Tuesday, May 21, 2019

B01 — Continental Breakfast — Day 1

Registration and Continental Breakfast

Continental breakfast, juice, and coffee to start your morning off right.

Welcome Day 1

Welcome

Conference host Scott Abel welcomes attendees, sets expectations, and kicks of the event.

TDR01 — Lawless — How to be Great Tech Writer Without Being a Pain

How to Be a Great Tech Writer Without Being a Pain

Strategic interventionist, Andrew Lawless, explores the science behind building high-performance technical documentation teams.

TDR02 — Haselberger — How Tech Docs Teams Can Learn to Manage Their Time for Optimal Productivity and Minimal Stress

How Tech Docs Teams Can Learn to Manage Their Time

Time management coach, Alexis Haselberger, shares tactics that successful people use to accomplish their personal goals and keep their business project timelines on track.

TDR03—Fouts — Compassion Wins More Hearts than Empathy

Compassion Wins More Hearts than Empathy

Mindfulness coach, Janet Fouts, helps you understand the difference between empathy and compassion and learn how being mindful can help you solve challenges for prospective and existing customers alike.

TDR04 — Steele — Discussion: The Science of Understanding People and the Art of Influencing Them

Discussion: The Science of Understanding People & The Art of Influencing Them

Tim Steele moderates a discussion about people, mindfulness, compassion, empathy, team building, collaboration, personal efficiency, time management, and productivity, 

B02 — Mid-morning Coffee Break — Day 1

Mid-Morning Coffee Break

A short break to refuel and reenergize you.

TDR05 — Kister — Science-Based Design in Technical Communication

Science-Based Design in Technical Communication

Information development maven, Tina Kister, introduces the science of good design; what works, what doesn’t, and why; and how to communicate about design so you can get it right.

TDR06 — Noessel — A Conversation About Developing Agentive Content

Conversation: Developing Agentive Content

Join Scott AbelThe Content Wrangler, and Christopher Noessel for a conversation about the potential impact of moving from our tradition of providing content solutions that help people accomplish work toward content solutions that perform work for people.

TDR07 — Stegelin — Graphic Content Warning: The Pros, Cons, and Alternatives to Screenshots

Graphic Content Warning: The Pros, The Cons, and The Alternatives to Screenshots

Information architect, Steve Stegelin, challenges us to think outside the screenshot for more engaging and meaningful visuals that can contribute to the conversation.

TDR08 — Hobbart — How We Won at Google Search with Tech Docs: Juniper Networks

[Case Study] How We Won at Google Search with Tech Docs: Juniper Networks

Claudette Hobbart shows us how a relentless focus on the customer has consistently increased the organic performance of Juniper Information Experience Team's documentation year over year.

TDR09 — Sullivan-Tarazi — Discussion: The science behind the content decisions we make

Discussion: The Science Behind the Content Decisions We Make

Odile Sullivan-Tarazi moderates a discussion with our expert presenters about the science behind the content decisions we make.

B03 — Birds of a Feather Luncheon — Day 1

Birds of a Feather Luncheon

A hearty meal and an opportunity to lunch with other attendees who share your passion for a specific topic.

TDR10 — Schlegel —A Conversation About Women in Technology

A Conversation About Women in Technology in Silicon Valley

Scott Abel, The Content Wrangler, has a conversation with Anna N. Schlegel about the changing landscape for women in technology and how we can best support them, understand their realities and the progress made in this space.

TDR11 — Swisher — The Importance of Words in an Inclusive Workplace

The Importance of Words in an Inclusive Workplace

Val Swisher takes a look at the role that words play in our ability to understand others, and how we can better understand each other by being open to, acknowledging, and using different vocabularies.

TDR12 — Abbate — How Inclusive Design Gives Everyone a Seat at the Table

How Inclusive Design Gives Everyone a Seat at the Table

Vince Abbate takes a look at what it means to craft inclusive content that is accessible to the largest number of people possible.

TDR13 — Haims — The impact of differences on the way we communicate and work with others

[Discussion] The impact of differences on how we communicate and work with others

Erica Haims leads a discussion about the impact of differences on the way we communicate and work with others.

B04 — Mid-Afternoon Coffee Break — Day 1

Mid-Afternoon Coffee Break

A brief snack and beverage break.

TDR14 — Lowell — Staff Augmentation- how technology can enable new strategies for content development

Staff Augmentation: How Technology Can Enable New Strategies for Content Development

Jeremy Lowell explores new strategies that allow technical documentation teams to use external resources to tackle mundane tasks so they can focus on higher priority work

TDR15 — Mantych — Building and Implementing an Experience-Focused Content Organization

Building and Implementing an Experience-Focused Content Organization

Toni Mantych explains how to develop more rigorous and repeatable processes for identifying our audiences and understanding their needs.

