Contents
ISTC News
A New Hand on The Wotsit!
Mike Mee FISTC
As of this March 2024 issue of InfoPlus, I’m manning the whatevers, looking after the doobreys and keeping an eye on those widgets – and should there really be clouds of steam coming from those thingummybobs already? Can I fix this? Where’s my spanner? Oh crumbs! (And I learned the hard way not to copy and paste from Word into WordPress!)
Anyway, I’ve been part of the ISTC for a few years now, but I’ve only been able to attend two of the face-to-face gatherings due to various diary clashes and tight purse strings from ex-bosses…
I have written a lot of articles on Word VBA coding for Communicator in the past and I have penned a completely different article for the next issue.
I am also a member of the ISTC Council, and I am the ‘social media one’ putting out all the tweets and Facebook updates that you might have seen. And now I’m looking after InfoPlus.
Reasons to Consider Non-native English Speakers in Your Audience
CJ Walker (CEO Firehead SAS) – International Representative ISTC Council
Are you preparing a presentation or creating content for an international audience? This is just a gentle reminder that a lot of your audience will probably be intelligent and well informed about your subject but are not hearing you in their native language.
Don’t assume that everyone in your audience speaks English fluently. It’s important to consider language diversity as you communicate your message.
Most international conferences are conducted in English as a lingua franca among various nationalities, not because subject matter experts and learners were selected as fluent speakers of our language. By acknowledging and accommodating different language proficiencies, you can ensure that your content reaches a broader audience. Remember that language barriers can impact the effectiveness of your communication, so it’s valuable to be proactive in addressing this issue in your interactions.
You can do this much before considering translations or subtitles to make your content more inclusive and accessible.
This inclusivity is not only ethical, it also contributes to a more conducive atmosphere for learning, and a better overall experience for everyone, including the speaker.
There are many Plain language principles apply here too! You don’t need to “dumb it down”. You need to think in terms of your audience’s needs. This is a short article for InfoPlus and I don’t have the space to go into detail with specific tips right here, but best practice (and common sense) tell us that avoiding complex vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references that are unfamiliar to second-language speakers can help prevent misunderstandings and promote clearer comprehension.
By acknowledging and accommodating diverse linguistic backgrounds in an international audience, you create more inclusive, engaging, and impactful content and delivery for everyone. Remember, communication is the goal, and prioritising language diversity is a major step toward achieving that goal.
ISTC Survey
The ISTC Annual Survey covering employment is available for all technical communicators in the UK. The purpose of this survey is to collect data relating to qualifications, experience and pay of technical communicators in the UK.
Take part in the ISTC Survey by clicking this link
It will take you 10 minutes at most. The deadline for the survey is 31st March 2024.
UK Technical Communication Awards
Entries are now open for 2024 through the ISTC website. You can find out more at the UK TC Awards web page. Then fill out the UK TC Awards entry form to nominate yourself, your team or someone else.
Go on, you and your team deserve it! If you need any help with your online submission, contact us at istc@istc.org.uk.
Please note for the UK Technical Communication Awards 2024 we are retaining the established guidelines. The awards are open to any individual or team, whether employed, self-employed, contracting, volunteering, permanent, temporary, full-time, or part-time. We continue to encourage entries of all types, from traditional documentation to those demonstrating technical innovation.
The Communicator Awards competition will be held for the fifth successive year. Details will be given in the journal with invitations for readers to vote for their favourite article and column.
TCUK 2024 news – A date for your diary
This year we return to an online conference for TCUK24 in September while preparing for another in-person conference next year.
We can now confirm that the 2024 event will be held in the last week in September as is usual. The date is Tuesday 24 September.
TCUK24 will be similar in format to 2022, including the following:
- ISTC AGM (for members)
- UKTC Awards Presentations
- Speakers’ presentations followed by Q&A sessions.
Looking ahead to TCUK 2025
As reported previously, the ISTC Council is planning to stage an in-person conference next year. TCUK 2025 will be an in-person event.
We are very keen to repeat and even improve on last year’s in-person conference; hence the longer lead time to ensure a strong team of volunteers, availability of an ideal venue, our preferred presenters and sponsors for TCUK25.
Planning is already underway for TCUK25. We will be seeking support from members interested in helping to make this event happen. More information will be sent out later this year.
What’s coming in Communicator
Communicator Spring 24 will cover several topics, from an Inclusive Glossary and the Tech Writing skills you can employ in your personal ventures, to ageism, the importance of being concise, the challenge of being the 1st Technical Writer of a company and more. You will also learn the results of Communicator‘s Contest 2023.
How to acquire copies of Communicator for non-members:
- Purchase PDF versions of Communicator on Issuu
- Subscribe to Communicator in print for 4 issues
- Purchase an individual issue of Communicator from the ISTC office
ISTC Community
Become more involved in the professional community through the ISTC Area Groups, join us online at one of our monthly ISTC Meets events, and find us on social media (links below). Members also have access to the ISTC Discussion Forums (login required).
If you would like to start your own Area Group, contact istc@istc.org.uk.
