My Favorite UMCF Program

The UMCF Programs Committee has put together a list of some of their favorite programs in recent years. Do you have a favorite program? Join the discussion!

Cullean Colby, Associate Administrator, Carlson IT
department
My favorite program was last year's "Beginner's Circle: Videography 101". Michael Teachout, the Carlson Instructional Media Coordinator, created a presentation based on the questions
and topics gathered from attendees via a participant survey. The event topics
were perfectly catered to those who attended! We discussed camera options,
general planning for a video shoot, necessary video software, and University
resources. Most of the attendees were able to stay for lunch where we
continued the conversation with more questions and shared similar video related
struggles and issues. I loved watching the attendees collaborate, share
experiences, formulate ideas, and make connections while enjoying pizza!

Melissa Pierce, Communications, Extension Center for Youth
Development
My favorite program was "How to avoid death by
PowerPoint: Tips for giving better presentations" in April 2011. It was
very engaging, funny, and useful. I refer back to many of Todd
Reubold's tips when creating presentations.

Sarah Howard, Communications Manager, School of Journalism and Mass
Communication
The most helpful program for me was the Communications Job Study Panel. Within
the U, the communications jobs family had just undergone a restructuring and
some changes were made. UMCF gathered those who were behind the changes and had
them explain the changes and what it meant for communicators. All of my
questions were answered and I learned a lot about how jobs are structured
across the University. I'm not sure where I would have gone for this
information without this panel! With this type of event, I really felt like
UMCF was watching out for me!

Stephanie
O'Donnell, Executive Office & Administrative Specialist, Extension
Technology
I
joined the Communicators Forum earlier this year and have already had the
privilege of attending several great programs. My favorite thus far was the
"For the Common Good" Exhibit at Anderson Library this fall. Not only did I
benefit from hearing more about the archiving services the University libraries
offer communicators and departments on campus, but I also appreciated the
guided tour of the exhibit and the subsequent discussion surrounding the
history of the University of Minnesota as a land grant institution. It was a
great way to feel connected to the University and its strong community of
communicators.

Katie Evans, Lead Events Coordinator, Institute for Global Studies
The Communicators Forum program that I found most useful was the "Working
with University Relations" on November 15, 2012. It helped me get a better
sense of what types of stories the University was interested in promoting on a
larger scale. The program was also great to put faces with names and be able to
know who the direct contacts for different needs are.

Member survey results - 2012 - Communicators Forum

Thank you everyone who took the Communicators Forum member survey. 125 of our 311 members -- from different campuses and locations -- took the time to let us know what you'd like to see from the University of Minnesota Communicators Forum (UMCF). Your input is greatly appreciated. The Communicators Forum board is meeting next week and will consider this feedback to inform efforts for the next semester and beyond.

There are many ways to maximize your membership and make it your communications year:

Attend a program

Volunteer for a committee - several still need members, it's not too late!

Save the dates for member appreciation (May 29) and conference (June 25)

Feel free to send ideas any time to umcf@umn.edu and to comment on this post to share any ideas for future speakers, topics, member benefits, and other ideas.

COMMUNICATORS FORUM MEMBER SURVEY RESULTS

125 of our 311 members completed the survey, with representation across different campuses:

Twin Cities East Bank - 60.8% (76)
Twin Cities West Bank - 14.4% (18)
Twin Cities St. Paul - 14.4% (18)
Other - 4% (5 - U areas like Arboretum, Printing Services and non-U members)
Duluth - 2.4% (3)
Morris - 1.6% (2)
Crookston - 1.6% (2)

Some
overall themes were an appetite to try new things, wanting programming
experiences geared toward those at coordinate campuses and for different
points in their career, and valuing being part of a network of
professional communicators.

Results for each question, listed from most to least in favor:

1.
If we tried different, experiential formats for programs, which of the
following types of activities do you think you would attend?

a.
Problem-solving and best practices workshops (conversation cafe,
project critique, brainstorming group, proaction cafe, visual
facilitation, etc.) - 68% (85)

b. Field trips off campus (e.g.,
going behind-the-scenes at Mayo Clinic communications, Minneapolis
Institute of Arts, etc.) - 56.8% (71)

c. Quick creative breaks on or near campus (Weisman, improv lessons, etc.) - 56% (70)

d. Book club (or club for articles, blogs, TV, film, etc. - 30.4% (38) 

e. Informal presentation opportunities (Pecha Kucha, PowerPoint Karaoke, etc.) - 28% (35)

f. Job switch/shadow for a day - 28% (35)

g. Other - 4.8% (6)
Comments included: Media consumption club, high-level speakers/industry leaders, more for coordinate campuses, job board/tips and tricks discussion

2. How would you like to hear about upcoming Communicators Forum programs and events?

a. Email - 95.2% (119)
b. UMCF newsletter - 28.8% (36) 
c. Facebook - 24% (30)
d. UMN calendar - 18.4% (23)
e. UMCF website - 16% (20) 
f. UMCF blog - 9.6% (12)
g. Twitter - 8% (10)
h. Other - Comments: Annual schedule? 

