Not yet over

Are your projects done? Don’t be too happy. Projects don’t end in the implementation phase. Once your projects are done, you should take a moment to look back and see what went wrong and what went well. Some of us might think that it isn’t necessary because we can’t turn back the hands of time; however, evaluating projects can bring the following benefits.

• Evaluation helps you avoid doing the same mistakes in future projects. Always keep in mind the popular saying “one is enough and two is too much”.
• Recognize your strengths and continue building on it during your next projects. Knowing what helped you hit the marks during your recent project will help you develop strategies for future projects.
• Recognize your weaknesses and find ways to improve them. By evaluating your projects, you can see areas that you need to work on. Those weaknesses might have negatively affected your project at this time; however, when you continue to improve those areas, you are reducing its impact on your future projects. Those can possibly be your future strengths, too.

So before you celebrate, make sure you find time to look back. In the Philippines, we have a popular saying, “a person who does not look back to where his from, will not make it to where he plans to be”.

Word count: 220

Information please

I watched Pilot Betrayed, an episode of Mayday Television series. The episode is about a plane crash wherein numerous things in placed on the airline and aircraft manufacturer’s system weren’t implemented correctly. Here are some of the things that contributed to the catastrophe.

• The deicing method currently in place doesn’t completely deice a part of the airplane that is necessary to safely fly the plane craft.
• The manufacturer of the plane craft introduced a new feature; however, pilots were not made aware of the new feature. The new feature called Automatic Thrust Restoration confused the pilots when they were trying to save the plane from crashing. The pilot was directing the plane to do something but the plane did otherwise.

What struck me most about this episode is the importance of passing on important information to people who will be directly affected by the use or non-use of the information. Having the right information at the right time enables users to effectively proceed with their tasks. As technical communicators, it is our task to create user-friendly documentation; however, the organization that we work for should also be diligent in making sure that the information are distributed and implemented. 

We owe the information to the user.

Word count: 205

Space

Everyone needs space. Everything needs space. This morning I was hoping to work on my project; however, all the classrooms with the software that I need for my project were occupied. Needing that space so badly and not having it made me realize the value of space in our lives.

Space is not only important when you need to fill something. Space is also valuable when you need a break from something. This is very evident in various communication materials. In different documents that we do, we should not be scared to use space. Space gives the users the following benefits.

• Space creates grouping for the information. Using space effectively helps our audience to identify where an idea belongs.
• Space gives audience the opportunity to pause and think of the information that were presented.
• Space makes documentation materials less scary. You might think that using space makes your material look like it has nothing valuable to say or it contains very little information. I think that’s not true. Space makes the audience feel that our material is something  that is easy to digest or go through.

So whatever you’re doing, always remember to use space. You might also need some personal time and space before starting your project!

Word count: 208

Two years and two weeks

Almost two years have passed since I entered Red River College. Now, we have about two weeks left in the program. I would say my stay at the College was really short but I feel and know that I learned a lot. Here are just some of the things that I learned out of my two years of stay at the College.

• I learned to remember to think of others in everything that I do. In technical communication, we were thought of always asking who is our audience? What I learned in college is to always think of the welfare of others in all that I do because the world doesn’t just belong to myself.
• Timing is everything. Everyone seems to be busy at the College. Having to juggle all the balls in my hands thought me the value of time and perfect timing.
• Always learn to love what I do. I realized that sometimes it just takes a little love for the work that you’re doing to actually get it done.
• What does not kill me only makes me stronger. I like this saying because it helps me remember to always take something as a learning experience, no matter how hard it is. College is survival of the fittest. And like animals do, I need to adapt in order to come out strong.

I still have two weeks left. I should try to get the most out of it because someday I might look back and of course I want it be mostly happy memories. 

Word count: 260

What I learned with blogging

This school year, we were asked twice in two different courses to create a blog and share to the world our ideas. Blogging might look like an extra task to some but I think blogging gave me a different kind of learning experience.

Here are some of the things I got from the few months of blogging.

Blogging = Learning

Blogging encouraged me to read new things to share to people. I agree that is important to keep a theme on our blog; however, it doesn’t mean that we need to be talking about the same topic all the time. When we blog, we should try to continuously learn about things that are interesting to us and to others.

Blogging = Filtering

When we blog, we should know how to pause. Since everything is just within our fingertips, we might have the tendency to just spill out the beans. Blogging taught me to take a moment before pressing publish, to know whether what I typed down is what I want the public to get from me.

