A help system that pleases every user. Would it be too much to call this the holy grail of technical writing? To reach it, let's follow the lead of science fiction writers who invite us to envision an ideal and leave the details to others.

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Infographics are hot right now. Yet I think that most of them aren't nearly as effective as their creators expect them to be. What needs to be done? And what's the future for this form of communication?

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I've observed that most professionals, be they hockey players or technical writers, do their best work when they feel comfortable in their surroundings. That might mean having a well-lit office, a well-organized work space....Or clam chowder and baked beans.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture's new MyPlate graphic sure looks familiar -- and it's proof that a good content strategy is delicious and nutritious.

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Around this time last year, in the run-up to the STC Summit conference, I asked a lot of questions about how two trends, Web 2.0 and agile, were affecting the technical communication profession. After a year of conversation we're learning to turn challenges into opportunities.

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As I return home from the first annual STC India Summit, I'm glad I got to see firsthand the top-caliber people who make up the technical communication community there. Technical communication in India is moving forward and no doubt will continue to do so.

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Movement is a good word to describe what I see in Bangalore. India's technical communicators, and the profession itself, are definitely on the move here.

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