3. Which factors are important when deciding if you will attend a Communicators Forum program?

a. Topic - 93.6% (117)
b. Location - 69.6% (87))
c. Advance notice - 61.6% (77)
d. Specific time of day - 47.2% (59)
e. Supervisor approval - 11.2% (14)
f. Other - 4% (5)
Comments largely about whether the topic is compelling, interesting, and relevant enough. Length of program also a factor (longer more apt to come), workload, and if can attend through UMConnect.

4. What do you value most about being a Communicators Forum member?

a. Being part of a network of professional communicators - 66.4% (83)
b. Regular learning opportunities through monthly programs (free to members) - 56% (70)
c. Listserv subscription (members-only) - 50.4% (63)
d. Annual conference - 48% (60)
e. Ongoing UMCF communications (newsletter, blog, website, social media) - 32% (40)
f. Awards competition (only members can enter) - 6.4% (8) 
g. Other - 2.4% (3)
Comments include: Promoting quality and community, advocacy for profession at U.

5. What would improve your experience of being a Communicators Forum member?

a. Access to shared resources (e.g., vendor referral tool, lynda.com subscription, online resource/reference library) - 60.8% (76)
b. Communications toolkit for all members - 54.5% (68)
c. Communications advice column in blog/monthly newsletter (Ask a Communicator...) - 40% (50)
d. Different types of regular programs/events - 38.4% (48)
e. More informal networking opportunities - 26.4% (33) 
f.
Sharing member news in UMCF newsletter (e.g., welcome new members;
member-submitted items like role changes, accomplishments,
presentations, etc.) - 22.4% (28) 
g. Other - 3.2% (4)
Comments include: more programs broadcast on the web, more recognition of graphic design aspect of communications, job boards for new communications openings at the U beyond just the listserv, lynda.com shared subscription and member news good ideas.

6. Please describe any new awards categories you'd like to see for the Maroon and Gold Awards.

Ideas included:

Several for more web categories, including mobile web design, user experience, web sections, websites of different sizes, web systems/infrastructure/web planning, integrated print and web/campaign

Award for the communicator's boss, faculty member, mentor - someone who encouraged a communicator or communications team - showcasing how the communicator is a resource to the unit

Awards related to advancing the U's mission / brand - not just "good" but accomplishing specific outcomes for the University

Category for non-members

Something geared toward academic departments

Other specific category ideas including: Before and after, strategic communications initiative, organizational change initiative, strategy and planning, events, invitations, announcements, greeting cards, illustration, signage, photography, logo, best concept that didn't get produced, short videos produced entirely within an office (not contracted)

7. Anything else you'd like to share?

Comments included:

Several comments about need for gearing programs to coordinate campus participants, that the Forum is Twin Cities-focused

Several things about gearing things toward people at different points in their career, too much emphasis on new communicators

Several comments appreciating opportunity to provide input, like being part of network

Several comments on awards - step-by-step how did a past award winner do, ceremony too skewed to same recipients, not a fan of the awards

Specific feedback such as "how to cancel" event attendance blurb on website;  look forward to annual meeting; past list of speaker presentations; more sessions with U Relations/other good communicators on how they are appealing to U core mission/President's strategic plan; get monthly event notifications out sooner; liked the U Archives/Land grant exhibit program with tour of displays and history focus; working with the Foundation; speaker ideas: Lee Aase/Mayo Clinic, Jason Lardy/Nomad Marketing; having Forum leaders circulate at social time at events to introduce people; class for communicators on making engaging short videos; quick and dirty InDesign tricks for fliers and other technical skills.

Those are the survey results... Feel free to add anything new you think of or respond to the feedback by commenting on this post!

Encouraging Workplace Innovation

It is easy to get caught up in the daily grind, which leaves little time to evaluate how
inefficient we have become. I think it is time we all take a step back
and think about how we can be more innovative in both our personal and
professional lives.



This article "Three ideas for encouraging workplace innovation" might help you kick-start innovations in your work. There is no better time than now, right?

http://www.arenasolutions.com/blog/post/workplace-innovation

Color of the year

Pantone announced the color of the year for 2013 today: emerald (17-5641 for those of you who like to be exact about this kind of thing). Those of us who prefer green may be a little smug about this announcement, but...does it really mean anything? Will we start seeing more designs using this color that purportedly "enhances our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight as well as promoting balance and harmony?"

Is it more than a marketing tool? Is it fun, regardless? Would you have picked something else?

Papal Tweets

Only the Pope could start a Twitter account, not post a single tweet, and still have 116,859 followers (as of this posting). He's barely begun his social media journey, but could it be that he's already having trouble "feeding the beast"?

