Call for papers

[Maria -dot- Lahti -at- SONERA -dot- FI]

Optimising Users: What Do Real Users Want From Documentation?
Seminar on technical communication for professionals, teachers,
researchers and students in the field

October 29-30, 1999
Tampere University Main Building, Tampere, Finland

The Finnish Technical Communicators' Society organises a two-day
seminar on user-centered documentation. The purpose of the seminar
is to pose interesting questions and propose answers concerning
the material and immaterial costs and benefits of user-centered
documentation.

Users have various goals related to their work and tasks. In order
to reach these goals, users are prepared to put in time, effort,
money and concentration, among other things. Optimising means
finding a balance between input and the expected outcome. What
and how do users optimise? How much are they prepared to "pay"
for correct, context-sensitive information? On the other hand,
technical communicators make assumptions about target audiences.
Do these assumptions describe the real users? Or are writers
simply optimising their audience analyses in order to make
documentation design as painless as possible?

We are now inviting papers on the following topics:

Audience analysis: experiences, proposals, models
* Methods
* Case studies
* Analysing survey results
* Usability testing

Technology: benefits to users and/or technical writers
* Online documentation (JavaHelp, HTML Help, PDF)
* Windows CE
* Updating methods

Acceptability: how to make users willing to use documentation
* Effects of culture
* Localisation
* Internationalisation
* Social interaction between user and computer

We also welcome other topics that suit the overall theme. Times
allocated for the presentations are 20 minutes, followed by a
10-minute discussion, or alternatively, 40+15 minutes.
The seminar language is English.

In connection with the seminar, a poster showcase of current
research in technical communication will be organised. We invite
researchers, especially graduate students, to share their work
and receive feedback from technical communication professionals
in the poster sessions. Detailed guidelines for preparing the
posters will be sent to registrants.

Send your entry as plain text (.TXT) by 10 September 1999 to
marjo -dot- kuusto -at- nokia -dot- com by using the form below. You can register
for the poster showcase to the same address. Possible
presentation support material to be distributed to the audience
must be received by 15 October 1999. Notification of acceptance
will be sent to presenters by 25 September 1999. The board of the
Finnish Technical Communicators' Society will make the selection.

   Welcome to Tampere!

   On behalf of the organising committee,

   Marjo Kuusto     Maria Lahti

Further information:

* Marjo Kuusto
   marjo -dot- kuusto -at- nokia -dot- com

* Maria Lahti
   maria -dot- lahti -at- sunpoint -dot- net

ENTRY FORM

Name:
Company/Organisation:
Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:

Title of presentation:

Abstract (100 words):

Presentation format:  20+10 ___  40+15 ___

Equipment required (for example, projector):

Presentation material to be distributed to audience:
Yes ___ No ___

Has the presentation been published earlier, for example,
in a journal or a conference:

Biographical information:

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