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English • Deutsch • Français • 中文 • Русский • 日本語 The 17th Annual WritersUA Conference for Software User Assistance will be held in Seattle, Washington at the Westin Seattle, March 29 - April 1, 2009. If you are interested in being a speaker at the 2009 event, please review our Call for Speakers. If you are interested in presenting a project in the Peer Showcase in the 2009 event, please review our Call for Peer Showcase Presenters. The conference goal is to continue to provide an event with the most comprehensive and timely information specifically designed for user assistance professionals. The event covers all aspects of information and training as a means of support for software users and toward a better user experience. The conference is entering its seventeenth year and will offer seventy topics from over fifty speakers. Joe Welinske, President of WritersUA, notes "the conference will feature numerous cutting-edge interest areas that include the application of Web 2.0, strategies for working with DITA, detailed looks at tool upgrades for RoboHelp and Flare, and discussions about Apple, Google, Microsoft, and mobile initiatives." The conference sessions are supplemented by an exhibition, certificate programs, hands-on computer tutorials, a showcase of innovative projects, networking lunches, and other social events. The 2008 attendee roster represented 45 of the United States, 5 provinces of Canada, and 12 other countries. Attendance has totaled over 8,500 people in the past 16 years! Seattle offers a great environment for city enjoyment and nearby outdoor exploration. Registration for the Conference opens November 17th with early registration discounts. This web site will contain all of the details about the event including session descriptions, speakers, and agenda. Use our Information Request Form to receive the latest Conference updates. |
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What does the Conference cover?The Conference is all about cutting-edge education from the top people in our field. Session content includes tips and techniques, design and construction tricks, case studies, roundtable discussions, and more. Practical, hands-on information on everything related to user assistance. Here are some of the topics you'll learn about at the Conference: |
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| Subject area | Topics covered | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Web-based Help | WebHelp, Adobe AIR, context-sensitive Help, embedded Help, Active Server Pages, database-resident content, knowledge-bases, streaming video | Learn how to provide user assistance using a dynamic, server-based delivery model. |
| Usability and UI Design | Interface design, human factors, user-centered design, usability testing, subject matter expert interviewing, surveys | Improve product usability and get involved in the software design process. |
| Tools | Help authoring tools (RoboHelp, Flare, AuthorIT, WebWorks, Doc-to-Help), eLearning tools, web design tools, graphic tools, conversion utilities | Get unbiased tool evaluations, plus learn how to make them work for you. |
| Information Design | Structured authoring, topic access, information taxonomies, assessing user needs, personas, Web 2.0, metadata, system design | Understand how to best craft the organization, presentation, and delivery of your information. |
| Technologies | Web technologies (such as HTML 5, CSS, JavaScript, DHTML, XML, and AJAX) plus key user assistance technologies (including embedded Help, cross-browser support, and context-sensitivity) | Get a jump start on sometimes baffling, always alluring technologies. |
| User Assistance Standards | Breaking news and techniques for DITA, AIR Help, Apple Help, Oracle Help, DocBook, Windows Help, JavaHelp, mobile, and other major platform standards. | Know the ins and outs of developing user assistance for a variety of development environments. |
| Content Development | Writing, editing, indexing, translation and localization, graphics, single-sourcing, and Agile development | Write better documentation faster and cheaper. |
Comments from the 2008 Attendees
Great location; very useful information. I feel light years ahead of where I was. — Stephanie Stout, Nokia
This conference consistently delivers high-quality content. Thank you! — Cherie Lorenzo, Eos Group, Inc.
The best dollar & information value in conferences. Period. — Chris Thiessen, Emerson Process Management
The whole conference was wonderful! Great selection of topics. Thank you for a great experience. — Jodie Boedigheimer, Infor Global Solutions
This is the best-organized, smoothest-running, classiest professional conference I have attended. It exceeded my expectations. — Judith Harris, CheckFree Corp.
Excellent as usual. — Frank Palinkas, Opera Software
One of the best things I see, having been coming for a number of years now, is the continuity of presenters, all of whom keep up to date and ahead of the 'rest of us'. I've really come to trust them, and totally value the way they make themselves freely available by phone or email during the year for questions. Just Amazing! — Anne Bradbeer, Philips Medical Systems
I haven't been to one of your conferences in 'several' years. You've grown substantially and done an excellent job. I'll definitely not wait so long! — Phyllis Voight
You guys rock! As usual! Thanks again! — Sue Heim, PGP Corporation
This conference was far more focused on what I want to do and where I want to go in my career. The organization behind this conference was amazing. Thanks for making it so easy. I am definitely sold on the conference. If I find that I can only attend one conference next year, it will definitely be WritersUA. — Edward VanArsdall, EVIDD
I think this was the best WritersUA conference that I've attended. It's been an amazing three days and I've received a lot of information that I can use back home. — Laura Katajisto, Nokia
Truly outstanding conference! My first but certainly not last. — Michael Diederich, Fluidigm
Best conference in years. Variety of topics, speakers and location were superb. — Elissa Hannam, Real Time Logic
I've been to many conferences that could learn a great deal from WritersUA. — Geoff Hart, Videotron
Extremely well-run conference! Great variety of sessions. — Robert Siebens, Sabrix
WritersUA is always excellent. — Paula Crockett, Harland Financial Solutions
I loved the hands-on sessions. Listening to other UA people talk about their challenges on the job was great too. — Steven Sanderson, Netsmart Technologies