What suggestions do you have for the Pope, or anyone else who is considering starting a Twitter account? How should they keep it fresh, on message, interesting? I'd love to see your comments.

StrengthsFinder: Helpful or not?

Earlier this week, a few fellow marketing department coworkers and I took the StrengthsFinder test and went to a Human Resources workshop designed to help us understand our results. I tend to reflect a lot about my relationships, whether it be with coworkers, superiors, community members, patrons, or my personal relationships. I found StrengthsFinder to be a good exercise in reflection. None of my top 5 themes surprised me, but I found some of the suggested action items on how to incorporate my strengths into the workplace helpful, although some of them felt a little too much like a zodiac for my comfort, such as "Find someone with strong Command or Activist strengths to pair with." However, what I found to be even more helpful was hearing my coworkers' results, and how they interpreted or explained them. This allowed me insight into our work relationships, and understanding why certain protocols, processes, or environment details are important to different people. 

Do you think personality tests such as this are useful in the work place? If you've taken StrengthsFinder specifically, what did you discover with your results? Have you shared them with your coworkers/superiors? If so, has that affected the way you work together?

Awards 2013 - Celebrate your work!

We have made some changes to UMCF maroon and gold awards this year that we think you will love:

• 2013 awards will be presented at a member appreciation party on May 29 - this will be a swank event you will not want to miss.


• Winning entries will be displayed gallery-style at the May 29 event, with winners on hand to talk about their work between bites of delicious hors d'oeuvres.


• We have a new award this year for best use of the Driven to Discover "Discovery illuminates everyone" campaign in any medium. This award is sponsored by Olson, the advertising agency that created
  the D2D campaign, and an Olson staff member will be one of our judges this year. Tips on using this theme

The eligibility period is March 1, 2012 to Feb. 28, 2013, so the work you are doing now will be eligible. You may enter in as many categories as you wish, and there is no entry fee. Read more about past categories and winners - Advisory only, as rules and categories could change for 2013.

Look for more information about awards and member appreciation night in coming weeks. In the meantime, save the date - May 29. It will be a great party and a great way to celebrate our work.

-- Ann Nordby and Kris Junker, UMCF awards committee co-chairs

Break Time

This morning I heard this story about treadmill desks. Pretty nice set-up. Well, with that and the upcoming University holiday on my mind, I'm reminded of how important it is to move around and take a break. 

Oh, there are helpful apps too, like BreakTime--it never forgets your breaks.

 

U Relations | Here to Help

Today I went to the UMCF program, Beginner's Circle: Working
with University Relations, and discovered a pocket of resources for us as
communicators. I am fairly new (one and half years at the U) and have had
veterans tell me that you are not a real U employee until you have been here
for ten. It was nice to hear that for some people that were closer to the
ten-year mark, this was good information all around. So, whether you are new to
the University or have been here for years, there was a little something for
everyone.

The panelists were: Ann Aronson, responsible for marketing
and branding; Laura Johnson, responsible for creative services; Chuck Tombarge,
responsible for the news service; and Jay Weiner, the presidents speechwriter.

Here are some of the resources they provide:

New Service: (www.umn.edu/urelate/public-relations.html)
Will work with you on a press release or connecting you to local reporters. Provide
media training for faculty and staff. Provide council on social media strategy.
Write a column from the president in your department/units newsletter.

There are four staff members, broken into beats that
they cover:

• Julie Christensen covers public affairs, access, engagement, philanthropy and
  diversity.


• Steve Henneberry covers liberal arts, humanities, and video.


• Matt Hodson covers STEM, research, science to industry, business, and
  agriculture.


• Patty Mattern covers administration, athletics, crisis, and efficiency.

Creative Services and Marketing Communications: (www.umn.edu/urelate/marketing.html)
Provides consulting in collaboration with marketing and branding for marketing
strategies, electronic communications, shared media, design, writing, editing,
multimedia, and photography. The U Story on the homepage is also handled
through creative services and ideas can be submitted to urstory@umn.edu.

The overall focus for University Relations this year is
President Kaler's priorities that can be found here: www.umn.edu/president/initiatives-priorities/index.html.

Do you have other resources that would be helpful for
navigating communications at the U?

I am also looking forward to the next program, Expert
Insights: Dave Pyle, Former bureau chief of the MN/WI Associated Press on
December 5.

