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STC Phoenix Chapter Website

Chapter Events

Are Ready for a Challenge?

STC Phoenix is looking for a few good people to fill chapter leadership positions. As many of you know, this last year has been a challenging year for STC leadership at the International and community level. Fortunately, STC Phoenix’s leadership is strong and has conserved our funds while offering programs and activities and adding member value. If you care about the future of the Phoenix chapter,... Read the full story

DITA 101: Introduction to Structured Authoring and DITA

DITA, the Darwin Information Typing Architecture, is the new buzzword in technical communication.  But why?  Find out in this free webinar co-hosted by the STC-Phoenix and STC Alberta chapters on Tuesday, March 9th. You’ll learn about:  DITA concepts  the business case  typical scenarios where DITA is used Our featured speaker, Sarah O’Keefe, will sort it all out for you in her “mostly-buzzword-free”... Read the full story

Feb. Chapter Meeting: Getting Social Media to Work for You

Do you have a good understanding of social media? Have you seen examples of practical ways to make social media an effective part of your professional life? Have you been able to capitalize on the social media craze? If not, join us at our dinner meeting February 9th for a one-hour workshop by guest speaker Jack Smith of http://www.thesociallatte. He’ll introduce you to the nuts and bolts of... Read the full story

Seeding the Clouds: January 12th Chapter Meeting

“Seeding the Clouds” ( or how to make it rain on you even during a dry spell) is a presentation for technical communicators who have been affected by the rotten economic conditions… which is to say, all of us. Whether you’re a captive or a contractor, if you’re looking for work or you think you might be looking for work soon, this presentation will present dozens of ideas that can improve... Read the full story

What’s the Buzz at Madcap Software?

Time for an Update! For our December 8th dinner meeting,  Mike Hamilton, Vice President of Product Management of Madcap Software will join us to fill us in on Madcap’s innovative software and how it can work for you.  Mike spoke with us a few years ago, shortly after Madcap Flare was released.  A lot has changed since then.  Come join us to see why Madcap was given the TechAmerica High... Read the full story

November Meet & Greet!

Be sure to join us to meet, greet, and eat with peers at STC-Phoenix chapter’s Fall networking dinner.  Bring a guest, catch up with old friends, or meet a new one! Date:  The evening of November 10th (second Tuesday in November) Place: Duck & Decanter (www.duckanddecanter.com) located behind Copenhagen Imports on the south side of Camelback Road, just east of 16th St. Address:  1651 E.... Read the full story

IDL SIG October 2009 Webinar

Conducting the Job Task Analysis: Stickie Bingo for Better Course Design Join us for a Webinar on October 29, 2009 Have you ever wanted to know an effective way to determine what information to include in your courses?  In this Webinar, you will learn how to identify tasks, steps, processes, objectives, and assessments for a specific job using a visual method that quickly derives results. Highly... Read the full story

Job Market Trends & Solutions

The recession, rising unemployment, searching for a job, keeping a job- all these present us with different challenges and also raise some questions. What does the future look like for Technical Communicators in the Valley? What skills will help me secure a job or help me keep the job I have? Will using social media effectively help me get the job I need? Is now a good time to retrain, retool? Rethink... Read the full story

Twitter–Who Cares What You’re Doing Now, Anyhow?

Twitter. It’s everywhere. Newscasters mention it. Political analysts point to its influence. Marketers use it to get messages out. Journalists and bloggers use it for research. Regular folks use it to keep up with their friends, family, and co-workers. And, people of all types use it for entertainment, research, and education. But, Twitter is more than all of these things combined. It’s... Read the full story

Visit Us on LinkedIn and Facebook

STC Phoenix on Facebook and LinkedIn allow you to connect with chapter members outside of our traditional meetings. Facebook (www.facebook.com) membership for the STC Phoenix group is for members and nonmembers. LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) membership is limited to STC members only. Thus, membership must be requested (by you) and validated (by STC Phoenix) before acceptance into the group. Please... Read the full story

> Summer Networking Meetings

Reserve the evening of August 11 (second Tuesday in August) for our second summer networking opportunity. Meet us at the Duck & Decanter (www.duckanddecanter.com) located behind Copenhagen Imports on the south side of Camelback Road, just east of 16th St. The Duck’s address is 1651 E Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85018. Last call for meal and drink orders is 7:00 p.m. Closing time is 8:00... Read the full story

2009-2010 Planning Meeting

STC Phoenix’s traditionally asks input from members in planning the upcoming program year’s activities. We’d like to know your suggestions for: programs workshops special projects Please join us for our annual planning meeting. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. Our chapter is only as vital and strong as our members. When: Saturday, June 13, 8:30 a.m. until noon (Continental... Read the full story

July 2009 Networking Meeting

Please join us at STC Phoenix chapter’s first networking dinner opportunity of the summer.  Mark your calendar for July 14th from 5:30 to 8 PM. STC has reserved a private room at The Old Spaghetti Factory in downtown Phoenix. The address: 1418 N Central Ave, just south of McDowell Road on the west side of the street. Order from a standard menu. Pay your own tab. And don’t miss the chance... Read the full story

