This study is intended to assess the perception of training and the drivers that underlie it. To get at these perceptions and drivers, Carliner’s research team will conduct interviews with users of training in three Information Technology departments in large, medium, and small-sized organizations. The study is funded by Concordia University’s Seed Grant Program.

Interviews will be conducted with front-line workers, and first-line and second-line managers. All responses will remain anonymous, as will the names of the organizations. The results of the study will be published in both academic and trade journals.

Carliner is looking for participation from STC-Montreal members. Your participation in the study can provide insights into how your organization approaches training and might provide insights into whether your organization is realizing the full benefit of its investment in training.

In addition to participating in an interview yourself, Carliner is looking for participants who can provide the researchers with access to three levels of employees in their organization (front-line workers, and first- and second-line management) for a series of interviews. The front-line employees would be interviewed together in one or two focus groups of 2 hours, with 6 to 12 participants. First- and second-line managers would be interviewed individually. Interviews last 45 minutes to 1 hour.

To participate or to learn more, contact Saul Carliner at saulcarliner [at] hotmail [dot] com.

Saul Carliner is an associate professor of educational technology at Concordia University in Montreal, where his teaching and research focus on the management of workplace communication and learning groups, and communication for the workplace and related management and evaluation issues. Also an industry consultant, he provides strategic planning services to organizations like Alltel Wireless, Montreal Holocaust Memorial Centre, IBM, and several government agencies. Among his publications are the best-selling Training Design Basics, Designing e–Learning, Advanced Web–Based Training (with Margaret Driscoll), and articles which won the Frank R Smith Outstanding Article Competition in 2000 and 2001. He is a board member of the Canadian Society for Training and Development, past Research Fellow of the American Society for Training and Development, and a Fellow and past international president of STC.

STC’s bylaws, adopted by the membership in August 2007, no longer require the officers in STC’s presidential chain of succession – the incoming president and incoming first vice president – to stand for election. Therefore, incoming president Michael A. Hughes and incoming vice president Hillary Hart did not appear on the ballot this year.

Congratulations to the winners, and a special thanks to all candidates for their dedication to STC and willingness to devote their time and energy to improving the Society.

President

Michael A. Hughes

Vice President

Hillary Hart

Secretary

• Rachel Houghton, 374
• Steven Jong, 332

Nominating Committee

Two positions:

• Nathaniel Lim, 393
• Linda Mikkelsen, 317
• Preeti Mathur, 303
• Lory Hawkes, 297

Directors

(Two positions for a 2-year term; one position for a 1-year term to fulfill the remaining year of Lisa Pappas’s term)

• Nicoletta A. Bleiel (2-year term), 457
• W.C. Wiese (2-year term), 411
• Tricia Spayer (1-year term), 306
• Makarand (Mak) Pandit, 278
• C. Alvin (Al) Hood, 232

In it, he talks about the importance of developing an integrated approach to social media and outlines effective strategies for using three major social media channels: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

If you have a comment or suggestion, please share it by posting it in the section below this article.

—

Successful Social Media Programs

What are your  thoughts on developing and maintaining a successful social media program? A few thoughts to open up our discussion:

1. Social media are just tools that may not even be relevant to your targeted market. Social media are NOT an end unto themselves, not matter how compelling they may be.

2. If you do use social media, integrate them with each other and with your marketing program. If you’re a captive employee, a first step is to work with company management to develop a social media policy and terms of use.

3. Don’t worry about your privacy. Assume there is no privacy, and always keep that in mind when you post. Your postings are instantly open to the world’s public, AND once posted they are searchable across the Web for ever.

4. Social media can be great for increasing your visibility, enhancing your credibility and generating leads. However, you still need to sell that service or product you are selling.

LinkedIn

This environment looks complicated at first, but there are three (3) key elements to LinkedIn:  your profile, your network, and your groups.

Profile

1. Your LinkedIn profile essentially serves as your resume to viewers. Like written resumes, it should be concise. Focus on accomplishments. Streamline your content for easy scanning.