The Creative Process

Recently, I've been doing some research on the creative process to help describe to my non-design educated co-workers what it is I actually do all day. I came across this beautiful, informative, and short video of the very talented minds behind MINDCASTLE. 

http://mindcastleblog.com/blog/2009/12/27/holidays-are-awesome.html

I would also be remiss to not mention the (presumably) fabulous National Design Week last month in New York at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Launched in 2006, National Design Week is held each year in conjunction with the National Design Awards program. During National Design Week, Cooper-Hewitt's award-winning Education Department hosts a series of free public programs based on the vision and work of the National Design Awards honorees. National Design Week culminates with the National Design Awards gala ceremony. Definitely something to keep in mind for next year. 

http://www.cooperhewitt.org/national-design-awards/ndw

Throwdown: "People" vs. "Faculty and staff" in web navigation

People who go to college, school, department, and other higher education websites want to find the faculty, staff, physicians and residents, students, and other people at those sites. Sometimes there's a link that says "Faculty and staff." Sometimes a link for "People." Sometimes it's something else completely.

So...

Is it people?

Is it faculty and staff?

Something else?

It's a throwdown: People vs. Faculty and staff. Which side are you on and why?

What is Basecamp & How I use it

I was introduced to Basecamp, which is a project management
software, during one of our board meetings and wanted to find out more on how
it will benefit our team. Please click: http://ridz.sg/blog/2010/08/what-is-basecamp-and-how-i-use-it to read more
about this online collaboration.

I've been using Google Docs for many of our department
projects and wanted to break down the benefits of each here:

Google Docs:

• User creates a document (word processing,
  spreadsheet, etc.) and the document "lives" in the cloud.


• User invites other users and gives them certain privileges (read only, edit, etc.).


• The doc is always available since it "lives" in the cloud.


• Multiple people can be editing and/or viewing the doc at the same time - nice feature if two or more people are collaborating on a conference call and working on the doc at the same time.


• Users can export the doc to MSWord format, for example, if the user wants to get it onto their desktop.


• Feature set is good but is pretty basic - enough so that some users may not have all the cool features that they enjoy on their desktop apps.


• Biggest benefit is that many users can see and edit the document from many locations at any time since it's living in the cloud.


• Biggest downside is that some of the more advanced app features from desktop apps may not be available.

Basecamp:

• User creates their document on their desktop and uploads a copy to Basecamp.


• User can specify who can see and download the document.


• Users who want to work on a document download it to their desktop and then upload it again when they are done. Users can specify whether or not to send an email notification when a new revision has been uploaded.


• Basecamp allows you to see previous iterations of the document - all versions are stored permanently.


• Basecamp has tons of nice project management features: basic project calendar, allows you to set up and assign milestones to specific dates and people, alerts assignees when a milestone is imminent or is past due, assign To-Do's with deadlines to individuals, track hours worked.


• Stores threads of conversations (messages) in a central location so all project-related conversations are easy to find.


• Nice email notification features when changes are made to project components.


• Iterative storage of project-related docs.


• Available apps for the iPhone, Android, and Blackberry.


• $24/month pay as you go vs. Google Docs which are free, but if you are needing some project management features then the price is WELL worth it.


• Biggest upside: great project management features, very easy to set up and use, love the pay as you go (no long-term contracts), nice conversation thread management, nice email reminders.


• Biggest downside in comparison to Google Docs: If users need to collaborate and edit a document simultaneously someone will need to set up a webinar (free for up to 3 people using Acrobat Connect, though there are several other free and paid screen-sharing software apps out there).

I guess it ultimately comes down to preference
in choosing a platform that best works for your team.

5 steps to maximize your membership

The Communicators Forum board recently sent this email inviting members to make it your communications year and take advantage of membership benefits and value.

Here are five steps to maximize your membership.

STEP 1: Complete this brief member survey by Friday, November 16.

STEP 2:
Save the date for these signature events:

• 
  Member Appreciation Event - May 29, 2013, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis
• Annual Conference - June 25, 2013, all day, Carlson School of Management, Minneapolis
  

STEP 3:
Plan to enter your best work in this year's Maroon and Gold Awards, entries due February or March 2013 for work done anytime in 2012.

STEP 4:
Attend a program. The next two are:

• November 15, 12-1:30 p.m., 100 Murphy Hall - Beginner's Circle: Working with University Relations (panel discussion)
  
• December 5, 12-1:30 p.m., 2-233 Carlson School of Management - Expert Insights with Dave Pyle, former bureau chief of the Minnesota/Wisconsin Associated Press
  
  

STEP 5:
Give yourself a creative reboot and try something new.

• Volunteer for a committee
• Visit a museum or see a performance on campus
• Explore UMCF communications resources, comment on Pinterest, tweet or retweet your UMCF colleagues
• Get creative sharing ideas in the comments on the member survey
• Comment on this blog

FULL EMAIL TO MEMBERS BELOW

Communicators Forum members,

As a Communicators Forum member you are part of a network of professional communicators who are smart, talented, inspiring, outspoken, strategic, reflective, candid, diplomatic, pragmatic, resourceful, thoughtful, pioneering ...

who execute social media campaigns, plan and write website content, design educational materials, set strategic direction, consult on best practices, create compelling videos, pitch stories that showcase the U's impact, manage creative teams, tell stories that matter ...

and the list goes on!