Special Deal: DocTrain DITA – Full Conference + Hotel + Training only $999

In an effort to help make attending Documentation and Training DITA as affordable as possible this year, we’ve got a great deal for you. We’ll provide you with a full access pass to the conference, held June 2-5, 2009 in Indianapolis for only $999 –> including three nights of hotel! This is the best conference deal around. Our special economy pricing includes 2 days of technical communication... Read the full story

Free Webinar: Interactive 3D-PDFs with FrameMaker-to-Acrobat TimeSavers + 3D Assistant

Tuesday, May 26 (starting 10am PDT | 1pm EDT | 17pm UTC/GMT) Learn how U3D files (ECMA1/ECMA3) can be referenced in FrameMaker (using hypertext markers) with related views, links, bookmarks & JavaScripts, so that interactive 3D models, together with their specified features, are automatically present in the PDF file upon distilling with TimeSavers + 3D Assistant. Feature demos: http://www.microtype.com/showcase3DAsst.html To... Read the full story

Free Webinar: Presentation+Layer Assistant (FrameMaker-to-Acrobat TimeSavers add-on)

Thursday, May 14 (starting 10am PDT | 1pm EDT | 17pm UTC/GMT) Author your presentations in FrameMaker and convert to PDF format with TimeSavers+Presentation/Layer Assistant. Presentation features include page transitions, default timing, on-demand display through layers. Feature demos: http://www.microtype.com/showcasePresentAsst.html To register, please email timesavers@microtype.com.  Read More →

Demystifying Usability: Choosing the Right Usability Technique (Getting the Answers You Need)

Think usability is too hard or too expensive? Think again! There are many ways to include usability in your projects. No matter what your situation, there’s a tool in the usability toolkit that will help you improve your work. This virtual seminar will give you a way to make the right choice for your budget, resources, schedule or type of project. Whether you are just learning about usability... Read the full story

Valley Communicators Night at Chase Field

IABC Phoenix is pleased to once again partner with Phoenix PRSA to bring you the second annual Valley Communicators Night, sponsored by Marketwire. Communication professionals are invited to network at this evening event and have fun as the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the San Francisco Giants. Ticket cost* ($25 for IABC and PRSA members and $30 for non members) includes entrance to Chase Field, access... Read the full story

Listen!

There are those who listen, and those who are waiting to talk. Join us at our April 2009 Chapter Meeting for an engaging interactive session and learn how you can employ effective listening and true listening skills to gain information, to help in marketing, to enhance your business relationships, and to add to your professionalism. This session was presented at last year’s STC Technical Summit... Read the full story

A Guide to Surviving the Job Famine – ADDIE for Job Searching

Having experienced several recessions, and with managing a company through 3 of the toughest ones, Sherry Michaels brings an evaluative expertise focused on what it takes to differentiate yourself in a highly competitive market. In her presentation “A Guide to Surviving the Job Famine – ADDIE for Job Searching,” Sherry will provide lots of tips and techniques for setting you apart when you apply... Read the full story

Leveraging Web 2.0 and Cloud Computing in Technical Communication with Adobe Software

In today’s Web 2.0 world, the Internet has connected all of us and consumer experiences have become richer than ever with access to dynamic and interactive information and its unlikely people will ever be satisfied with anything else and that includes technical information. Working is no longer a solo experience, but rather, a social one, which means that peer collaboration and real-time screen sharing,... Read the full story

Using Help Authoring Tools as a CMS and Captivate 3 Workshop

On Tuesday, January 13, 2009, Neil Perlin returns to STC-Phoenix! Always a favorite at the international conference, Neil will speak at our chapter meeting on reducing the risk of adopting a new content management system (CMS) by using a help authoring tool in a unique way – to create a test-bed CMS. The next day, Neil will teach a one-day workshop introduction to Adobe Captivate 3. Using Help... Read the full story

Lights, Camera, Murder

Be sure to join us on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, for a delicious Mexican buffet and an evening of fun and laughter with Murder Ink Production’s Lights, Camera, Murder – an interactive dinner theater production. Join in the fun at Prickly Pear Prep’s 1968 class reunion. Meet the famous movie star Melinda Malevolent, her sleazy talent agent and our super sleuth, Sgt. Sydney Sizzlechest... Read the full story

Celebrate Technical Communication Week!

Celebrate Tech Comm Week 2008 World’s Most Continuous Celebration of Technical Communication Celebrates Its Twenty-Third Year!   By Tom Barnett, Arizona Technical Communication Week Manager    Forty-five years ago, the founding members of the Phoenix Chapter brought fourth our STC community into the world. Our chapter celebrates its 45th birthday on October 18, and the week leading... Read the full story

STC-PHX Workshop: Information Design

Designing documents that people really read and use: a whirlwind tour of information design In this full-day workshop, Geoff will discuss some of the key concepts in information design (the art and science of effective communication with an audience by judicious combinations of words and pictures). The workshop will explain ways we can learn enough about our audiences that we can effectively meet their... Read the full story

STC Phoenix October Chapter Meeting

Word Processor Power Tools – working faster and smarter with Microsoft Word Join us on October 14, 2008, to learn how to turn Word into a tool that works for you. Even experienced writers and editors tend to master only a small proportion of the tools provided by modern software. That’s unfortunate, since expanding your repertoire to take full advantage of these tools can greatly improve... Read the full story

Celebrate Tech. Comm. Week 2008!

