STC CWC Member Forum

Write the Docs conference, Portland, April 8 and 9, $55 earlybird price

2013-02-08T12:52:54-08:00

I’m going! This will have a significant open-source component to it. The speakers are different than the typical ones we are used to hearing.

http://conf.writethedocs.org

Yoga Outreach - Reach Out Challenge

2011-09-29T10:02:59-08:00

Has working full-time got you feeling like a zombie? Are you turning into your computer?

Come back to life with the Reach Out Challenge for Yoga Outreach! Starting October 10, do 30 minutes of yoga a day for 30 days to come alive and to support Yoga Outreach programs.

You can do yoga at home on your own, grab a yoga video from your library, or go to a class at your local community centre or yoga studio. Do it for you! To help others too, get pledges from your friends for each day that you meet the challenge.

For details, see:
http://yogaoutreach.com/reachout-challenge/

Take the 30-day Yoga Outreach challenge and help Yoga Outreach raise funds and friends. Their mission is to identify, develop, and deliver healing and life-affirming yoga programs to people who can not directly access these resources. Yoga Outreach is a Vancouver-based registered charity. Yoga Outreach partners with volunteer teachers and facilities and organizations to provide free yoga.

http://yogaoutreach.com/

July Minimalist Writing Seminar with Bernard Aschwanden - Downtown Vancouver! Spread the word…

2011-06-05T22:40:32-08:00

When: July 13, 2011, Wednesday, 8:30am to 4:30pm
Where: A location in Downtown Vancouver TBD

Cost: Includes 1 day session, materials, a light breakfast, and snacks at morning and afternoon breaks. You are invited to participate in a networking lunch and post-event social:
■ STC Members: $149
■ Non-members: $249

Trends, Tools, and Technologies in Software User Assistance

2011-02-15T20:33:16-08:00

STC Alberta is hosting this webinar by renowned UA expert Joe Welinske.
Joe presents a cutting-edge overview of the latest trends in software user
assistance, defines key terminology, identifies the most important
technologies, and predicts where our field is heading.

Date
February 17, 2011
Time
Program runs from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (PST)

To register for the webinar, email programs at stc-alberta dot org. After you register, we’ll provide GoTo Meeting
connection details. Registration for the webinar will be closed on Wednesday, Feb 16 at 7:00 p.m.

Get all the details by visiting the Alberta Event Calendar: http://www.stc-alberta.org/wp/archives/1417

Speakers needed for STCCWC meetings: 2011 and 2012

2010-10-17T13:35:23-08:00

We’re lining up speakers for our chapter meetings, and we have some slots in 2011 open. And if you’re thinking far ahead, we even have slots in 2012.

Any suggestions for speakers and topics welcome.

Lois Patterson
STCCWC Programs Lead

Free seminar, November 10: Learn How To Cut Down On Product Documentation Costs

2010-08-30T13:10:56-08:00

Learn How To Cut Down On Product Documentation Costs
When: November 10th
Time: 9am-Noon
Hosted by: Next Level Engineering Services
Location: #440 – 4664 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby BC V5C 5T5
Phone: 866-445-6537 ext 109
Cost: Free

Seminar Description:
Join us for an informative session on how individuals in sales, marketing, and manufacturing can create the artwork and animations they need much earlier in the design process with 3DVIA Composer. 3DVIA Composer enables individuals with NO CAD background to directly access design files and pull exactly the artwork they need - whether that’s a photorealistic image for a brochure or an exploded view for a set of assembly instructions.

What we’ll cover
• How design and documentation can be produced on parallel tracks.
• With a few simple clicks, 3DVIA Composer creates scalable vector illustrations with options to control outer line thickness, component colors, shadows, balloons, parts lists, and paper space.
• How to easily generate animations for sales presentations and websites.
• How to cutback on documentation costs. Save the expense of taking digital photos for every product release and reduce paper waste by producing documents that feature more images vs. text.
• How to maximize efficiencies across departments - Help companies focus more on innovation vs. engineering spending time on ad hoc work.

To register, please use this link:
http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e306lusx6ed38df4

Cut Down On Product Documentation Costs-Free Seminar, August 23rd

2010-08-19T13:58:22-08:00

Learn How To Cut Down On Product Documentation Costs

When: Monday, August 23rd
Time: 9:00 a.m. - Noon
Hosted by: Next Level Engineering Services
Location: #440 – 4664 Lougheed Hwy, Burnaby BC V5C 5T5
Phone: 866-445-6537 ext 109
Cost: Free

To register, please use this link:
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e2z5xt4k4b088700

Free webinar: Structured authoring and information reuse (June 9, 2010, 9:00-10:00 a.m. PDT)

2010-06-03T16:35:38-08:00

(This was sent to me from the folks at Information Mapping. This event is not affiliated with STC CWC.)

