December 2017
In this issue, Meredith reflects on six months as President and the challenges we've taken on this year – including our incredible Collaborate conference, joining iTX 2018, and our plans for future collaboration with ASTC. We congratulate Louisa Eades for winning Plain English Tech Communicator 2017, and delight in Andrew Stott’s priceless acceptance video on behalf of IRD, who won worst Brainstrain. Plain English advocate Mark Biss breaks down the costs of confusion for clients, employees and employers. In Let’s Tech Communicate, Grant offers you a special treat: how to write like Albert Einstein, Wacky Warning labels, and ASTC’s recruitment video, starring a few familiar faces!
From the PresidentReflecting on my first (nearly) 6 months in this role it’s certainly been a busy and challenging time. I always get a lot back from TechCommNZ and I want to ensure that all our members continue getting value from our organisation. Next year we want to keep the momentum going, continue to attract new members, and promote our industry to organisations and employers. | |
WriteMark Plain English AwardsThe WriteMark Plain English Awards don’t just feature people who share a love of language bonding over canapés, music, and drinks – they're there to celebrate excellence in plain English, and to remind us of the reasons for its importance. Emma Harding reports on November's WriteMark Plain English Awards event at the Royal Society Te Apārangi in Wellington. The Cost of Confusion“Confusion is the greatest expense you don’t know you have.” (Robert Warren) We encounter confusion daily; in business related transactions, airport parking signage, insurance terms and conditions, website navigation, government forms and legislation, product manuals, and even in colleagues’ emails. Technical writer and plain language devotee, Mark Biss, discusses the the Cost of Confusion. | |
Student Outreach OverviewEarlier this year we announced the launch of our Student Outreach Programme. We’re pleased to report that at the end of 2017 our Student membership has risen from 24 to 40 student members – nearly double! Student Coordinator, Katie Haggath, reports on what we did and what we're planning. Let's Tech CommunicateAre you constrained in your writing? Would you prefer to write like Albert Einstein? Then relax. In this Let’s Tech Communicate, both those issues are sorted for you. Plus, the good news from the USA is that idiotic Wacky Warning labels now have their own competition. The bad news is that if you thought you knew your alphabet, you’re wrong and if you thought Arial and Helvetica were the same, you’re wrong again. But fear not. As a special treat there is yet more on double spaces and you can watch ASTC’s recruitment video featuring Dr Tony Self, Dave Gash, Rhonda Bracey and more. Read on. Wanted: TC InterviewerOnce again the TechCommWire team is looking for 1-2 volunteers to prepare the regular "Featured TC" article. This is a great opportunity to meet colleagues (even if only "virtually") and contribute to the collegial network that is TechCommNZ. | |