The Society for Technical Communication is an individual membership organization dedicated to advancing the arts and sciences of technical communication. It is the largest organization of its type in the world. Its 25,000 members include technical writers and editors, content developers, documentation specialists, technical illustrators, instructional designers, academics, information architects, usability and human factors professionals, visual designers, Web designers and developers, and translators - anyone whose work makes technical information available to those who need it.

The STC Toronto Chapter was founded in 1959 (then the Society of Technical Writers) and is the largest chapter in Canada.

About this Newsletter:

Front Runner Presents:
Are You Having Fun?
by Joyce Aldrich

Does your work sometimes drive you a little crazy? Probably there are occasions when you feel like returning to the womb where everything you needed was right there, all systems were operational and everybody knew when to expect delivery.

It’s February and some of you have started projects with, let’s say, June 2005 deadlines because finishing up before the summer is cool and, after all, you deserve a vacation and some time to enjoy café culture or cottage life. Or, perhaps you’re working on the project that never ends…it just goes on and on, my friend…hmmm.

Whatever you’re doing, have you got everything you need, are all systems operational, are you on target for delivery and…are you having fun?

Ask yourself these questions:

1. When you go to work, each morning, are you excited about or dreading your job?
2. When your boss hands you a project, how confident are you that you have the right software in place to do the job effectively…and
   complete it on time? (But, if you don’t, are you brave enough to tell your boss…or do you just “make do?”)
3. What software are you using to enhance your work?
4. What (if any) issues are slowing you down on a daily basis?
5. Do you have more training issues than you have time to fix?

Would you like help answering these questions? Here are some answers:

1. Helping you get excited about going to work starts with Adobe’s® “Less Work More Play” applications, using Adobe® Creative Suite. If you’re wondering why every office needs a copy of Creative Suite, it’s very simple. Whether you’re a creative house or not, once you have this product, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it, because it will open up a world of possibilities, and work will become play. (That’s the “Fun” part!)
2. With Adobe® Creative Suite in place, you have dynamic, easy to use components that complement each other and are considered an industry standard. Instead of using miss-matched software (left over from other projects, or from experimenting with systems that just don’t fit the bill) consider the benefits of using compatible products to augment your work…all in one package.
3. For those little extras and finishing touches, just having Illustrator®, PhotoShop®, InDesign® and GoLive® at your disposal, gives you that creative edge. Then there’s Acrobat® 7.0 and the new LiveCycle™ Designer that will turn out to be the greatest adjunct for the bulk of your work. Here is a product that is going to revolutionize how business communicates by offering “real time” solutions that allow for quick, direct communication between parties, resulting in accuracy and flexibility. This will reduce time-consuming, frustrating, costly procedures, by a large percentage. It’s an all-in-one tool that brings together familiar elements from the Creative Suite, to create interactive, on-line forms that don’t time-out. Consider the possibilities. If you’re not into creating your own forms, a large selection of templates is available. There is also the ability to insert files from any source, including graphics, XML Schema and web pages. Very handy…
4. One of the things that slow people down on the job is waiting for documents to be signed…and returned, forms to be filled in…and returned, documents to be reviewed, with comments…and returned…especially for those of you in the field, including architects, engineers, contractors and insurance claims investigators et al. Time is of the essence! If you find yourself twiddling your thumbs, muttering under your breath, taking more trips for coffee and/or cigarettes or are stress snacking, then you
   need LiveCycle™ Designer. It makes sharing information like photos, diagrams and other documents requiring comments and signatures quick and easy. Adobe® has also released the new, more versatile Acrobat® 7.0 Reader that is now ready to download and “has capabilities and enhancements to help you reliably exchange information for more secure and efficient project reviews. “
5. To learn how to use these products effectively, Front Runner provides enjoyable, accelerated training, on or off-site, by industry experts. Understanding how to use Adobe® products makes getting the job done a whole lot easier! It’s kind of like using a “universal translator”… for us “Trekkies.”

So, can you remember the last time you had fun playing with a really great toy? Well, what are you waiting for? Open up the new Adobe® Creative Suite “ToyBox” and be surprised at all you can do with these! With new enhancements, like LiveCycle™ Designer, you’ll be so amazed at the time (and effort) you’ll save! Work can be a place of discovery and fun for the kid in us all.

Now, let’s look into your future. I see you sipping your favourite “Cuppa” (non-alcoholic or otherwise) listening to a live street band with friends at the local café, discussing your summer vacation plans, relaxed and content because you’ve just completed a project, with ease and… even had fun doing it!