2. Make sure you include links to your Website, blog and Twitter account.

3. Use active tools like SlideShare to post new presentations and materials that demonstrate your expertise. When you post new content, be sure to inform your network.

4. Recommendations are critical, but make them relevant to the work experience, and what you want people to know about you. It’s about  quality of the recommendations, not  quantity. When asked to provide a recommendation, be sure your own writing is of high quality.

Network

1. Your network can be a solid source of new business. See if anybody in your network is connected to people at organizations you have targeted. Then ask the person in your network to facilitate an introduction (or at least get their permission to use their name when making contact). Be generous with your networking knowledge, and be sure to provide constructive referrals when asked. What goes around comes around!

2. Be selective when adding people to your network. Make sure you add people you know, and who know you (and your work) well. Beware of adding too many links to LIONs (LinkedIn Open Networkers) who automatically accept all link requests to boost their link score. Anyone with more that 500+ links is very likely a link collector and potential spammer.

3. How many links should you have? That depends entirely on what you are trying to accomplish with LinkedIn. Your links should support your business context, and should include people who know you and your work. Make sure that the people you link to are also active users of LinkedIn, as people with few links can provide you with few leads.

4. Use your links to keep in touch with a network of co-workers from former jobs. LinkedIn will update their information automatically, and you will be able to get back in touch with them easily if circumstances warrant.

Groups

1. Choose your groups carefully. Select groups active in your business area, from which you can learn, and select ones that will support your professional context (e.g., alumni groups) or whose members can give you business.

2. Groups are also great areas to prospect for new business. Many have active job posting sections. Check groups for employees of organizations you are targeting. Then you can introduce yourself by saying “We are both members of. …” Most groups require that you ask permission to join, and most respond very quickly and affirmatively to your requests.

3. Participate actively in your groups. You’ll get a lot of email from your groups, if they are active. Share information the same way you do with your network. Also pose questions and respond to questions. That’s how your name gets visible. But groups don’t like blatant self-promoters. Everyone knows what spam looks like and sounds like these days. Don’t spam! And limit your posts to perhaps no more than one a week.

Facebook

1. Facebook is an easy way to promote your business identity. But ito use Facebook to promote your business, set up a Business page. It is much more flexible than a Personal page, and is more appropriate as well.

2. Make sure your business page contains any relevant online links to your Website, blog, Twitter, LinkedIn profile, etc.

3. If you have a Personal page, invite some or all of your Friends to become Fans of your business. To do this, become Fans of your clients, vendors, etc.

4. Use your Facebook page to generate awareness and credibility through appropriate posts. Start discussions, post articles, participate in other topical posts, etc.

5. You can be a bit more promotional with Facebook than LinkedIn. Use it to announce new products and services, offer discounts, etc. With permission, you can also publicize new clients, or post case studies or testimonials from existing clients.

6. Promote new postings on your blog or new information on your Website with a link.

7. You have a “Notes” section on your Business page. Use that to solicit and post client testimonials. Use the polling feature to survey your audience and collect opinions.

8. Promote your business postings on your Personal page, with a link to your Business page. When you direct them to your Business page, encourage your Personal Friends to become Business Fans.

9. While you have a little more freedom with Facebook than with LinkedIn, keep the postings relevant, concise and related to business. Do not use your Business page for movie reviews or to talk about your vacation. That’s what your Personal page is for.

10. If your business contacts are also your friends, they can read personal “stuff” on your Personal page. But remember that the whole world will be able to access your Personal page. Keep this in mind even when using Facebook’s instant Chat feature. Never worry about privacy, always assume you have none.

Twitter

1. The magic Twitter number is 140. That is the number of characters you have available per tweet. You have no choice but to keep it concise.

