Andrea L. Ames presented on strategies for professional development. She discussed developing personal management skills through emotional intelligence and habits. She emphasized developing strategic skills, managing your career like a business, and networking. Her presentation provided tips on developing knowledge and skills, articulating your value, and managing your career development over the long term.
Applying Progressive Information Disclosure: User Interface Content DesignAndrea L. Ames
Session at the 2014 STC Summit
Andrea will provide an overview of progressive information disclosure concepts, the design process, and heuristics for evaluating user interfaces. She will then lead participants through a small-group evaluation process of a software graphical user interface (GUI) and a large-group discussion of the groups' discoveries and the implications of those. She will also discuss the implications of content issues for interaction and visual design and how to apply progressive information disclosure for non-graphical and non-software interfaces.
When Worlds Collide: Improving UX by Applying Progressive Info DisclosureAndrea L. Ames
Do you often feel like there’s more to developing technical product content than user guides, reference manuals, and contextual help? Do you sometimes find that your information deliverables are discontinuous or that the content is redundant between them? Would you like to have more impact on your business and the overall user experience of your product through your content? If so, join Andrea as she presents the human factors concept of “progressive disclosure” and applies it to the architecture and design of information! Andrea will discuss how to approach your information architecture and design from the user’s goals and the tasks that she needs to perform — revealing just the information the user needs, just when she needs it — so that you can positively affect the design of the product and improve the user experience. She’ll also describe the team-interaction considerations necessary to make the approach successful in a real, team-oriented, cross-functional product-development environment.
Content Experience Leadership: Transforming Your Organization for Content Exc...Andrea L. Ames
Half-day workshop for TCUK 2015. An exploration of content ecosystem and the critical factors across the ecosystem that can enable teams to design and deliver high-value content, communicate that to the business or client, and measure the impact.
Applying Progressive Information Disclosure: User Interface Content DesignAndrea L. Ames
Session at the 2014 STC Summit
Andrea will provide an overview of progressive information disclosure concepts, the design process, and heuristics for evaluating user interfaces. She will then lead participants through a small-group evaluation process of a software graphical user interface (GUI) and a large-group discussion of the groups' discoveries and the implications of those. She will also discuss the implications of content issues for interaction and visual design and how to apply progressive information disclosure for non-graphical and non-software interfaces.
When Worlds Collide: Improving UX by Applying Progressive Info DisclosureAndrea L. Ames
Do you often feel like there’s more to developing technical product content than user guides, reference manuals, and contextual help? Do you sometimes find that your information deliverables are discontinuous or that the content is redundant between them? Would you like to have more impact on your business and the overall user experience of your product through your content? If so, join Andrea as she presents the human factors concept of “progressive disclosure” and applies it to the architecture and design of information! Andrea will discuss how to approach your information architecture and design from the user’s goals and the tasks that she needs to perform — revealing just the information the user needs, just when she needs it — so that you can positively affect the design of the product and improve the user experience. She’ll also describe the team-interaction considerations necessary to make the approach successful in a real, team-oriented, cross-functional product-development environment.
Content Experience Leadership: Transforming Your Organization for Content Exc...Andrea L. Ames
Half-day workshop for TCUK 2015. An exploration of content ecosystem and the critical factors across the ecosystem that can enable teams to design and deliver high-value content, communicate that to the business or client, and measure the impact.
Second workshop in the IxDA Seattle Social Good Series, led by the founders of Dupla Studios. Learn how to extract meaningful insights from user research, and create design requirements for solutions that will impact lives for the better.
Birger Sevaldson www.systemsorienteddesign.net
RSD5 Symposium Systemic Design for Social Complexity
Systems Oriented Design (SOD) is a dialect in the emerging field of Systemic Design. It is maybe the most designerly and practice oriented approach. The red blurry dot in the diagram below shows SOD being off center, closer to design and closer to practice.
6 rules of design. It focus on design principles which should be used by new designers or UX novices. The ppt is designed to keep audience engaged during presentation and entertain them else they will sleep :)
Debating about design in the social media of business seems aimed at designing Design itself; but the results so far are not very persuasive. This is a significant knowledge management problem.
What does it take to get from barrier-free to delightful experiences?
Meeting basic accessibility requirements is a critical first step. But let’s dream bigger. Let’s aim for accessible UX – great user experience for everyone. Creating innovations that include a more diverse range of interaction styles, and designs that are both inclusive and delightful starts by bringing together the whole team — from content to code. It means thinking about people, not just technology. It means finding allies and partners, new ways of working, making our tools really usable, and helping everyone manage change.
Updated May 2017
Versions presented at PhillyCHI, AccessU, IA Summit, Accessing Higher Ground
A library for everyone - Designing for Digital, Austin 2017
All of the tools and principles of an excellent user experience also support accessibility, just as web design that is responsive to diversity of devices is also responsive to a diversity of human needs.
Presentation from WebDU 2008 in Sydney, where I attempt to give developers and designers some insight into what IA is and how it works, so they can integrate it into their own practices or just work more effectively with IA/UX practitioners
The population of the developed world is aging. Most websites, apps, and digital devices are used by adults aged 50+ as well as by younger adults, so they should be designed accordingly. This talk, based on the presenter’s recent book, presents age-related factors that affect older adults’ ability to use digital technology, as well as design guidelines that reflect older adults’ highly varied capabilities, usage patterns, and preferences. Features:
• demographics of users of digital technology, by age,
• age-related factors affecting ability to use computers and online services,
• common design problems that decrease usability for older adults,
• design guidelines that can help designers avoid these common pitfalls.
UXPA2019 UX fundamentals for adapting science-based interfaces for non-techni...UXPA International
This presentation will discuss the challenges of adapting a water simulation interface, originally built to present technical information to experts, to new audiences that include high school students and rural populations of museum visitors. It will discuss the important verbal, visual, and interactive adaptation work required to convey accurate scientific data while building a meaningful user experience. It will also discuss some of the particular considerations (such as accuracy and amount of data) that need to be accommodated when scientific content is being made more accessible.
You went to a lot of trouble to put that content online. Plain language will help your audience find it, understand it and use it. Writing clearly makes information more accessible – and usable – for people who don’t read well, are reading in a second language, or are listening to the text. That means better informed users, happier customers, and fewer angry support calls.
Updated for AccessU 2017
Long descriptions of images are in the speaker notes
UXPA2019 Enhancing the User Experience for People with Disabilities: Top 10 ...UXPA International
An estimated 1.3 billion people globally report limitations in their daily activities due to a disability. When it comes to the physical world, businesses have made progress in accommodating customers with disabilities. But in the digital world, websites lack basic accessibility features such as text alternatives describing images, proper heading level structures so individuals who are blind and use screen readers can understand the content on a webpage, or captioning for multimedia content for individuals who are deaf or are hard of hearing – let alone assistive technology for customers who have trouble using mobile devices due to dexterity limitations that arise from a variety of conditions.
In this session, attendees will:
* Understand people with disabilities (PWDs) and how they use the web
* Learn about common barriers, issues and solutions
* Discover the different testing methodologies and their interdependencies
* Uncover ROI
Is it usable for people with disabilities?
