August At-a-Glance
In This Issue

 

Thursdays @ STC Chicago 

August Chapter Meeting 

August AC Meeting 

STC Webinars 

Last Chance to Register for the Chicago eLearning & Technology Showcase!

Alliance Meetings 

At-a-Glance Contest 

Social Networks 


ThursdayThursdays @ STC Chicago

Join fellow technical communicators for lunch at the following locations on Thursday, August 7.

 

City Location 
Caff� Baci at 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
2 N LaSalle St building (entrance on Madison)
Chicago, IL 60602

Near North Location
La Fournette at 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
1547 N Wells St.
Chicago, IL 60610
No host this month, but the group can still meet. Contact the host if you're planning on attending.
  
Northern Location 
Cosi at 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
910 Milwaukee Ave.
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
  
Western Location 
DuPage Inn at 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
2410 Ogden Ave.
Downers Grove, IL 60515
  
Northwestern Location 
Panera Bread 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
622 E. Golf Road (between Meacham and Roselle)
Schaumburg, IL 60173

To help us try to ensure seating for everyone, please email the site contact (listed above for each location) and let him or her know you're coming. Drop-ins are always welcome, but reservations are recommended. Questions? See Thursdays @ STC Chicago 
  
Want to start a group of your own? Contact [email protected] to learn how.

ProgramMeetingAugust Chapter Meeting - 4 Progressions 

This month, join us for an evening of 4 progressive talks, brought to you by our very own chapter members.

During this time, we'll cover the following topic presentations:
  • Moving from PDF to Online - Learn a few strategies to stop creating PDFs and implement a better solution for your documentation.
  • Working with SMEs and/or a Remote Team - Today's work environment requires technical communicators to focus on communication as we work closer with our subject matter experts and with teams that may not necessarily reside in the same office or location. Learn some lessons from someone who works in this environment every day.
  • Working from a Home Office - It sounds great to work from home (and it is!) but there is a certain skill set required to do it well. Be ready to learn some of the pros and cons, and how to balance and strategize your time and home office environment.
  • Professionalism in 2014 - Professionalism hasn't changed over the years but many of our work environments have. We have to model what this behavior looks like to encourage and foster the professional work environment. It's not just how we dress; there is so much more to consider. Whether this is your first job or you've been in the workforce for years, you'll learn some new and not-so-new tactics to keep it professional.
You don't want to miss this event. Register here!
 
When
Thursday, August 21
Networking: 6:00 pm; Appetizers: 6:30 pm; Program: 7:00 pm 

Where
CARA Offices
2215 York Road #300
Oak Brook, IL 60523 

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Teaser: What's Next
Check out the following exciting upcoming chapter events. Please note that details are subject to change. Remember to check out the website and upcoming At-a-Glances for the most current information.

MonthDateTopicFormat
SeptemberSeptember 18, 2014TentativeSpeaker
OctoberOctober 16, 2014Tool-based hands on for creating videosVendor trainer
NovemberNovember 13, 2014Social Media for Tech CommSpeaker
DecemberDecember 11 or 18, 2014Annual Lightening Talks/Holiday CelebrationSpeaker


ACMeetingAugust AC Meeting 

The STC Chicago Administrative Council meets once a month to discuss chapter business. All members are welcome to attend. This month's AC meeting takes place:

 

Saturday, August 9
9:00 am
 
Einstein Bagels
1727 Freedom Drive #101
Naperville, IL 60563

CompetitionSneak Peak: STC Chicago Technical Communication Competition 

Get ready for the 43rd Annual STC Chicago Technical Communication Competition! The Call for Entries goes out on August 10th - stay tuned for more details.
 
We want you!
There are many ways you can be involved in our annual Competition - as an entrant, judge, or volunteer. In particular, we're looking for the following:
  • Judging Coordinator
  • Team Leads
  • Publicity Coordinators
  • Awards and Banquet Coordinators
Valuable opportunity
Entering the competition and helping with the competition are both excellent learning experiences. Members and non-members are welcome. Email [email protected] for more information.

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Why you should be a judge for the STC Competition
Judges have a unique opportunity to review entries from different categories and industries. Entries can be websites, manuals, help documentation, newsletters, etc. Past entries have come from industries as diverse as aerospace, manufacturing, agricultural, software, and medical associations. Seeing such different work can be educational as well as inspiring. You also get to interact with other judges and benefit from their experience.

WebinarsSTC Webinars
  
STC is offering the following webinars this month:

Tuesday, August 5 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm CDT
Presented by Joe Gollner

TBD
Presented by Michael Opsteegh

Wednesday, August 20 | 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm CDT
Presented by Ellen Buttolph

Thursday, August 21 | 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm CDT
Presented by David Dick

CETS Last Chance to Register for the Chicago eLearning & Technology Showcase!
 
Join us on August 5 at NIU-Naperville for the 7th annual eLearning & Technology Showcase, where you'll network with over 325 industry professionals. At the event, you'll choose from a total of 23 sessions in 4 different tracks. Take a look at our speaker lineup and session topics.

Online registration remains open through Tuesday morning. For additional information, see the eLearning Showcase website or contact [email protected].

 
Gold Sponsor

The CARA Group
 
Silver Sponsor
Interpro2011  

ellegro
 
Sponsor
 

allianceAlliance Meetings

CCATD

CCATD, CISPI, and STC Chicago
Tuesday, August 5
8:00 am - 5:00 pm CDT

ODN Chicago
Thursday, August 14
5:30 pm dinner, 6:30 - 8:30 pm program

Be sure to check out the Alliance website for additional details and other upcoming events across Chicago!

ContestAt-a-Glance Photo Contest

Summer is the time when most of us get out and m-o-v-e! One of the best places to take a leisurely stroll is featured in this month's photo contest. What Chicago park contains this arch pavilion?
 
Send your answer to [email protected]. The first person to respond with the correct answer wins a $20 giftcard to Amazon.com. Check our blog for news of a winner.

Contestants are eligible to win only one prize within any 12-month period. We notify the winner via email. 

SocialNetworksSTC Chicago Social Networks

 

 

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Society for Technical Communication

2014 STC Community of Distinction
 
2013 STC Community of Excellence
 
2012 STC Community of Distinction

2011 STC Community of the Year