2. Good tweets:

• Links to new postings on your blog or new content on your Website
• New product or service offerings or special promotions with a call to action
• New client announcements
• Rational opinions on issues affecting your business/profession
• Links to articles of interest for your business/profession
• Announce your presence on Twitter on LinkedIn and Facebook. Invite people to become followers.

4. The other piece of Twitter is who you follow. Here are some thoughts:

• Thought leaders in your profession
• Clients and other business associates
• You should certainly engage in discussions. But be sure your comments are relevant and add value (at 140 characters, they have to be concise). Again, DO NOT spam!

Measuring Results

How do you measure the results of your social media efforts? The most obvious way is sales. Are you making money?
Also, you can track increased email, Website and  blog traffic as a result of your social media efforts. Google Analytics is an easy (and free) way to monitor this activity.

MODERATOR:
Everett Larsen
Medical & Technical Writer
AMWA Member / President, STC Montreal
larsene [at] primelink1 [dot] net
518-297-6427

Your Election Username and Password

STC members eligible to vote in the 2010 election will be emailed their election username and password on 2 March 2010. A paper ballot will be
mailed to all individuals requesting one and to those for whom STC does not have a valid email address.

If you have not received your election username and password via email by 5 March 2010, please contact the STC Office at stc_election [at] stc [dot] org or call +1 (703) 522-4114 to confirm that your email address is current. If possible, please add stc_election [at] stc [dot] org to your list of approved addresses to ensure receipt of official election information.

Candidates

Below is the list of the candidates, and a line or two summarizing their respective visions for STC (based on their responses to questions posed to them by the current director.) You can learn more about each candidate and their responses – or  ask them a question yourself here>

Candidates for Director (vote for 2)

• Nicky Bleiel – Having served on STC’s Board for the past few years, Bleil said she would like “to continue to serve as a Director” and to complete work already begun.
• Al Hood – Hood wants to help STC to become a source of expertise and information about the industry.
• Makarand (Mak) Pandit – Pandit believes that STC is still relevant but that it needs to stay more focused on carrying out its objectives and living up to its commitments.
• Tricia Spayer – Spayer wants to help STC overcome its recent difficulties and emerge stronger and healthier.
• W.C. Wiese – Wiese wants to help ensure the future of STC by increasing its value and impact. By building external partnerships and affiliations, for example, Wiese says that STC membership will be perceived as a must-have by those joining the profession.

Read more about the candidates for Director here >

Candidates for Secretary (vote for 1)

• Rachel Houghton
• Steven Jong

Read more about the candidates for Secretary here >

Candidates for Nominating Committee (vote for 2)

• Lory Hawkes
• Nathaniel Lim
• Preeti Mathur
• Linda Mikkelsen

Read more about the candidates for the Nominating Committee here >

Fei Min Lorente, the president of Southwestern Ontario STC has posted a blog entry about the questions and the responses they garnered:

The presidents of the Canadian chapters agreed that it would be helpful to our voting members if we asked the candidates some questions that are relevant to Canadian STC members. The questions were:

• How would you propose to make international chapters like Canada feel more like they are a part of the bigger organization?
• What would you do to convince Canadian members that they should pay the same membership dues as Americans, when many of the STC services do not apply to Canada?
• Are you aware that the International Affiliation Agreement is currently being reworked, and what do you think it should contain?

Continue reading Lorente’s posting at stc-soc.blogspot.com for the full replies to the questions.

STC-Montreal President Everett Larsen said, “STC’s financial crisis during the past year highlighted some real and perceived inequities in chapter funding, both in the US and in Canada. This year saw a significant increase in our dues cost, and all members are understandably re-evaluating the new membership value proposition.”

