Presenting at the Conference for Software User Assistance Peer Showcase

Posted on February 1, 2011May 20, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

I’m writing this post in the middle of our fourth nor’easter of the season. On the first of February we’ve already had more than 60 inches of snow dumped on Greater Boston, with another 12-16 inches forecast by end of tomorrow. I remember enjoying snow as a little kid, especially with the words “snow day” added to the mix. But now, the snow is more of a pain than a joy.

Fortunately, some warm weather thoughts are distracting me today. I’ll be traveling March 13-16 to Long Beach, CA 2011 to present at Peer Showcase of The Conference for Software User Assistance. Joe Welinske, president of WritersUA and direct sponsor of the conference, recently informed me of our selection. I’ll be presenting the EM35x Development Kit Quick Start Guide, a foldout document TRA360 created for Ember Corporation, a leading provider of wireless sensor and control network technologies for businesses, homes and the utilities that serve them. TRA360 has been providing technical documentation services to Ember since 2004.

WritersUA is one of the most respected companies in the UA and technical documentation worlds. So, to be selected to participate in the Peer Showcase is a significant accomplishment for the entire TRA360 team. The conference’s focus is on developing the best possible user experience for all types of software applications through well-designed interfaces, helpful, and accessible support information. Technical writers, online help developers, documentation managers, technical publication managers, and many others are among the many types of people who will attend. Want to learn more? Go to the conference agenda and read all about it. You’ll be glad you did!

And, if you make it to Long Beach, introduce yourself. I’ll be the guy without the shovel.

Massachusetts Clean Energy Careers Directory

Posted on January 31, 2011May 20, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

The New England Clean Energy Council, together with the The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership (NEEP), just announced the official launch of The Massachusetts Clean Energy Careers Training & Education Online Directory. The online resource is dedicated to connecting people throughout Massachusetts with information about clean energy education and training programs throughout the state. Read the press release at http://www.cleanenergycouncil.org/node/6042.

According to the press release: “the new website—www.cleanenergyeducation.org—makes it easy for job seekers, workforce training providers, educational institutes and employers to find information about clean energy training and education programs, ranging from one-day training workshops to doctoral programs in clean energy. The site, which MassCEC created in partnership with the NEEP and the Clean Energy Council, includes an online database cataloguing clean energy training and education programs in Massachusetts, and a networking tool for training and education providers to share best practices and program information.”

Massachusetts has needed a website like this one for many years and I, for one, am glad it’s finally arrived. Does anyone know if other states have a similar resource?

Prezi: The Zooming Presentation Editor

Posted on January 26, 2011May 20, 2013 by Valentina Rosa

Prezi is being hailed (by some) as the next great app for creating meeting presentations (or prezis) live and on the web. For people who make their living in marketing communications and learning & development, it’s worth giving Prezi a test drive.

Unlike PowerPoint and its ilk, Prezi doesn’t involve creating discrete slides. Instead, it’s a Web-based “canvas.” Prezi users group their images, text, and video in various ways, and then zoom back and forth between topics during their talks. According to the website, once a presentation is downloaded, it works on any computer, even without Internet access. (I’ve not tested this claim.)

The Prezi Academy offers a step-by-step tutorial in using the product, as well as helpful hints on presenting and publishing. You can also browse popular prezis to see what others have created with the product.

Prezi offers free accounts, but a fee is required to work offline and to remove Prezi’s corporate branding. Prezi is also available for the iPad.

So, are marketing communications and learning & development professionals going to turn away from PowerPoint and flock to Prezi? Not likely in my opinion, but worthy of some exploration.