World’s most continuous celebration of technical communication by Tom Barnett, Arizona Technical Communication Week Manager Forty-five years ago, the founding members of the Phoenix Chapter brought forth our STC community into the world. Our chapter celebrates its 45th birthday on October 18, and the week leading up to that day is also a very special week. The governor of Arizona, Janet Napalitano,... Read the full story

October 2008 Chapter Meeting and Workshop

Our October events include both an evening chapter meeting on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 and a full day workshop the following day, Wednesday, October 15th, 2008. The evening session will cover Word processor power tools while the all day workshop will be about designing documents people actually will read. Both sessions are presented by STC Fellow Geoff Hart. Chapter Meeting/Evening Session: Tuesday,... Read the full story

September Chapter Meeting

A Technical Communicator’s Guide to Project Management Join us on September 9, 2008, to hear Brenda Huettner, STC-Southern Arizona’s Communications chair and principal and owner of her own company, P-N Designs, Inc. in Tucson Arizona, speak about project management. Whether we have the title or not, we all manage projects – from just getting our own work accomplished to overseeing... Read the full story

STC-Phoenix September Program Meeting

A Technical Communicator’s Guide to Project Management Join us on September 9, 2008, to hear Brenda Huettner, STC-Southern Arizona’s Communications chair and principal and owner of her own company, P-N Designs, Inc. in Tucson Arizona, speak about project management. Whether we have the title or not, we all manage projects – from just getting our own work accomplished to overseeing... Read the full story

STC-Phoenix July Networking Meeting

STC-Phoenix July Networking Meeting Join us on Tuesday, July 8, 2008, for dinner and networking at the Half Moon Sports Grill. The fixed-price menu for this event provides your dinner and a non-alcoholic beverage. Come join us for a relaxing evening of old friends and new acquaintances. Find out who is doing what this summer and share a few stories of your own. We’d love to see you there! Dinner:... Read the full story

Tuesday August 12, 2008 Networking Meeting

We had such a grand time at the July networking dinner, we decided to do it again! Join us for more fun on Tuesday, August 12, 2008. Our second summer dinner and networking meeting will take place at the Old Spaghetti Factory in central Phoenix. We will have another fixed price menu for this event that provides your dinner and a non-alcoholic beverage. Other beverages are available for additional cost. Come... Read the full story

July 8th Networking Dinner

Tuesday, July 8, 2008, dinner and networking at the Half Moon Sports Grill. Join us for a relaxing evening of old friends and new acquaintances. Find out who is doing what this summer and share a few stories of your own. We’d love to see you there! Dinner: your choice of hamburger, cheeseburger, garden burger or a chicken sandwich with a side dish (fries, coleslaw, kettle chips, cottage cheese,... Read the full story

2008-2009 Planning Meeting Directions

Schaller Anderson – Learning & Development Office 4645 E Cotton Center Blvd. Building 2, Suite 155 Phoenix AZ 85040 NOTE: This is a secured building and requires key-card access. Someone should be at the door to let you in. If not, please call Dana Osborne’s cell at 602-717-1478. From Cotton Center Blvd, turn south into the parking lot. Building 1 is the first building you’ll... Read the full story

Perspectives on the Technical Communication Summit

A Humorous Look at the 2008 Conference Join us on June 10, 2008, to enjoy perspectives of this year’s conference from an experienced conference goer and a newbie. Tom Barnett has attended conferences every year for “quite a few” years during his tenure with STC. Karen Zorn has never attended one and is looking forward to the conference and reporting back to the membership her impressions... Read the full story

Virtual Meeting, May 13, 2008: Combining Social Media with Help Authoring

Join us for an interesting and educational evening, May 13, 2008,  as Tom Johnson presents Combining Social Media with Help Authoring. The Web landscape has changed considerably in the last several years. Users are no longer passive consumers of information (Web 1.0), but instead are active contributors of content (Web 2.0). They expect to interact and share information, not only with other users,... Read the full story

April 8, 2008 Membership Dinner Meeting: Scott Abel, the Content Wrangler presents Leveraging Software Tools To Help You Ensure Content Quality

Leveraging Software Tools To Help You Ensure Content Quality Scott will discuss the weaknesses in our current approaches to managing content and content creators and make the case for: The adoption of software tools that can drastically outperform human counterparts. The adoption of controlled vocabularies to help make content less ambiguous and to improve content quality and translation accuracy... Read the full story

We Need You! 2008 AZ Science Fair Judging

Next year’s science fair will be quite different from years past. It will be the Arizona Science Fair (AzSEF), and it will combine the Central Arizona Science Fair, Northern Arizona Science Fair, and the Arizona-American Indian Science and Engineering Fair into one large event – up to 1,000 entries are expected! We have several volunteers (thank you all), but we need more! This is just a one-day... Read the full story

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