Larsen said that the key issues facing Canadian chapters include the following:

• STC operates a central job bank, but hardly any job postings are for Canadian positions.
• The Society has been actively lobbying the US Department of Labor to change its official job classifications pertaining to technical communication. This may be of benefit to US members, but has little direct impact on wages and employment in the profession in Canada.
• STC also publishes annual salary survey data, but again it is for the US only. When asked about including Canadian data from Statistics Canada, the STC Office replied that such data was not offered for free and was overpriced.
• STC’s annual conventions are always US-based, and are expensive for Canadians to attend.
• Group health insurance is an offering of great interest to US members, but is not relevant to Canadians.
• STC no longer supports regional representation on its Board of Directors, and when approached, stated they were not interested in having dedicated Canadian representation at board level.

The full replies to these issues from the candidates for the STC board can be found linked on the STC Southwestern Ontario Chapter blog.

It is true that if you’re no longer an STC member, you’ll be unsubscribed eventually. But this is not an automated process. It can take SIG managers hours to sort through listserv membership lists in order to figure out who needs to be unsubscribed.

On the other hand, it takes you only a few moments to send an unsubscribe request to the SIG list server.

This is a trying time for everyone at STC. But if you’re not renewing this year, remembering to send that unsubscribe message makes things a little easier on the volunteers who served you.

If you would like to participate, please email event coordinator Charles Roburn at vp [at] stc-montreal [dot] org

When: February 4, 2010
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m
Atrium (1st floor) of the McConnell/Library Building (LB)
1400 de Maisonneuve West (corner Bishop)
SGW Campus

What other organizations will be attending? Find out on Concordia University’s career services web site >

Please note: the raffle prize will be awarded at the next STC-Montreal event (date TBA).

Results

SURVEY RESPONSES  [44 completed the survey.]

1.    Are you currently an STC member?
Yes    65.9%    (29)
No    34.1%    (15)

2.    Do you read the Technical Communications or Intercom magazines?
Yes    63.6%    (28)
No    36.4%    (16)

3.    If you are currently a member, are you also a SIG member?
Yes    52.3%    (23)
No    15.9%    (7)
N/A    31.8%    (14)

4.    Have you ever attended an STC international conference?
Yes    38.6%    (17)
No    61.4%    (27)

5.    Have you attended a local STC event in the last year?
Yes    65.1%    (28)
No    34.9%    (15)

6.    If you are currently a member, does your employer subsidize your STC membership?
Yes    25.0%    (11)
No    38.6%    (17)
N/A    36.4%    (16)

7.    If you are currently a member, do you intend to renew your STC membership for 2010?
Yes    36.4%    (16)
No    25.0%    (11)
N/A    38.6%    (17)

8.    Would you be willing to pay a substantially lower membership fee for access to local events and content only?
Yes    79.1%    (34)
No    20.9%    (9)

Section 2 of the survey invited respondents to provide general comments about membership-related issues, most of which are are posted below.  Among the top concerns: the cost of membership and the value provided by the STC parent organization.

Comments

1.    Value I receive from the parent is limited to occasional searches for techcomm articles, competitions, and single-source sig. Don’t have to be a member to be involved in competitions. I have attended local seminars, and usually go to presentations and social events. Not entirely sure if I want to give up my membership to the parent, but it seems that supporting the parent reduces monetary support to the chapter, and the chapter gives better value. So the best arrangement would be membership in SIG and chapter without membership to parent. I would like seminars to be on weekends rather than on weekdays. (Not that my company would not let me go, but I’m usually just too busy to miss a couple of days of work.) Also, I cannot see going to an STC conference, they are much too expensive.

2.    From what I have seen, STC-Montreal brings together a core of generous, like-minded individuals dedicated to sharing their experiences and promoting technical writing in the area. STC-Montreal provides valuable resources for beginning and established technical writers. The workshops and social gatherings connect otherwise isolated freelancers. I’ve had little real exposure to STC, but what I’ve heard does not inspire confidence.

3.    I think the STC HQ does not support the chapters. I would like to see more financial support for the local organization. I think STC-Montreal does a fine job of “surviving” without the the support of STC HQ and can do even more.

