August At-a-Glance

 In This Issue

August 7: Thursdays @ STC Chicago
August 7: Dealing with Difficult Clients
August 20: Chicago e-Learning & Technology Showcase
Alliance Group Meetings & Workshops
August 2008 Photo Contest
Other News
 
 

August 7: Thursdays @ STC Chicago
 
Join STC Chicago members for lunch at a variety of popular locations in August. Or, maybe you'd like to attend an evening get-together in Downers Grove or Wheeling. Either way, you'll have an opportunity to meet other like-minded technical communicators who just happen to enjoy the pleasant company of their peers. W
alk-ins are welcome, but RSVPs are recommended. To learn more about these networking opportunities, see Thursdays
 

August 7: Consulting and Independent Contracting SIG 
 
Dealing with Difficult Clients 

Join technical communication consultants and independent contractors on August 7 for a lively conversation about how to deal with difficult clients. Keeping with the group's established goal of building a sense of "coopetition," where independent consultants cooperate to better compete, Eric Schieler and Jill Spealman will lead the discussion, going boldly into areas where more timid technical communicators might fear to tread.

Topics will include:
  • How to keep clients happy
  • Strategies for handling difficult situations
  • Strategies for handling late or missed payments
  • When to leave the client vs. completing the project
  • Lessons learned 

Location:  Illinois Institute of Technology
               Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Campus
               201 East Loop Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187-8489
                    Google Map

Advance registration for this meeting ended on Tuesday, August 5. Walk-ins are accepted. For details, visit our website.
  
 

August 20: Chicago e-Learning & Technology Showcase
 
Join Chicago e-learning and technology leaders for an exploration of some of the best and most innovative e-learning strategies and tools available today. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to learn about authoring tools, learning management systems, mobile learning devices, 3D simulations, gaming, and social learning formats.
 
Conference Location: Roosevelt University
                               18 S. Michigan Avenue (Gage Building), Chicago, IL 60603
                               (Across from Millennium Park.) 
  
Keynote speakers from Centrax Corporation, BlueStreak Learning, and Crain's Chicago Business will challenge you to rethink the way you approach workplace learning and online content development.
 
The conference is divided into four distinct tracks:
  • development tools,
  • mobile/social applications,
  • program management, and
  • case studies. 
Product demonstrations will take place throughout the day. You'll find sessions on authoring tools, custom synchronous and asynchronous development tools, learning portals, and other software. For detailed information, visit Chicago e-Learning & Technology Showcase
 
Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to register today!
 
 
2008 Conference Sponsors
 
     Society for Technical Communication (STC Chicago)      Chicago International Society for Performance Improvement    Roosevelt University    Premiere Global Services      Interpro Translation Solutions
 

Alliance Group Meetings & Workshops 
 
August 21 | Karen Valencic, Spiral Impact
Workshop: Using Conflict Creatively
Chicago Chapter of the American Society for Training & Development (CCASTD)
 
To register, visit: www.ccastd.org.
  

 
August 2008 Photo Contest
 
This month, we ask you to identify the public statue featured in the photo below. The person immortalized here is an Oak Park native. Here's another clue: This character's time in Vermont was only a dream. Be the first person to email [email protected] with the correct answer, and you'll win an STC coffee mug.
 
 
August 2008 At-a-Glance Photo Contest
 
 
Contestants are eligible to win only one prize within any 12-month period. We will notify the winner via email and post the winner's name on our website. The correct answer will be posted on the STC Chicago blog.
 
 

Other News
 
2009 Technical Communication Summit

Did you know? The 2009 STC Technical Communication Summit will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 3-6, 2009. You'll find the offical call for proposals posted on the STC website in upcoming weeks. Please visit www.stc.org soon for more information.

And, yes, you too can take that midnight train to Georgia. ... Brush up on your presentation skills and put together a proposal that packs a punch. Read Alan Houser and Nathaniel Lim's "So You Want to Be a Summit Speaker?" in this month's issue of Intercom.
 
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STC Salary Database Now Available to All Members
 
Just a reminder: STC members can access the new salary database free of charge. 
 
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STC Chicago Member Featured in 'Off Hours' Spotlight
 
The July/August edition of Intercom features an "Off Hours" article about STC Chicago member Paul Lockwood and his involvement in community theater. STC members can access the article here.