Online meet-up with Cambridge Area Group
Open to anyone involved in communication from any location, the Cambridge Area Group hosts a regular, free Zoom meeting. It is the second Thursday of the month at 6pm for approximately 40 minutes. Contact cambridge_areagroup@istc.org.uk
for more information.
London Area Group
Dr Vladimir Izmalkov MISTC is hoping that the 20th of March looks promising for the next London Area Group meetup. The location is, by default, The Southbank Centre – Royal Festival Hall.
However, for any last-minute updates and coordination, he has set up a WhatsApp chat for the group.
New Scotland Area Group
ISTC Fellow, James Bromley, is looking to set up a new Scotland Area Group to replace our dormant East of Scotland group. James would like to know what you might want from the group:
- Would you like to meet online or in-person?
- How frequently?
- What locations might work for you?
- Are there specific days or times that suit you best?
- Would you like formal meetings and speakers or would you prefer them to be more casual?
Is this something you might be interested in being involved with? If so, please email him on scotlandgroup@istc.org.uk
Social Media
Community Forums
Industry News
National Indexing Day
The Society of Indexers is celebrating National Indexing Day for the eighth successive year on Thursday 28 March 2024.
National Indexing Day was established in March 2017 to commemorate the diamond anniversary of the founding of the Society of Indexers. Since then, celebrations of indexing have taken place at live events, online and in the media. Indexers, authors and publishers have joined in enthusiastically to salute these ‘unsung heroes of the publishing world’, in Sam Leith’s words in The Guardian. This year we will be celebrating with a half-day in-person workshop for publishers in London, as well as online across social media.
They are offering an in-person workshop for publishing professionals who would like to improve their understanding of the indexing process. This will be held at the Publishers Association, 50 Southwark Street, London SE1 1UN on Thursday 28 March.
Tickets and a provisional programme are available now at: https://www.indexers.org.uk/events/national-indexing-day-2024.
The ticket price is £30. We look forward to another successful National Indexing Day 2024 online at #indexday and live in London.
Upcoming Events
Here’s a selection of the up-and-coming events for technical communicators:
AI The Docs (April 3rd 2024)
API Documentation and AI Practices: Why, What, How?
UX Copenhagen (March 20-21 2024)
ISTC Members can get 10% off the ticket price of UX Copenhagen by visiting the ISTC Community Forum. There is a post in the Lobby area with the discount code. This is valid for an in-person, live event ticket, or a live-stream (online) ticket.
Training Courses
Armada
March 2024
4-5, 14-15 AND 21-22 INTRODUCTION TO ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
Learn how to create and edit vector graphics quickly and effectively, in the leading application for vector graphics. The comprehensive toolset and features available provide everything you need to produce extraordinary graphics for print, video, the web and mobile devices.
10% discount for ISTC members (coupon code ISTC10).
£295 + VAT. Instructor led, live online course (all dates)
£345 + VAT. In-class at Sheffield training centre (4-5)
£345 + VAT. In-class at Reading training centre (14-15)
£345 + VAT. In-class at Bromsgrove training centre (21-22)
4-5, 11-12, 25-26 INTRODUCTION TO ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS
Teaches all the key skills needed to use the leading professional software for motion graphics, video compositing and visual effects. Used across all forms of video and screen-based media, After Effects offers a powerful set of tools to deliver stunning visual results.
10% discount for ISTC members (coupon code ISTC10).
£345 + VAT. Instructor led, live online course (all dates)
£395 + VAT. In-class at our Bromsgrove training centre (4-5)
£395 + VAT. In-class at our Bristol training centre (11-12)
£395 + VAT. In-class at our Reading training centre (25-26)
11-12 and 25-26 INTRODUCTION TO ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
Learn how to create and edit images using the de facto standard in the graphics industry. Techniques covered include colour correction, working with layers, compositing images and preparing images for use on the Web.
10% discount for ISTC members (coupon code ISTC10).
£295 + VAT. Instructor led, live online course (both dates)
£345 + VAT. In-class at Sheffield training centre (11-12)
£345 + VAT. In-class at Bromsgrove training centre (25-26)
6-7, 21-22 AND 25-26 INTRODUCTION TO ADOBE INDESIGN
Provides a comprehensive introduction to the powerful capabilities of InDesign, including setting up new documents, shapes, frames and using InDesign’s most popular features.
10% discount for ISTC members (coupon code ISTC10).
£295 + VAT. Instructor led, live online course (all dates)
£345 + VAT. In-class at Bromsgrove training centre (6-7)
£345 + VAT. In-class at Sheffield training centre (21-22)
£345 + VAT. In-class at Milton Keynes training centre (25-26)
4-8 TECHNICAL AUTHORING TRAINING PROGRAMME
ISTC-accredited programme comprising:
- Introduction to technical authoring (1 day)
- Intermediate technical authoring (2 days)
- Advanced technical authoring (2 days)
Training in core technical authoring skills for new and experienced technical authors.
Attend the complete programme, or just the module(s) relevant to your experience.
Matthew Ellison now hosts this course.
10% discount for ISTC members (coupon code ISTC10).