We know a lot about how to meet the checkpoints for accessibility, but how well do you understand what makes a good experience for people with disabilities? Only getting out and seeing how people use your product will help you understand what makes it a delight to use --- or a pain. User research and usability testing should be part of your accessible UX toolkit.
Telling Your story Differentiate Your CV & Application (2014 version 0.1)Kate Ross
Know Thyself! Slimmed down slides from last year, added in an interactive session as follows: 2 student volunteers come to the front, one blindfolded. Other student picks from a tray of common kitchen utensils and describes it. Blindfolded person identifies it (easy). Then reapplies blindfold and other student describes the strengths and qualities of a third student in the room who s/he knows. Person sits. Blindfolded student will 1) not know who was meant and 2) realise that the qualities listed will be true for everyone in the room. Hence the need to work on your personal story to differentiate yourself.
CASE ANALYSIS FORMAT Format 1 margins, 11 pt. Times New Roman,.docxcowinhelen
CASE ANALYSIS FORMAT
Format: 1" margins, 11 pt. Times New Roman, left justified. Do not write a memo. In the top left corner, write the date and your name. Write in third person, no bullet points. Treat the case as an unfolding, real-life situation (happening now). Avoid references to yourself or to writing an analysis.
Please keep it to one full page and break it up using the following headings:
Problem and Strategic Issues: This section serves as a problem statement and should be a brief paragraph that describes and explains the problem, significance of why the problem should be addressed. Make sure this is clear and concise.
Evaluation & Analysis: Breakdown specific issues; explain the dilemma and the likely consequences, significance, or implications of the problem(s) you have identified. Explain why it matters and discuss the circumstances that may affect decisions. What are/should be the long- and short-term goals and strategies? Note: Analysis means evaluating and explaining what a piece of information means, putting it in perspective, creating meaningful connections and drawing reasonable conclusions based on facts.
Alternatives: Present recommendations/options with specific pros and cons of each. Each alternative must be logical, ethical, and economically feasible - sound business.
Solution
: Defend your best solution from amongst the alternatives you presented. Specify how it will fix the problem.
Plan of Action: Explain how you will implement this solution. What are the steps involved?
Expected Student Outcomes:
Learn to evaluate complex information, define a problem, analyze the facts, develop alternatives, and choose a successful strategy based on the evidence. Write a well-supported, logical, and literate case analysis. Improve your logical thinking and learn to present your solutions persuasively.
Assessment Measures: Literacy is a () threshold category () to pass any Business Writing assignment. It is crucial that you write in your own words and not copy directly from the case. Each document must be clear, literate, audience aware, and use appropriate tone. Following CA format/directions is part of your grade.
Your writing will be measured by the Business Writing Evaluation Rubric, CLASS; that is posted online at the end of the class syllabus. Your “Strategy” grade will be based on how detailed, specific, and creative you are in handling the situation. Your “Content” grade will be based on your complete, detailed analysis and ability to address all stakeholders in your implementation and recommendations.
Management
Communication
A CASE-ANALYSIS APPROACH
F I F T H E D I T I O N
Management
Communication
A CASE-ANALYSIS APPROACH
James S. O’Rourke, IV
Teaching Professor of Management
Arthur F. and Mary J. O’Neil Director
The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Communication
Mendoza College of Business
University of Notre Dame
Prentice Hall
Boston Columbus Indianapolis New Yor.
Second workshop in the IxDA Seattle Social Good Series, led by the founders of Dupla Studios. Learn how to extract meaningful insights from user research, and create design requirements for solutions that will impact lives for the better.
Birger Sevaldson www.systemsorienteddesign.net
RSD5 Symposium Systemic Design for Social Complexity
Systems Oriented Design (SOD) is a dialect in the emerging field of Systemic Design. It is maybe the most designerly and practice oriented approach. The red blurry dot in the diagram below shows SOD being off center, closer to design and closer to practice.
6 rules of design. It focus on design principles which should be used by new designers or UX novices. The ppt is designed to keep audience engaged during presentation and entertain them else they will sleep :)
Debating about design in the social media of business seems aimed at designing Design itself; but the results so far are not very persuasive. This is a significant knowledge management problem.
What does it take to get from barrier-free to delightful experiences?
Meeting basic accessibility requirements is a critical first step. But let’s dream bigger. Let’s aim for accessible UX – great user experience for everyone. Creating innovations that include a more diverse range of interaction styles, and designs that are both inclusive and delightful starts by bringing together the whole team — from content to code. It means thinking about people, not just technology. It means finding allies and partners, new ways of working, making our tools really usable, and helping everyone manage change.
Updated May 2017
Versions presented at PhillyCHI, AccessU, IA Summit, Accessing Higher Ground
A library for everyone - Designing for Digital, Austin 2017
All of the tools and principles of an excellent user experience also support accessibility, just as web design that is responsive to diversity of devices is also responsive to a diversity of human needs.
Presentation from WebDU 2008 in Sydney, where I attempt to give developers and designers some insight into what IA is and how it works, so they can integrate it into their own practices or just work more effectively with IA/UX practitioners
The population of the developed world is aging. Most websites, apps, and digital devices are used by adults aged 50+ as well as by younger adults, so they should be designed accordingly. This talk, based on the presenter’s recent book, presents age-related factors that affect older adults’ ability to use digital technology, as well as design guidelines that reflect older adults’ highly varied capabilities, usage patterns, and preferences. Features:
• demographics of users of digital technology, by age,
• age-related factors affecting ability to use computers and online services,
• common design problems that decrease usability for older adults,
• design guidelines that can help designers avoid these common pitfalls.
UXPA2019 UX fundamentals for adapting science-based interfaces for non-techni...UXPA International
This presentation will discuss the challenges of adapting a water simulation interface, originally built to present technical information to experts, to new audiences that include high school students and rural populations of museum visitors. It will discuss the important verbal, visual, and interactive adaptation work required to convey accurate scientific data while building a meaningful user experience. It will also discuss some of the particular considerations (such as accuracy and amount of data) that need to be accommodated when scientific content is being made more accessible.
You went to a lot of trouble to put that content online. Plain language will help your audience find it, understand it and use it. Writing clearly makes information more accessible – and usable – for people who don’t read well, are reading in a second language, or are listening to the text. That means better informed users, happier customers, and fewer angry support calls.
Updated for AccessU 2017
Long descriptions of images are in the speaker notes
UXPA2019 Enhancing the User Experience for People with Disabilities: Top 10 ...UXPA International
An estimated 1.3 billion people globally report limitations in their daily activities due to a disability. When it comes to the physical world, businesses have made progress in accommodating customers with disabilities. But in the digital world, websites lack basic accessibility features such as text alternatives describing images, proper heading level structures so individuals who are blind and use screen readers can understand the content on a webpage, or captioning for multimedia content for individuals who are deaf or are hard of hearing – let alone assistive technology for customers who have trouble using mobile devices due to dexterity limitations that arise from a variety of conditions.