The volunteers working behind the scenes to make things happen have an exciting year planned for you (yes, YOU), with some programming and key dates below. We want you to make it = YOUR YEAR. It's the year of the communicator. Your year.

Some steps to maximize your membership:

STEP 1:

So we can shape activities to meet your interests, complete this brief member survey by Friday, November 16.

STEP 2:

Save the date for these signature events:

Member Appreciation Event - Year of the Communicator

May 29, 2013, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis

This new event will celebrate members with appetizers and cocktails; inspiring display of awards entries, Mike (people's choice) judging, and awards ceremony (separated from the annual conference); group palm readings, and more surprises.

Annual Conference - Year of the Communicator

June 25, 2013, all day, Carlson School of Management, Minneapolis

The annual conference will be one to remember with a new location and exciting lineup in the works. Be sure to share any speaker/topic ideas on the member survey!

STEP 3:

Plan to enter your best work in this year's Maroon and Gold Awards. Submissions will be due sometime in February or March 2013, for work done anytime in 2012. All entries will be displayed and awards given at the member appreciation event in May. Share ideas for new awards categories on the member survey.

STEP 4:

Attend a program. Thanks to everyone who was at Wednesday's tour of the For the Common Good exhibit at Andersen Library, and congrats to raffle winner Allison Gahlon (Learning Abroad Center)!

• November 15, 12-1:30 p.m., 100 Murphy Hall - Beginner's Circle: Working with University Relations (panel discussion)


• December 5, 12-1:30 p.m., 2-233 Carlson School of Management - Expert Insights with Dave Pyle, former bureau chief of the Minnesota/Wisconsin Associated Press

Learn more and register >

STEP 5:

Give yourself a creative reboot. Take a walk. Go to a museum on campus. Visit the Forum website, comment on the blog, (check out these past poll results, very fun--many introverts and English majors!). Volunteer for a committee by contacting one of the chairs listed below. Forward this email and spread the word to colleagues who aren't members--that $40 goes a long way for value.

Whatever steps you take (whatever moves you make), we hope you dare to make it your communications year.

Sincerely,

your Communicators Forum Board of Directors, 2012-13

Kate Sophia, chair / Academic Support Resources

Rebecca Noran, vice chair / Academic Health Center

Kelly O'Brien, chair emerita / College of Liberal Arts

Sarah Hollerich, at-large director / Academic Support Resources

Melissa Wray, recorder / Northrop Concerts and Lectures

Didi Nguyen, treasurer / Academic Support Resources

Lani Payette, chair, technology committee / Training Services

Katie Covey, co-chair, marketing and promotions committee / Weisman Art Museum

Erin Kober, co-chair, marketing and promotions committee / Student Unions and Activities

Cullean Colby, co-chair, program committee / Carlson School of Management

Jen Thissen, co-chair, program committee / College of Liberal Arts

Kris Junker, co-chair, awards committee / College of Veterinary Medicine

Ann Nordby, co-chair, awards committee / University of Minnesota Extension

Erin Lauderman, co-chair, conference committee / Weisman Art Museum

OPEN: co-chair, conference committee (contact Erin at elauderm@umn.edu if interested)

Get to know the UMCF Marketing & Promotions Committee

Editor's Note: Our Marketing & Promotions Committee keeps you informed of the Communicators Forum's goings-on through promotions, tabling events, social media, and more. Get to know the M&P Committee with today's brief member profiles. We asked them the following questions:

1.) What is your job title and department here at the U? How long have you worked there?
2.) Favorite part of your workday?
3.) Why are you part of the Forum?
4.) Where do you find creative inspiration?

Here's what they had to say:

Erin Kober, Marketing & Promotions Committee Co-Chair

1.)
Marketing Manager at Student Unions & Activities. I have worked at Student Unions & Activities for just over a year.
 
2.) Brainstorming! I love finding new and creative ways to get our message to students.

3.) To network across the University and get new ideas from people across all University departments.

4.) A variety of blogs, and of course, Pinterest!


Katie Covey, Marketing & Promotions Committee Co-Chair

1.)
Program and Project Specialist at the Weisman Art Museum. I started
working at WAM as a sophomore in college but have been a full time staff
member for two years.
 
2.) Planning programming with our student group, WAM Collective. They keep me connected to student life!
 
3.) To make connections and learn from my colleagues across campus.
 
4.) The Weisman's galleries, tumblr, nature, and everyone's guilty pleasure - Pinterest!

Amanda Aranowski, Marketing & Promotions Committee Member


1.) Communications Coordinator at the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications. I began working at the U a little over a year ago.

2.) Editing! I am a total nerd, and when I get to sit with my stack and a red pen, well, nothing makes me happier.

