#24389
Starting a Chapter-Level Special Interest Group 
STC's special interest groups (SIGs) provide a way for STC members to share their interest in particular areas of technical communication. Society SIGs at the international level may have hundreds of members, and many publish a newsletter, host an electronic newsgroup, and sponsor events and sessions at STC's annual conferences. Chapter SIGs usually have fewer members, but, because their members live in the same area, they can meet regularly and address members'local needs.
Taylor, Cheri W. Tieline (2000). Articles>TC>Community Building
#26250
I was having a hard time coming up with a program that would provide tangible member benefits and be easy to maintain at low (or no) cost. I finally found what I was looking for when a friend told me about a book review he was writing for O’Reilly, a technical publisher. When I asked how he got hooked up with O’Reilly, he filled me in on their user group program.
Wigser, Sarah. Tieline (2005). Articles>TC>Community Building
#24380
STC-U: Supporting Members through Education
How does an STC chapter address such a wide scope of skills and interests? The answer for us is an educational program called STC-U.
Nelsen, Kymm. Tieline (2003). Articles>Education>TC
#26256
Strategic Plans: Focusing Chapter Energy
If your chapter has never created a strategic plan, or if it has been a long time since plans were updated, it's a good idea to develop one now. Those first plans can require one or two years to create, but don't be intimidated by the commitment. The phases of the plan are easily broken down into small, manageable sessions for which you can set reasonable or flexible completion dates.
Silvi, Deborah H. and Jamie H. Diamandopoulos. Tieline (2005). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#26254
Strength In Numbers: Forging Bonds with Nearby Communities
Although the economy in Northern California has improved, people are not clamoring to become technical communicators the way they were in the boom days of the late 1990s. Finding volunteers for chapter positions is difficult, and those who do volunteer often have to do more with less. An organization of local chapters can facilitate inter-chapter communication and sharing of resources.
Maki, Victoria J. Tieline (2005). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#24382
Supporting Our Members through Lean Times
The Twin Cities chapter offers a variety of services to help out-of-work and underemployed writers and editors. Of these services, the most important is something that many members may take for granted: opportunities for volunteers. Members may not realize it, but volunteering at the chapter level improves their marketability by helping them acquire new skills and hone the skills they already have. Some of the Society’s most loyal and active members are those whose careers have seen marked improvement as a result of their participation in STC.
Levander, Deanne K. Tieline (2003). Careers>Unemployment>Community Building>STC
#31536
Good leadership involves a responsibility to the welfare of the group. If you make choices based on popularity, you will avoid making tough decisions. You might even avoid confrontation and, as a result, deserving people may not be rewarded for their accomplishments. Sometimes leaders have to draw a line in the sand and take a stand.
Laurent, J. Suzanna. Tieline (2008). Articles>Management>Community Building>STC
#30749
"Thursdays @ STC Chicago" Provide a Unique Networking Opportunity 
In March 2007, the Chicago Chapter STC started a program that has become quite popular with its members. If your community covers a large geographic area, or has a large number of members, this program may work well for you too.
Friend, Russ. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#31850
Using Constant Contact to Communicate with Your Members
Using Constant Contact helped us distribute mass emails to (the former Region 4) STC members to promote a regional conference that we held in October 2007. This was a successful and professional-looking campaign. We signed up for a 60 day trial account to evaluate the Constant Contact service. The trial was so successful that our board voted to purchase an account for the NEO STC Community.
Spayer, Tricia. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#30071
The literature on managing virtual teams and projects across cultures and locations is primarily theoretical and not integrated with information about collaborative tools such as wikis, blogs, and project dashboards. The authors advocate choosing the best situational tool, based on team and team members' needs.
Pappas, Lisa. Tieline (2007). Articles>Multimedia>Audio>Podcasting
#32158
Changing Dynamics, Economy, and Momentum
To reinvigorate the chapter, former chapter president, Theresa Putkey suggested that the chapter move to a member-driven, online community. Instead of the eight volunteers currently pulling the chapter along, the chapter’s 250 members can set the pace, build momentum, and provide more value than a handful of volunteers are able to provide.
Putkey, Theresa. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#32159
So, Why Should You Be a Member of STC, Anyway?
As a former Board member, I was often buttonholed by members to discuss what the Board was doing and our plans for STC's future. One of the most common topics of discussion was, "What am I getting for my membership and why should I renew?" Why should you renew? Beats the heck outta me. But I can tell you why I renew, year after year after year.
Hedtke, John. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Professionalism>STC
#32701
Getting Everyone’s Foot in the Door with SIN (Shy, Inactive, and New) SIG
In addition to providing a welcoming atmosphere, SIN SIG offers newcomers a jump-start to networking. As a new member, Thuy Vu took advantage of SIN SIG for exactly that purpose. She says, "To have the support and resources of SIN SIG from day one was very valuable to me as a new member. SIN SIG made it much easier to connect with the group and to learn my way around." We've found that the casual SIN SIG meeting with its small group provides an avenue to get to know a few faces and learn about opportunities for involvement without intimidating new people.
Miller, Elisa. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
#32702
Keep Everyone Informed with Twitter!
At this year's Technical Communication Summit, I introduced social networking at Leadership Day by telling those in attendance about Twitter. Some folks already knew about it, but for others, it was a new concept ... letting people know what was going on in real time? Setting up meetings? Getting the A/C fixed in the conference rooms? By the end of the Summit, about 20 people had sent messages, or tweeted, consistently throughout the conference.
James-Tanny, Char. Tieline (2008). Articles>Management>Community Building>STC
#32703
Targeted Operational Areas: Financial and Status Reports
The focus of the Society office over the last two months has been working with chapter and SIG leaders on their financial reports for the 2008 Fiscal Year (July 2007-June 2008) and their Community Status Reports (CSRs) for the May-August 2008 period. For the chapters, this also includes submission of the appropriate tax forms.
Buttram, Diana. Tieline (2008). Articles>Management>Financial>STC
#33712
Creating an Online Survey with SurveyMonkey
Surveys have always been a great way to gauge users' opinions and reactions toward new and existing products and services. With SurveyMonkey, an online survey software program, creating a survey has become a quick and easy way to create useful surveys for a multitude of needs. In this reprint of David Farbey's article, originally published in the January 2006 edition of Forward, the newsletter of the UK Chapter, Farbey gives a step-by-step guide on creating a survey with SurveyMonkey.
Farbey, David. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Community Building>Surveys
#33713
Age 50+ Persona for the STC Body of Knowledge
Many STC members have contributed to the Body of Knowledge and as the endeavor continues, the more important it becomes to gain many perspectives and ideas from all across the STC membership. SIGs have unique angles for their contributions. Lori Gillen, co-manager of the AccessAbility SIG, contributed this persona for use by the BOK. This persona illustrates pertinent accessibility issues that a body of knowledge for technical communicators should encompass.
Gillen, Lori. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Personas>Body of Knowledge
#33714
Breaking Traditions and Taking Risks
Innovation is important in any area of life, and STC communities are no exception. Last year, STC Chicago and STC-NIU (Northern Illinois University) combined their strengths to facilitate innovation and to help revive a student chapter.
Loynes, Ericka. Tieline (2008). Articles>TC>Community Building>STC
