stc-jamesriver.org - Information Design and Management

Developing a style guide for organization use is challenging; developing a style guide for an organization with multiple locations and multiple products is even more so. In 2004, technical communicators at Leitch Technology Corporation took on the task of rewriting a style guide to reflect corporate changes and documentation developments that occurred since the guide was first introduced. They needed to develop a manual that:

Reflected the same “look and feel” for documentation developed at multiple locations for different products.
Could be used for both software and hardware documentation development, as well as online documentation.
Included the desires and often conflicting opinions of a variety of technical writers.

About the Speakers

Katherine Estes has been a technical writer for over 20 years and has worked in both public and private sectors. She has written training materials, software documentation, and hardware documentation for products ranging from serial protocol translators to marine engines and stern drives. Currently she works for Leitch Technology Corporation at its Chesapeake location. Katherine is a member of the James River Chapter of the Society for Technical Communications.

Vivian Viitala has been a technical writer for over 6 years. She has written software documentation for 3-D authoring and rendering software, and for a new line of integrated content environment products. She has written hardware documentation for a variety of video and audio broadcasting products. Currently she works for Leitch Technology, Inc. at its Toronto location, where she is the departmental team leader responsible for coordinating the activities of full- and part-time technical writers and co-operative students. Vivian is a member of the Toronto Chapter of the Society for Technical Communications.