4.    More training opportunities.

5.    Very happy with local chapter, good events, good network. Would like to see more talks from members outside of Montreal chapter (if they are in town)

6.    I enjoy reading your STC-Monteal website. For the local chapter, I would like to some more information about how to improve writing skills and grammar for technical writers. For the parent organization, I wouldn’t change anything.

7.    I would like to see some events held in Quebec city. OR
I would like to see more events held in Montreal on Saturday to have more time for travelling from Quebec.

8.    I rely on STC to help maintain my tech writing skills and knowledge up to date through publications and, to a lesser extent, through SIGs. STC Montreal has many interesting conferences, workshops etc – however, I live in Quebec City and find it hard to make time to attend activities in Montreal. Being part of STC is more important than STC Montreal, I’m sad to say. Already my employer has remarked for the previous 2 membership fee renewals that the fees were rather high. So this year, unfortunately I’ll probably renew only with basic membership and not added costs to be part of STC Montreal. I’m not happy about this situation because I know STC Montreal relies on a critical number of members to balance the budget and survive. However I can’t do any better this year, nor can I at the time afford to pay the extra cost myself.

9.    An STC-Montreal newsletter with relevant articles on topics of interest, especially information that is relevant to Technical communicators in Canada. More seminars or mini-conferences given during the day as opposed to short presentations in the evenings. Although this is not strictly an STC-Montreal concern, it would be great if we could have a Canadian salary survey since the STC only provides US data in their salary survey.

10.    2010 fees are way too high.

11.    I live and work in Quebec City. It could be nice to have some events here…

12.    I am a medical writer, and I’ve been subscribing to STC-Montreal’s RSS feed for about a year now. I’ve attended several workshop’s hosted by the STC, most recently, 8-Step Editing, which was fantastic. I’ve considered becoming an STC member, but to be honest, as a recent grad, the membership fee is a little daunting, especially since I’m not exactly a technical writer in the first place. A lower fee for access to local events would be a perfect fit for me.

13.    STC Montreal is strongest at organizing social events. Wish STC had more programming for experienced members.

14.    Question 7 didn’t offer an ‘undecided’ option. I’m seriously questioning the value I receive from both the parent and the local organizations.

15.    Re: Question 8. It is not clear whether it applies to STC members (i.e., people who answered Yes to Question 7) to non-members, or both.
This is a tiny window. There is hardly room to express an opinion on the weather! I am very satisfied with the local chapter, its activities, and its leadership. I am baffled by the international leadership’s disinterest in chapters, and concerned by its suicidal strategies. You can’t build an organization around online communities: no one will pay hundreds of dollars to join a forum, when they can find free ones elsewhere. Yet, for many years, people have paid well over a hundred dollars, essentially for access to the local chapter.

16.    I like the local chapter, and regret that STC Headquarters doesn’t support it well.

17.    HQ can go to the Devil. I am willing to write a procedure to aid them.

18.    I think that a renewal is underway which is very interesting and refreshing. I don’t give a hoot about the parent STC organization and am happy that the Mtl chapter is finding its footing to perhaps standalone some day.

19.    I am sick and tired of them lobbying for US-centric concerns. I don’t feel the Chapters receive enough funding from the Head Office.

20.    I haven’t attended many events so can’t really say, except that I’ve found the seminars useful and the social events fun and good for networking.

21.    I’ve been a member for two years now and I don’t have any major complaints. However, I would like to see the local chapter offer more workshops on current authoring tools used in technical communication.

