The Cherryleaf Podcast

144. Corporate rebranding - how it affects technical authors

This month's podcast looks at what is involved in a corporate re-brand and what is involved for technical authors if their organisation decides to rebrand.
What is a corporate brand? And what is involved when an organisation decides to rebrand?
As part of the research for this podcast we looked at various websites which are mentioned in the podcast. Many thanks to those organisations and their expertise. Here are the links to the ones mentioned in the podcast:
indeed.com has lots of informative articles, their article on the importance of branding was very informative: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/rebranding
Profile tree are a web design and digital marketing company with lots of great posts about digital marketing strategy: https://profiletree.com/why-rebrand/
Madcap Flare is help authoring tool widely used in the technical authoring community and beyond: https://help.madcapsoftware.com/flare2023r2/Content/Flare/Branding/Branding.htm 
We'll also publish a transcript of this podcast on the Cherryleaf blog.
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf

143. e-ink writing tablets. Has their time come?

Welcome to the first episode of 2024!
In this exciting instalment, we dive deep into the evolving world of e-ink writing devices. Will these gadgets gain momentum in the tech world?
We explore their rising popularity and forecast their potential to become mainstream tools. We'll dissect the key issues these devices address, unveiling the unique solutions they offer to modern problems.
Our discussion spans the capabilities and features of these e-ink devices, delving into the functionality and user experience. Additionally, we identify and analyze a range of potential use cases, illustrating how these devices can fit into various aspects of daily life and work.
We also mention the market leaders driving innovation in this sector. Tune in to get an in-depth look at the future of e-ink writing devices and their role in shaping our digital writing landscape.
 
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf

142. Trends in technical communication for 2024 and beyond

It’s that time of year for us to gaze into our crystal ball and share your and our predictions for the future of technical communication for 2024 and beyond.
 
We've posted a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog. 
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf
 
Microsoft's Akash Dubey has created a YouTube playlist that contains a series of interviews with people from Microsoft, Meta, Across Systems, and Cherryleaf, on lessons learnt with AI. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1Utia1tpDy4cceBHsMDZFbyzVMWfijjG
Generative AI and Techcomm playlist on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyzNPwCV9rY&list=PLUsv4sNfwtYe3Crhz-ldp8JRoKLIh7k8l&pp=iAQB
 

141. What Techcomm problems can generative AI solve?

In this episode, we look at what Techcomm problems can generative AI solve.
Technical writers today face numerous challenges that can hinder productivity and impact content quality. From managing high volumes of documentation to keeping pace with rapid product changes, it takes great effort to produce and maintain helpful, accurate, and engaging technical content. This is where AI comes in.
In this episode, we provide an overview of the common pain points technical writers experience and demonstrate how generative AI can effectively address many of these issues. From automating repetitive tasks to enhancing writing quality, AI-powered tools offer new capabilities that will transform the field of technical communication.
We discuss key applications like boilerplate text generation, text summarisation, grammar corrections, writing style adaptability, and more. With the right human-AI collaboration, technical writers can be more efficient, consistent, and creative.
We will publish a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog. 
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf

140. Kristof Van Tomme on the role of API and developer portals in Generative AI systems

We talk to Kristof Van Tomme, CEO of Pronovix, about the role of API and developer portals in Generative AI systems. We discuss how organisations can prepare for AI.
We talk about what documentation infrastructure organisations should have in place to be able to use AI safely from an information perspective. We also discuss whether developer portals will become even more important.
We will publish a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog. 
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf

139. Techsmith’s Daniel Foster on the contentious relationship between technical writers and video content

We talk to Daniel Foster, Director of Strategy at TechSmith,  about the contentious relationship between technical writers and video content.
A growing trend among technical writers is the integration of video content alongside traditional documentation and visuals, offering a dynamic and immersive medium to enhance user understanding and engagement. However, writers generally prefer words because they’re easier to reuse and scale, as well as being more efficient for their overall business. This leads to a rather contentious relationship with video elements...especially with clients specifically requesting more of them.
Daniel regularly works with technical writers on how to bridge this gap and effectively leverage video content to complement their writing. 
We discuss how technical writers can effectively manage this contentious relationship.
We will publish a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog. 
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf
 
Techsmith's Research hub includes:- Value of Visuals- Ultimate Guide to Simplified User Interface Graphics (SUI)- The Ultimate Guide to Easily Make Instructional VideosGuide to adding captions to videos
Simplify Tool in Snagit (tutorial)Audiate

138: Generative AI and Techcomm, lessons learnt so far

We reflect on the lesson learnt so far as a result of developing our upcoming elearning course on using Generative AI in technical communication.
We will publish a transcript on the Cherryleaf blog. 
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf

137. Using AI in techcomm: the questions you’re asking

As part of our research into using generative AI in technical communications, we ran a survey to discover the questions that technical communicators are asking.
In this episode, we review those questions and identify some common themes. 
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf

136. Generative AI, what do the buzzwords mean?

When people talk about AI, chatbots, and tools like ChatGPT, all the new terminology can make it hard to understand how it all works. In this episode, we're going to look at the definitions of some of the words that you might hear.
 
Register for our webinar Using AI in techcomm: What you asked, and the answers
 
Thursday 29th June 2023
As a way of bridging the gap between the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the specific needs of Technical Communicators, we conducted a survey within the technical communications community. We wanted to uncover the most pressing questions, concerns, and areas of interest related to using AI and ChatGPT in technical communications.
In this webinar, we’ll present some of the questions you raised, and outline the answers to those questions. Additionally, we will present a framework for identifying opportunities and best practices for integrating ChatGPT and AI into their technical authoring processes.
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf

135. Writing procedures needed for regulatory compliance

In this episode, we talk about writing procedures that are needed for regulatory compliance.
By this we mean organisations that might be investigated by a regulatory body.
We describe the different approaches to creating the content. 
We'll post a transcript to the Cherryleaf Blog.
 
About Cherryleaf:
Cherryleaf