MA Tech Writing Conference Program Announcement

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InterChange'95 Tech Writing Conference Program Announcement

by Teryl Sawosik

InterChange:  April 4 and 5, 1995
The InterChange Technical Writing Conference will be held Tuesday
and Wednesday, April 4 and 5, at the Ramada Rolling Green Hotel
in Andover, MA.  InterChange brings technical writers, editors,
science writers, marketing communicators, publications
specialists, and other interested people together to discuss the
latest topics in technical communications.  It also serves as a
forum to meet fellow communicators and exchange professional
ideas and ideals.

Ed Weiss Returns to InterChange
Dr. Edmond H. Weiss, who was the keynote speaker at the first
InterChange in 1989, again will be the keynote speaker at the
InterChange Technical Writing Conference 1995.  Dr. Weiss is
Associate Professor of Communications at Fordham University's
Graduate School of Business and an Associate Fellow of the STC.

An admitted iconoclast, Dr. Weiss has chosen a topic which should
prove to be informative, provocative, and perhaps controversial.
"The Retreat From Usability:  User Documentation in the Post-
Usability Era" will focus upon the apparent inconsistencies
between the traditional views of usability and the current
practice of designing flexible, customized software applications.

Dr. Weiss feels that the applications that we, as technical
communicators, enjoy using and find powerful and satisfying are
not necessarily easy to use.  Do we need a new definition of
usability or do we need to stop fooling ourselves about what
makes an application user friendly?  Whatever technical
communicators may think about this topic, they will find that Dr.
Weiss provides a thought-provoking keynote address.

Ira Flatow to Keynote!
Ira Flatow will also keynote at InterChange.  The host of
National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation: Science Friday", Ira
Flatow is known for his insightful discourse and sense of humor.
Both of this year's keynote speakers should inform, delight, and
excite the imagination.

More Well-Known Speakers at InterChange!
Many well-known technical communicators will speak at InterChange
1995.  InterChange groups speakers into one of six content (stem)
categories:  Communications Techniques, Education and Training,
Market Research and Writing, New Technologies, Professional
Development, and Scientific and Medical Writing.  Each stem, its
stem manager(s), and a few of the stem's InterChange speakers are
highlighted below.

Communications Techniques
The Communications Techniques stem focuses upon the principles of
design, writing, language, and the application of learning
theories.

Stem Managers:  Olga Lauterbach, Marcam Corporation, Eleanor
Wachs, State Street Bank

Speakers of Note:
Jeff Rubin, J. Rubin Associates, Featured Speaker
"Specifying Usability Goals" and "Communicating the Concept Model
of the User Interface."

Jared Spool, User Interface Engineering
"Manuals and Help:  Practical Techniques in Development and
Testing"

Both speaker's topics are extremely timely and should keep
technical communicators abreast of the latest principles of
usability and designing user interfaces--both on-line and in
print.


Education and Training
Education and Training provides professional enrichment with
respect to the nature of technical writing, teaching technical
writing, and technical training.

Stem Manager:  Bob Griffin, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Speakers of Note:
William Dubie, Digital Equipment Corporation
"Learning in Cyberspace:  On-line Education and the Writer"

Dr. Kristin Woolever, Northeastern University
"What's Wrong With This Training Picture?"

The latest ideas in education and training, and even current
cyberspace education programs (Dubie) will be discussed in these
sessions.


Market Research and Writing
The planning, research techniques, analytical methods, and
writing techniques used in marketing are highlighted in this
stem.

Stem Manager:  Martha Bednarz, ONYX Communications

Speakers of Note:
Laurie Wickham, Panel Moderator, MITRE Corporation
"Integrated Corporate, Technical, and Marketing Communications"


Kathleen O'Hara Hendry, Instron Corporation
"Marketing Communications:  Writing For--Not at the Audience"

Laurie Wickham's panel should give practical advice for companies
with shrinking communications budgets.  Kathleen Hendry's case
study features brochures that won an Award of Excellence for
Technical Publications at the 1994 STC International Competition.


New Technologies
New Technologies focuses upon the latest advances in media,
systems, and tools that technical communicators use.

Stem Managers:  Cynthia Currie, Currie and Associates, and Vicki
Roussel, Vineyard Software and Documentation

Speakers of Note:
Chauncey E. Wilson, Human Factors International, Featured Speaker
"Technology Trends in Technical Communication"

Stephen Gilson, Powersoft Corporation
"Building On-line Help for Windows 95 Applications"

In addition to a thorough coverage of on-line help from several
other speakers, these two speakers will emphasize the broad
(Wilson) and the specific (Gilson) uses of the latest
technological tools.


Professional Development
The management skills, project leader skills, and interpersonal
skills necessary for professional development are highlighted in
this stem's sessions.

Stem Managers:  Suzy Kane, Digital Equipment Corporation, and
Tara Scanlon, Dunn & Bradstreet

Speakers of Note:
Joanne Sterling, Digital Equipment Corporation, Featured Speaker
"Making Teams More Effective"

Dr. James T. Currie and Cynthia C. Currie, Currie and Associates
"Successful Contract Consulting"

Both sessions should give technical communicators helpful tips
that make the workplace easier to manage.  With help from the
other speakers, InterChange attendees should return to work with
professional enrichment tools that can be transferred to their
specific environment.


Scientific and Medical Writing
The Scientific and Medical Writing stem focuses upon the
discipline of medical and science writing and the special writing
techniques needed in this field.

Stem Manager:  Mary Zoll, Freelance Writer and Editor

Speakers of Note:
Patricia Thomas, Editor,Harvard Health Letter, Featured Speaker
"Writing about Medicine for a General Audience"

Judith A. Swan, Princeton University
"Scientific Writing from the Reader's Perspective"

Both speaker's years of experience will help writers re-evaluate
their style, therefore creating more effective science and
medical writing.  Judith A. Swan is best known for "The Science
of Scientific Writing", an often-cited American Scientist
article.



Information, Please!
For more information about the InterChange Technical Writing
Conference, please contact the Conference Director, John Hurtado,
at (508)934-2467 or e-mail him at hurtadojo -at- woods -dot- uml -dot- edu .  Mark
your calendars for April 4 and 5, 1995!


Teryl Sawosik is Publicity Coordinator for the InterChange
Conference Planning Committee and a marketing and technical
writer for CBR Laboratories, Inc. in Boston.