Blogging = Practice

The most important thing I got from blogging is constant practice. Blogging gave me an avenue to work on my writing skills. It made me realize that there are still so many things to learn, especially about grammar.

I enjoy blogging. Even though blogging takes about one hour of my time each week, blogging gives me benefits that are worth spending my hour for.

Word count = 243

Spring of hope

The weather is slowly getting nicer. I can see the snow melt and the grass starts to show up again on our yard. After almost six months of having to wear multiple layers of clothing and warm boots, we can again use our light comfortable clothes. This spring is really special to me because it will mark a new chapter in my life. I am expecting to finish school at the end of April. With only less than five weeks left to finish all the final projects, it is easy to get stressed. What I planned to do while I am in this stressing position is to just look forward to spring.

I know everyone copes with stress differently. I don’t actually enjoy hearing complains about workload. Each of us is busy in our own way. What I think we should work on is just spend more time working on stuff that needs to get done rather than spend extra hours ranting. If you're stressed right now, always remember the famous saying, “every dark cloud has a silver lining”. If you’re a pessimist, yours might go this way according to Larry Kersten, “Pessimism - Every dark cloud has a silver lining, but lightning kills hundreds of people each year who are trying to find it”.

When planning is not an option

Starting a business should involve tremendous amount of planning. Investing in a business is not like signing up for a crash course. You can’t just back out anytime you want, and still look good. Before starting a business venture, you must take time to measure risks, plan your resources, and assess even your personal strengths and weaknesses.

Investing in a business involves more than putting in your money for something. You should be mentally, physically and emotionally prepared for the business.

This week is our submission of our business plan for our Freelance business management class. When I was doing it, I felt like if it was a real business, I will probably take months before actually completing the plan. It is my money and effort that I am putting in so I want everything to be perfect, or at least planned for. Since it was a sole proprietorship that we prepared for, the project felt like a personal assessment of my strengths and weakness, and how I plan to market myself so I can have an income.  

Some may say nothing usually comes out according to plan. I would say that that’s why we need a plan. 

Planning prepares us even for the worst times. Creating a business plan is never an option; this is a must for all businesses. Nothing would be worst than going out for battle without a weapon. Business plans are businessman’s weapons. Make one if you plan to join the business sector’s battle. 

Word count: 249

iProcrastinate

The name of the application may have negative connotations but this Apple app is really a powerful tool to get you organized. I noticed that I like writing down the things that I need to do on a piece of paper. After completing a task, I usually cross it out. Well, this app can do more! The app allows me to do the following.

• List down the things that I need to do.
• Count how many days I have left before a deadline. This is a very good feature especially if I need to multitask. Knowing how many days I have left to work on something helps me set my priorities.
• Categorize my tasks. The app, allows me to categorize my tasks and name those categories with whatever name I want to call it.
• Add steps to my listed tasks. If the name of the task is not enough to make me remember what I need to do, I can list down some steps in order to complete the task.
• Attach files. This is an organizer helps save time by preparing all the files that I need by linking the file with the tasks. When you view a previously saved task with a linked file, you can just click the link to open the file.

This app is definitely a good tool for someone who is into freelancing. If you have an Apple computer, iPod, or iPhone, you should download this app to help you get organized!

Word count: 252

Take that extra step

Everyone has a different style of learning. Some learn visually, while others learn best when they listen. There are also those who learn by doing.

Learners should take time to discover their learning style. There are activities available through various media that enable learners to determine their learning style. By determining the styles that suit them, learners can spend more time using those styles. In return, they can learn faster and gain better understanding about the topics that they are working on.

Instructors and course designers should also take time to analyze their target learners. Through conducting learner analysis, designers and instructors will be able to develop courses that would provide learners the best learning experience. By tailoring the course to meet the learners’ profile, there would be a greater possibility of having higher grades, faster learning pace, and positive feedback.

Analyzing learning styles can be an added step to the learning process; however, always keep in mind that it is better to add that extra step than have a course that doesn’t work.

Word count: 174

Murder by numbers

Last Sunday, my boyfriend was trying to setup a universal remote control that he wanted to use with their television. The remote control came with a manual, but it wasn’t really useful. The manual failed to use numbers correctly. The manual did not use any numbers to imply order in the steps. At the same time, the manual also had so many numbers listed as codes that the users should try to setup their remote control. Each brand listed has more than five codes. The users needed to try and see which one would work.

Numbers, like words, are also tools in communicating. When numbers are used correctly, they can enhance our documents. Numbers allow us to create and observe order. Numbers help us create a more obvious flow in our documents. We can see this when we use page numbers, numbered lists, and graphs.

