The March 9 NEO STC meeting will be a "Meet and feats" at the AmeriSuites Hotel in Independence, beginning at 6 p.m.
The winners of the online and technical publication competition will receive their awards prior to the 7 p.m. program, which features Alan Horvath of StarGroup. Horvath will address translation and localization services and tools.
Receiving awards in the Technical Publication division are:
Stephanie Mohar and Maria M. Hlas from National City Corporation, Award of Excellence, National City Home Equity Broker Web Site Quick Reference.
Tricia Spayer from Pressco Technology Inc., Award of Merit, Intellispec System Manual.
For the Online Competition, the award recipients are:
Tom Hudson and Meloyde Khattak from BMC Software, Inc., Award of Excellence,
MainView for OS/390 Interactive Guide.
We hope to greet others as well. Members are encouraged to bring a non-member to the meeting for a discount price. Non-members receive $10 off the non-member registration price.
New members are encouraged to come at 5:30 p.m. to meet the officers and receive a new member packet. The information includes how to get the most benefit from your STC membership.
Join us to help greet new members and salute our award winners! Details of the meeting are at http://www.neostc.org/.
2/15/2006: Networking lunch. Serio's, 2732 East Aurora Rd., Twinsburg.
2/22/2006: Webinar: Improve Your Technical Communication Skills through Creative Writing Techniques, presented by Susan Haire, Amy Himes, and Marella Colyvas. For more information, see https://stc.webex.com/stc/mywebex/default.php*
3/8/2006: Webinar: Instructions for Writing Instructions: Guidelines for Organization and Content, presented by Caroline Stern. For more information, see https://stc.webex.com/stc/mywebex/default.php*
3/9/2006: Monthly Meeting: Alan Horvath: Translation Memory
4/1/2006: Online Help: Trends, Tips, and Tools (joint meeting with Pittsburgh chapter), presented by Char James-Tanny.
5/7 to 5/10/2006: STC's 53rd Annual Conference and Exhibition at the Paris and Bally's Las Vegas hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada. Conference registration costs are now posted online at www.stc.org/53rdConf/53confRegInfo01.asp.
* Note that the chapter is not sponsoring these webinars. If you would like to host a seminar, please
e-mail us.
Reminder: If you RSVP but do not show up for a meeting, it costs the chapter money — we have to pay upfront for meals. Please remember to let the Programs Committee (programs@neostc.org) know in advance if you have registered but cannot make it to a meeting.
Non-NEO STC events
2/16/2006: Copyright Law Issues in the Digital Communication Age.
Wondering if you can copyright that great internet marketing campaign you just finished? Can people use your ideas in their blogs? Do you or your employer own the copyright? Join us as Sharon L. Toerek, of Toerek Co. LPA, discusses copyright law issues for the modern day communications and marketing professional. There is no fee to attend and refreshments will be provided. We would love to see you there!
Cinecraft Productions, Inc., 2515 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44113
Speaker: Sharon L. Toerek, practicing lawyer in the areas of copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property law, and business law.
When: Thursday February 16, 2006
3:00-3:30 registration
3:30-4:30 presentation
4:30-5:30 refreshments
Register by sending an e-mail to dan@cinecraft.com or call 216.781.2300.
2/3/2006: Managing Implementation of Structured Authoring webinar (TrackAccess). 11 a.m. Eastern time, 90 minutes. Cost: $19.95.
In this webcast, Sarah O'Keefe will deliver a live presentation on
structured authoring implementation. Presented by Scriptorium Publishing. For more information, see http://store.scriptorium.com/Browse_dept_items.asp/categ_id/27/parent_ids/0
2/15/2006: How to Build A Business Case for Content Management webinar, presented by Bret Freeman of Vasont Systems. Free. For more information, see http://www.vasont.com/vasont/news/events.asp
April 1 is our third annual joint meeting with the Pittsburgh STC chapter. This all-day event will provide a great educational experience centered around online help, as well as a chance to network with STC colleagues.