In this session, attendees will:
* Understand people with disabilities (PWDs) and how they use the web
* Learn about common barriers, issues and solutions
* Discover the different testing methodologies and their interdependencies
* Uncover ROI
Is it usable for people with disabilities?
We know a lot about how to meet the checkpoints for accessibility, but how well do you understand what makes a good experience for people with disabilities? Only getting out and seeing how people use your product will help you understand what makes it a delight to use --- or a pain. User research and usability testing should be part of your accessible UX toolkit.
Telling Your story Differentiate Your CV & Application (2014 version 0.1)Kate Ross
Know Thyself! Slimmed down slides from last year, added in an interactive session as follows: 2 student volunteers come to the front, one blindfolded. Other student picks from a tray of common kitchen utensils and describes it. Blindfolded person identifies it (easy). Then reapplies blindfold and other student describes the strengths and qualities of a third student in the room who s/he knows. Person sits. Blindfolded student will 1) not know who was meant and 2) realise that the qualities listed will be true for everyone in the room. Hence the need to work on your personal story to differentiate yourself.
CASE ANALYSIS FORMAT Format 1 margins, 11 pt. Times New Roman,.docxcowinhelen
CASE ANALYSIS FORMAT
Format: 1" margins, 11 pt. Times New Roman, left justified. Do not write a memo. In the top left corner, write the date and your name. Write in third person, no bullet points. Treat the case as an unfolding, real-life situation (happening now). Avoid references to yourself or to writing an analysis.
Please keep it to one full page and break it up using the following headings:
Problem and Strategic Issues: This section serves as a problem statement and should be a brief paragraph that describes and explains the problem, significance of why the problem should be addressed. Make sure this is clear and concise.
Evaluation & Analysis: Breakdown specific issues; explain the dilemma and the likely consequences, significance, or implications of the problem(s) you have identified. Explain why it matters and discuss the circumstances that may affect decisions. What are/should be the long- and short-term goals and strategies? Note: Analysis means evaluating and explaining what a piece of information means, putting it in perspective, creating meaningful connections and drawing reasonable conclusions based on facts.
Alternatives: Present recommendations/options with specific pros and cons of each. Each alternative must be logical, ethical, and economically feasible - sound business.
Solution
: Defend your best solution from amongst the alternatives you presented. Specify how it will fix the problem.
Plan of Action: Explain how you will implement this solution. What are the steps involved?
Expected Student Outcomes:
Learn to evaluate complex information, define a problem, analyze the facts, develop alternatives, and choose a successful strategy based on the evidence. Write a well-supported, logical, and literate case analysis. Improve your logical thinking and learn to present your solutions persuasively.
Assessment Measures: Literacy is a () threshold category () to pass any Business Writing assignment. It is crucial that you write in your own words and not copy directly from the case. Each document must be clear, literate, audience aware, and use appropriate tone. Following CA format/directions is part of your grade.
Your writing will be measured by the Business Writing Evaluation Rubric, CLASS; that is posted online at the end of the class syllabus. Your “Strategy” grade will be based on how detailed, specific, and creative you are in handling the situation. Your “Content” grade will be based on your complete, detailed analysis and ability to address all stakeholders in your implementation and recommendations.
Management
Communication
A CASE-ANALYSIS APPROACH
F I F T H E D I T I O N
Management
Communication
A CASE-ANALYSIS APPROACH
James S. O’Rourke, IV
Teaching Professor of Management
Arthur F. and Mary J. O’Neil Director
The Eugene D. Fanning Center for Business Communication
Mendoza College of Business
University of Notre Dame
Prentice Hall
Boston Columbus Indianapolis New Yor.
Delivering a Town Hall Presentation? Be a Heroic Voice!Anthony Lee
Use conversational leadership to teach your audience how to recommit to a shared vision, elevate shared values, and fulfill their vows.
Global Impact Leaders are responsible for communicating trust in all of their high stakes speaking opportunities with clients, investors, partners, sponsors, analysts, journalists, current and future team members.
Learn how to answer today's most important leadership question "Where are we going?" This question will come up during Company Town Hall meetings, Client and Partner presentations, Investor and Analyst conversations.
Use the tools of conversational leadership with your company, team, family and friends. Help guide them through the current COVID-19 crisis, and any future challenges.
Getting Hired and Building a Layoff-Proof Career in Cybersecuritymansurhasib
How does a new graduate in cybersecurity find a job when even entry level jobs require 3-5 years of experience and a CISSP certification? How can anyone bounce back and find a new job after a layoff? How can someone in a job ask for a promotion without fearing being fired? How can someone layoff-proof their careers? If any of these questions are swirling in your mind, Dr. Hasib shares his story and insights from starting his first small business in the 7th grade, walking to people's homes after high school to tutor their children and coming to America for higher studies with $50 in his pocket. He then built a thriving 30 year career in cybersecurity and rose to the rank of a Chief Information Officer and served in that capacity for 12 years and then started teaching others and building award winning education programs in cybersecurity at both graduate and undergraduate levels. He shares stories of winning awards, and surviving three layoffs by building multiple sources of income and a massive global network of professionals, readers, and supporters of his work from all walks of life. Through his books, education programs, and personalized coaching Dr. Hasib has successfully helped more than 25,000 students and individuals from all backgrounds from all over the world transition, thrive and succeed in the field. Two of his former students have won (ISC)2 global awards as Rising Stars in Cybersecurity in 2019 and 2020. His innovative competency-based academic program in cybersecurity has won international awards in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Even his international mentees have won regional and international awards in the field. Passionate about sharing knowledge to empower others,
Question: Why should an economic development organization consider branding?
Answer: Branding gets your community considered.
In today’s competitive marketplace, the most successful EDOs are using their brand to change the perceptions of their place. They’re ensuring their brands are relevant, truthful, and appealing to the right audiences, and most importantly, these brands are helping communities tell their stories.
Would you like to know why branding should be a priority? Have you cultivated a brand that’s known outside your community? Is it something that helps your community get considered for projects? Or maybe you’re tired of letting someone else dictate the perceptions and story of your community.
marketing, CMOs, social media, customer-centricity, big data, digital marketing, online marketing, real time marketing, internal convergence, transmedia, facebook, customer experiences.
Brand matters: mobilize your best talent ambassadors on LinkedInShira Appell
This session was delivered as part of our Talent Solutions Customer InVite Only Webinar Series in Q4 of 2015.
Do you wish your colleagues had a stronger brand on LinkedIn? This content will give you the tools to teach and empower your cross-functional partners and/or colleagues to be talent ambassadors for your organization and leave a lasting impression. We also recommend this content to be used to education and train your employees on the importance of building a strong professional brand on LinkedIn.
Learning Objective: Access your competitive edge by designing a winning image, building self-confidence, and communicating value with style and grace.
