http://confabb.com/conferences/index Wed, 30 May 2007 03:52:28 GMT Attendee Reviews of Documentation and Training: The User Experience http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Without missing a beat, Rahel neatly laid out all the "misunderstandings" and "faulty assumptions" that cause the majority (up to 70%) of CM projects to falter, lose momentum, or completely fail. And what it boils down to: adding people dynamics to the equation. Internal users, customers, internal and external reviewers, all are in some way or another ignored, not taken seriously, or brushed aside as inconsequential. Rahel quite eloquently explained how to do it right the first time around, and that includes a proper analysis and upfront requirements gathering. And that includes involving people - lots of them. Great presentation, and one every senior TechComm manager should see. Wed, 30 May 2007 03:52:28 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#291 Ms Emma Hamer http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews From the session description, I expected to take away some handy metrics for measuring doc quality. I didn't get that, but instead got something more profound and useful: a good explanation of the concept of _manufacturing_ content instead of authoring it. Wed, 16 May 2007 23:39:37 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#243 Mr. Chris Scannell http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews This was a very polished and professional introduction to current Web UI practices. Wed, 16 May 2007 23:07:17 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#242 Mr. Chris Scannell http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Salim gave a lively presentation. I learned more than I expected to. Wed, 16 May 2007 23:04:06 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#241 Mr. Chris Scannell http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews This was, on the whole, a very entertaining and useful session. Thom is a very engaging speaker, knows his subject thoroughly, and has obvious enthusiasm for IA. My only quibble is the enormous amount of information in the session. An extra hour would have allowed the session to move at a more leisurely pace. However, Thom posted the slides (more than 300!) to his Web site immediately after the conference, which helped with retaining the flood of information that was covered. This helped immensely. Wed, 16 May 2007 23:01:26 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#240 Mr. Chris Scannell http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Documentation and Training: The User Experience Tue, 15 May 2007 19:04:47 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#231 Mr. Jeremy Bryan http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Because this was hands-on, this session was of the most value. He didn't just talk theory, he had us using the software- this is what we should be doing more of! Absolutely the best session, and worth all the others put together. The tool has the potential to improve the way documentation is done. Fri, 11 May 2007 00:28:37 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#229 Mr Dale Phillips http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Excellent implementation of new technology, but it came only by turning the normal business model 180 degrees. Instead of having a "done by" date, they were allowed to get it right first. Rare, if not unique, in the fast-paced business world. But an important lesson for how to do it. Would like to see someone using it in action. Many technical problems. Fri, 11 May 2007 00:18:52 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#228 Mr Dale Phillips http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Great start, showing lots of promise, with an update on the future. He was good at breaking down what the world is like in the fast lane. Fri, 11 May 2007 00:10:15 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#227 Mr Dale Phillips http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Worst speaker presentation ever seen at a professional organization. Waste of time for attendees. Unprofessional use of profanity in presentation, which was short, abrupt, and of no value. Fri, 11 May 2007 00:03:07 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#226 Mr Dale Phillips http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews While some information was useful, our business needs more practical application to bring back as ROI. Need to be specific about what we can do and apply, not just generalities. Too many sessions offered little of real value that couldn't be got in an STC meeting. Many speakers had HW problems, were not good, or offered no value. Please expand the morning muffins to include cereal, fruit, and yoghurt, which would not cost that much. People don't have time to go out, and they need a bit more to concentrate in the morning. Thu, 10 May 2007 23:58:44 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#225 Mr Dale Phillips http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews I enjoyed this conference more than others I've attended. DocTrain's focus was not sales pitches (although there were plenty) but rather strategies and solutions for planning and delivering content in a rapidly changing technological environment. The grouping of sessions into various tracks helped me choose the topics I was most interested in. The speakers were knowledgeable and inspiring. The 6-hour trip was totally worthwhile. Wed, 09 May 2007 16:42:24 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#224 Mr. Kieran O'Leary http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews The content of this talk was very useful but there were technical difficulties with the presentation that appeared to throw Thom completely off his stride. Flipping through slides so fast I didn't have a chance to see what was on them was disorienting. Made it hard to focus. I would attend another of Thom's talks in a more appropriate room. Tue, 08 May 2007 21:05:37 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#223 Nancy Marsh http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews I am attended Adaptive Path sessions before and I appreciate that the level of information had to be a bit more basic as this was not a web crowd per se. I think David and Sarah did a great job given they perhaps were not exactly part of the audience in terms of domain knowledge (tech writing versus web 2.0) Tue, 08 May 2007 19:54:14 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#222 G D http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews I really suggest that the speakers pick up 37Signal's book "Getting Real" There's more to form and error prevention then sidebox messages and help manuals. Make an interface that meets the user needs and addresses issues before they come up. The interface shown lacks the visual prominence and hierarchy that web 2.0 interface can/should afford. Tue, 08 May 2007 19:49:32 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#221 G D http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews inspired presentation, and great speaker...really knows where things are going and I believe in the vision! Tue, 08 May 2007 19:45:12 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#220 G D http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews A great reminder that we should always keep in mind who are the users 'people'. Tue, 08 May 2007 19:43:50 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#219 Ms. Sylvie Chartrand, PMP http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews since the slides were directly outputted from Excel and enlarged, they were impossible to read for anyone (I was actually sitting quite close to the front). The presentation lacked passion and while I am sure Ann is experienced, the presentation was not informative, and perhaps that again leads back to the quality of the slides (and energy with which they were presented)? Tue, 08 May 2007 19:43:20 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#218 G D http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Seth Earley is full of valuable ideas and he inspires ideas through his own experiences. A guru in metadata and taxonomy. A lot was covered in this session. I did find though many overlaps with the workshop on "Taxonomy Development and Implementation". Tue, 08 May 2007 19:33:28 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#217 Ms. Sylvie Chartrand, PMP http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Seth Earley is full of valuable ideas and he inspires ideas through his own experiences. A guru in metadata and taxonomy. A lot was covered in this session. I did find though many overlaps with the session on "Metadata, Taxonomies, and Information Architecture". Tue, 08 May 2007 19:29:24 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#216 Ms. Sylvie Chartrand, PMP http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews A truly entertaining and yet insightful look at how usability is crucial when deploying a CMS. Excellent session. Tue, 08 May 2007 19:17:19 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#215 Ms. Sylvie Chartrand, PMP http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews The speaker presented well the case study even though there were technical problems with the pesentation. Tue, 08 May 2007 19:13:02 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#214 Ms. Sylvie Chartrand, PMP http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Useful tips and sites to visit were provided. Yahoo Pipes demo was interesting. Tue, 08 May 2007 19:07:37 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#213 Ms. Sylvie Chartrand, PMP http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Provided an excellent overview of Web 2.0 concepts. Very few speakers so effectively combine style with content, humor with ideas and insight. Tue, 08 May 2007 18:59:29 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#212 Ms. Sylvie Chartrand, PMP http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Good presentation and introduction of semantic model and elements. Provided a basic view of tools and technology required to deliver personalized content. Tue, 08 May 2007 18:45:42 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#211 Ms. Sylvie Chartrand, PMP http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Good session. Good clear explanation of DITA and S1000D in relation to the users. Lots of practical advice and examples. Wed, 02 May 2007 02:19:51 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#210 Ms Ros Kewley http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Excellent session. The presentation and was well sequenced - covered all the basics but wasn't too basic. The presenter was informative, inclusive and entertaining. The slides were fab and an excellent reference after the session. Wed, 02 May 2007 02:13:34 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#209 Ms Ros Kewley http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Mr. Shoesmith delivered a great presentation, forcing his audience to think beyond the presentation being displayed on the screen to his left. His ideas were sound and my only criticism is that he spent too long getting ready to unleash his ideas on the world and not enough time unleashing. He made a few points that made the audience lightbulbs flicker and his humble delivery made it seem more interactive than one-way, even though we were all mesmerized (my interpretation). Wed, 02 May 2007 00:53:32 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#208 Brian Webb http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews I am a business planner and I found the conference insightful and thought provoking. The technical writers that were in attendance also found a lot of the content relevant and so it was a conference for a varied audience. Historically conferences are too 'niche' but DocTrain UX had what the masses wanted. Wed, 02 May 2007 00:49:02 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#207 Brian Webb http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews This was a very interesting panel. There where speakers from different disciplines which gave some diversity and some energy to the topics posed by Scott. Scott did a great job getting in all the questions that had been submitted before the session as well as moderating the speakers. On occasion this could have turned into a very heated discussion consisting of long, drawn-out, unrelated answers if Scott had not been as in control of the time given to the participates as he was. Very well done Scott. The session was fun and informative. Mon, 30 Apr 2007 23:53:26 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#206 Barbara Stuhlemmer http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews The conference was very well organized by Eileen Savary and Scott Abel. The location was beautiful. The Marriott Pinnacle was a very hospitable hotel with excellent staff. There was continental breakfast, a wonderful lunch and coffee, lots and lots of coffee each day. There was also tea and water. Every workshop or seminar started and ended on time, which I always appreciate. The presenters where interesting and the vendors where friendly and helpful. There was lots of opportunity to network and get to know others within our own community and there was quite a diverse community represented at this conference. There was even a cocktail reception on Wednesday evening to encourage networking and get people meeting each other. The whole event was very well thought out and orchestrated. I got an opportunity to learn about new and commonly used products and processes. I also left with many new connections which are already turning into mutual associations. Overall a very good place to meet the decision making people within our industry. Mon, 30 Apr 2007 23:31:22 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#205 Barbara Stuhlemmer http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews Loved: the venue, the variety of topics and speakers, the conference web site, the price, the quality of the presenters, the level of quality of the presentations (expert-level), the free iPod shuffle, long lunch time Could have been better: slides should have been available for each presentation, breakfast and lunch were minimal in terms of selection Suggestions for next time: have people sign up for specific topics at lunch and then have people sit in those groups for a better use of the lunch time Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:26:30 GMT http://confabb.com/conferences/16835-documentation-and-training-the-user-experience/reviews#204 Kyla Cragg