Numbers are helpful in analysis. Numbers are called the language of business. Business people make their decisions based on what the numbers tell them. 

As technical communicators, we need more than using words. It would also be to our advantage if we learn how to effectively use numbers.

Word count: 194

The Full Meal Called Life

My favorite quote when I am stressed is "stressed is desserts spelled backwards".

We are almost near the end of our program and everything seems to be overwhelming. There are a lot of projects to be done. The thought of needing to get a job after also scares me at times. It is easy to get stressed and cry, but I shouldn't. 

What I learned about being in school for more than 10 years is that we should never let stress eat us up. The stress that we get in school can’t kill us. That is only true if we don’t think about it so much that it affects our mental health. I would say I am the type of person who thinks that stressors are hurdles that I can overcome; I just need to continue to run, and soon I will see the finish line.

We can also think of stress as desserts. Life is the full meal and stress is just something that makes life complete and interesting. When everything seems to tire you out, try reading the poem “Don’t quit". Here is a link to the poem
http://www.thedontquitpoem.com/thePoem.htm.

Take time to breathe, and read some inspirational poems to help you keep on going.

Word count: 206 words

More than words

Words are very powerful tools for communication. It is important for us to widen our vocabulary; however, we need to remember that we need more than just words to communicate.

When I was still in grade school I always thought that our teacher grades our English essays depending on the words that we use. I felt that my classmate who used non-colloquial words get higher grades than us who tend to use words that are commonly used by people in our grade level.

As I grow older, I realized that we needed to look at words differently. We need to look at words base on how it can be used to effectively communicate.

Here are the top two things that I am continuously learning as I communicate with more people.

1. Keep it simple.

As communicators, we should use words as means to get our ideas across. It should never be a way to separate the educated from those who’ve never been to schools.

2. Everything is connected.

What I learned is that we should always check how the words we use relate to each other. It should always make sense to our target audience. Similar to film, the juxtaposition of shots creates a lot of impact on how a viewer interprets the film.

It is easy to learn new words. We can check the dictionary or read books. However, learning how to use these words to communicate will always be a lifelong learning experience for all of us.

Goodbye old library

Do you like going to the library? Don't worry this won't be a blog post about shutdowns of library. Going to the library is still one of the best options if you are trying to research on something. However, the widespread use of the Internet and other digital devices certainly had an effect on the number of people who use the library. Now, you can buy books online and even just read the digital copy.

Libraries are not behind as far as technology goes. Libraries are transforming at the same time digital books take over the market for print copies. I browsed through the Winnipeg library website looking for resources that I can use for my report. Luckily, I found that the library also has numerous collections of digital books that we can loan without even going to a library. They have e-books and audio books.  

The transformation of our libraries will benefit a lot of us because it will give us access to resource materials even outside the libraries. The addition of audio books will also benefit those who are visually impaired. Libraries will remain to be a part of everyone's learning. It is nice to know that our public libraries are up-to-date with these new learning media.

Word count: 209

Best practices in labeling

We just had our Reading Week. The first year that I was in school, I didn’t know that Reading Week refers to spring break. I was confused because I thought students were expected to do some readings the whole week. It felt like the person who thought of that name used the wrong label.

There are a lot of other things that use confusing or incorrect labels. Maybe some us think that we can label anything we want as long as we remember afterwards what we called it. Yes, you can do that but there are best practices that we can follow, which will help our audience and us. Here are some reasons of the best practices in labelling. 

• Labels should provide information. At a glance, we should be able to identify what is in it for us in files, bottle or anything that was labeled.
• Labels should be concise. A few words will be enough to describe your item or file.
• Labels should not be misleading. It’s nice to play jokes sometimes but labels are the worst to use as jokes. I remembered that there was an instance in the Philippines where a student died because he accidentally drank a chemical from a mineral water bottle.

Labels are important. We should always try to use the best label for anything. Just compare those things to children. Parents will never think naming their child with an ugly or confusing name.

Word count: 239 words

Changing the manuals

No one reads manuals. Maybe there are some who read manuals; however, most of us try out different ways to know something before actually using a manual.

Since a lot of new technologies have similar interface, we experience very little learning curve. We are less scared to try out things on our own. We’ve become aware that there is a very small chance that we’ll break the computer if we did something wrong. The result is there is even lesser number of people who will read the manual. Does it mean we will lose our jobs as technical writers? I don’t think so. Nowadays, manuals are no longer limited to the booklets that we receive with our products. A great example is the video game industry. Most video games incorporate their manuals into the actual game. Instead of having a thick book of manual showing gamers how to use all their characters’ powers, they usually get a training level at the start of the game, where they can learn all of these.