Online help guru and renowned STC expert Char James-Tanny will be presenting an overview on the past, present, and future trends of help, giving us a glimpse on what's new in Windows Vista (formerly Longhorn), and facilitating a hands-on workshop on how to select the right help authoring tool.
In addition, vendor representatives and material will be available for the following help authoring tools: ComponentOne Doc-to-Help®, AuthorIT, Adobe (formerly Macromedia) RoboHelp, MadCap Flare, and Quadralay Corporation WebWorks.
The joint meeting will be at the Holiday Inn in Boardman, OH.
The cover story of the February 2006 issue of Intercom features the three most requested Intercom articles. One of these articles, "Seven Steps to Successful Online Help," was co-authored by our own Jeanette Evans. Congratulations!
The STC Board of Directors meeting was held Friday and Saturday, January 25 - 26, in Atlanta, Georgia. I was able to briefly talk to Bob Dianetti, our Region 4 Director-Sponsor, to see what one of the key areas would be brought up in their discussion.
He was excited to report that there would be a vote on establishing the Leadership Community Resource as a standing committee in the STC international bylaws. So, what does this mean for us as a chapter?
For one, the LCR committee replaces the sponsorship role. Directors will be primarily directors.
Secondly, each chapter will now have one person on the LCR committee to represent the chapter, instead of the Director-Sponsor representing multiple chapters. This change will allow for mentoring, leadership, and direct communication within a chapter. The LCR representative will be someone who has been involved in the chapter in the past and can act as a resource to those in immediate office, helping board members deal with current issues that may identical to those seen in years past.
This position will also allow for international communication. For example, if someone is looking for an employment contact in a foreign country, the LCR representative in that international chapter would be the best place to start for help.
If you have any questions about the Board of Directors or the Board meeting, please contact Bob Dianetti (dir4@stc.org).
For information on the Leadership Community Resource committee, please see the LCR section on the http://www.stc.org/initiatives01.asp page of the STC Web site.
NEO STC hosted a Software Saturday workshop on January 21, inviting Alan Houser, president of Group Wellesley, Inc., to instruct participants on how to work with Adobe's FrameMaker and Quadralay Corporation's WebWorks ePublisher Pro. The all-day workshop included lessons in unstructured and structured FrameMaker and an introduction to WebWorks.
Participants spent the first half of the workshop learning about unstructured FrameMaker, creating templates and adding output-governing conditions (in other words, print and help) to documents. Using a computer classroom at the Cuyahoga Community College's Western Campus in Parma, the workshop allowed for hands-on training. This, combined with Alan's understanding of FrameMaker, resulted in a highly productive morning.
The afternoon session began with an introduction to structured FrameMaker. Since the release of FrameMaker 7, Adobe has combined FrameMaker + SGML and FrameMaker into a single product, allowing the user to select the version of the software in which he or she wants to work. Due to time constraints, Alan provided only a high-level overview of the structured authoring options, but he provided enough information for the participants to understand the benefits of structure.
The day ended with a quick run-through of WebWorks' new ePublisher Pro. Alan demonstrated how users new to the product can easily generate a basic HTML-based help file using out-of-the-box defaults and a FrameMaker document. He also explained the customization options available through WebWorks' style and document designers.
After allowing participants time to play in the software, Alan stayed to answer follow-up questions and even went back to FrameMaker to demonstrate some timesaving template tricks, making sure everyone left with a new skill to bring to the office Monday morning.
Ed Stevens, Sr., of the advertising and PR firm Stevens Baron Communications, spoke at our January meeting. Well known in the
Cleveland advertising scene, Mr. Stevens' experience is deep and varied. He led the PR department for several large companies and for his own business. His clients have ranged from start-ups to established companies, and he has worked in many industries, from manufacturing to healthcare to banking and beyond. In addition, he is the current president of the NEO Communication Affiliates (NEOCA), a networking organization for local professionals.