22.    Lower fees to make it possible for free-lance people to join.

23.    Information on technical communication in the aerospace industry

24.    STC-Montreal has almost invariably impressed me as well-organized, with a competent and welcoming membership and useful events, usually even for soft-core borderline-technical writers. I am not sure, however, what advantage Montreal members gain by affiliation with the U.S. STC — except use of the logo and possibly job bank breadth? From what I’ve seen on its website, the U.S. STC seems to be reducing affiliation benefits. Might membership fees be more reasonable (for those of us without an employer to pay them) if the Montreal chapter went independent and a chunk of them didn’t go into U.S. coffers? Also, on several occasions I’ve wanted to join via the web site, only to find that it wasn’t possible for (ironically) “technical” reasons. Not a big issue, but a bit unexpected. I’d like to see, as a non-member who might become a member, mention in the STC-Montreal emails of the number and type of Montreal-area opportunities currently being announced in the job bank. That could be an inducement to joining if the number of announcements is significant. Last, for at least one event this year, parking (on a hockey evening) was so scarce that I chose to continue on home. I often come by métro, but sometimes that isn’t possible, and it would be nice if event announcements included parking advice. Anyway, thanks for all the hard work making STC-Montreal as good as it is!

25.    Free publications in pdf – More training sessions on more technology subjects, not only software – International Adoption of the TW BOK     [Body of Knowledge]

26.    I’ve enjoyed and benefited from interesting local courses and events. However, between higher STC membership fees for 2010 (already high for a freelancer) and minimal job-bank opportunities, this writer won’t be renewing. I would love to keep taking local courses. I don’t feel I get any benefit from the parent organization.

28.    Meetings on the weekend so members who live outside of the city could attend. At the moment, the last VIA train from downtown leaves at 1815.

29.    What can I say that you do not already know? About Questions 6 and 7: In the past, I paid for it myself. This year my new employer will pay for it or for a prof. membership of my choice (and independent STC Montreal would not cut it though as it will have to be a long-established and recognized organization). I am still conflicted as to what to do.

30.    STC international: not of much use to me; would rather pay-as-I-go for training webinars, etc. STC-Montreal: like the people and the dedication; makes more sense to have a local group like this since our job markets are not as mobile as that of the US; STC-Montreal needs improvement, but given its size and know the good intentions of the execs, I think it’s a good little organization.

The various agencies operating in Haiti have said that the most useful form of aid is not in the form of physical supplies, which are hard to coordinate and transport, but in the form of money. If you are unsure where to make your donation, here are some suggestions:

• The Red Cross
• Médecins Sans Frontières
• The Montreal Gazette has a comprehensive list of agencies that are taking donations for Haiti. if you prefer different charities.
• Montreal blogger Fagstein has posted a list of activities in the Montreal area over the next week related to raising funds for Haiti.

The BBC has an interactive map describing how aid is getting to Haiti.

Some of the most dramatic photos of the devastation in Haiti have been posted at The Big Picture from Boston.com: The day of the earthquake, two days later, and six days later. ]]> http://stc-montreal.org/en/2010/01/19/stc-montreal-encourages-you-to-give-for-haiti/feed/ 0 http://stc-montreal.org/en/2009/12/15/photos-and-prize-winners-from-christmas-banquet-2009/ http://stc-montreal.org/en/2009/12/15/photos-and-prize-winners-from-christmas-banquet-2009/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:54:03 +0000 Jim Royal http://stc-montreal.org/en/?p=1406 The 2009 Christmas event was held at Antico Martini on December 9, 2009. Photos from the event are below.

There were several winners of door prizes:

Paul Giovannetti
Manuel Gordon
Andy Gural
Geoff Hart
Kevin Journeaux
Mary Perchanok
Poppy Quintal
Charles Roburn

Thanks to Andy Gural for the photos.

Our workshops coordinator, Marta Cepek, prepared this survey about technical writing in anticipation of her participation in the “Kick Start your Media Career” discussion panel at the Mediaville Montreal event on Saturday 24 October.

Your responses will influence Marta’s presentation and will also help us plan upcoming STC-Montreal workshops.

The survey’s URL is http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=fYH_2fBdWWiNhkzra10vbZ_2bg_3d_3d.

There were several winners of door prizes:

Pippa Rispa, technical writer — USB hard disk drive
Guy Benoit, technical writer — Swiss Army knife
Keith Robertson, medical writer — iTunes gift card
Marta Cepek, technical writer — chocolates

Thanks to Andy Gural for the photos.