The back issue of this journal is available to ISTC members as two PDF files: main issue and special supplement.
This issue was accompanied by a bellyband and insert from MadCap Software.
Features
ISTC news
- From the editor
- Letters from readers
- ISTC groups and online
- President’s view
- Your ISTC directory
- Business affiliates
- CPD news
- Tax benefits
Articles
- Broaden your audience with accessibility
Aedín Collins
Explaining how improved accessibility guidance can help technical communicators to reach a broader audience. - Content usability scorecard framework
Savitha Nayak
Providing a fundamental insight into content usability by recommending a ready-for-use scorecard for measuring content. - Scalable solutions for augmented reality
Johannes Görz
Outlining why SCHEMA ST4 can provide suitable content for augmented reality applications. - Stairway to the future
Thomas Schubert
Telling the story about the high potential of an editorial team and their role in the information management process. - Managing terminology with term checker
Jake Cahill
Offering reasons why terminology management is essential for translation workflows and looking at the TechScribe term checker. - Getting the most out of training
Matthew Ellison
Writing in 1993 this article discusses the benefits, needs, expectations, and strategies for training technical communicators. - Creating user forms: part 4
Mike Mee
Coding an interface for your VBA code. - Build your first hybrid mobile app
Phil Lane
Mobile friendly website, Hybrid app, Progressive web app or a Native app? Which option is best for your organisation? This article assists with your decision-making.
Regular columns
- Controlled language – Mike Unwalla
- MadCap tips – Matthew Ellison
- Book review reflections – Linda Robins
- Book review – Current Practices and Trends in Technical and Professional Communication. Edited by Stephen Crabbe. Reviewed by Alison Reeves, Alison Peck and Jean Rollinson.
- Editing – Jean Rollinson
Special Supplement: 50 years of change
- History of word processors
Neil Perlin
Looking at the impact that word processing has had on technical communication and the author’s career. - What was it like in the old days Dad?
Tony Eyre
Recalling the author’s early career as a technical communicator and discussing the changes in the industry since 1985. - Why the skill of writing well matters
Rachel Potts
Explaining why developing the skill of creating information that works will always be worthwhile. - 50 years of Communicator
Katherine Judge
Perusing 50 years of Communicator issues, and looking at whether the articles of yesteryear are still relevant today. - Hand-drawn technical illustrations
Douglas Newton
Starting with pen, pencil and paper, describing how things were and how technical illustration has changed over the years. - Unprecedented changes in technology
Kevin Jeffery
Discussing how changes in computer technology transformed design and print studios beyond recognition in the 1980s. - Same wine, different label?
Ellis Pratt and Dominic Birn-Pratt
Through analysis, Ellis Pratt and Dominic Birn-Pratt have looked at job title trends. - From hardcopy to modem to the cloud
Warren Singer
Working with the latest technologies since the 1990s, the author describes the changes that have taken place. - Working without a spell checker
Carol Leahy
Software tools can make a huge difference; when creating documentation, the author describes her experience. - Macros: a brief history of time (saving)
Mike Mee
Summarising macros from the key-combo to a full programming language. - 25 years of online help
Matthew Ellison
Beginning with hypertext when the world wide web was in its infancy until today and looking at the author’s online help journey. - As time goes by
Linda Robins
The fundamental things apply… as time goes by. Through the author’s eyes, looking at technical communication then and now. - Creating brochures in WordPerfect
Jean Rollinson
Sharing how the author’s computer knowledge broke down barriers and prejudices at a university. - Cut and paste with scissors and glue
Lois Wakeman
Reminiscing of times gone by where someone else did the typing, the typesetting and the printing.