Preview: 41st conf. tech. tours

[Kay Wicker - Documentation <kayw -at- SPEDI -dot- SPEDI -dot- MN -dot- ORG>]

This is a list of technical/program tours planned by the host
chapter (Twin Cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul) of the 41st Soc.
Technical Communications conference.  See the "final" conference
program and the May Intercom for more details.  Here are dates/times
for those of you who are planning your conference schedule.
(I'm relaying this info. for Preeti Mathur, Twin Cities chapter
of S.T.C; she is organizing the technical/program tours. )

Monday, May 16
  [tentative tour, not yet confirmed]
  Andersen Consulting, downtown Minneapolis  (near the conference site)

  Andersen Consulting provides consulting in strategic svcs, change management,
  systems integration. Tour participants learn about the role of tech.
  communicators in consulting and their role as a part of the team that
  develops solutions for clients. A highlight of the visit will be a
  brief presentation and a hands-on session demonstrating some of these
  solutions.

Tuesday, May 17
  *TOUR 1*
  Science Museum of Minnesota, downtown St. Paul (about 20 mins. drive
  from conference site)
  bus leaves at 8:30 am and returns at 11:45 am

  Learn how exhibits are developed: research, planning contents, production
  process.  Also go backstage to see the equipment used to project 3-D
  films onto a 76-foot-diameter dome screen. Also, view the film
  currently playing at the Omnitheater of the Sci. Museum: "Mountain Gorilla."
  [ticket to see the film is $3.50, payment due when you get your ticket]

 *TOUR 2*
  Medtronic, Inc., northeast Minneapois, about 30 mins drive from conf. site.
  bus leaves at 1:00 pm and returns at 4:00pm

  Medtronic is a major medical equipment manufacturer, well known for its
  cardiovascular products, and produced the first pacemaker.  At the tour:
  view corporate product and history displays, cardiovascular business
  center displays, and marketing and medical communications and publications
  displays. Also tour the heart valve mfg. facilities and watch a video.

Wed. May 18
  *TOUR 1*
  Cray Research, Inc., Eagan MN (about 30 mins. drive from conf. site)
  bus leaves at 8:30 am and returns at 11:30 am

  Cray manufactures super computers. Tour the usability lab and learn
  about the facility, its tools, and resources. View a super computer
  and check out some of its applications.

  *TOUR 2*
  IDS Financial Services Usability Lab, downtown Minneapolis

  3 tour groups:  depart 8:30, return approx 9:30
                  depart 1:00, return approx 2:00
                  depart 3:00, return approx 4:00

  IDS is a financial svcs. company that offers services to individuals
  and institutions. Tour the usability labs tha feature state-of-the
  art information technology, including video cameras and one-way mirror,
  a computerized logging system for recording comments and observations,
  and a monitoring studio.

---
Kay Wicker, documentation specialist
St. Paul Software; St. Paul, MN
kayw -at- spedi -dot- mn -dot- org