3.) To learn about the best and greatest in communications and to get to know other fabulous communicators on campus.

4.) Other campaigns, advertising, blogs, and, of course, from all of YOU.
 

Monique Dubos, Marketing & Promotions Committee Member

1.) Business Operations Supervisor, Housing & Residential Life for 7 years

2.) Favorite part of my workday is working on projects for committees such as this one. One of the committees I serve on is our HRL sustainability committee. Last year I developed, edited and contributed to a newsletter highlighting our accomplishments from the year.

3.) I'm part of the forum because, through this and other committees, I've discovered a knack for project leadership and development that allows me to use my writing, editing, photography, and social media skills. I joined UMCF to meet communications professionals on campus, learn from them, and add to my experience that will hopefully lead to a communications job one day (soon, I hope!).

4.) I find inspiration in the people I work with - at work and on outside projects. I'm also inspired by the beauty of everyday life - I'm rarely without my camera!


Katie Evans, Marketing & Promotions Committee Member

1.) Lead Events Coordinator, Institute for Global Studies. I have been in my current position for six months. Prior to that, I worked for two and a half years as Program Specialist at the Center for German & European Studies.

2.) Attending the events that I have been preparing for and making sure everything is running smoothly.

3.) I hope the forum will help me become more aware of university wide resources that are available as well as connect to other motivated and talented people in communication positions. Also, my position involves a fair amount of communication and marketing and I hope to be inspired by the forum.

4.) I love collaborating and communicating with my colleagues. People have such diverse experiences and I find that by talking with them, I often get new and fresh ideas through conversation. Also, working so often with events, I find that attending them and seeing different styles also stimulates new ideas that I can apply to my current position.



Kristin Trautman, Marketing & Promotions Committee Member

1.) Events and Communications Coordinator at the Technological Leadership Institute in the College of Science and Engineering. I began working at the University a little over a year ago.

2.) Designing something! Whether it's marketing materials, a website or a PowerPoint presentation I enjoy coming up with an interesting way to layout and display information.

3.) To take in (and hopefully add to!) the best of the communications community here on campus. I joined the forum earlier this year and have already been inspired and learned a great deal.

4.) I am constantly perusing marketing and technology websites and blogs for ideas. I also like to attend events here on campus and around town.

Editor's Note: How would YOU answer these questions? Where do you find inspiration? What prompted you to join the Forum?

Forum Program Update: Working with U Relations

We're happy to announce a Beginner's Circle event for November called Working with University Relations.

When: November 15, Noon-1:30 p.m.
Where: Murphy Hall Room 100
To Register: UMCF Members can go here and register with your x500

What: Have a story you'd like featured on the U of M's homepage? Need to get a press release out to media but don't know who to contact? Want to get your faculty in the media? At this Beginner's Circle event, learn more about the role of University Relations in internal and external University communications. A panel of University Relations employees will be on-hand to explain their role in getting U news out to the public and will be available for questions from you! Find out how to get your department on the University's radar and the tools available to help share your department's story with the Twin Cities media. Please sign up and fill out the participant survey.

UMCF Member of the Year Profile: Jen Peters

Editor's note: To start off a new academic year on the blog, we decided to profile the 2012 UMCF Member of the Year, Jen Peters. Take notes, folks.

UMCF: What is your job title and department here at the U? How long have you worked there?

Jen Peters: Graphic designer at the University Libraries since September 2008 (4 years, 1 month).

UMCF: What's an average workday like?

JP: The majority of my day is spent in my office designing. I generally have at least five projects going at once, and produce them from concept to completion. I often start a project with a few quick sketches and typeface explorations before moving into InDesign. I often sort through images from the Libraries' archives and special collections and collaborate with our exhibits designer, Darren Terpstra. I work closely with the Communications Director finalizing text edits and creating and sending HTML emails.
 
UMCF: Favorite part of your workday?

JP: I love starting a new project, particularly brainstorming visual concepts and searching for the perfect typeface! I am fortunate to work with so much incredible art here at the Libraries such as these lovely seed catalogs.

UMCF: How does what you do support the mission of the University?

JP: We work to promote our vast resources which ultimately help expand the reach of research: our expert librarians, the millions of volumes held in our collections, tools to enhance productivity, and programs and services.

UMCF: Why did you join the Forum? What role does the Forum plan in your everyday work life?

JP: It was a big transition coming from an agency setting into my current position, working with only two other people. I joined to network and gain a better understanding of the communications work happening at the University.

I have learned so much by volunteering on the conference committee. I have been asked to help plan events at the Libraries as a result. Plus, it gave me a good excuse to approach potential speakers - designers and artists I admire.
 
UMCF: Where do you find creative inspiration?

JP: Design and photography blogs, any type of magazine, Pinterest, plus the incredible local art and design culture here in the Twin Cities.

UMCF: What are your hobbies outside of work?

