Leah Guren Workshop
Summary
| What: | Leah Guren Workshop |
| When: | 09 Nov 2012 – The Golden Rules: Ten Key Elements of TC Theory |
| 10 Nov 2012 – Editing Boot Camp | |
| Time: | 8:30AM – Registration |
| 9:00AM – 4:00PM – Program | |
| Where: | LaQuinta Perimeter on Peachtree-Dunwoody Road |
Go to Registration and Payment now!
The Society for Technical Communication Atlanta Chapter is excited to host two Leah Guren workshops on Friday, November 09 and Saturday, November 10 at LaQuinta Inn & Suites Perimeter, Dunwoody, Georgia.
Leah’s workshops offer something for both new and experienced communicators. Her workshops provide informative, useful (and sometimes humorous) knowledge presented in a fun and lively format rich with examples and hands-on exercises.
I have never had such a great trainer!
Day 1: The Golden Rules
Ideal for all levels of technical communication, from novice to veteran, The Golden Rules covers ten key elements of the technical communication theory. This full-day workshop is just right for:
- New writers: Did you enter the field without formal training? You may have focused on learning the products that you must document, your company’s business or technology domain, and the tools you need to do the job. But without understanding the underlying theory of Technical Communication, you won’t learn to analyze information and make good decisions. The Golden Rules gives you the conceptual analysis skills that let you move beyond the low-level “tech writer” role!
- Established TCs: Do you have some experience but are still at the stage of developing and enriching your knowledge? You know the basics, but may have trouble digging a little deeper and seeing creative solutions. The Golden Rules gives you advanced tips and techniques for each element of theory.
- Senior TCs: Do you feel that you are in a rut? You may have fallen into bad habits or lost focus while dealing with the constant demands of deadlines and internal politics. The Golden Rules gives you a much-needed refresher, helps you recharge your batteries, and gives you an effective framework to use when managing new writers.
By the end of this course, you will have learned to analyze information critically and to think about content in new ways. This full-day workshop covers these topics:
| Topic | Concepts |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Personal introductions and goals; the role of TC in the company and for the user; how TC differs from other forms of writing. |
| Golden Rule #1 - Paper Is Permanent | Avoiding mistakes that can detract from documentation; review of grammar and punctuation issues. Learning the correct style for TC writing. |
| Golden Rule #2 - Know Your Audience | Conducting audience analysis, key techniques for discovering your target audience, and creating personas. |
| Golden Rule #3 - Highlight Hazards | Protecting users and the company through effective cautions and warnings. |
| Golden Rule #4 - Break It Out | Using design and layout to help communicate information in a document (introduction only). |
| Golden Rule #5 - Do not Write Blind | Learning to ask the right questions and analyze information; learning the product and process yourself. |
| Golden Rule #6 - Be Consistent | Understanding how consistency helps users follow documentation more easily. |
| Golden Rule #7 - Signpost | Making information accessible within the document. |
| Golden Rule #8 - Do not Violate Standards | Analyzing standards and applying them. |
| Golden Rule #9 - Contemplate Before You Illustrate | Adding graphics that help rather than confuse; a review of the basic rules and best practices. |
| Golden Rule #10 - Cut the Fluff | Trimming the unnecessary words out of documents to make them more useful. |
| Conclusion | Final thoughts. |
Day 2: Editing Boot Camp
Everyone can use a refresher! This lively workshop is appropriate for experienced writers, senior editors, and even novice technical communicators. It can be taken in conjunction with The Golden Rules, or as a standalone workshop. It provides a chance to:
- Review the updated rules of punctuation and grammar for technical communication.
- Review the correct and most effective writing style for technical communication.
- Learn the usability theory that is behind modern editing choices.
- Look at the most common mistakes and how to avoid them.
- Develop visual editing skills, including a review of the fundamentals of good design.
- Explore edit solutions based on structure and organization.
- Learn tips and tricks to help the documentation review cycle.
- Rethink, retrench, and rewrite!
| Topic | Concepts |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Personal introductions and goals. |
| Why edit? | Why and when? Editing vs. proofreading. The role in the documentation life cycle. |
| Punctuation | Basics and beyond! |
| Writing style | Voice, tense, and beyond. |
| Writing for clarity | Removing ambiguity; finding the right level of correctness; focusing on what is important; FOG scores. |
| Tips and techniques | Improving self-editing and review cycles. |
| Another look at consistency | Style guides. |
| Structural editing | Style guides. |
| Thrills and drills | Putting it all together. |
| Conclusion | Final thoughts. |
These two day-long workshop topics provide something for all types of communication practitioners from technical editors, writers, marketing communications, science writers, administrative professionals, and managers. Accolades of her workshops include such praises as, “This is the first seminar that I have learned so much and everything is very applicable and useful. Leah, I would personally like to say that you are a true professional in every sense of the word… I have never had such a great trainer!”
About Leah Guren
Leah Guren is the owner/operator of Cow TC. She has been active in the field of technical communication since 1980 as a writer, manager, and consultant. She now devotes her time to consulting and teaching courses and seminars in technical communication, primarily in Israel and Europe. Her clients include some of the top high-tech and biotech companies internationally, including Intel, IBM, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, RAD, Cisco, Given Imaging, and Rambam Medical Center. Leah is an internationally-recognized speaker in the field of technical communication and is an Associate Fellow in STC (Society for Technical Communication).
Pricing and Registration/Payment
STC-Atlanta uses PayPal to securely process payments. Don’t have a PayPal account? No worries. Look for the Bill Me Later link when you checkout. There you will be able to checkout as a guest using your credit or debit card. Don’t forget to order your lunch, too! See y’all there!
| Day/Status | STC Member | Non-member | Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| One Day | 149 | 199 | 99 |
| Both Days | 248 | 348 | 148 |
| STC Member: Which days can you attend? |
| Non-Member: Days to attend? |
| Student: Days to attend? |
| Add on-site lunch |