TDR16 — Saiff — Achieving Quality Content at Scale: Is Outsourcing the Solution?

Achieving Quality Content at Scale: Is Outsourcing the Solution?

Barry Saiff gives us a look at the reasons organizations outsource technical documentation, how they do it, and what works and what doesn't.

TDR17 — Wright — Communicating business value to upper management

Discussion: Communicating Business Value to Upper Management

DeAnn Wright asks our panel of experts to share practical approaches for communicating the business value of technical communication to upper management.

W9 — Thomson — How to Be a Better Networker

[Mini-Workshop] How to Be a Better Networker

Lindsay Jean Thomson teaches us to experience networking in a new way. You'll leave with tools to help you make connections in both professional and personal life.

B05 — Networking Wine Reception — Day 1

Networking Wine Reception

Join us for a networking reception featuring light hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

B06 — Continental Breakfast — Day 2

Continental Breakfast

A light, continental breakfast to power your morning.

Welcome Back Day 2

Welcome Back

Conference host Scott Abel welcomes you back and sets expectations for day two of the conference.

TRD21 — Browne - Designing the Information Experience

Designing the Information Experience

Angela Browne discusses how to design an information experience that not only meets the needs of our technology but that also better meets the needs of the humans who use it.

TDR20 — Hanna — Going Micro: Adapting Content for Intelligent Machines

Going Micro: Adapting Content for Intelligent Machines

Rob Hanna takes you on a journey from document-based authoring, to topic-based authoring, to block-based authoring, all the way to fact-based authoring.

TDR22 — Aschwanden — Discussion: Experience Design

Discussion: Information Experience Design

Vivian Aschwanden leads a quick discussion about the methods, techniques, and approaches involved in designing exceptional information experiences.

B07 — Mid-Morning Coffee Break — Day 2

Mid-Morning Coffee Break

A brief break to refuel and recharge.

Video lesson - What is Structured Content?

Quick Video Lesson: What is Structured Content?

Learn what structured content is, why it matters, and what capabilities it opens in this quick video lesson, brought to you by easyDITA and The Content Wrangler.

TDR23 — Gelb — Turning your Documentation into Answers Using Taxonomy

Turning Documentation into Answers Using Taxonomy

Joe Gelb explores the role of taxonomy in providing excellent personalized content delivery.

TDR24 — Swisher — Crossing the Chasm: Why You Need Content Transformation to Have a Successful Content Strategy

Why You Need Content Transformation to Have a Successful Content Strategy

Val Swisher explores what it means to transform content and shares concrete steps you can take to begin preparing content for digital transformation.

TDR25 — Stevens — In or out: Giving Users Only What They Need

In or Out: Giving Users Only What They Need

Dawn Stevens provides a toolkit to help you assess the risk of including — or not including — information in technical documentation. You leave with a custom assessment tool to help you determine the coverage needed for a given topic.

TDR26 — Wood — You Might Already Be a UX Writer

You Might Already Be a UX Writer

Bobbie Wood explores how UX writers create a meaningful, essential product journey by speaking directly to users with well-chosen guidance and compassion at every step.

TDR27 — Perrotta — Discussion: The Right Content For The Right Purpose

Discussion: The Right Content For The Right Purpose

Paul Perrotta leads a discussion about how organizations are customizing and personalizing information experiences, providing the right content to the right person, at the right time, for the right purpose.

B08 — Birds of a Feather Luncheon — Day 2

Birds of a Feather Luncheon

A hearty meal and an opportunity to lunch with other attendees who share your passion for a specific topic.

Video lesson - What is a Single-Source of Truth?

Quick Video Lesson: What is a Single-Source of Truth?

We need to think differently about how we manage and deliver our content to those who need it. In this quick video lesson, brought to you by easyDITA and The Content Wrangler, you learn why a single source of truth can help us expand our content capabilities.

TDR29 — Sullivan — Separate content from formatting and change your world

Separate Content from Formatting and Change Your World

Matt Sullivan reviews three case studies that demonstrate how to drive down the time it takes to maintain the formatting of technical content to nearly zero using template-based design.

TDR30 — Sanchez — Component Content Management - What's the difference for writers?

Component Content Management - What's the Difference for Writers?