Are you on top of your game? In today’s competitive market, the professional woman must understand what it means to project a powerful image. Your ability to build professional savvy is the key to breaking through barriers and achieving success. Technical skills, education, specialized career training, and performance are only the beginning. Did you know that 90% of your ability to move up the corporate and federal executive ladder is influenced by your personal brand and image, credibility, and communication skills? If image if everything, then everything matters. Whether you are seeking recognition, promotion, or just entering the workforce, this seminar will help you capitalize on your hard work as you unleash the best you.
At the end of this seminar, participants will be able to:
a. Explore ways to build and express self-confidence
b. Create a winning image and leverage your circles of influence
c. Examine professional savvy and politics
d. Design a plan to increase recognition and value in the workplace
e. Explore 10 critical style tips for today’s professional woman
Recommended Reading: The Confidence Code by Katty Kay & Claire Shipman
Is your organization and its leaders ready for the influx of the Millennial generation in the workplace? This presentation covers tips for recruiting and retaining Millennials and several "clashpoints" that appear among the four generations of employees today.
Developing Your Organizational Power and InfuenceAndrea L. Ames
One pain point continually rises to the top of my clients’ and colleagues’ list of challenges. It’s voiced in various ways, using many different words, but it always boils down to the same thing:
How do I get the
< recognition | promotion | respect | resources (tools, people, money, time) | appreciation | your favorite thing here >
that I/my team
< deserve | need | want >?
It pulls our attention, time, and energy away from our real work: Making our companies and our customers wildly successful!
Well, what if it wasn’t true? What if it was simple? What if you have the agency to get everything that you and your team truly need? What if you could just be and succeed most of the time by practicing a handful of fundamental habits?
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. Join me for a quick tour of the habits on which I, my corporate client teams, and my individual coaching students build our power and influence — both as individuals and organizations — an overview of my formula for adopting and integrating them for yourself.
A full-day, experiential tour of several techniques used in Design Thinking. Using one or more sample problems, workshop participants will work together to develop solutions following a Design Thinking framework. Because we’ll be face-to-face, we’ll go low-tech and focus on the framework and techniques using flip-chart paper and stickie notes. Andrea will also discuss how to get the most from the process across geographically distributed teams using online tools.
Design Thinking Workshop - LavaCon 2018 New OrleansAndrea L. Ames
A half-day, experiential tour of several techniques used in Design Thinking. Using one or more sample problems, workshop participants will work together to develop solutions following a Design Thinking framework. Because we’ll be face-to-face, we’ll go low-tech and focus on the framework and techniques using flip-chart paper and stickie notes. Andrea will also discuss how to get the most from the process across geographically distributed teams using online tools.
[Mini-Workshop] Content Architecture: Where Humans and Machines AgreeAndrea L. Ames
Andrea's Information Development World mini-workshop
http://informationdevelopmentworld.com/speakers/andrea-ames/
Handout: https://www.slideshare.net/aames/handout-for-miniworkshop-content-architecture-where-humans-and-machines-agree
If there’s one thing about content on which humans and machines can agree, it’s consistency — particularly architectural consistency. Often the format, markup language, or content management approach that you use is far less relevant than the output of the content—the deliverables, themselves—in the success of content for both humans and machines. This is somewhat controversial, as much of the discussion of “structured content” dives directly to the underlying format—even though the architecture and design of the resulting experience and content within that experience should be driving those more technical decisions.
Arguably, the most critical aspect of structured content—“the architecture”—drives the success of the content for people and machines. The pitfalls of leaping directly into a technology discussion—about XML, content management systems, etc.—vs. spending the right time and focus on design can often lead to significantly less successful content, rework, and additional cost.
Attend this mini-workshop with Andrea Ames to better understand content modeling at the deliverable and experience level—not at the individual article or topic level. You’ll learn about an approach for accomplishing great content architecture (one that can save time, reduce costs, and help you use your limited resources wisely). And, you’ll discover the steps you’ll need to follow in order to successfully create—and validate—your own content modeling approach.
[Handout for Mini-Workshop] Content Architecture: Where Humans and Machines A...Andrea L. Ames
Handout to accompany Andrea's Information Development World mini-workshop
mini-workshop slides: https://www.slideshare.net/aames/miniworkshop-content-architecture-where-humans-and-machines-agree
http://informationdevelopmentworld.com/speakers/andrea-ames/
[Keynote] Human vs Machine: Conflict or Collaboration?Andrea L. Ames
Andrea's Information Development World 2017 keynote
Unless you have been vacationing on Mars for the past couple of years, you know that AI, machine learning, and cognitive computing are the hottest things in digital experience since HTML 1.0. And as a savvy content professional, you know that 80-90% of the digital experience is content. Content is the conversation we have with our prospects and our customers. Content carries the client relationship into the digital realm.
So how does content fare in this new, smarter digital space? What impact does machine-based experience have on the content that we create and the content experiences we want our customers to have? Must we learn an entirely new way of doing things? Or is the Machine Age just forcing us to adopt content-creation approaches that we should have been using all along? Is the development of human-readable content in conflict with the processes and designs we must follow to create good machine-processable content? Or is the content more similar than not?
In this opening keynote address, content experience strategist, Andrea Ames, will discuss the importance of making our content both human-readable and machine-processable. You’ll discover how doing so can help you ensure you are providing the best content experiences possible.
Andrea's half-day LavaCon 2017, Portland, OR, workshop
You’ve likely heard of Design Thinking, but did you know that it’s not specifically and only about “design” as we typically think of design — industrial, interaction, or visual design of products? Design Thinking is a methodology for problem solving, and we’ve all got challenges and issues we need to address every day! In fact, Design Thinking is becoming more and more common as a general business practice. And it’s great for working through content challenges!
Join Andrea for a half-day, experiential tour of several techniques used in Design Thinking. Using one or more sample problems, workshop participants will work together to develop solutions following a Design Thinking framework. Because we’ll be face-to-face, we’ll go low-tech and focus on the framework and techniques using flip-chart paper and stickie notes. Andrea will also discuss how to get the most from the process across geographically distributed teams using online tools.
Managing Stakeholders Across the Content Ecosystem: The Key to Implementing a...Andrea L. Ames
Andrea's LavaCon 2017, Portland, OR, presentation
Trying to implement an content strategy that supports your customers across their entire journey–or even just sell the idea to decision makers? Having problems getting it to fly? More than any other single aspect, stakeholder management is critical to getting support for and implementing a unified content strategy (or ANY project, for that matter). You need to understand THEIR needs and ensure that you’re communicating continually to quiet objections and move your project forward. And it’s not always easy–especially when you’re leading initiatives across silos and teams with no direct authority. Influencing those stakeholders is key!
In this session, Andrea will discuss the success factors to aim for, and the behaviors that can trip you up, when managing stakeholders to successfully support your clients, solve business problems, and drive revenue and customer loyalty!
Structured Content ... Sexy? Strategic? Or Both?Andrea L. Ames
Andrea's presentation at Adobe DITA World 2017
It might be hard to believe, but Structured Content has been around for decades. FrameBuilder (an early version of FrameMaker with structured content support) made its debut in the early 1990s. Through the rise of modern tools, like FrameMaker 2017, and technologies, like DITA, structured content has become much easier to author, and thus more popular.