At the meeting, Stevens gave a lively and interesting presentation titled "Marketing Yourself: Putting Your Best Foot Forward on Different Paths." Here are just a few highlights from his presentation:
Do you know what keeps your boss (or your client) up at night? If you do, you have got a chance to position yourself for success by finding a solution.
Do you know how success is measured at your company? If you do, you can align your plans and priorities to garner more respect.
To lead with your strengths, first you have to know what they are.
Setting goals is good, but you also need to communicate them to people who can help you. Don't be too shy!
Based on the presentation, if you're thinking of entering the PR field, it's easier said than done. More than a third of local PR practitioners are independent, and you could end up starting your own business. On the practical front, you should build a portfolio of marketing-related materials that you have worked on, and you should write by-line articles (not anonymous) whenever you have the opportunity. Your experience might be from volunteer work, and that's fine. What you may not think of when choosing a volunteer opportunity is to look at who's on the board of that organization and how those individuals can help you enter the PR field.
Stevens encouraged us to consider that we are already part of the "communications ladder." Technical literature and manuals, PR and advertising, investor relations, and even counseling the CEO are all communications functions.
One of my own favorite "take-aways" from the meeting was what he called, "The 90% Rule." In any project or venture, the last 10% is usually too difficult and too expensive to be worth it.
Everyone got a chuckle when Stevens advised us to "claim to be an expert, and you are one." We've all run into this before, thinking "I know more than that self-proclaimed expert!" Then why not put the shoe on the other foot and get the benefit of the expertise you know you have? Let people know you've got answers, and you can be the authority.
My expert opinion is that the meeting was a success and worthwhile for everyone who attended!
The NEO STC board held their semi-annual meeting January 10, 2006 at the Independence Library.
Items of interest included:
The chapter had a 17% increase in membership over the past year. Beth Williams, the chapter's membership manager, was recognized for her contributions to this effort.
Maximus donated $500 for this year's chapter volunteer reward program. The funds also will help send someone to the STC national convention in Las Vegas.
Rockwell pledged $100 toward some type of chapter activity this year.
Chapter dues must be paid by the end of February.
The "Rewards" program, which awards gifts such as t-shirts to members who volunteer for chapter activities, was reviewed. The top 15 point-earners for this year will receive a polo shirt.
The mentoring program between college students and NEO STC chapter members is still being organized.
The employment committee will publish a local employer directory for NEO STC members by May; the index will be organized alphabetically by city. At this time, employer-submitted jobs will continue to be posted free.
Members will receive a list of possible restaurants for networking lunch sites; please submit your request for your favorite restaurants.
The newsletter committee, led by Barb Philbrick, continues to produce a very nice newsletter. The newsletter will not be entered in the publications competition this year due to a conflict in dates between the newsletter and the competition.
Plans are being made for a possible joint meeting with ASTD.
Program suggestions for monthly meetings have been very well received.
Companies are asking to advertise on our Web site; the board is working on guidelines for the ads.
The chapter will pay the registration fee to send the incoming STC president to the annual STC conference each year.
The chapter is considering holding a Region 4 conference in 2007.
Your HTML pages can contain PDF file links that allow your site visitors to view the files using Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader within Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, or Safari (Mac OS). The PDF document opens to the first page by default, but you can set the PDF to open to a specific page by adding the page number to the end of the link’s URL. When you target an HTML link to a specific PDF page, the link will only work when visitors view the PDF within the browser. (When using the default link setting, you can set up Acrobat to launch in a separate window.)
To point an HTML link to a particular page in a PDF file, add #page=[page number] to the end of the link URL. For example, the URL "http://www.testserver.com/testfile.pdf#page=4” opens on page 4 of the “testfile.pdf” document.
Help authors have been concerned about the future of RoboHelp. There has been news of layoffs in the RoboHelp development and management teams, no recent releases, and no commitment to new releases.
