We signed in to Zoom for May’s Tech Comm Café. After nearly three months of COVID-19 lockdown, we’ve adjusted nicely to meeting from home.
This month marked the first time the STC has hosted a virtual version of the Summit, its annual international conference. The new format gives attendees access to recordings of more than 60 keynote and education sessions, and one attendee shared her ambitious goal of writing down notes about every session.
Another member who attended the Summit vouched for the effectiveness of virtual meetings after he experienced Zoom’s “breakout room” feature for the first time at a session that included 85 participants. Putting randomly selected people into small online “rooms” encouraged introverts to be more comfortable expressing themselves than they would normally be. It also avoided the possibility of talking only to people you know (or to no-one, if you’re new or introverted), which sometimes happens at in-person conferences. He also said that although in-person meetings are still preferable, being able to play back a recording of an entire presentation is invaluable.
After some small talk about part-time jobs, conversation shifted to the topics of gender neutrality and artificial intelligence. For most technical writers, it’s standard practice to use gender-neutral terms, but sometimes we use a term out of habit or because a subject-matter expert insists on it. One person described a “feminist chatbot” that made him more conscious of gender-neutral language.
Machine learning and AI are on the rise. One writer had lost a job at a large company because a certain software program can clean up text with a single press of a button. He suggested that technical writers need to keep their skills sharp to compete with these tools and make sure they are providing value to their employers that an automated tool cannot.
As another writer said, “It’s more about the interaction than anything now. We really try to treat our customers well rather than just giving them a document.” UI and UX have become integral parts of our jobs. Beyond just writing, we have branched out into creating videos and even tracking software to better cater to clients. He emphasized that he’d improved his skills in these areas over years of attending STC Summits.
Our chat ended on the topic of editing. The quirks of automated grammar checkers have made some writers doubtful about relying on these tools alone. Comprehensive checklists and style guides are also essential to producing professional and error-free text.
Next Meeting: ONLINE on Wednesday, June 17, 2020
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- If you plan to attend, please RSVP by 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, to receive login instructions.
Date: Wednesday, June 17
Time: 7:30–8:30 p.m. Pacific Time
Location: Online via Zoom
Agenda
- Introductions. Take 60 seconds to introduce yourself, your background, current activities. A good chance to try out that new elevator speech.
- Announcements and job leads. If you know of an interesting event or a job opening, or you’re looking for work, share it with the group.
- Brainstorming Q&A. Ask about a work-related problem and discuss potential solutions.
- Networking. Chat with other technical writers and discuss your professional backgrounds, goals, questions, advice.
Jason Wu is a technical writer who volunteers for the chapter in his spare time.