Virginia Janzig
I attended the STC Summit for the first time in about 10 years. In addition to being a presenter in the Editing Progression, I attended many of the sessions that were offered, and spent worthwhile time in the vendor showcase, especially the bookstore.
Three things stand out to me.
First, the organizers had clearly paid attention to the comments received about prior conferences. The conference was more focused on writing and editing, and much less on tools. And the variety of different kinds of writing topics was tremendous: everything from processes and procedures and structured language to highly technical online documentation. Having recently taken a job in a courseware development group, an area about which I know very little, I was pleased to find more than one session on instructional design. The two I attended were quite helpful.
The editing progression had several presenters on a wide range of topics, and it was well attended. A couple of other sessions on language were also well attended and useful, as well as entertaining. And our language is nothing if not entertaining.
Second, several sessions on various topics provided information for both beginning and advanced writers. Assessing an audience and its needs is always a challenging task, but I think that the organizers and presenters did an excellent job of delivering to both ends of the spectrum.
Third, I was especially glad to see sessions on careers, not only what kinds of careers are available in the technical documentation arena, but also how to progress in a career: what opportunities to look for, how to build skills, and how to present yourself (not just your resume) in a professional and business-like manner.
The Minneapolis Convention Center was a great venue, and the city had a lot to offer. There were plenty of rooms for all of the sessions (although a few of the most popular were standing room only), and the vendor showcase area had refreshments and Internet access. The incredible walkways made it really easy to get from hotels to the convention center and to lots of other businesses.
In closing, I was pleased to see how many young people attended the conference. Clearly, technical documentation is perceived as a legitimate career and career path, and, if we can help persuade the U.S. Department of Labor to update its definition of this job, then I think that the STC and technical documentation as a whole will benefit, and the technical community will be well served.