Peggy Sanchez helps us understand the changes required when moving from the traditional approach to creating unstructured technical documentation to creating structured XML content. You'll leave with a much better understanding of the people side of adopting a component content management system.

TDR31 — Damitio — Creating Information Experiences at Scale

Discussion: Creating Information Experiences at Scale

Fawn Damitio leads a brief discussion about the issues impacting the ability for organizations to manage content experiences at scale. 

B09 — Mid-afternoon Snack Break — Day 2

Mid-afternoon Snack Break

A quick break to refuel and refresh.

TDR32 — Peroutky — 3 Truths and a Lie About Chatbots

3 Truths and a Lie About How Chatbots Will Change The Way We Manage Knowledge

Devon Peroutky shares real-world chatbot use-cases (and details what worked — and what didn't) and tips for adopting your first chatbot.

TDR33 — Masycheff — To Make Your Chatbot Smart, You Have to Feed It Wisely

To Make Your Chatbot Smart, You Have to Feed It Wisely

Alex Masycheff will teach you how to create a chatbot that is both scalable and smart.

TDR34 — Walsh — Face is the New Interface

Face is the New Interface

Mark Walsh serves up fresh insights into writing for conversation, and learn how to design a voice and a visual that makes consumers feel understood, respected, and loved.

TDR35 — Abel — Challenges Moving Toward Conversational Content

Discussion: Challenges Moving Toward Conversational Content

Scott Abel asks a panel of experts to help us understand the challenges involved in producing conversational content.

B10— Late-afternoon Snack Break - Day 2

Late-afternoon Snack Break

A short break to regroup before the day ends.

Video lesson — What Makes a CCMS Unique?

Quick Video Lesson: What Makes a CCMS Unique?

Learn what a component content management system is, why you might need one, and what capabilities it can provide you in this quick video lesson, brought to you by easyDITA and The Content Wrangler.

TDR37 — Volk — Keeping Docs Current and Accurate in a Continuous Delivery Environment

Keeping Docs Current and Accurate in a Continuous Delivery Environment

Meredith Volk shows us how one technical documentation team approaches the creation, management, and delivery of technical content in a continuous delivery environment.

TDR38 — Perrotta — Connecting Technical Communication Content to Customers

Discussion: Connecting Technical Communication Content to Customers

Paul Perrotta leads a discussion on the need to connect technical documentation to customers in innovative ways.

TDR39 — Abel — Conference Wrap-up

Conference Wrap-up

Scott Abel provides some closing thoughts and gives away a few prizes.

B11 — Networking Wine Reception — Day 2

Networking Wine Reception

Join us for a networking reception featuring light hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

B12 - Continental Breakfast - Day 3

Registration and Continental Breakfast

A light, continental breakfast to power your morning.

W1 — Haselberger — Time Management Mastery: Do More, Stress Less

[Half-Day Workshop] Time Management Mastery: Do More, Stress Less

Alexis Haselberger provides a crash course in the basic principles of time management, and how to actually apply them at work and at home so that you are able to do more and stress less. Through interactive activities, you'll come away with an action plan that will allow you to move from theory to practice quickly and efficiently.

W3 — Hanna — Introduction to Structured Authoring

[Full-Day Workshop] Precision Content® Authoring Fundamentals Workshop

In one day, Rob Hanna will teach you the science behind — and fundamentals of — using the Precision Content writing methodology for creating effective topic-based structured content. Rob Hanna will teach you how to organize and restructure content to make it more usable, repurposable, and relevant.

B13 — Lunch

Luncheon

A hearty lunch and a little time to network with your peers.

W4 — Lawless — The Practical Science of Building High-Performing Teams in Technical Documentation

[Full-Day Workshop] The Practical Science of Building High-Performing Teams in Technical Documentation

In this highly-interactive workshop, strategic interventionist, Andrew Lawless, will give you the tools and insights that will empower you and your technical documentation team to build the synergies and diversity necessary for growth.

W6 — Kister — Using Science-Based Design in Technical Communication

[Half-Day Workshop] Using Science-Based Design in Technical Communication

In this half-day educational workshop, Tina Kister provides an introduction to the scientific principles of good design. You'll learn to objectively assess the quality and effectiveness of visual design, and you'll discover tips for communicating about design in ways that enable success.

W7 — Gelb — Workshop: Building a Taxonomy of Answers

[Half-Day Workshop] Building a Taxonomy of Answers

In this half-day workshop, Joe Gelb helps us earn how taxonomy helps us model our understanding of who our readers are and what they are trying to accomplish. See taxonomy in action to drive search, content filtering and content personalization in a real-world digital experience platform.