But is structured content important? Or is it just another (albeit long-lived) trend? Given structured content's long reign, isn’t it time for a new strategy to overthrow the throne? For now, at least, the answer is “no.”
If there is a holy grail of content, most experts would probably agree it’s structure. Why? Because structure provides so many benefits, in so many different ways – to authors and authoring, to the content experience, enabling achieving business goals. And the list goes on.
In her presentation, Andrea will discuss the business, user experience, and organizational impact of structured content – all of the aspects that make structured content strategic. And then she’ll try to convince you that structured content is sexy, too!
Influencing Up through Personal LeadershipAndrea L. Ames
Andrea's presentation at CIDM Best Practices 2017
Whether you are a manager or an individual contributor who is leading an information initiative, project, or team, you are likely answering to someone for your resources and approval for the focus of your efforts. Most often, that someone is a busy manager or executive with broad areas of responsibility and concern. In her world, you are one of 10, 25, or even 50 individual initiatives. So how do you get your team, your project, or even your career development or advancement on her radar — AND get her approval, funding, or other support?
There is an art to “managing up,” and everyone, at every level, should learn how to do it and practice it! You can become an influence ninja by focusing on only what you can personally control! Join Andrea as she shares the key, actionable tips, tricks, and tools that have brought her the best success in influencing up. (First tip: All of her tips apply to influencing in ANY direction!)
Participants will get an overview of influencing, the key building blocks of personal leadership that provide the platform for true influence, and tips for how to influence anyone, at any level, no matter how much positional power they have.
Post-Sales Content and the Future of MarketingAndrea L. Ames
Andrea's presentation at Content Marketing World 2017
Are your marketing priorities focused primarily on the traditional “get sales” mantra? Or perhaps the holy grail of customer advocacy is in your sights? Maybe you’re hoping for both sales and advocates and are discouraged by the challenges of attacking two seemingly unrelated goals. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone.
Luckily, the answer is simple — not easy, but simple. The simple part: The experience with the product and the product content is the bridge that closes the gap between a customer purchasing your product and that customer advocating for the product. The not-easy part: You likely don’t own the post-sales customer experience.
Join Andrea in this session as she throws down a controversial gauntlet: Post-sales product content is not only the most critical key to solving this problem but also the future of marketing. WHAT?! If that’s the case, how do you ensure that this content is satisfying the needs of marketing? Andrea’s going to discuss that, too! In this session, she will discuss:
The right environment to ensure a customer experience that drives sales and advocacy
The critical components of that environment for measurably impactful content
The skills needed to lead and drive the creation of that content
Modeling the Content Experience: Delivering the Right Content, to the Right P...Andrea L. Ames
Presentation by Andrea Ames (@aames) from STC Summit 2017 (#stc17): https://summit.stc.org/schedule/
Do you work in a multi-product environment and struggle to keep content experiences consistent and delightful for your customers across the enterprise? Do you feel that your style and design guidance is necessary, but not sufficient, to address the task of ensuring your content is delivered to the right person, in the right place, and at the right time? If so, join Andrea for this deep-dive into modeling the content experience. You will dive into a real-world example and work in a group to follow Andrea's process for creating the framework of several models. You will complete enough of each model to continue the process back on the job, and you will take away actionable advice, tips, and tricks to make the work as efficient and successful as possible. Bring your questions and plan to get your hands dirty and have fun!
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn
- What content experience modeling is and how it differs from content or topic modeling
- How modeling benefits your customer experience
- What some typical models are and how to identify the right models for you
- How to design, develop, and validate models
- How to enable the content designers and developers on your team to apply those models
Closing the Gap Without Falling Into It: Creating an Ecosystem to Unify Conte...Andrea L. Ames
Presentation by Andrea Ames (@aames) from Intelligent Content Conference 2017 (#intelcontent): http://www.intelligentcontentconference.com/sessions/setting-up-an-roi-process-around-content/
Are you a Marketer thinking post-sales content has only a niche role to play in marketing? If you’d like to increase post-sales content in the pre-sales phases of the client journey, do you have resources — time, money, or people — to do so?
Are you a post-sales content professional who has been told “everybody sells?” Have you been asked to demonstrate how your work contributes to revenue generation and customer loyalty?
If this sounds familiar, join Andrea to discuss how a content strategy that is unified across the entire client journey — from discovery to advocacy — and the right ecosystem (team, culture, etc.) can help you address these truths. In this session, you will learn:
Key components of a unified content strategy to deliver successful content across the client journey
Content ecosystem prerequisites for successfully creating and implementing that unified strategy
How people and culture (organization, roles, incentives, performance measures) can drive your strategy — or send it over a cliff!
Design: Prereq to Tech! Deliver the right content using design thinkingAndrea L. Ames
Presentation by Andrea Ames (@aames) from CMS/DITA North America 2017 (#cmsconference): https://cm-strategies.com/2017-cms-conference/agenda-day-3-2/ames/
Before you DITA, know your users, their goals, and the content that they need. Then design an experience that delivers the right content at the right time, and leverage the capabilities of DITA to implement that experience. Easy to say…not always easy to do. Enter Design Thinking! The Design Thinking approach provides a collaborative framework for thinking about a problem space and gives you the methods to take action. And it’s FUN!
This presentation describes the basics of the Design Thinking problem-solving framework, how to apply it to a content challenge, and how it can be used to generate ideas and requirements.
Do you know how well your content is performing? Is it achieving the goals you set for it? If it is, do you know why? And even more importantly, if it isn’t, do you know why not? It can be difficult to answer these questions. We know we want to measure something, but we might not know what to measure. We might not even be exactly sure how to articulate the answer we hope to get so that we can “ask the right question.”
In this session, Andrea will describe a method for evaluating your problem space starting with the result you hope to achieve. She’ll discuss the merits of this approach, how it will help you to determine what data you want to collect, and how to best collect and analyze the right data to determine the effectiveness of various kinds of content.
You Mean You Don't Have to Start Over Every Time?Andrea L. Ames
Learning to work smarter, not harder, with content -- advice to marketing content folks from the technical content practice
Is your typical approach to new marketing project to start from scratch? Are you under the gun to do more and more with less time and fewer resources? And are you feeling the pain of that “start from scratch” process considering the current demands on you and your time? This is your invitation to get a peek into the technical content practitioner’s playbook and learn some post-sales content secrets to apply to your pre-sales content projects. You might think technical content folks are geeky recluses who transcribe dry specs and have nothing to share with marketing. This keynote will change your mind and open communication with those technical folks across the aisle.
New Explore Careers and College Majors 2024Dr. Mary Askew
Explore Careers and College Majors is a new online, interactive, self-guided career, major and college planning system.
The career system works on all devices!
For more Information, go to https://bit.ly/3SW5w8W
Exploring Career Paths in Cybersecurity for Technical CommunicatorsBen Woelk, CISSP, CPTC
Brief overview of career options in cybersecurity for technical communicators. Includes discussion of my career path, certification options, NICE and NIST resources.
