Sunday, June 1 - Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

DD: Developing and Delivering Content

Writing, editing, and visual communication are the technical communicator's core competencies. This track will help attendees keep updated on best practices in communicating content, provide practical information on using different media to communicate information, investigate writing for diverse audiences, and use text and graphics to communicate effectively.

Communicating and Creating Training for Disasters and Emergencies

How do you write emergency training that will engage people to become prepared when they are apprehensive about their safety? Come hear members of the Environmental, Safety and Health SIG share their experiences with this type of documentation.

Conceptual Diagrams: Tools for Science Communication

Visuals can effectively convey complex scientific information to broad audiences. This mini-workshop will demonstrate a method for developing visuals that provide synthesis, visualization, and appropriate content.

Delivering on the Promise of Lower Localization Costs

Lowering localization costs requires more than writing, translation, and technology best practices. SMEs, vendors, and writers must be managed effectively. This case study analyzes cost metrics, lessons learned, and the reality of localization projects.

Doing More With Less: Optimizing a Localization Budget

Fluke Corporation, a manufacturer of hand-held devices, planned to localize its content into nine languages; the budget only allowed five. Using ABREVE® from Translations.com, the content retained usability and accuracy, and was localized into seven languages.

Editing Influences across Technical Communication (Technical Editing SIG Progression)

A collection of progression topics brainstormed, recommended, and presented by members of the Technical Editing SIG.

Editing Modular Documentation

Much has been said about how to create modular documentation; however, little has been said about editing and the editor’s role in this reuse-rich environment. This presentation provides best practices for editing modular documentation.

Expert Evaluation of Training

This session provides expert evaluation/review of either classroom or e-Learning courses. Participants pre-submit materials for evaluation by one of our expert instructional designers. Each participant receives both written and oral comments.

Faceted Classification for File Management

Sure, your documentation projects are carefully organized and well maintained, but what about that mess on your hard drive? Learn how faceted classification and vocabulary control can impose order on chaos.

If You Can't Find It, It Doesn't Exist

Finding that document, spreadsheet, or newsletter is becoming more difficult as content management systems begin to fill up with, aghast, content. Good metadata can help locate what you needed yesterday before tomorrow is long gone.

Improving Source Content Quality for Global Audiences

Find out how Avaya implemented global authoring strategies to dramatically improve authoring productivity. By automating style guide and reuse checks, the time and cost of global authoring have been greatly reduced.

Information Product Evaluation Workshop

Sign up in advance to receive a thirty-minute analysis of your information product by an expert. Your product will be evaluated for organization, style, layout, and use of graphics. Bring your product and supply your own laptop if in an online format.

International Issues: Knowledge Transfer between Practitioners and Academics in New Zealand and Crisis Communication in Canada

This session presents the results of a survey and personal interviews of New Zealand technical communication practitioners about their relationship with the academic community. Secondly, a case study examines a communication breakdown in order to identify principles useful to participants confronting organizational crises.

Interviewing SMEs—Make Them Feel Valued

Subject matter experts are valuable during information gathering. Making SMEs feel included in a project—before, during, and after interviews—is a must. Here are techniques to do just that.

Love Thy Developer: How to Become an API Writer

You, too, can be an API technical writer, even without a master's in computer science. This session describes the basics of APIs, how to organize API documentation, and how to work with feisty developers to become an invaluable asset to your company.

Microsoft Intranet Best Practices for Content Teams

The use of intranets is booming. Learn how technical communications teams can improve processes and content.

Migrating to Topic-based Documentation: Content Strategies

In this session, you'll learn how to migrate legacy content into topic-based information products by hearing the recent experiences of the technical publications team from Juniper Networks.

Printed Manuals a Thing of the Past?

Documentation and support managers from Palm, HP and Netgear will discuss the role of printed documentation in relation to the variety of ways users get learning and support information.

So, You Can Write. But Can You Think?

Who isn’t thinking about content management systems, reuse, XML, and DITA? The real question is: who is thinking about the content? This workshop will explore the three standard topic types and show you how to apply them to your content.

Topic-Based Architecture for Printed Documents

Case studies investigate two companies, approaches to architecting printed documents.

Topics of Special Interest

Progression session with general topics of interest presented jointly by the Environmental, Safety, and Health; Policies and Procedures; and Quality and Process Improvement SIGs.

Translation Management Solution (TMS) Benefits during Localization

Translation Management Systems (TMS) are making inroads to enhance localization processes, communications, and meeting requirements. A must-attend session if you're involved in localization and don't know what TMS is.

Using Technology to Manage Content

Managing content has always been a problem. In these two case studies, presenters explain how to use eVision and some single-sourcing to re-architect mounds of technical content with aggressive deadlines and no increase to staff. A second case study will describe efforts to develop and deliver information to customers using an open source CMS and wiki technology. Content managed and delivered includes documentation, context-sensitive Help, PDF books, and user community contributions and feedback.

When Did Google Become a Verb? American English as a Moving Target

American English changes fast, and words that today are considered slang or mashed together can appear in dictionaries tomorrow. Plus, technology tests the bounds of terminology and usage. This session helps tech communicators make usage decisions.

Writing for Security and Defense Projects

Security and defense jobs currently abound, but navigating the maze of specifications and requirements is daunting. This is a roadmap toward unlocking the bureaucracy when the customer is the government.