JP: Riding bike, gardening, photography, skiing - anything outdoors!

UMCF: Tell us a fun fact about yourself.

JP: We (my husband and I) have a 15 year old music loving cat. When my husband plays guitar, she demands to be in the same room, sitting by his feet.
 

Inspiration for today...

Faculty's First Press Release

Check out this blog post by Emily Peters, a post-doc in I on E. She has some great "lessons learned" about working with the media including:

University communicators are there to help you. Get these
communication experts involved as soon as you suspect your research may
draw media attention. These people not only are trained journalists, but
also work with scientists all the time. They understand how hard it can
be to translate years of complicated research into a few sound bites or
sentences. They truly want to help you tell your story in the most
interesting, accessible and accurate way possible. They also serve as a
point of contact and filter to the outside media world. Let them do
their job and help you through this process.

The evolution of social media: We don't even bother to read anymore

It's all about images now, as this article from Fast Company notes. How do you show, rather than tell, what your unit does?

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

Mobile
web usage is becoming more and more popular making content optimized
for mobile devices incredibly important. Even President Obama is
ensuring that key services on .gov websites are available easy to access
by mobile. Getting started can be daunting to many -- take a look at
five best practices.

And,
make sure to attend the UMCF annual conference session, "Responsive Web
Design," with Anthony Ticknor a principal software engineer at The
Nerdery.

The conference is six weeks away but there's still time to register!

Best Times to Post to Social Media

I should be posting this to Facebook or Twitter right now instead of a blog. Why?

The Poynter Institute has just released this report showing the highest click-through days/times for Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.  Peak time for Facebook and Twitter are right now: 2:30 p.m. on a Wednesday.

This will change how we schedule our postings. Have you seen anything different in your campaigns? Click through for neato graphs.

Bitly data shows the best times to post links to Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr

Conference Early Bird Deadline Extended to May 18!

Go for the Maroon and Gold

Communicators Forum 2012 Conference

Thursday, July 26, 2012

7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center

Parking Map and Directions

The early bird deadline has been extended! Register by May 18 »

Session topics and speakers are now available online »

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

Ever been put on the spot to produce a great idea...? And, realized that your creative juices were not flowing? Drumming up creativity can be a tricky thing, especially if when you get stuck on these hang ups (http://www.copyblogger.com/mental-blocks-creative-thinking/).

That's why it's important to put aside some time during your week to exercise your creative muscles.... starting with this: 29 ways to stay creative (http://vimeo.com/24302498).

Also, don't forget the UMCF annual conference is coming up July 26!  And, we're pleased to announce that Beth Perro-Jarvis and Mary Van Note, Partners of Ginger Consulting, will be leading a session on creativity.

P.S. Check out this cool story about Ginger Consulting on Star Tribune (http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/148329235.html).

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

Screen
printing. This is quite possibly one of the coolest forms of visual
communication. Conveying a message or brand through images is compelling
and, if you're an art enthusiast like me, more engaging than other
forms of communication (when done well).

A
great example is Twin Cities illustrator and print maker Adam Turman
who tells the story of biking in the Twin Cities through his collection of cycling prints.

Check out how to create the final product in this screen printing tutorial written by Turman.

And,
plan to attend Turman's UMCF conference session "Let's Print" where
he'll talk about the process of screen printing, but more
importantly, he'll be teaching how to pull some actual prints that
attendees can take with home.

Register by April 23 for the discounted rate.

Link Roundup: Sustainable Design

In celebration of Beautiful U Day which is happening next week, some sustainable links:

• Companies are revolutionizing sustainable product design by using environmental life cycle assessment to benchmark their product impacts.


• Heard about the U's RFID program? Faculty and staff can bicycle towards points to reduce 2013 medical program rates.
• See art out in the open and year-round at Mankato's CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour.
• RiverFIRST is the winning design proposal for the Minneapolis riverfront. Watch the design team's video and learn about the 2010 international design competition which was sponsored by the Mpls. Park Board and Parks Foundation, with creative partners the U of M College of Design and Walker Art Center.

Finding Your Niche in a Social Media Explosion

It seems I can't do anything in the communications world without bumping elbows with yet another one of the billion social media tools popping up these days. In the crowded room of businesses, college departments, and organizations all screaming for your attention through their various social media, it can be hard to decide what tools are best or applicable to you and your place of work. Here's a quick article on some of the newer buzz-tools out there: the new Facebook Timeline for businesses, Pinterest, and Instagram.

What's your take on these new platforms? Do you see an opportunity to use them in your workplace?

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

Email
marketing. It's a quick and direct way to communicate with your
audience. But, when should it be used and what's the messaging like? Integrating email marketing with a broader communications plan (probably including both traditional and new media) is often key to its success. Also, writing engaging and relevant messages is a must for standing out in the flurry of emails.