Since most of the users are becoming more interactive, as technical communicators we need to find out more ways to make them more involved in their learning.

Word count: 199

Ally Training

Diversity goes beyond accepting other races. Diversity involves inclusion of other groups and allowing them to live in a community with respect. Today, I joined the Ally Training, where I learned more about the LGBTT*. Through the seminar, I gained more knowledge about the terms that are being used to refer to various identities; however, what struck me most is that it is more than identifying them in the society. It is all about recognizing that all of us have our own preference and respecting other people's preference. Just because someone is not heterosexual doesn’t mean that you should call them names or stereotype them.

Here are the top three things that I learned when I went to the training.

1. Everyone needs acceptance and everyone should accept other people regardless of their sexual preference.
2. We should not tolerate discrimination. All of us should take action. When we see, hear or feel that there is discrimination, we should stand up and make it known that is not acceptable.
3. We don’t have to argue with anyone to get our message across. If a person blurts out a derogatory remark, we can ask what he or she means by their comment.

Everyone deserves to feel safe. Everyone is responsible in creating safe places.

Word Count: 214

Less is more

A lot of people are experiencing writer's block. This would be a problem especially if you need to meet a deadline. On the other hand, most of the writers probably have written something that they know very well and they are passionate about. If you've experienced both, you'll probably notice that when you are passionate about something, you are able to write more information. Sometimes this may feel like wanting to pour out everything you know and transform it into a writing masterpiece.

When I went into the Technical Communication program, I realized that like wearing makeup, our piece of writing should also have the philosophy "less is more". It is important that we filter the words that we use. Remove the unnecessary words that often just create confusion. When people say less is more in writing, I always think of being clear and concise. This is applicable in all forms of writing, but I consider it of very high importance when it comes to technical writing. People who read manuals don’t need flowery words. Most of them just need to get their task done.  

Word count: 185


 

Listen

It is true that we sell ourselves through speaking with other people. Knowing how to speak to the public is a very valuable skill that will get us work and create networks. However, we should also remember that listening is just as important as speaking. I find that when I listen before speaking, I get more information about the topic. It helps me

• Avoid redundancy.
You probably experienced being in a seminar, where after the speaker is done with the lecture someone asks a question which was already discussed during the session. Worse is when someone asks the same question, which was just asked a minute ago.

• Prevent myself from being off tangent.
Listening allows you to get all the information you need before you open your mouth. It allows you to organize your thoughts.

• Show respect and gain respect.
By listening, we show that we are interested and we value other people’s opinion. When we show eagerness, we encourage people to also be eager to listen to us.

These are just some of the things we can get from listening. Here is a verse from the Bible that shows the value of listening before speaking.

"He who answers before listening--that is his folly and his shame". -Proverbs 18:13

The benefits of blogging

Blogs are getting more popular. A lot of writers are getting into the blogging bandwagon for many reasons. Some write blogs to earn money, while others blog to hone their skills. Here are two reasons why I think a Technical Communication student like me should blog.

1.      It improves one’s writing skill.

Blogging is a good way to practice writing and editing. It is true that we can enhance our skills through the writing assignments that we get in class; however, by blogging, we give ourselves more opportunities to write about a wide variety of topics. This will help us become more flexible in the genres that we write.

2.      It creates a good network.

Like forums, blogs encourage discussions on certain topics, which can open opportunities for you to get future clients or possible jobs.  A Blog can be considered an online portfolio.

Here are just two reasons how a student can benefit from blogging. Happy blogging everyone!

Word count: 166

Mac App Store

I haven’t updated my laptop for more than a month, but recently I decided to download the software update. The update includes the Mac App Store, which gives Mac users access to more than a thousand applications for their Mac. The Mac App store has the similar concept with the App Store for iPods, where users have a single portal to access different applications. This innovation benefits Mac users and app developers. App developers can distribute their applications through the App store for only $99 annually. The registration fee is very inexpensive so this will definitely encourage more developers to produce more applications. I’ve downloaded a few applications just to check out what’s in store. Like the App Store for iPods, you can find cheap and even free applications. Mac users should definitely get the Mac App store for their Apple computers and dig through applications that they can use for leisure or productivity!

Word count: 154

Image from: http://www.razorianfly.com/wp-content/uploads/mac_app_store1.png

Writers' Complete Weapons

This semester, I found a really good buy from the Red River College Bookstore. I was looking for a good pencil, and found that the Staedtler pencil costs about $5.50. Going through the same rack, I found little case, which includes a pencil, highlighter, pen and a fine marker. I got the product for only $10.50! 