£1,195 + VAT. Instructor led, live online course
£1,495 + VAT. In-class at Bristol training centre
Cherryleaf
New Course from Cherryleaf
USING GENERATIVE AI IN TECHNICAL WRITING
This online course covers how technical communicators can use Generative Artificial Intelligence to help them:
- Be more efficient.
- Create better deliverables for their users.
We went through all the key stages in a technical writing project. At each step, we investigated whether AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude could make a Technical Writer’s job easier and better. After a lot of research and testing, we ended up with the content for this course.
The course provides a framework that attendees can use to identify opportunities and best practices for integrating ChatGPT, Claude, LLaMA, and similar tools into their technical authoring processes – creating, managing, and delivering technical content.
Technical author/technical writer/technical writing e-learning course
https://www.cherryleaf.com/training/technical-author-basicinduction-training-course/
Learn to write like a professional technical communicator. This course teaches you the fundamentals of technical writing, and helps you understand your role as a Technical Author (or similar position).
This technical communication course is accredited by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators.
Creating Content for User Onboarding
Everything you need to know about onboarding customers onto your product.
https://cherryleaf.teachable.com/p/creating-onboarding-content
Fundamentals of Technical Writing
Learn the fundamentals of technical writing and understand the Technical Author’s role. Course accredited by the ISTC.
https://cherryleaf.teachable.com/p/technical-writer-induction-course
Intermediate/Advanced Technical Writing
You can take one or all of the 12 technical communication training courses in this bundle:
https://cherryleaf.teachable.com/p/advanced-technical-communication/
Creating Screenshots and Images for User Guides
Cherryleaf’s e-learning course on creating screenshots and images for user guides gives you the foundations for creating professional images in an efficient way. The course includes exercises and model answers for delegates to complete and review.
https://www.cherryleaf.com/training-courses/images-course/
New two-course bundles
We offer five bundle options that contain two courses at a discounted price:
- Technical Writing & Screenshots Course Bundle
- Technical Writing & UI Text Course Bundle
- Technical Writing & User Onboarding Course Bundle
- Technical Writing & Copywriting Course Bundle
- Technical Writing and API Documentation
Virtual Classroom Courses
We also offer the following courses in virtual classroom format for organisations:
- Technical writing for developers
- Technical writing for Support staff
- Technical writing fundamentals
- Writing policies and procedures
- Writing financial policies and procedures
For more information, visit Cherryleaf training.
Firehead
Structured Prompt Operations for Technical Communicators and Content Developers
Discover the art of blending AI with technical communication in this comprehensive course. Learn to structure AI-generated prompts effectively, enhance team workflows, and develop a versatile Prompt Operations Plan.
Join us to unlock the potential of AI in your writing process, whether individually or as part of a team.
https://firehead-training.net/course/structuring-chat-gpt-prompts-for-technical-communicators
The full range of training courses hosted by Firehead.
Free technical writing courses
Some free technical writing courses submitted by Mike Mee.
- https://developers.google.com/tech-writing/overview
- https://github.com/wise4rmgod/TechnicalWriterResources
- https://iimskills.com/a-guide-on-technical-writing-and-technical-writing-training/
- https://firehead.net/free-resources/ – lots of guides about various aspects of technical communication (PDF format)
Let’s Talk ContentOps
ISTC Honorary Fellow, Rahel Bailie, hosts some webinars talking about things that are of interest to technical communicators. Recorded webinars include:
- We Have AI — Can We Ditch Structured Content Now?
- Content Strategies for Sustainable ContentOps
- ContentOps in Conversational Artificial Intelligence
- ContentOps as Part of Product Lifecycle Management
- Let’s Talk Content Operations
- Growing a Customer Support Site Into a ContentOps Pipeline
- Turning Team Pains into Operational Gains
Find out more at https://www.brighttalk.com/search/?q=Rahel+Bailie.
Short-term Training in Technical Communication at Polytechnic University of Porto
You can enrol in individual modules of the Postgraduate Diploma in Technical Communication from the Porto Executive Academy (PEA – ISCAP-P.PORTO).
Most classes take place on Friday evening (18h30 to 21h30) and Saturday morning (9h00 to 13h00).
For additional information, to learn of any calendar changes, and to enrol, contact the Programme Director at alexalb@iscap.ipp.pt some weeks in advance.
Besides the course price, there is an additional enrolment fee of €30 (per academic year) that also covers insurance.
About InfoPlus
InfoPlus is your go-to source for staying informed about our profession, featuring news not only from the ISTC but also from across the technical communication community.
This complimentary newsletter is emailed to approximately 1500 individuals.
Subscribe to InfoPlus here, you can unsubscribe at any time from within the email sent out each month.
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Please get the information for the April 2024 edition to newsletter.editor@istc.org.uk by Monday 18 March 2024.
About our publishers
InfoPlus, the Monthly Newsletter from the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC), is a valuable resource for the largest UK body representing scientific and technical communicators. Whether you are involved in technical writing, technical illustration, or other forms of communicating technical information, ISTC is the professional association dedicated to supporting your career.
Explore the benefits of ISTC membership and find out how to join.