30 May 2011

TCUK 2011 getting closer

I learnt a lot from last year’s conference – and got the opportunity to put some of it into practice sooner than I expected. I was very taken with a talk by Martin Block on the use of illustrations and screenshots in user documentation, and any ISTC members (or subscribers) can find an article based on his presentation in Communicator, the ISTC’s publication. I’m already looking forward to learning more on the same subject this year as the specialist stream is Anything but text.

As a self-employed technical author, who has to pay for her own conference attendance and training courses, I often wonder whether I’m really getting value for money – being able to use something I’ve learnt so quickly after the event is a bonus. That aside, I think it is really important to keep up to date with what is going on in my field, as you never know when something you’ve learnt – or someone you’ve met – may enable me to take on a project I otherwise woundn’t even consider. As soon as I have a rough idea what is scheduled for the workshop day on the Tuesday (the programme is a ‘work in progress’), I’ll be signing up. See you there?