Jill Pizzola's Tenure as Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at THOMSON REUTERS...dsnow9802
Jill Pizzola's tenure as Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at THOMSON REUTERS in Marlton, New Jersey, from 2018 to 2023, was marked by innovation and excellence.
MISS TEEN GONDA 2024 - WINNER ABHA VISHWAKARMADK PAGEANT
Abha Vishwakarma, a rising star from Uttar Pradesh, has been selected as the victor from Gonda for Miss High Schooler India 2024. She is a glad representative of India, having won the title through her commitment and efforts in different talent competitions conducted by DK Exhibition, where she was crowned Miss Gonda 2024.
Want to move your career forward? Looking to build your leadership skills while helping others learn, grow, and improve their skills? Seeking someone who can guide you in achieving these goals?
You can accomplish this through a mentoring partnership. Learn more about the PMISSC Mentoring Program, where you’ll discover the incredible benefits of becoming a mentor or mentee. This program is designed to foster professional growth, enhance skills, and build a strong network within the project management community. Whether you're looking to share your expertise or seeking guidance to advance your career, the PMI Mentoring Program offers valuable opportunities for personal and professional development.
Watch this to learn:
* Overview of the PMISSC Mentoring Program: Mission, vision, and objectives.
* Benefits for Volunteer Mentors: Professional development, networking, personal satisfaction, and recognition.
* Advantages for Mentees: Career advancement, skill development, networking, and confidence building.
* Program Structure and Expectations: Mentor-mentee matching process, program phases, and time commitment.
* Success Stories and Testimonials: Inspiring examples from past participants.
* How to Get Involved: Steps to participate and resources available for support throughout the program.
Learn how you can make a difference in the project management community and take the next step in your professional journey.
About Hector Del Castillo
Hector is VP of Professional Development at the PMI Silver Spring Chapter, and CEO of Bold PM. He's a mid-market growth product executive and changemaker. He works with mid-market product-driven software executives to solve their biggest growth problems. He scales product growth, optimizes ops and builds loyal customers. He has reduced customer churn 33%, and boosted sales 47% for clients. He makes a significant impact by building and launching world-changing AI-powered products. If you're looking for an engaging and inspiring speaker to spark creativity and innovation within your organization, set up an appointment to discuss your specific needs and identify a suitable topic to inspire your audience at your next corporate conference, symposium, executive summit, or planning retreat.
About PMI Silver Spring Chapter
We are a branch of the Project Management Institute. We offer a platform for project management professionals in Silver Spring, MD, and the DC/Baltimore metro area. Monthly meetings facilitate networking, knowledge sharing, and professional development. For event details, visit pmissc.org.
Strategic, Competitive Professional Development: An Overview
1. Strategic, CompetitiveStrategic, Competitive
Professional Development:Professional Development:
An OverviewAn Overview
Presented by
Andrea L. AmesAndrea L. Ames
IBM Senior Technical Staff Member / Information Experience Strategist & ArchitectIBM Senior Technical Staff Member / Information Experience Strategist & Architect
UC Extension in Silicon Valley Certificate Coordinator & InstructorUC Extension in Silicon Valley Certificate Coordinator & Instructor
STC Fellow & Past President (2004-05)STC Fellow & Past President (2004-05)
2. About Andrea
Technical communicator since 1983
Areas of expertise
Information architecture and design and interaction design for products
and interactive information
Information and product usability—from analysis through validation
User-centered design and development process
Mentor
IBM Senior Technical Staff Member
UC Extension in Silicon Valley certificate coordinator
and instructor
STC Fellow and past president (2004-05)
ACM Distinguished Engineer
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 2
3. Agenda
Professional development in today’s challenging
business climate
Developing your professionalism
Knowledge and skills for career success
Managing your career like a business,
a project…and an athletic event?
Bonus tips: Mentoring and networking
Resources
Backup: Emotional intelligence and personal branding
details
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 3
4. Key themes to be listening
for…in no particular order
Value
Strategy
Communication
Trust and respect
Innovation and invention
Responsibility and commitment
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 4
6. Are we a commodity?
“When something becomes commoditized,
something else becomes valuable.”
– Tim O’Reilly, STC Summit 2011 opening session
What is our “something else?”
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 6
7. Are you a commodity?
Or a strategic contributor?
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 7
8. A commodity is…
A good or service:
For which there is demand, but which is supplied without
qualitative differentiation across a market
That is treated by the market as equivalent, or nearly so,
no matter who produces it
Whose price is determined as a function of its market as
a whole
(Wikipedia)
What is your qualitative differentiation?
Rather than focusing on your “price,” focus on your value
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 8
9. “Not ideal” is the new climate
Take a look at the most recent US and global economic
situation
The days of the “gold watch retirement” career
are over
Economic pressures push companies to
outsource and offshore more and more
The competitive business landscape is not
just a corporate phenomenon—it changes
how businesses look at employees and how
we employees should look at ourselves
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 9
10. Your job (according to your employer/clients)
Do more with less
Faster
Cheaper
Better(well, maybe not so much)
Innovate (in your spare time)
Add value (which means what, exactly?)
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 10
11. Your job (according to me, and hopefully, YOU)
Get where you want to go: Drive your career, not
the other way around
Be “popular”: Become sought after for
your unique, competitive qualities
Lead yourself and others
Participate and give back
Get connected: It really is who
you know
Demonstrate your impact
Not kill yourself along the way
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 11
13. Where do you start?
With yourself!
Private
Covey’s habits 1-3 and 7
Goleman’s self awareness and
self management
Maxwell’s approach to attitude
Public
Covey’s habits 4-6
Goleman’s social awareness and
relationship management
Maxwell’s approach to attitude and
360-degree leadership
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 13
14. Personal management through the
seven habits
Dependence Independence Interdependence
Private victory:
1. Be proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
Public victory:
4. Think win/win
5. Seek first to understand…
then to be understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the saw
Source: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey, Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1989.
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 14
15. Personal management through
“emotional intelligence”
Emotional intelligence is…
“the capacity for
recognizing our own feelings
and those of others,
for motivating ourselves,
for managing emotions well
in ourselves and
in our relationships.”
-- Daniel Goleman
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 15
16. Emotional intelligence domains
Source: Primal Leadership, by Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business School Press, 2002.
Self Others
Self-
Awareness
Knowing what we feel at
the moment and using that
to guide our decision-
making
Self
Management
Handling our emotions
so that they enhance
rather than interfere with
performance
Social
Awareness
Sensing what people are
feeling, understanding the
perspectives of others, and
cultivating rapport
Relationship
Management
Handling emotions in relationships
well, being able to read social
situations accurately, and using
these skills to persuade, lead,
and negotiate
Actions
Awareness
1
2
3
3
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 16
17. Attitude is everything
Our attitude determines our approach to life
Our attitude determines our relationships with people
Often our attitude is the only difference between success
and failure
Our attitude at the beginning of a task will affect its
outcome more than anything else
Our attitude can turn our problems into opportunities
Our attitude can give us an uncommonly positive
perspective
Our attitude can reduce our stress and
make us happier
Source: Attitude 101, by John Maxwell, Thomas Nelson, 2003.
