Teresa Mulvihill's abstract

International Communications and Today's Technologies

Introducing technical information to diverse cultures creates unique challenges in technical communications. In the global economy, successful technical communicators can not afford to ignore cultural influences on information presentation. Based on research, personal professional experience, and interviews with other technical writers, this talk will review effective ways to internationalize and localize information using XML, Acrobat, FrameMaker, PhotoShop, translation companies, and other tools.

International technical communication requires extensive audience and task analysis. There are obvious factors such as language, spelling, time zones, paper sizes, and units of measurement that must be considered before beginning an internationalization project. However, technical communicators must also consider subtle effects, such as cultural interpretations of layout, colors, humor, and symbols.

Successful integration of appropriate technologies and methodologies can simplify the localization process as well. Choosing a translator and establishing a trusted relationship is vital to a localization project. Translations are also faster and less expensive when the original text is clear, concise, and single sourced.

Technologies, such as XML, and applications, such as Adobe FrameMaker, WebWorks Publisher and Acrobat, simplify the internationalization and localization processes. XML allows publishers to single source information while presenting it in different layouts depending on cultures and media (i.e. desktops, mobile phones, and PDAs). Adobe FrameMaker and Acrobat allow for easy application of various cultural layout and color styles. Technical writers and publishers can single source their documents and reach audiences with varying backgrounds on various media.

As an Ideal Market, this talk will suggest and encourage suggestions for effective ways to incorporate today's technologies, methodologies, and communication skills to ensure simple, correct, low-cost internationalization and localization projects.

About Teresa Mulvihill

Teresa Mulvihill has worked in and studied International Technical Communications since 1994. She has spoken on the importance of internationalization in technology at numerous conferences in the US, and Australia. She has participated in extensive work exchanges in New Zealand, France, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. She is working with the W3C on Internationalization Standards, where she sits on the Guidelines and Outreach committees.

Teresa graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in International Communications and Technology. Her education focused on the important cultural influences, such as language, humor, color, and layout, on international technical communication. Her professional career began in Auckland, New Zealand for CLEAR Communications and progressed into Senior Technical Writing positions in the greater Los Angeles area. She is currently a lead technical writer for Tridion in the Netherlands.

Teresa is fluent with FrameMaker, WebWorks Publisher, Acrobat, PhotoShop, and all Microsoft Office applications. She uses these applications along with XML and Single Sourcing methodologies to simplify internationalization and localization projects, and to create accurate documentation understood by both technical and non-technical individuals of any culture.

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