MadCap Software is positioning itself to take the lead in help authoring software with its new Flare software. Currently, a free full-functioning pre-release version of MadCap Flare is available from its Web site, http://www.madcapsoftware.com/
If you try out MadCap Flare, we would love to get your opinions on it! Please contact Barb Philbrick (caslon@alltel.net) if you would like to write a review of MadCap Flare.
What does being a member of an organization mean to you? Does it mean getting a publication centered on the industry's foremost topics once a month? Does it tie you to others in your line of work so you don't feel the workplace frustrations on your own?
Well, being a part of STC can mean so much more. I recently was thinking about just what the "for" stands for in the Society "for" Technical Communication. It isn't "of" as many people may think. Because it is a society FOR this profession, why don't more technical communicators take part of its identity in the many areas that are available?
As a member, there are many benefits that are within your reach. The most available benefits are networking and educational opportunities. Within NEO STC, you can take advantage of these opportunities at least once a month, if not more, through monthly meetings, webinars, and networking luncheons.
Two of the most common areas that STC members do not take advantage of are special interest groups (SIGs) and voting in the annual international elections.
Depending on your membership level, you can join one or more SIGs. With more than 20 available, you can dig deeper into levels of research and topic exploration in SIG Web sites, listservs, and newsletters. These areas provide Web information, direction to papers and books, and access to content experts that provide insight and possibly unexpected camaraderie. Refer to http://www.stc.org/sig_links.asp for more information on how to join and participate.
The second area where I have noticed that members do not take full advantage of is voting. Each year, approximately 13% of our membership base takes part in determining who will sit in the international-level positions.
The biggest complaint that most people cite for not voting is that they feel they do not have enough information about the candidates. This year, STC has made it easy to participate by providing direct access to information about who is running, for which position, and their views. See http://www.stc.org/candidatesFAQ/index.asp. There is no secrecy in what these candidates have to say! On this page, you can ask questions, and all members can view the candidates' response to your question. Each member should feel responsible for who is representing them at the international level.
Finally, as a member, the biggest benefit you receive in participating in the organization is to grow in your career. Why not take part in volunteering in NEO STC to broaden your skill base or meet new people in technical communication fields? Please contact Bob Young (ryoung1956@sbcglobal.net) or Stephanie Webster (swebster@tmwsystems.com) if you are interested in adding more value to your membership.
Thanks to those who have renewed their dues for 2006. The chapter is looking forward to another great year of active members!
Candace Wintering makes a great contribution to our NEO STC chapter! She currently coordinates efforts as our competitions manager and previously served on the membership and public relations committees.
With a BS in Biology from John Carroll University, MS in Urban Studies (Environmental Science) from Cleveland State University, and Technical Writing certificate from the Corporate College at CCC, Candace currently works for Quadax, Inc., a medical billing software company. She is a technical writer and Web site manager. Her primary duty is software documentation, but she also produces some marketing materials in addition to writing content for the Web. She shares Web site duties with colleague Brian Baddour, who is our NEO STC Webmaster.
Before entering technical communication, Candace managed the camp-in and summer camp programs for the Great Lakes Science Center. Camp-ins are overnight science programs for schools and youth groups such as Scouts or Indian Guides/Princesses. Up to 400 students per night participate in science workshops and demonstrations and spend the night on the museum floors. Candace designed and wrote the curriculum for the hands-on workshops, trained the staff, supervised the camp-ins, and created the marketing materials. When spending weekends at the Science Center with hundreds of kids began to lose its appeal, Candace investigated other possible careers. As she puts it:
"I discovered that Tri-C offered a certificate program in Technical Communication, and I thought this might be a field in which I could combine my writing and technical skills. I enrolled in classes, most of which were taught by NEO STC members. Because the teachers were also practitioners, they knew exactly what was important for technical communicators. The classes proved to be excellent preparation for my new career, and I can honestly say that I have used almost everything I learned in them in my work. Mike Bates, my online communications teacher, offered me an internship at Rockwell, and I worked for him for six months before he left for Intuit. Mike was a great mentor, and I gained a lot of practical experience with him. The experience has proven valuable in my current position at Quadax, where I am the lone writer in my division and the only one creating online help systems."