In today’s knowledge-based economy, the organizations that capture, communicate, and manage information most efficiently gain the competitive advantage. Structured authoring—or the process of systematically organizing information into independent units that can be easily accessed, managed, and reused—helps organizations grow revenue, reduce costs, and minimize risk.

But making the shift from traditional writing to structured authoring can be challenging. Both authors and managers need new tools, new skills, and a new understanding of their roles and the nature of the information they produce.

Attend this Webinar to

* understand what structured authoring is and why it is important
* see a demonstration of how structured authoring enables information management and reuse
* explore the benefits and challenges of structured authoring
* learn six steps you can apply immediately to begin creating reusable, structured content, and
* discover the top 10 things authors and managers need to know about structured authoring and information reuse.

Free webcast on 3DVIA Composer: June 3, 10:00-11:00 a.m. PST

2010-06-01T23:30:25-08:00

(Posting this on behalf of Next Level Engineering Services. This event is not affiliated with STC CWC.)

Next Level Engineering Services provides software solutions to engineering and manufacturing companies in British Columbia.

We will be hosting a free webcast, June 3rd from 10am-11am PST on one of the software applications we provide which is geared for the technical publication professional.

Our webcast is free and will be focused on 3DVIA Composer. Here is some information:

3DVIA Composer can be used by many different teams to repurpose 3D for different projects. From developing product manuals to creating training videos, Composer simplifies your documentation processes across the organization.

Here are just a few of the things you can do with 3DVIA Composer:

Automate manufacturing and assembly instructions

Most manufacturers rely on 2D drawings to show how components and assemblies are put together. Language and literacy barriers hold up production. People waste time finding and verifying the right components, or trying to decipher work instructions.

Simple, animated work instructions created with 3DVIA Composer convey manufacturing and assembly instructions more clearly than text and 2D images. The 3D images and animations provide a universal “language” that eliminates misunderstanding and speeds assembly.

extras: With 3DVIA Composer, documentation specialists don’t need to be CAD experts, or interrupt an engineer.

Create better user manuals and product documentation

Good product documentation is key to building customer satisfaction and reducing support costs. Long text-filled documents, outdated digital photos and screen captures result in higher frustration and wasted time for people reading your manuals.

A picture is worth thousand words. By working directly with 3D data, document creators can select camera angles and add annotations, thereby creating hundreds of pictures that can replace paragraphs. Documentation can start concurrent to design, saving time and resulting in higher-quality documents. If the design changes, the documentation automatically changes with it. As you put more of your documentation online, you can take advantage of 3DVIA Composer’s interactive animations to show customers how to use a product and illustrate how it works. Easy, huh?

Create accurate repair and maintenance manuals

Documenting how to dismantle a machine, fix or service it, then reassemble it requires step-by-step instructions. This process is long and time consuming, and writers usually have to wait until final product is assembled and manufactured.

3DVIA Composer lets you replace text-based manuals with graphics and video animations. Service operations are improved and the need for translation minimized. You can share interactive service instructions with partners across the globe over the web or with CD-ROMs. Translation costs are typically cut by over 50% and machines get repaired faster, increasing satisfaction.

Publish better training materials

3DVIA Composer helps you manage the development of interactive product training materials–for customers, employees and partners–quickly and cost effectively by reusing 3D data. You can create videos and animations instead of written manuals, thereby offering better training and lowering translation costs.

Create vibrant, exciting marketing materials

Many companies spend millions of dollars on professional photography and animations. Changing camera angles, appearances removing unwanted technical details—these things always lead to back-and-forth exchanges between marketing and engineering, wasting time for everyone.

With 3DVIA Composer, just about anyone can transform a CAD model into a dazzling interactive animation. Composer allows marketing teams to render, modify and change images to meet specific printing or marketing needs–such as controlling resolution–that are difficult with screen captures. And since the CAD model can be used to automatically update views and animations, you don’t need to wait for engineering to finish the product to get started.

Register here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/379083361

Free webinar on plain language, May 11 at 9:00 a.m.

2010-05-06T00:58:45-08:00

The folks at Information Mapping are running a free webinar on plain language.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 9:00-10:00 a.m. PDT

You have to pre-register. More information and registration here: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/580016842.