I’ve been using it for three weeks now, and so far I am really happy with the product. The pen writes well and doesn’t blot. The pencil already comes with a piece of lead, the highlighter works fine, and the fine marker can also be used as a pen. The case also helps keep the pens intact so you don’t misplace it. It doesn’t occupy too much space in the bag so you can take the whole thing with you even if you’re just carrying a pouch. I think this product is a really good starter set for a writer who wants to be armed with all the weapons needed for writing.

Image from: http://www.staedtler.com/triplus_mobile_office_eng.Staedtler

Learning through Apps

I own an iPhone and there are millions of people who own iPod and iPhones. Through iTunes, iPod and iPhone owners can get access to tons of applications. Some of the applications were made for fun and there are also numerous applications that can help us with our tasks.

I've downloaded more than forty applications since I got my iPhone. What I find really useful though are applications that help me gain knowledge and develop skills. Instead of bring a heavy dictionary to school I just used the dictionary.com application that I downloaded for free. Through the development of different applications for learning, iPods and iPhones will definitely contribute in the proliferation of mobile learning.

The next time you visit iTunes, maybe you should try the other categories aside from Games and Social networking. You will discover that these little tools will help increase your knowledge in a fun way!

Image from: http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2190/84125075.jpg

YouTube for Shared Learning

A few years ago whenever I want to learn something new, I usually find a book that will tell me how to do things. Nowadays, I've observed that if ever I want to learn something I search the Internet for information. I have two favourite sites that I go to learn about new things. Guess what sites are they. You'll probably say Google as the first site. You know what my second favourite site is? YouTube. 

I like going to YouTube when I want to learn new things because there are a lot of channels, where people share what they know through tutorials. There are also those who share their product knowledge through reviews. A lot of people in YouTube are generous in sharing with the world what they know, which makes it a great place for shared learning. People can comment on videos, making it more interactive. 

In the future, I think YouTube will become more than just a site to upload videos. It will open more possibilities for shared learning similar to forum and community sites.


Image from: http://www.textually.org/picturephoning/archives/2010/08/24/youtube-logo.jpeg

Snagit

Screenshots are very useful graphics that we can incorporate in manuals. Screenshots are used as guides for locating software options. Sometimes they are also used as verification tools by software users to check if what they are doing is correct. This feature helps writers address the needs of visual learners.

Not all screenshots are helpful. There are screenshots with poor resolutions, which sometimes just adds to the users’ stress. It is important that we use screenshots with the right resolution. 

Most PC users are familiar with the Print Screen feature included in all PCs. If you are familiar with it, you know that it only captures the entire screen for you and that you have to manually crop it if you just want to show a specific portion. Macs are equipped with the screen capture feature that allows users to select a specific location to capture.

You will be delighted to find out that there is a screen capture software that can help you produce quality screenshots. Snagit will answer most of your screenshot needs.

Snagit allows you to capture, edit and share everything that you can see on your screen. They say that, “if you can see it, you can Snagit”. 

Your experience with Snagit doesn’t end in the capturing. You can modify the way your screenshot looks. There are options for adding callouts, shapes, and effects. Once you are satisfied with the appearance of your screenshot, you can then upload without having to use the copy and paste feature. You can directly upload it to a website, attached it to a Microsoft document, or send it via email.

Snagit is a paid software. It costs $49.95. You can also try out the software free for 30 days. Visit http://www.techsmith.com/screen-capture.asp for more information or to download the software.

Cooking and following instructions

Cookbooks are fascinating. You can try out different cuisines just by following instructions from a book. I know very little about cooking so oftentimes I try my best to follow each and every step on the recipe. One evening, I cooked with my friend who knew more in terms of cooking. That night, he was following a recipe from one of his friends. I noticed that unlike me, he didn't closely follow every step as described. He followed information on how each ingredient should go; however, measurements were mostly left to his discretion.

As I observed him, I realized that most people who know more in terms of software or other products tend to use the manual the same way as my friend used the recipe. People get certain information, but they are more adventurous in terms of doing things that were not specified on the manual. People who are intermediate to experts are usually not scared to try out what they know, even though sometimes it may mean making some mistakes.

What I've observed shows that each type of user utilizes the manual differently. There are manuals that are to be strictly followed, and there are those that are more open to deviations. Whatever the manual is, the most important thing is it should be written and formatted in an easy to understand manner.