For a glimpse at the current concerns of content managers, take a look at the agenda of three upcoming conferences. Content writers should be pretty interested in this too, but most probably couldn't care less.
For writers, the agenda is a wakeup call:
- Content is used like data so structure it properly.
- Content must be reusable so write it in modules.
- Writers cannot be technology virgins.
Scott Abel, the original Content Wrangler, highlights these conferences.
1. Content Convergence and Integration 2008 March 12-14, 2008 Vancouver, BC. (Liz Danzico is a keynote speaker on Day 1.)
Conference tracks:
- Social media and customer communications
- New technologies for a new day
- Mobile information
- Planning for a world of social media
- Digital assets and copyright
- DAM Case study in the tourism industry
- Making content portable across the enterprise
- Future of XML publishing
2. Documentation and Training West 2008, May 6-9, 2008 Vancouver, BC.
Conference tracks:
- Blogs and wikis
- Collaboration
- Component Content Management
- Content Reuse
- DITA, DITA, DITA
- Localization and Translation
- Training
- User assistance
3. Web Content 2008 June 17-18, 2008 Chicago, IL.
Oddity: of the 27 presenters at this conference, only one is female.
Conference tracks:
- Web Content Strategies, Practices, and Standards
- Web Content Tools and Technologies
P.S. Like you I have a yellowing Dilbert cartoon on my wall. Tina the Tech Writer is my girl.
6 comments
Apr 25, 2008 • Posted by Robert
Please ignore the typo “Padma’s” in my previous comment.
Apr 25, 2008 • Posted by Robert
Here are another couple of conferences in the same area (http://www.comtech-serv.com/conferences.shtml):
Content Management Strategies Conference 2008
April 7–9
Santa Clara, California
Best Practices 2008
September 15–17
Sante Fe, New Mexico
I’ve just returned from the Santa Clara conference and found it extremely valuable. Padma’s DITA adoption in the US at present is very low, but it now seems clear to me that it will eventually be the way that all large corporations manage their documentation.
Also at the Q&A session at the end of the conference, females outnumbered males by 2 to 1!
Apr 15, 2008 • Posted by rachel
Peter, I haven’t been to any of those particular conferences. The speakers’ links give good clues and the line-up is often terrific. On the other hand, it’s a long way to go. Watch out for events closer to home… a mini-Webstock, perhaps?
Apr 09, 2008 • Posted by Peter
I’ve just been looking at the agenda for Web Content 2008 – and I couldn’t help noticing the male-dominated line up as well… Have you been to one of these conferences Rachel? Do you think it would be of value for a Kiwi web editor/content manager?
Or is there a better conference coming up somewhere?
Peter
Mar 09, 2008 • Posted by rachel
Thanks Fabrice — that’s a simple way forward for tech writers. But my concern is not with tech writers, who have access to relevant training and other resources. It’s the policy writers, HR managers, IT help staff, teachers, legal writers, accountants — need I continue? What is common sense for tech writers is a big ask for other knowledge workers.
Rachel
Mar 09, 2008 • Posted by Fabrice Talbot
That’s true, technical writers need to build skills in content structuring. However, the learning curve is not too steep IMHO. I only see two problems initially: get the Docbook or DITA framework up and running and select the right XML editor.
We recently wrote about these topics on our blog:
http://www.livetechdocs.com/blog/?p=11
http://www.livetechdocs.com/blog/?p=6
Hope it helps some technical writers!
Fabrice
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