the change agent in you
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The Change Agent in YouLori Meyer
October 3, 2013
Why talk about this?O We must do more, faster, and more
creatively
O We must be participants, not just witnesses, of change in our profession
O We must take the time to reflect on our work and contributions in the face of ongoing and rapid change
O Lifelong learning is a given
Change agent – one definition
O Lives in the future, not the present
O Fueled by passion, and inspires passion in others
O Has a strong ability to self-motivate
O Must understand people.Dennis Stevenson, IT manager and blogger
What’s in it for….
O Our employers
O Our clients
O Our colleagues
O Ourselves
What does “change agent”
meanto
YOU?
Finding the change agent
in YOU
O Listen O KnowO Believe
O InviteO TeachO Evolve
Listen Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it
takes to sit down and listen.
Winston Churchill
Listening: the baseline for
everythingO An opportunity to reflect/quiet the
noise
O An opportunity to test your understanding
O A form of observation
O A way by which you communicate respect for both yourself and others
Listen to…
O Your team members
O Your managers
O Your clients
O Your customers
O YOURSELF
Know Knowledge will forever govern
ignorance.
James Madison
Know
O What is your focus of expertise?WHAT do you know?
O What is your level of expertise?HOW MUCH do you know?
O Where have I made a difference?
Know: Your technical skills
O Subject matter areas/domain knowledgeO Networking, databases, business
process automation
O Banking, finance, medicine, law, retailing, education, consumer electronics, telecommunications
Know: Your technical skills
O Related technologyO Programming and scripting
languagesO Database design / developmentO Web development / XML / DITA O Content managementO Instructional technology /
training design
Know:Your craft skills
O WritingO EditingO Information design /
architectureO Indexing O Graphics
Know:Your soft skills
O Presentation / meeting facilitation
O Project management
O Teaching / training / instruction
Know: You O What has piqued your interest? Why did
this get your attention?
O What unexpected sources of information can provide insights into your interests and goals?
O Where can you make a difference?
O Are there skills you have always wanted to learn, but never did for any reason?
O Are there new developments in the profession that interest you?
Know:Gather the evidence
O Writing samples
O Presentations
O Project leadership
O Certifications
O Performance reviews
O Recognition
Know:Sample skill assessment
Believe To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only
plan, but also believe.
Anatole France
Believe: Definition
O To accept something as true, genuine, or real
O To have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something
What, and how much, do you believe?
O Reflect on how you perceive your skills and interests
O Check your perception against the evidence you’ve gathered
O Focus on what is important to YOU as well as your employer / customer / client
O Focus on your unique contributions
What, and how much, do you believe?
Belief + service = Partnership
Value
Invite The best way out is always through.
Robert Frost
Invite: Definition
O To offer an incentive or inducement
O To increase the likelihood of a response or action
O To request the presence or participation of
O To request formally
Invite: Why this concept is
importantO It is NOT
O about proving yourself
O It ISO about building relationships that
form the basis for illustrating your value
Invite…O Your team members
O Your lead writer
O Members of your product teamO Developers/HW engineersO QA and support engineersO Training staff O Product managers
TeachThe art of teaching is the art of
assisting discovery.
Mark Van Doren
Why are we teachers?
O Technical communication is what we doO Regardless of the tasks we performO Regardless of our job title
O It’s what we know and believe in
We teach…
O Our customersO Our team members O Our managementO Our clientsO OURSELVES
Evolve Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop
questioning.
Albert Einstein
Evolve:Lifelong learning
O Review, reflect on what you know and believe
O An ongoing process
Evolve: Our ever-changing
vocabulary
O Tools
O Processes
O Opportunities /value
Our ever-changing vocabulary
O ToolsO 1970s and earlier: Publishing, bluelinesO 1980s: Desktop publishingO 1990s: Single sourcing, XML,
localization, Web, Internet, online O 2000s: DITA, content management,
reuse, social media, mobileO What’s next?
Our ever-changing vocabulary
O ProcessesO 1970s and earlier: Write, typeset, print,
writer, editor, page
O 1980s: Desktop publishing, print, team
O 1990s: Single source, user assistance, version control, localization
O 2000s: DITA, content strategy, reuse, agile, social media, mobile, structured, topic-based
O What’s next?
Our ever-changing vocabulary
O Opportunities/valueO 1970s and earlier: Writer, editor,
illustrator, managerO 1980s: Lead writer, programmer writerO 1990s: Document technologist O 2000s: Content strategist, content
author, information architectO What’s next?
Resources
O Career development O Jack Molisani (southern CA)
www.LavaCon.com O Hannah Morgan (upstate NY)
www.CareerSherpa.net O Andrew Davis (Silicon Valley)
www.contentrules.com
Resources
O Career development
O Judith Shenouda (upstate NY)www.easescommunication.com
O John Hedtke (Northwest)www.hedtke.com
Resources
O Usability and user experienceO Dr. Ginny Redish
www.redish.com O Nielsen Norman Group
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/O STC Usability and User Experience
SIG http://www.stcsig.org/usability/
Resources
O Content strategyO Ann Rockley
www.rockley.com O Scott Abel
www.contentwrangler.com O Val Swisher
www.contentrules.com
ResourcesO Technical communication trends
and issues O TechWhirl
www.techwhirl.comO Technical Writing World
http://technicalwritingworld.com/O TED Talks
http://www.ted.com/talks
ResourcesO Conferences
O STC Summit http://summit.stc.org
O TCUK – Technical Communication UKhttp://technicalcommunicationuk.com/
O Writers UAhttp://www.writersua.com
O LavaConhttp://lavacon.org
The difference you make…
O Listen…O Know…O Believe…O Invite…O Teach…O Evolve…
…The change agent in YOU
Connect with meO Email
meyer.communications@gmail.comO Twitter
@lrmeyer747O LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lrmeyer O Google Plus
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