Technical communicators today do the traditional – write books, online help, white papers and requirements and specifications documents – as well as the untraditional – serve as usability experts, user interface designers, marketing support, and internal consultants. They also explore, embrace, and implement new technologies to improve their product deliverables as well as their efficiency.

The Pittsburgh chapter of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) is hosting “Writers Without Borders: Trends in Technical Communication,” the STC Region 4 conference, on Saturday, April 17, 2004. This one-day conference focuses on the evolving roles of technical communicators in a rapidly changing economy. It explores some "out of the box" jobs that technical communicators perform today, looks at the latest technology trends, and examines aspects of technical communication to consider in the future.

Conference topics include:

  • Content is king (again!). Keynote speaker Cheryl Lockett Zubak will talk about the return of content as a focus in web development, software interface design, and technical communication, and what this means for technical communicators.
  • Single-sourcing. Neil Perlin will host a session on simple steps writers can take to implement single-sourcing. Alan Houser will host a session on using Adobe® FrameMaker® for XML and single-source publishing.
  • Consulting and career development. Beth Williams and Lori Klepfer will talk about the essential consulting skills needed for career success.
  • Usability. Mike Bates will host a workshop on preparing and conducting usability tests and interpreting the results.
  • User-centered design. Whitney Quesenberry will talk about the role of technical writers in the user-centered design process.
  • Microsoft® Windows® “Longhorn” online help. Cheryl Lockett Zubak will discuss the new Windows “Longhorn” help system and what it means for help authors.
  • Enhancing creativity. Closing speaker John Hedtke will describe ways to enhance your creativity, identify common creative blocks, and foster creative thinking in yourself and others.
“Writers Without Borders” will be held at the Holiday Inn Select, University Center, Pittsburgh, PA on Saturday April 17, 2004, from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Registration cost is $99 before March 15 and $119 after March 15. Register early and save $20! The registration fee includes admission to the keynote session, choice of presentations, vendor area, continental breakfast, buffet lunch with a vendor demo, and a conference t-shirt. For more information, and registration forms, go to http://www.stcpgh.org/conference/index.html.