Chapter Meeting Information

Concision and Clarity: Decreasing Word Count and Increasing Readability

When we reduce word count, we work smarter, and we save time and money (for ourselves, our employers, and our audiences). Fortunately, we also serve our audience more effectively and efficiently. We can have it all!

As technical communicators, we face many challenges: increasingly complex information, ever more diverse audiences, multiplicity of authoring and delivery systems; and escalating demand for efficiency and quality. Word-count reduction (application of the principles and strategies of concision and minimalism) is an efficient and effective tool that addresses all of these challenges.

In this program, we will explore, through example and discussion, various word-reduction and minimalist strategies that can be applied to any and all communications. Please, bring your thinking cap and prepare to participate! No hard-and-fast rules. Much judgment required.

Speaker Susan Ledford is a reading and writing specialist, a technical editor, a teacher, a curriculum developer, and, last but not least, a senior member of STC.

Susan has worked in education since 1967 and in high tech since 1997. Currently, she edits documentation and curriculum materials for Oracle Hyperion and teaches writing workshops as opportunity arises — such as for Oracle University, Jabil Circuit, San Jose University, and STC.

Susan completed her M.A. in learning theory and her education specialist credentials at College of Holy Names, her Professional and Technical Communication Certificate at San Jose State University, and her basic teaching credentials at University of California at Berkeley.

An Overview of Trends, Tools, and Technologies in Software User Assistance

The application of technical communication skills to the development of software user assistance has grown immensely in the past twenty years. This specialization is very fulfilling and challenging and technical communicators are finding their role in the software development process to be increasingly valued. User assistance is much more than "Help." It encompasses a wide range of skills and technologies that are combined to improve the software user's experience. We contribute through wizards, tutorials, and web-based training. We develop and populate knowledge bases and content management systems. Printed manuals and their PDF equivalents are still an important element of our documentation sets.

Many of us are now embedding helpful content directly into the user interface. We are involved with usability testing, localization, testing, quality assurance, and branding. This presentation provides a cutting-edge overview of the latest trends in software user assistance, defines the key terminology, highlights the most important technologies, and offers predictions on future directions of our field. The seventy-five minute session should be of interest to technical communicators of all backgrounds and experience levels.

Speaker Joe Welinske is the president of WritersUA, formerly known as WinWriters. WritersUA is a company devoted to providing training and information for user assistance professionals. The WritersUA/WinWriters Conference draws hundreds of attendees each year from around the world to share the latest in user assistance design and implementation. The free content on the WritersUA web site attracts over 20,000 visitors each month.

Joe has been involved with software documentation development since 1984. Together with Scott Boggan and David Farkas, Joe authored two editions of the popular and pioneering book Developing Online Help for Windows. He has also taught online Help courses at the University of Washington, UC Santa Cruz, and Bellevue Community College.

Joe received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1981, and a M.S. in Adult Instructional Management from Loyola University in 1987. Joe was the President of STC Puget Sound Chapter from 2006-2008 and is now Vice-President in charge of sponsorships.