Making the world a better place, one (numbered) step at a time

Presentation from Write The docs Prague 2017: Created in 2016, Tech Writers Without Borders aims to connect technical communicators with nonprofits seeking help with their documentation and training materials.

Using examples from our work with iNERDE, a social enterprise seeking to empower West African youth with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education, I describe the many ways in which technical communicators can make a real difference to the operational effectiveness of nonprofits and the lives of those they serve.

If you, too, are interested in volunteering your skills for social impact, this session will hopefully inspire you to action, or, at the very least encourage you to view the value of your craft in a new light.

Transcript

1. Making the world a better
   place, one (numbered) step
   at a time
   Stuart Culshaw
   Tech Writers Without Borders
   @ouebguy
   @twwb_org
   

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2. Can a tech
   writer really
   change the
   world?
   @ouebguy
   Image: ijmaki / Pixabay
   

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3. How to change the world,
   one (numbered) step at a
   time
   Stuart Culshaw
   Tech Writers Without Borders
   @ouebguy
   @twwb_org
   

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4. STEP 1
   Get in touch with
   your inner hero
   @ouebguy
   

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5. We write
   the docs…
   @ouebguy
   Image: waldryano / Pixabay
   

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6. … And so
   much
   more
   @ouebguy
   Image: waldryano / Pixabay
   

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7. It’s not what you
   do that counts…
   @ouebguy
   It’s the
   impact
   you make
   Image: alan9187 / pixabay
   

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8. We are
   superheroes
   -
   @ouebguy
   Image: ErikaWittlieb / Pixabay
   

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9. Can a tech writer
   really change the
   world?
   @ouebguy
   superhero
   

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10. STEP 2
    Seek out the change
    makers
    @ouebguy
    

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11. Change makers are everywhere
    

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12. www.actume.org
    @ouebguy
    

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13. www.chede.org
    

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14. www.apagi.fr
    

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15. iNERDE.org
    @ouebguy
    

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16. Change makers face many challenges
    •  Lack of resources
    •  Temporary or part-time staff
    •  Rapid turnover of volunteers
    •  Multi-cultural/multilingual
    environments
    •  Regulated environments
    @ouebguy
    

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17. Change makers
    need our support
    Document internal processes
    Train staff & volunteers
    Explain how to use their
    products and services
    @ouebguy
    Help!
    

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18. Let’s put our skills to work for the change makers!
    superpowers
    -  Can we help these organizations to
    train their volunteers to be more
    effective?
    -  Can we help them better document
    their internal processes?
    -  Can we help them to better explain
    their products and services?
    -  Can we help them market
    themselves better?
    @ouebguy
    Yes!
    Yes!
    Yes!
    Yes!
    

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19. STEP 3
    Work together &
    design for scale
    @ouebguy
    

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20. Together, let’s change the world!
    @ouebguy
    Help!
    

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21. @ouebguy
    

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22. Our first project:
    Improving teacher
    training materials
    for iNERDE’s STEM
    summer camp
    program: Ntomo
    Innovation
    Academy.
    @ouebguy
    

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23. Our “virtual” volunteer team
    Stuart Culshaw
    Content Strategist
    IBM
    Grenoble, France
    Johanne Lavallée
    Rédactrice technique
    Ver-Mac
    Quebec, Canada
    Milena Alexandrova
    Freelance Technical
    Communications Specialist
    Paris, France
    Toni Ressaire
    Technical Communications
    Consultant
    Italy
    @ouebguy
    

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24. Challenges
    Partial/poor quality source
    documents
    Limited time
    Limited access to SMEs
    Limited Internet access
    @ouebguy
    Image: Free-Photos / Pixabay
    

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25. Image: Pexels / Pixabay
    What we
    accomplished
    @ouebguy
    

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26. @ouebguy
    Photo courtesy of iNERDE
    Our Impact
    

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27. @ouebguy
    

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28. @ouebguy
    Photo courtesy of iNERDE
    

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29. @ouebguy
    The future…
    

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30. @ouebguy
    Project “CodeNERDE”
    ●  Team Mali: Silver medalists in the
    "Engineering Design" category at
    First Global international robotics
    competition (Washington DC, July
    2017).
    Photo courtesy of iNERDE
    

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31. sparkventures.org
    @ouebguy
    

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32. solenciel.fr
    @ouebguy
    

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33. Our vision: An ecosystem for social good
    Volunteers
    Academia
    Professional

    communities
    Recruiters
    Industry

    experts
    Training
    providers
    Vendors
    Non-profits
    •  Sponsorship
    •  Free/discounted
    licenses
    •  Spread the word
    •  Take on a community
    project
    •  Spread the word
    •  Share best practices
    •  Project teams
    •  Core team
    •  Coursework
    •  Research projects
    •  Internships
    •  Free/discounted
    training
    •  Volunteer recruitment / Job bank
    
    •  Build awareness
    •  Qualify projects
    @ouebguy
    

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34. Get involved!
    Join our LinkedIn group
    Volunteer for a project
    Propose a project
    Spread the word
    Join our core team
    @ouebguy
    twwb.org
    

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36. Can tech writers
    really change the
    world?
    @ouebguy
    Yes we can!
    

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37. Thank you !
    Stuart Culshaw
    Tech Writers Without Borders
    Email: stuart.culshaw@techwriterswithoutborders.org
    Web: twwb.org
    @ouebguy
    @twwb_org
    

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