Working with Remote Teams – STC Florida September Chapter Meeting

September 19, 2018 by Madison Hughes

Todd DeLuca will be providing a live webinar on Working on Remote Teams. All you need is your phone or PC! We will also be meeting at the Riptide Software to join the virtual meeting for those who want to network face-to-face.

Event Timing: September 20, 6:30-8:30pm (Presentation begins at 7:00pm)
Event Address: Online through Google Meet or Riptide Software, 200 E. Palm Valley Drive, Suite 2000, Oviedo, FL 32765
Virtual Access: Details to be sent to attendees who RSVP and send payment

The definition and the makeup of workplace teams has changed significantly due to technology and the ubiquity of the internet. In fact, odds are good that you are part of a group or team with members that are not physically located in a local office. There may even be people you work with that you’ve never seen or met in person. Basically, if you use email, IM, online meetings, or discussion boards, you’re part of a virtual team.

How would you rate your virtual team experience? The dynamics of being part of a team in this new landscape are different and most organizations don’t manage or support virtual teams as effectively as they could. Often the tried-and-true methodologies from the past don’t meet the needs of a more distributed, diverse, and international workforce. There’s a lot of room for improvement. Don’t worry, that’s why we’re here and joining together virtually to share suggestions on making virtual teams work better.

Join us for an honest look at virtual teams and come away with helpful ideas and useful suggestions on how to be a star member of your own virtual group. And don’t be surprised if some of the solutions center around communication.

RSVP

You can RSVP now on Meetup for face-to-face attendance or on our website for virtual access. We will also be sharing this presentation online through Google Meet for remote attendees. Please refer to the Payment Details below for the rates for this meeting. If you have any questions, please contact president@stc-orlando.org.

Michael Apotheker wins STC-PMC 2018 Scholarship

September 14, 2018 by Jen Heller Meservey

This year, the STC-PMC scholarship award went to Michael Apotheker, an undergraduate student majoring in media communications at the University of Delaware. Each year, the $500 scholarship is awarded to a local student working toward a bachelor’s degree with an interest in the technical communication field.

Michael said that he developed an interest in technical communication after taking a course taught by Professor Luttrell, a member of STC-PMC. “I had been thinking about possible paths I could take, and one of them was scientific communication,” he said. “I learned about the scholarship and decided to apply, hoping to learn more about this field.”

Michael added that he was “surprised but excited” when he heard that he had won the award. “This scholarship reminds me of how much potential I have and how many paths are open to me, and that encouragement is driving me forward to continue exploring directions that interest me.” He plans to use the scholarship money to finish his degree. “I am thankful to have the extra help it gives me financially,” he said.

As for his future plans, Michael said that he has three important goals: “In whatever career I decide to follow, my goals are to excel, foster equality, and leave a lasting positive legacy for future generations.”

April Chapter Meeting: Lunch N’Learn Webinar: Slack for Technical Writers and Editors

April 9, 2018 by Madison Hughes

STC- Philadelphia Metro Chapter and STC-New England Chapter are pleased to host this informative Lunch N’ Learn Webinar about Slack for Technical Writers and Editors.

About the Webinar:

Sara Feldman of STC-San Diego and Ben Woelk of STC-Rochester will host a 1 hour Lunch N’ Learn virtual workshop about Slack, the popular messaging app.

The workshop will introduce how the tool is used for both workplace communication and dispersed communities, demonstrate basic features and functionality, and give participants a chance to interact via Slack real-time. There will be plenty of time for Q&A and a chance to get comfortable with the tool among peers.

The content will be introductory and help practitioners learn how to use Slack with hands-on demo.

Registrants will need to join our Slack Workshop space:

Click here for Slack Workshop Space.

Note: If users don’t already have a Slack account, they will need to create one to join the workspace. They should aim to join the Slack workspace before the program starts.

Can’t attend the workshop? Sign up anyway to view the recording at a later time.

We’ll send you the GoToMeeting link right before the event to registrants.

When?
Wednesday, April 25, 2018 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (EDT)

Register today!

About the Presenters:

Sara Feldman has over 10 years of experience as a technical writer, primarily in the software industry and focused on online support. She earned her BS in Technical Communication and Communication Studies from James Madison University. Sara is currently the President of the San Diego Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication.

Ben Woelk, CISSP, CPTC, is an Associate Fellow of the Society for Technical Communication, where he currently serves as Scholarship Committee Chair and Vice President of the Rochester Chapter. Ben is the author of Shockproofing Your Use of Social Media: Staying Safe Online (available on Kindle). You can connect with Ben on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Have questions about STC Joint Chapter Lunch N’Learn Webinar: Slack for Technical Writers and Editors? Contact STC – Philadelphia Metro Chapter

The Trouble with DITA: Improving DITA Satisfaction

February 12, 2018 by Madison Hughes

Presenter: Rob Hanna

Date: Wednesday, 14 February
Time: 2:00-3:00 PM EST (GMT-5)

The DITA Satisfaction Survey indicates that 62% of respondents using DITA are–to varying degrees–dissatisfied. It’s not surprising; after all, moving to DITA is a seismic shift in technical writing with many opportunities for things to go wrong. This session will look at the survey data to better understand where organizations are having problems, and we’ll discuss strategies to mitigate many of these issues.

Register now!

STC Webinar: From Business Writing to Consulting

February 5, 2018 by Madison Hughes

Being a technical writer does not mean you must confine yourself behind a screen for your whole career. Transitioning to more of a “business writer” role can provide you the opportunity to stretch into other areas of your organization. This could include supporting sales efforts, serving as a consultant, or helping internal process improvements.

This webinar will highlight:

The differences between business and technical writing.
Business writing as a viable alternative for technical writers seeking a change of pace.
Business writing as not just work performed by your consultants, but as a tool to position your organization for follow-up work.
How to leverage the knowledge gained from writing about services to begin actually performing those services as a consultant.

Presenter: Daniel Conrad

Date: Wednesday, 7 February
Time: 2:00-3:00 PM EST (GMT-5)