The Cherryleaf Podcast

37. Should technical writers become copywriters?

We look at the similarities and differences between copywriting and technical writing. With the changes to the Customer Journey, we ask: should technical writers become copywriters?
Links: 
Technical copywriting training course
Technical copywriting writing services
Graham Jones - Are you providing enough detail online?
"The World of the Hero" by P. L. Travers
email: info@cherryleaf.com
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www.cherryleaf.com
 
Sponsored :
MadWorld Europe 2018 Conference
MadCap Software product overview

36. Creating a developer portal, being Agile, and using Lean. Interview with Stella Crowhurst, Worldpay.

In this episode, we talk to Stella Crowhurst, Content Strategy Director at ‎Worldpay.
We discuss:
* How Worldpay reduced complexity in the developer experience by combining multiple properties in a single portal.
* How Worldpay uses Lean methods to develop documentation within an Agile development environment. 
* The new tool Worldpay is building in-house that allows to display the API documentation, reference and a sandbox all in one page so that developers can access all the information they need on one screen, speeding up the integration process.
* The way the technical writers work as an API content team in collaboration with the internal development teams.
Links:
Stella's article, Getting started with a Dev Portal
email: info@cherryleaf.com
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www.cherryleaf.com
 
Sponsored :
MadWorld Europe 2018 Conference
MadCap Software product overview

35. What does the future hold for technical communication?

This podcast is based on article to be published in Communicator. Communicator is the authoritative, award winning, journal for UK technical communicators. 
Each year, Cherryleaf is one of the companies in technical communications that makes predictions for the upcoming 12 months. In this episode, we look further into the future, to see what the future holds for technical communication.
We look at:
What is likely to stay the same?
From multichannel to omnichannel
Augmented and mixed reality
How do we get from here to there?
Links:
Tomorrow's World - Office of the Future 16 April 1969 – BBC 
A Content Strategy Conversation — Noz Urbina
Content-Strategie als Service Design
The Content Strategy Podcast. Ep. 1: Erika Hall and Conversational Design
Time to move to multi-sourcing
Introducing the era of mixed reality
thyssenkrupp – bringing new vision to elevator maintenance with Microsoft HoloLens
Hey, Alexa, What Can You Hear? And What Will You Do With It? New York Times. 
Content Modelling: A Master Skill
SPFE.info
Cynefin framework
email: info@cherryleaf.com
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www.cherryleaf.com
 
Sponsored :
MadWorld Europe 2018 Conference
MadCap Software product overview
 

34. How to assess a technical communicator when you're recruiting

This is a preview of Ellis' presentation at the upcoming Build your Docs career event.
"At this day-long conference, organised in collaboration with GDS, we will hear from those who have gained new skills, and discuss how to manage and develop your career in documentation."
The presentation is called "How to assess a good technical communicator from a bad one when you're recruiting".
email: info@cherryleaf.com
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www.cherryleaf.com
 
Sponsored :
MadWorld Europe 2018 Conference
MadCap Software product overview

33. In conversation with Patrick Calnan

We discuss:
The upcoming Madworld conference
Automating publishing
Accessibility
The techcomm scene in Canada
The TWR2003 Online Documentation course at Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology
Information 4.0 
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Sponsored :
MadWorld Europe 2018 Conference
MadCap Software product overview

32. Becoming a freelance Technical Author

We look at becoming a freelance Technical Author. We'll cover:
Why do companies hire freelancers?
The benefits
The downsides
Working from home
Working abroad
The legal and tax considerations
Finding work
What to do in the quiet periods
 
Links:
Become a better technical and business communicator by subscribing to the Cherryleaf Newsletter
IPSE
ISTC
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
Inside the Tornado: Strategies for Developing, Leveraging, and Surviving Hypergrowth Markets
Cherryleaf's Technical Author Recruitment Service
 
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Sponsored :
MadWorld Europe 2018 Conference
MadCap Software product overview

31. Topic-based writing: what is it, and why should I care?

We take a look at topic-based writing.
What is a topic? 
Features of topics 
Why use topics?
Why not use topics?
Where can you use it?
What happens if you don't use them?
Tools for topic-based writing
What do you need to know
Interacting with others
Cherryleaf surveys
 
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See also:
Planet Money podcast: Spreadsheets! 

30. Modelling business processes - Interview with Terry Hopper

We talk to Terry Hopper of Middlestone about modelling business processes, process mapping, the relationship between processes and procedures, and Business Process Model and Notation (BPNM).
Links:
bpmn.org
4 reasons why small businesses need process maps
Middlestone
Cherryleaf
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29. What's the deal about structured content?

This is a recording of a presentation from the February 2018 London Content Strategy Meetup
What's the deal about structured content?
"Content can often seem like jelly - messy and hard to manage. In this presentation, we'll look at whether you can reduce this messiness through structured writing. In this overview of the topic, we'll explore what is structured writing, what it promises to give its adopters, the different standards, and the challenges that come with using structured writing."
Links
Copy of the slides on SlideShare
Cherryleaf's structured writing services
STOP
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28. Using sequential art/comics in business

We look at using sequential art/comics/graphic novels in business. We discuss:
What is a comic?
Examples of comics used in a business context
Why use a comic?
Tools and resources you can use if you have no drawing skills
How to structure the story
Links:
Google on Google Chrome - comic book
Kubernetes, powered by Google Cloud comic
Scott McCloud: The visual magic of comics | TED Talk
COMICS WITH PROBLEMS
Will Eisner's M-16 Rifle Manual
The Content Twins (content strategy graphic novel)
The DITA Man (the business benefits of DITA graphic novel)
The CEO and the technical communicator (making the business case for technical documentation graphic novel)
Tools:
Comic Life Magic
Google Storyboard
Adobe e-Learning Assets
 
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Cherryleaf creates instructional content that helps people use a product or complete a task. It can stop them getting stuck, frustrated and making mistakes. See the Cherryleaf website for more information.