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 17
18. Lead in every direction
Key lead-up principles
Lead yourself exceptionally well
Lighten your leader’s load
Invest in relational chemistry
Become a go-to player
Be better tomorrow than you are today
Key lead-across principles
Understand, practice, and complete the leadership loop
Put completing fellow leaders ahead of competing with them
Expand your circle of acquaintances (network)
Let the best idea win
Key lead-down principles
See everyone as a “10” (give them an “A”)
Develop each team member as a person
Model the behavior you desire
Source: The 360° Leader, by John Maxwell, Thomas Nelson, 2003.
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 18
20. People Skills
Self-Management Skills
Motivation
Attitude
Team Facilitation
Communication
…
Tech Skill
Knowledge
Necessary for
top performance
but not sufficient
Easier to see
and develop
Characteristics
that lead to
longer-term
success
Harder to see
and develop
Technical skill and knowledge:
Just the tip of the icebergIceburg image from IBM technical leadership program materials
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 20
21. Table stakes: Tech comm skills
(snapshot: 5/16/2011, 3:30 pm PT)
Technologies
(less volatile)
Topic-based writing
Information experience
design and architecture
Information strategy
Web 2.0
Visual communication
Usability and user-
centered development
methods
Tools and infrastructure
(more volatile)
DITA
Web 2.0 tools and
infrastructure
Your team’s UI
development technology
and tools, e.g., dojo, Flex,
Eclipse, MS Visual Studio
Other applicable open
source technologies
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 21
22. Take your skills beyond
table stakes
Technical/tool skills will only take you so far
Develop transferrable skills, knowledge, and
experience
Analytic and problem-solving skills
Interpersonal skills—Leadership, teaming,
communication, political savvy,
value/leverage diversity
Business skills—Project management,
negotiating, industry knowledge, selling skills,
customer relationships
Participate in industry—Technical communities,
speaking at technical events, visibility, networking(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 22
23. BE A BUSINESS…A PROJECT
MANAGER…AN ATHLETE
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 23
24. Build your brandStairs image based on “You, Incorporated,”by Jamila Petite
1. Know, manage, and lead yourself
2. Make the most of your strengths
3. Find and leverage your passion
4. Demonstrate and articulate value
5. Continuously improve
6. Be visible; “brag” appropriately
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 24
25. “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and
five minutes to ruin it.
If you think about that, you'll do things
differently.”
- Warren Buffet
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 25
26. Building your brand
from Career Warfare (D’Alessandro)
1. Look beyond your navel
2. Your boss is your brand co-author
3. Put your boss on the couch
4. Learn which is the pickle fork
5. Kenny Rogers is right
6. It’s always show time
7. Make the right enemies
8. Don’t get swallowed by the bubble
9. Fly higher, get shot at more
10. Everybody coulda been a contender; ensure you stay one
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 26
27. Build your brandStairs image based on “You, Incorporated,”by Jamila Petite
1. Know, manage, and lead yourself
2. Make the most of your strengths
3. Find and leverage your passion
4. Demonstrate and articulate value
5. Continuously improve
6. Be visible; “brag” appropriately
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 27
28. Develop and articulate
your value
What’s valuable to your employer/client?
Become strategic (to your employer/ client)—
business, competition, trends
Prioritize around strategy: Think more…do less,
esp. by rote or “because we’ve
always done it”
Results talk: Measure
them, and then talk
about them
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 28
29. Becoming more strategic
Keep up with industry: Professional orgs—participate and network—
and their pubs
Understand business strategy: What can your marketing and
business leaders tell you
Understand technical strategy: Your architects and technical leaders
Understand your functional strategy: Tech comm, product
development
Focus: Select one or two things that you’re most passionate about
and contribute to those; don’t try to boil the ocean
Schedule time with yourself to work on “important, but not urgent”
items
When you feel that you’re not working on strategic items or
contributing to strategy through your “day job,” discuss with your
manager and leadership team; ask for clarification around the
relationship between what you’re doing and strategy
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 29
30. Professional development
roadmap
Discover your strengths
and passion
Manage your:
• Time
• Attitude
• Interpersonal
relationships
Think strategically: What
does your boss, org,
company/client need?
How can you leverage
that for your career? Don’t forget to
leverage your great,
strategic work to
give back! STC, etc.
Discover the work that will
have the greatest impact
on your boss, org, or
company/client!
Develop a vision,
mission, and goals
Develop a task list:
• Skills to develop
• Technologies to
learn
• Tools to learn
• Work to complete
Manage it all like a
“real” project!
Determine
transferrable skills
to support your
goals:
• Analytic/problem
solving
• Interpersonal
• Business
Determine
necessary
technologies and
required tools to
support goals
PACE YOURSELF!
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 30
31. Pace yourself
Check out a marathon training program…the
curve is fascinating
Athletes do not train 5-7 days per week, 10-
15 hours per day!
Nutrition
Exercise
Rest and recovery
Build mental capability
The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, Free Press, 2004.
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 31
32. A FEW LAST SUGGESTIONS…
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 32
33. Get a mentor
In fact, get several…
Technical mentor
Business mentor
Promotion mentor
“Opportunity” mentor
Take time to connect
Give and take
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 33
34. Network, network, network
Bring and exchange business cards everywhere you go
If you’re shy, practice!
Connect at...
Conferences
Professional society meetings
Professional networking
meetings—yes, they
actually hold these!
Social work
gatherings
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 34
35. Resources
Personal management
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People, Stephen Covey
Emotional Intelligence, Daniel goleman
Attitude 101, John Maxwell
The Power of Full Engagement: Managing
Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High
Performance and Personal Renewal, by Jim
Loehr and Tony Schwartz
Now Discover Your Strengths, Marcus
Buckingham
General career
Career Warfare, David D’Alessandro
The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last
Career Guide You'll Ever Need, Daniel Pink
The Hard Truth about Soft Skills :
Workplace Lessons Smart People Wish
They'd Learned Sooner, Peggy Klaus
Brand
Brag! Tooting your Own Horn Without
Blowing It, Peggy Klaus
Communication
Talking from 9 to 5, Deborah Tannen, Ph.D.
Fierce Conversations, Susan Scott
Crucial Conversations, Kerry Patterson,
Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al
Switzler
Leadership
360-Degree Leadership, John Maxwell
Principle-Centered Leadership, Stephen
Covey
The 8th
Habit, Stephen Covey
The One Thing You Need to Know, Marcus
Buckingham
Mentoring
Mentoring 101, John Maxwell
Power Mentoring, Ellen Ensher
Networking
Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets
to Success, One Relationship at a Time,
Keith Ferrazzi
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 35
38. Components of emotional intelligence
Definition Hallmarks
Self-Awareness • The ability to recognize and understand
your moods, emotions, and drives, as well
as their effect on others
• Self-confidence
• Realistic self-assessment
• Self-deprecating sense of humor
Self-Regulation
(Self management)
• The ability to control or redirect disruptive
impulses and moods
• The propensity of suspend judgment—to
think before acting
• Trustworthiness and integrity
• Comfort with ambiguity
• Openness to change
Motivation
(Self management)
• A passion to work for reasons that go
beyond money or status
• A propensity to pursue goals with energy
and persistence
• Strong drive to achieve
• Optimism, even in the face of failure
• Organizational commitment
Source: “What Makes a Leader?” Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec 1998.