Candace previously worked as a medical technologist, as well as being a stay-at-home mom when her children were young. Her children are now in college, one at Ohio State, one at Cleveland State, and the oldest at Cleveland-Marshall Law School. When her children were in school, Candace was very involved with the schools. She co-chaired a successful school levy campaign, served on curriculum committees for gifted education and for restructuring the day at the high school (block scheduling), was president of an elementary school PTA and PTA Council (awarded honorary lifetime membership in Ohio PTA), coached Science Olympiad, and coached and coordinated Odyssey of the Mind, a creative problem-solving competition. Candace and husband Mark now enjoy being empty-nesters.
Currently president of the Welcome Wagon Club of Bay Village, Candace is Webmaster for that group and for the Bay Village Garden Club. This past year she was also a member of a Relay for Life team that raised money for the American Cancer Society. Her hobbies include biking, painting, going to the theater, and traveling. The highlight of this past year was a trip to Italy that included a week at an agriturismo in the Tuscan hills.
InPro Systems of Cleveland is seeking a contract Technical Writer/Trainer with strong RoboHelp experience, especially in generating context-sensitive help and developing Web-based content.
Cynergies Solutions Group, Inc. is looking for 4 to 6 Technical Writers (six-month contract) to develop online help documentation, manuals, and training for a large national banking client in Dayton.
Web design and development
The Great Lakes Publishing Company, publisher of Cleveland, Inside Business, and Ohio magazines, seeks a Web Designer to conceptualize and design interactive solutions for its clients.
Arrow International of Cleveland is searching for a Marketing Web Designer to assist with the annual marketing communications plan, design Arrow Web sites, and support print and electronic design projects.
Ernst & Young of Cleveland is looking for a Web Content and Production Manager to work as part of an electronic publishing team to format/convert electronic content, structure electronic information, analyze content, respond to user feedback, and oversee product management.
Training and instructional design
Progressive Insurance is seeking an Instructional Designer III to determine training needs and create, design, develop, and maintain new training materials. Position consists of instructional design/curriculum development, curriculum implementation, project management, and research/needs analysis.
Cleveland State University is seeking an Online Course and Materials Developer-Educational Technology to design online courses, create Web sites and Web-based course materials, and assist with maintenance of the College of Education and Human Services Web site.
Graphic design and technical illustration
Point to Point Communications of Beachwood, a nationally recognized advertising agency, is seeking a Graphic Designer with 5 to 10 years of experience designing identity systems, packaging, annual reports, and marketing collateral.
The Shamrock Companies of Westlake is looking for a Graphic Designer/Production Artist to work with a production team to develop and produce promotional materials for two major accounts. The candidate will be responsible for template-driven design, production, and file preparation.
Editing
A confidential company in Akron is seeking a Managing Editor to lead the production of a 120-page-plus monthly magazine. Duties include proofreading, copy editing, interviewing, and writing several departments each month.
The Creative Group of Cleveland is looking for freelance Proofreaders to review marketing materials, editorial pieces, and other written documentation for spelling and grammatical errors. Candidates must have prior professional experience in proofreading and be able to work at the client site.
Communications and marketing
Swagelok of Solon is seeking a Marketing Communications Manager to oversee annual integrated marketing communications planning, market and product-level communications, continuous collaboration and communication with key internal customers, and day-to-day project management.
Key Bank of Cleveland is looking for a Communications Writer III to develop proposals, presentations, scripts, and letters to support the Global Treasury Management group's sales and product teams.
If your company has a job opening, please contact any member of the NEO STC Employment Committee:
