Global Talk

25th Practical Conference on Communication
 
October 10 - 11, 2008
 
The Chattanoogan Hotel and Conference Center
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Call for Papers
 
“Technical Communication in a Global Economy” is the theme for the Practical Conference on Communication this year.
 
You are invited to submit a proposal for a workshop, discussion, or presentation on practical strategies for effective international technical communication.
 
For sample topics, submission details, and more, please visit http://stc-etc.org/pcoc_call.asp.
 
The deadline for submissions is July 7, 2008.

Linked below is a PDF of  ITC activities for the 2008 conference.  Included in this document are also sessions/talks/ that are of particular interest to ITCers.

ITC activities and sessions, STC 2008 conference

Contact the ITC manager (Traci Nathans-Kelly) if you have other items of interest to add.

Highlights:
STC Summit, 2008: Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sessions and Activities of Interest:
International Technical Communication

Every day, all Exhibit Hall hours, the  International Pavilion is open!  Come visit the Pavilion and participate in the Passport activity, which has a grand prize of a $500 airline voucher!Your Passport activity card will be in your conference bag or you can pick one up at the International Pavilion. Sponsored by ITC and GALA! 

International Pavilion Speakers and Activities
Monday
11:00am—Bob Caskey of OmniLingua
11:30am—Aki Ito of TOIN
2:00pm—Bob Caskey of OmniLingua
Tuesday
10:00am—Aki Ito of TOIN
11:30am—Mark Lawyer of LinguaLinx presents Wheel of Fortune!  ITC style!
12:00-1:00—ITC SIG Luncheon
1:30-2:30—ITC Progression (see below)
3:00pm—Mark Lawyer of LinguaLinx presents Jeopardy!  ITC style!
Wednesday
10:00am—Passport due at International Pavilion
11:00am—Passport winner announced!
 
STC Sessions
Monday, June 2
Communication Strategies of Successful Virtual Teams
3:30-4:30 PM  (Room: 103B)
Format: Discussion
Skill Level: All
Effective technical communications are paramount for successful virtual teams. Add diversity of cultures, locations, and functional ability, and you have strategic communication decisions to make. Come learn from some veterans. 

When Did Google Become a Verb? American English as a Moving Target
5:00-6:00 PM  (Room: 112AB)
Format: Presentation
Skill Level: All
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. 

How Quality at the Source Affects Global Customer Satisfaction
5:00-6:00 PM  (Room: 103A)
Format: Presentation
Apart from offering the desired product/service, a global organization must emphasize all stages of customer communication. A satisfying experience happens only when communication is clear, consistent, error-free, and in the customers’ native language. This session focuses on new trends and technologies in the forefront of customer communication. We’ll discuss processes that integrate the whole linguistic supply chain, with special focus on authoring assistance.

Tuesday, June 3
Unifying Content Development and Localization at Palm
9:00-10:00 AM  (Room: 103A)
Format: Case Study
Skill Level: All
This case study looks at what happened when Palm made a dramatic shift to marry two antagonistic organizations in order to improve its ability to serve global audiences. By tightly integrating informatino development and localization, Palm has been able to increase the volume of accessible content without sacrificing quality.
 

Global Ideas and Global Information: Creating Content for a Worldwide Audience
9:00-10:00 AM  (Room: 111AB)
Format: Presentation
Skill Level: All
Information today is inherently global information. Today’s organization, however, can be overwhelmed with the choices for global authoring, including structured versus unstructured authoring, XML and DITA, about using tools to bring style guides to life, or about improving authoring consistency, quality, and efficiency. Learn about best practices and the exciting solutions from Adobe and SDL that make authoring for a worldwide audience simple and easy.

Cross-cultural Communication Issues
10:30-11:30 AM  (Room: 106AB)
Format: Research Report
Skill Level: All
Two research reports examine international issues. The first examines the impacts of globalization on documents written in China for the international market, using rhetorical analysis, content analysis and visual analysis. The second analyzes changes in graphics between the English and Spanish versions of medical pamphlets.

Authoring for Globalization (Processes and Controls)
10:30-11:30am
Translation and localization of content are often managed operationally, but not strategically. How can we bring visibility to top management? What value do we provide, and how do we demonstrate it? And, most important, what makes your CEO excited about what you are accomplishing for the organization through globalizing its business processes?

Pictures & Profits: Innovations in Visual Instruction and Multi-ethnic Usability Research
10:30-11:30 AM  (Room: 113A)
Format: Presentation
Skill Level: All
Learn visual design and international usability research strategies that helped build three innovative, visual guides. From building the guides to running the research, learn how simple, cheap ideas can lead to spectacular profits.

Convergence of Authoring and Translation in the Web 2.0 World
10:30-11:30 AM  (Room: 102A)
Format: Discussion
Skill Level: All
The concept of Web 2.0 is gaining much attention in the popular media. What impact do new technologies and workflows stemming from the next generation Web have on the way technical authors and translators work together

Working in Multicultural Environments
1:30-2:30 PM  (Room: 105AB)
Format: Progression
Skill Level: All
International issues that encumber the everyday technical communicator can be overwhelming. Experiences from experts who have knowledge of these issues and some resolutions can be of help to all.

Developing Content for the International Marketplace
1:30-2:30pm
Need to develop content once that is applicable to both the domestic and international markets? What do you need to know to write once and use everywhere? This session will show you what caveats, strategies, and best practices you can employ to meet global, diverse users expectations in your documentation.

Why Can’t My Software Talk to My CMS?: Why Open Standards for Multilingual Document Production Matter to You
3:00-4:00pm
Open standards are like the air we breathe: you only notice them when they aren’t there. In technology-driven fields, like multilingual document authoring and production, they play an especially important role by allowing tools and processes to work together rather than in conflict with each other. In this session a panel of experts will discuss the various standards, their impact on technical communication processes and workflows, and what you as a technical communicator need to know to make effective use of these standards.

Doing More With Less: Optimizing a Localization Budget
3:00-4:00 PM  (Room: 109B)
Format: Case Study
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.

Improving Source Content Quality for Global Audiences
4:30-5:30 PM  (Room: 109B)
Format: Presentation
Skill Level: All
Find out how Avaya implemented global authoring strategies to dramatically improve authoring productivity. By automating stye guide and reuse checks, the time and cost of global authoring have been greatly reduced.

Delivering on the Promise of Lower Localization Costs
4:30-5:30 PM  (Room: 113C)
Format: Presentation
Skill Level: Advanced Topic
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.

Wednesday, June 4
International Collaboration in Technical Communication
9:00-10:00 AM  (Room: 113A)
Format: Discussion
Skill Level: All
As communication technologies improve, the barriers of geography are becoming less significant. Geographically separated groups are being replaced by collaborative teams that cross cultural, geographic, and time-zone boundaries. This panel features participants and managers of collaborative teams that have spanned the globe. Come to hear their advice and success stories.

10:00am—Passport Activity due at the International Pavilion!

11:00am—Passport Activity winner announced!

Globalizing Garmin: Finding the Way and Other Points
10:30-11:30 AM  (Room: 108B)
Format: Featured Speaker
Skill Level: Advanced Topic
 Spent a million dollars lately? Whoever said talk is cheap obviously didn’t have it translated! Learn how to establish a localization group in your company and factors you should consider.

Documentation Goes Global
10:30-11:30 AM  (Room: 102A)
Format: Featured Speaker
Skill Level: All
The ability to produce high quality and accurately localized documentation quickly and cheaply can make or break a successful product launch. Aberdeen Group’s Documentation Goes Global study found that leading companies launch products with localized documentation up to three working months faster than their peers while simultaneously controlling localization spend. Come find out how!

Translation Management Solution (TMS) Benefits During Localization
1:30-2:30 PM  (Room: 108B)
Format: Presentation
Skill Level: All
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.

Pictures from STC 2007’s International Pavilon!

Seminar: Writing and Designing for Translation
Speaker: Speaker: Nancy Hoft, Nancy Hoft Consulting, STC member
Event: Translation World Conference, Montreal. March 11-13, 2008.
http://www.translationworld.com/index.htm

Synopsis: The seminar focuses on how translation and translation technologies affect content and design. We review localization, internationalization, and globalization issues and methods that are known to reduce translation costs, reduce time-to-market delays associated with the translation and localization of print and online content, and reduce usability problems experienced by non-native readers of English. This is a highly interactive seminar with many exercises and limitless occasions for group discussion.

UK Chapter of STC. 10/11 November 2007, Manchester, England. Details on the STC Forum: http://stcforum.org/viewtopic.php?pid=4163#p4163

Call for Panel and Paper Proposals: IEEE International Professional Communication Conference 2008 (IPCC 2008)

Conference Theme: Opening the Information EconomyConference

Location: Concordia University, Montréal, Canada

Conference Dates: July 13-16, 2008

The information economy is based on the collection and the exchange of data and ideas. We all either contribute to or use materials from the information economy in most aspects of our everyday lives. As a result, the information economy exists as an environment in which we are all contributors and consumers. Within this system, effective communication is essential to success, allowing individuals to contribute ideas and information effectively and to make efficient use of the goods and services. Few of us, however, understand all of the nuances of the information economy or the communication factors that affect its operations.This conference seeks to examine or to “open” this economic model by examining the connections between communication practices and the products, practices, and services that constitute the information economy. The objective of such an examination will be to help attendees better understand and participate in the information economy as both contributors and consumers.

The Bangalore Technical Writers Meetup –supported by the Society for Technical Communication India Chapter- is pleased to conduct two sessions on September 29 at Continous Computing. This event starts at 10:30am sharp with a welcoming note by Rajdeep Gupta, followed by our guest speakers’ presentations. The venue for the sessions is at Continuous Computing India Pvt Ltd, 4th Floor, Pine Valley, (above Mcaffee and Daimler Chrysler) Embassy Golf Links Business Park, Intermediate Ring Road, Koramangala, Bangalore, India and the contact no. is 9900-171161.

Rajiv Jain, Documentation Manager of Zilog Systems, will present the first of the sessions on “Programming Concepts for Writers (with C++).” The session is intended for writers involved in API/SDK documentation or those who want to learn fundamental Programming concepts. This presentation provides high level overview of programming concepts (sequence, selection, and iteration) with C++ as example. This is helpful to all those who are involved in API/SDK related documentation irrespective of programming language used by them, as concepts remain the same for all the languages. This presentation will help participants to understand the programming concepts, read the APIs, and contribute as writers in APD guides. It also helps us to understand what parameters are and to return values which will help to add value in content and decrease the dependency on SMEs. You will definitely add value in the content instead of just cutting, pasting, formatting, or implementing the style guide.

Next, we have the veteran and the versatile Makrand Pandit providing ”An Introduction to Structured Writing and Structured FrameMaker.” During the course of the presentation, learn about the advantages and disadvantages of structured writing; in addition, there will be more insights on EDD and SFM files. 

If this interests you, please feel free to an email to rguptaz@gmail.com . The session is open and FREE to all. Further updates on the group’s website at http://techwriter.meetup.com/2/calendar/6200981/

To mark the European Day of Languages on September 26 2007, SDL invites you to attend a webinar to discuss the importance of using language standards in delivering multilingual communications and the implications for European governments.

The European Day of Languages — a day for celebrating linguistic diversity — was set up in 2000 by the Committee of Ministers of The Council of Europe in 2000. It aims to celebrate increase plurilingualism and intercultural understanding; promote the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe; and encourage lifelong language learning.

The webinar will feature expert speakers who will give you an insight into the importance of translation and localization standards to the production of EU laws and regulations.

Speakers include:

• Laura Vrabie, Terminologist at the European Institute of Romania (IER), the body responsible for translating all EU policy into Romanian for this new member state
• Arle Lommel of the LISA organization (Localization Industry Standards Association), an expert on both governmental issues and linguistic standards

Attend this webinar and gain insight into the importance of localization standards to the production of EU laws and regulations.

To register, go to www.sdl.com and click on the flash banner.

The STC France Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication is starting off the season on September 24 with ”Saveurs et Savoirs “. This evening meeting will start with a buffet cocktail followed by our guest speaker’s presentation.

Karen Schriver will present, ”If You’re So Smart, Why Does Your Writing Suck? ”

Subject-matter experts often have trouble writing for general audiences. Experts may fail to understand what audiences need to know and create texts permeated with insider jargon and content that is too difficult, too complex, and not focused on what readers expect. It may be easy to attribute experts’ problem to arrogance and cluelessness, but this interpretation is too simple. Research into the cognition of expertise offers insights into why subject-matter experts have trouble transforming their knowledge for audiences. This work suggests that sophisticated subject-matter knowledge can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Come learn about domain experts writing for smart people outside of their field. Get ideas for working with people who may believe that clear writing waters down their thinking.

Dr. Karen Schriver is a researcher, consultant, and educator in information design. Her early work at Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) charted new territory in understanding the integration of word and image, audience analysis, and people-centered design. Her book, Dynamics in Document Design: Creating Texts for Readers (Wiley & Sons), now in its 9th printing, is regarded as an essential work in the field. Winner of nine awards for research, Karen has made a significant impact on how information designers around the world think about their work. Karen is a Fellow of STC and a frequent keynote speaker. She has taught at universities in the US, Holland and South Africa, and is on the board of directors for the Communications Research Institute (Australia) and the Center for Plain Language (Washington, DC).

Karen will speak in English. The meeting takes place Monday, September 24 19:00 - 21:30, at FIAP Jean Monnet, 1st floor 30 rue Cabanis 75014 Paris Métro: Glacière (line 6) or Denfert-Rochereau (lines 4, 6, RER B)

Space is limited. Register before 15/Sept/2007 by sending an e-mail with your name and membership number (members of STC, IABC, or CRT) to secretary@stcfrance.org. Payment at the door, cash or check: 10 euros students or members of STC, CRT, or IABC 25 euros non-members .

GALA Negotiaing to Close Workshop. Seattle. October 15, 2007. http://www.gala-global.org/GALA-event-negotiating_to_close_workshop-82.html

CIDM. Third Annual DITA Europe Conference. Brussels. November 13 to 14, 2007. http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/DITAeurope/index.htm