. Hart describes how to incorporate white space into the information design process.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Publishing XML Content with XSL</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30784.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30784.html</guid>
		<description>How do you convert your application-neutral, vendor-neutral, unformatted XML content into paginated content (such as PDF) or HTML? O&apos;Keefe introduces one solution: the Extensible Stylesheet Language, a programming language for processing XML.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Standards in an Uncertain World</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30777.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30777.html</guid>
		<description>Today, Help authors take HTML for granted. But XML is starting to displace HTML, bringing with it new technologies like DITA and Web 2.0, as well as the potential for disruption. Perlin examines how to prepare for the change through adhering to standards.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Teaching Professionalism in the Classroom</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30783.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30783.html</guid>
		<description>Looks at what it means to be professional as a technical writer, as a teacher, and as a student and explains how to teach professionalism in the classroom.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Three-Dimensional Illustration for Technical Communicators</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30776.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30776.html</guid>
		<description>You don&apos;t need to be a skilled illustrator to create effective 3-D graphics. Three-dimensional illustration allows the technical communicator to respond quickly to project changes and create imagery appropriate for most publications or multimedia. Burns&apos; article shows the benefits of 3-D artwork and its potential for technical communicators.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Editing for International Audiences</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30553.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30553.html</guid>
		<description>To remain competitive, companies must increase content reuse and multilingual usability while reducing volume and eliminating culturally sensitive language. Rushanan shows how editors can increase their value to their employers by functioning as leaders in the translation and localization process.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Entrepreneurs and the &apos;F&apos; Word</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30556.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30556.html</guid>
		<description>Since most employees-turned-entrepreneurs have little formal training in finance, they may be less than confident about how to ensure that their finances are in order. Frick shares some of her experiences in learning how to manage her finances for her business.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Hone Your Professional Skills: Find Your Writer&apos;s Voice</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30554.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30554.html</guid>
		<description>When concentrating on your daily tasks, you may lose track of your creative side. Discover four suggestions for how to stretch your creative muscles.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Merging Usability Practices with Document Design and Development</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30551.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30551.html</guid>
		<description>Examines the phases of document development and describes how to incorporate them with usability techniques to ensure that your information products remain continually useful and valuable.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Reader-Centered Documentation Provides the Necessary Context</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30555.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30555.html</guid>
		<description>A features-based approach to documentation is appropriate for reference manuals, where the goal is to provide information on something the reader already knows. This article explores how to meet the needs of the reader when providing documentation for user manuals.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Six Tips for Consulting Success</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30552.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30552.html</guid>
		<description>How do you get on a consulting agency&apos;s &apos;call-me-first&apos; list? The tips provided in this article are a good place to start.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>George Saunders: Taking Technical Writing into the World of Fiction</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30117.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30117.html</guid>
		<description>For George Saunders, recipient of a MacArthur Grant and former technical writer, years working on reports and proposals proved to be excellent training for creative writing.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Hierarchies in Online Information: Balancing Depth and Breadth</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30123.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30123.html</guid>
		<description>Hart explains how understanding hierarchies--the order in which information is grouped--can help you choose an appropriate balance between the depth and breadth of your online information.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>How to Interview Subject Matter Experts</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30116.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30116.html</guid>
		<description>While technical writers may interview subject matter experts on a daily basis to gather information for a project, very few training courses address how to conduct these interviews. Singer&apos;s article provides suggestions.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Incorporating Animation into Help Files</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30118.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30118.html</guid>
		<description>Information clarity, ease of use, and modern computing speeds are reasons to consider animation in Help files. Sharp&apos;s article presents three common types of animation and how to make them work for you.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>An Interest-ing Dilemma</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30124.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30124.html</guid>
		<description>A Web developer experiences uncertainty upon being asked to develop a site for a questionable start-up company.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Streamlining Content Creation and Publishing with XMetaL and DITA</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30120.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30120.html</guid>
		<description>To streamline the product documentation process, many technical publication teams are moving to Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA). Learn best practices for applying this information model, and hands-on techniques for improved content creation and publishing with JustSystems XMetaL.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Telecommuting: Eight Tips for Success</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30119.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30119.html</guid>
		<description>Shares tips with new telecommuters on setting up a home office, maintaining work discipline, staying connected with colleagues and clients, and easing a doubting manager&apos;s anxieties.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Web Two-Point Uh-Oh</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30121.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30121.html</guid>
		<description>The problem with many Web 2.0 applications is the assumption that the community&apos;s motives are good, or at least neutral. Perlin&apos;s column explores how one of the drawbacks of Web 2.0--potential loss of control over information--has manifested itself.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>When is XML the Wrong Answer?</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/30122.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/30122.html</guid>
		<description>XML-based publishing challenges authors to convert from the familiar desktop-publishing routine to new tools. This article explains what you should consider when deciding whether to implement XML.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>A Worldwide Phenomenon</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29923.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29923.html</guid>
		<description>The movement toward a global standard definition for our profession will be a long process, but it is already underway. STC is playing an important role in ensuring that the process benefits its members and contributes to the competitiveness of the firms that employ them.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Adapting to Scrum: Challenges and Strategies</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29463.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29463.html</guid>
		<description>Read about some of the challenges facing technical writers who create product documentation in a Scrum environment, as well as strategies for confronting these challenges.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Are You a Craftsperson or an Entrepreneur?</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29466.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29466.html</guid>
		<description>Discusses Michael E. Gerber&apos;s The E-Myth Revisited, a book that has led her to rethink her business and her approach to some key tasks.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Conflict Styles and Technical Communicators</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29464.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29464.html</guid>
		<description>More than most people, technical communicators are aware that if communication is not effective, conflicts can arise. Find out more about the Thomas-Kilmann conflict mode instrument (TKI) and how to identify your predominant conflict style.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Global XML</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29465.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29465.html</guid>
		<description>XML alone is not enough to effectively manage your organization&apos;s global content. Explore global XML and its benefits.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Mental Models: Laying Foundations to Support Readers</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29467.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29467.html</guid>
		<description>Technical communication is often no more complicated than clearly describing the steps in a procedure, but sometimes we must create new models for each key part of a complex procedure.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Quality Systems in Higher Education</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29468.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29468.html</guid>
		<description>Wiley shares the components of a quality system in higher education and offers examples of quality-management efforts undertaken by institutions of higher education.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>The What, Why, How, and Where of DITA</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29461.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29461.html</guid>
		<description>Is DITA right for your organization? This article provides a starting point for your own research on DITA.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Work-Embedded E-Learning: Wherever You Are, Whenever You Need It</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/29460.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/29460.html</guid>
		<description>New approaches in e-learning are stretching boundaries in exciting and game-changing ways. Find out about one of the newest ideas--work-embedded e-learning--that integrates learning materials directly into the work environment.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Closing the Content Gap: Converging Authoring and Translation</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/28801.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/28801.html</guid>
		<description>As companies strive to improve themselves by rethinking their global content strategies and redesigning these for the new world of continuous and multilingual deployment, they must unify their authoring and translation processes--not an easy task. Fenstermacher explains why authors and translators should work to close the content gap that often exists.</description>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Communicating Across Cultures by E-mail: Advice for Consultants</title>
		<link>http://tc.eserver.org/28806.html</link>
		<guid>http://tc.eserver.org/28806.html</guid>
		<description>E-mail styles and preferences can vary from country to country, presenting a possible challenge to effective communication. Read on for how to add a personal touch to your messages so that e-mail becomes an asset to your business.</description>
	</item>
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