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 38
39. Components of emotional intelligence (cont.)
Definition Hallmarks
Empathy
(Social awareness)
• The ability to understand the emotional
makeup of other people
• Skill in treating people according to their
emotional reactions
• Expertise in building and retaining talent
• Cross-cultural sensitivity
• Service to clients and customers
Social Skill
(Social awareness)
• Proficiency in managing relationships and
building networks
• An ability to find common ground and build
rapport
• Effectiveness in leading change
• Persuasiveness
• Expertise in building and leading teams
Source: “What Makes a Leader?” Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec 1998.
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 39
40. Components of emotional intelligence (cont.)
Definition Hallmarks
Influence
(Relationship management)
• Finding the right appeal for a given listener
• Knowing how to build buy-in from key sponsors
• Building a network of support for an initiative
• Very persuasive
• Engaging when addressing a group
Developing Others
(Relationship management)
• Understanding goals, strengths and weaknesses
• Providing timely and constructive feedback
• Show genuine interest in others
• Natural mentor or coach
Source: Primal Leadership, by Daniel Goleman, Harvard Business School Press, 2002.
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 40
42. Build your brandStairs image based on “You, Incorporated,”by Jamila Petite
1. Know, manage, and lead yourself
2. Make the most of your strengths
3. Find and leverage your passion
4. Demonstrate and articulate value
5. Continuously improve
6. Be visible; “brag” appropriately
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 42
43. Know, manage, and lead
yourself
Seven habits
Emotional intelligence
Attitude
360-degree leadership
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 43
44. Build your brandStairs image based on “You, Incorporated,”by Jamila Petite
1. Know, manage, and lead yourself
2. Make the most of your strengths
3. Find and leverage your passion
4. Demonstrate and articulate value
5. Continuously improve
6. Be visible; “brag” appropriately
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 44
45. Strengths vs. weaknesses
“Discover what you don’t like doing
and stop doing it.” -- Marcus Buckingham
Now, Discover Your Strengths
The One Thing You Need to Know
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 45
46. Why passion?
Think about the last time you did something
you really enjoyed…
Was it difficult to get started?
To finish
When was the last time you did something
you really enjoyed at work?
How does your list of passions compare with
what your business needs?
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 46
47. Build your brandStairs image based on “You, Incorporated,”by Jamila Petite
1. Know, manage, and lead yourself
2. Make the most of your strengths
3. Find and leverage your passion
4. Demonstrate and articulate value
5. Continuously improve
6. Be visible; “brag” appropriately
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 47
48. Develop and articulate your
value
What’s valuable to your employer/client?
Become strategic (to your employer/ client)—
business, competition, trends
Prioritize around strategy: Think more…do less,
esp. by rote or “because we’ve
always done it”
Results talk: Measure
them, and then talk
about them
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 48
49. Tips for becoming more
strategic
Keep up with industry: Professional orgs—participate and network—and
their pubs
Understand business strategy: What can your marketing and business
leaders tell you
Understand technical strategy: Your architects and technical leaders
Understand your functional strategy: Tech comm, product development
Focus: Select one or two things that you’re most passionate about and
contribute to those; don’t try to boil the ocean
Schedule time with yourself to work on “important, but not urgent” items
When you feel you’re not working on strategic items, or contributing to
strategy, through your “day job,” discuss with your manager and
leadership team; ask for clarification around the relationship between
what you’re doing and strategy
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 49
50. Build your brandStairs image based on “You, Incorporated,”by Jamila Petite
1. Know, manage, and lead yourself
2. Make the most of your strengths
3. Find and leverage your passion
4. Demonstrate and articulate value
5. Continuously improve
6. Be visible; “brag” appropriately
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 50
51. Continuously improve
Take new risks – or educated steps toward a new goal
Take developmental courses (grad school, community centers,
etc)
Take your professional development very seriously – schedule it!
Take on high visibility projects – look for ways to leave your
comfort zone
Distinguish your work from others’
Seek honest feedback
Never compromise your self respect
Expect setbacks and mistakes – always keep moving forward (or
laterally when necessary)
Don’t be afraid to reinvent your brand; it’s your brand
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 51
52. Build your brand
1. Know, manage, and lead yourself
2. Make the most of your strengths
3. Find and leverage your passion
4. Demonstrate and articulate value
5. Continuously improve
6. Be visible; “brag” appropriately
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 52
53. Appropriate visibility
Do “the right people” know who you are, what
you do, and the value you add?
Do you have a reason to keep in touch?
What is your reason for staying visible and
keeping the right people current?
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 53
54. Bragging myths
from BRAG! (Klaus)
1. A job well done speaks for itself
2. You only brag during performance reviews
3. Humility gets you noticed
4. People will brag for you
5. More is better (quality over quantity)
6. Good girls don’t brag
7. Brag is a four-letter word
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 54
55. Successful bragging requirements
from BRAG! (Klaus)
1. Bore no more
2. Bring your best self forward
3. Recognize the importance of first impressions
4. Act like your best self (even when you don’t feel
like it)
5. Convey excitement about your work and
accomplishments
6. Schmooze (network)
7. Take the emotional temperature of your listeners
8. Leverage the power of humor, stories, and
anecdotes
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 55
56. Bragging tips
from BRAG! (Klaus)
1. Be your best, authentic self
2. Think about who you’re bragging to
3. Say it with meaningful and entertaining stories
4. Keep it short and simple
5. Talk with me, not at me
6. Be able to back up what you say
7. Know when to brag
8. Turn small talk into big talk
9. Keep your content current and fresh
10. Be ready at a moment’s notice
11. Have a sense of humor
12. Use it all: your eyes, ears, head, and heart
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 56
59. Commodity
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 59
Cheap
Writers in low-
cost-of-living
areas are even
cheaper
Deliverables are
formulaic
“documentation”
Nearly clerical
Oh, and…
“anyone can
write”
60. Communicator
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 60
Understands
Humans, in general
Audience for product
Information
architecture, design,
and usability
Designs solutions to
communication
problems, not
standard deliverables
Develops user
assistance, not
documentation
61. Profit maker
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 61
Communicator, who also
understands
Product development
process in depth
Tools used to develop
product in depth
Technologies associated
with product, in depth
Designs product solutions,
not just communication
solutions
Contributes to
product usability
62. Strategic Contributor
(c) 1996-2011 Andrea L. Ames 62
Communicator and profit maker
Understands business,
customers, and competition
Contributes to strategy and
business process improvement
Ensures customers/users are
successful
Can demonstrate financial
impact of information and
usability on bottom line
Can make business case for
new initiatives
Visionary; leads
multidisciplinary teams
to improve customer/
user experience