TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Description:
Here's an opportunity not to be missed. Representatives from Lawson Software
and McKessonHBOC will present case studies of their online documentation
projects. Learn from the challenges they face and exult in their achievements!
Case Study 1:
McKessonHBOC
Information Technology Business
Minnesota Office
Denise Patrick-Johnson, Technical Writer
Ginger Graham, Technical Writer
Presentation will focus on the Pathways Healthcare Scheduling Help file and
other online documentation projects at McKessonHBOC. Presentation topics will
include:
* Organizational structure and how the writers work with other departments.
* Development Process Methodology and how Documentation fits in.
* How Documentation writes online documentation and the tools they use.
* Documentation processes in relation to how R & D develops the software.
Our business unit develops Pathways Healthcare Scheduling, McKessonHBOC's
enterprisewide patient and resource scheduling solution, which ensures
efficient scheduling from any facility or department. Pathways Healthcare
Scheduling is developed using Visual Basic and C++ and runs in a Windows 95 or
Windows NT environment. Third party tools needed to run Pathways Healthcare
Scheduling include Sybase SQL Server or Microsoft SQL Server, an interface
gateway such as an ADT, and a report writer.
Case Study 2:
Lawson Software
Deb Rosenthal
Chris Morrison
Scoping out an online help project? Sometimes it's handy to hear someone else's
war stories, more formally known as "case studies." Deb Rosenthal and Chris
Morrison worked on an embedded HTML Help system for Lawson Software until the
software project it supported was cancelled earlier this year. Deb will share
her thoughts on what worked well and what didn't from a project management
standpoint. Chris will demonstrate a prototype of the embedded HTML Help system
we developed.
Chris Morrison is a Senior Technical Communicator at Minneapolis based, Lawson
Software. During his two and a half years with Lawson, Chris has worked on many
projects including a Word to FrameMaker transition and an HTML Help system. He
received his bachelor's degree in Scientific and Technical Communication from
the University of Minnesota in 1996.
Deb Rosenthal has worked in technical communications for 13 years as an editor,
writer, and documentation manager. She has worked at Lawson Software for a
little over two years, and she is currently the project leader for development
of a new online performance support system.
Program Fee:
Members- No charge
Non-Members- $15 (pay at the door)