Check out ten best practices
for email marketing.  And, plan to attend the UMCF conference session
on email marketing, "Having a Blast: Making Mass Email Work for You,"
with U of M University Relations' electronic communications specialist
Pete Wiringa.

Learn about the conference agenda and session topics. Register by April 23 for the discounted rate.

Introvert or extrovert? (or, How come no one shows up to UMCF happy hours?)

What would you guess is the personality type of a communicator? Probably extrovert, right? But there are many of us in varying job functions, from graphic design to PR. Let's see how it shakes out:

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

Social media is a constantly changing suite of tools. While each platform offers communicators valuable ways to engage with their audience and deliver key messages, managing all of them can be a challenge. That's why developing a social media strategy is crucial to posting successful updates.

Learn how to build a social media strategy in three steps and plan to attend the UMCF conference session on developing social media strategy. Rita Greenberg, interactive media specialist at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, will present.

To register for the conference, click here. If you register by April 23, you'll pay the discounted rate of $120. Go for the Maroon and Gold!

Link Roundup: Olympic Design

In light of the upcoming "Go for the Maroon and Gold" conference, happening a day before the 2012 Olympic Games begin, some Olympic design-related links:

• 39 Olympic Logos From 1924 to 2012 


• Summer Olympic logos from 1896 to 2012, including many of the more colorful posters and logos


• The London Olympic Games Organising Committee on the 2012 Olympic brand: "The number 2012 is our brand. It is universal and understandable worldwide."
• According to an Olympic medals timeline, the London 2012 design is the largest Summer Olympics medal to date.
  


• Finally, who doesn't love the 2012 Olympics logo?

And don't forget to register for the conference. Rates go up after April 23!

Confessions of a Copyblogger Junkie

I'll admit right now that I'm a Copyblogger junkie. Writers, if you
don't follow this uber helpful copywriting blog, DO IT NOW. Seriously. Someday,
after you've been twirling in your swivel chair for 30 minutes singing "la-la-la-la-la" after hitting writer's block, you'll thank
me. Whether it's a headline that isn't packing a punch, an uncooperative blog
post, or simply a complete lack of focus due to the unseasonably warm March
weather, Copyblogger will pop up in your inbox with an incredibly insightful,
clear, and concise article to pull you out of your rut. Here are a few recent
articles that I've found incredibly valuable:

The
10-Minute Technique to Becoming a More Productive Writer On the importance
of having a personal long-term writing vision in order to help you become more
efficient with your daily writing tasks.

3
Simple Storytelling Methods That Can Do Your Selling For You On the power
of storytelling in sales copy, broken down into the personal story, the
historical story, and the "meet the guru" story.

8
Quick Tips for Writing Bullet Points People Actually Want to Read  On the importance of effective, readable
bullet points in a digital, "Twitterized" world.

Enjoy, folks.

Millennials. Not so community-oriented?

A few years ago a Forum conference session focused on the mindset of millennials. We were told that they are into their group, the betterment of their community, being part of the gang. New research is showing that perception may be way off. Since many of us communicate to millennials (and work with them here in the Forum, :-) ) here's that article, from The Chronicle.

Millennials Are More 'Generation Me' Than 'Generation We,' Study Finds

By Joanna Chau

Millennials, the generation of young Americans born after
1982, may not be the caring, socially conscious environmentalists some
have portrayed them to be, according to a study described in the new
issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

The study, which compares the traits of young people in high school
and entering college today with those of baby boomers and Gen X'ers at
the same age from 1966 to 2009, shows an increasing trend of valuing
money, image, and fame more than inherent principles like
self-acceptance, affiliation, and community. "The results generally
support the 'Generation Me' view of generational differences rather than
the 'Generation We,'" the study's authors write in a report published
today, "Generational Differences in Young Adults' Life Goals, Concern
for Others, and Civic Orientation."

Continue reading

About That Job Study, part 2

Thank you to all who have commented on my previous post about the Communications Job Study. In addition many people contacted me privately. I was surprised by the disappointments that people shared with me because the process in my own unit was as expected and drama-free.

We derive a great deal of pride and identity from the work we do; besides that, it's our livelihood. The results of the job study are a big deal.

I am reaching out to the team that led the Communications Job Study to see if we can host an open meeting for Forum members to ask their questions. More on that to come. Meanwhile, a number of people posted questions about the job descriptions so they could compare. Here is a PDF of 6 of those jobs that I was able to put together. If you find a link to these online or want to share additional descriptions please contact me.

JobClassSpecifications.pdf

PrincEdWriter.pdf

Annual Conference with NPR's Michele Norris

"Go for the Maroon and Gold"

Thursday, July 26, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center

• Register for the conference »

This year's keynote is Michele Norris host of NPR's
"All Things Considered." To us communicators, she is an Olympian. She
has done so much to advance the field and reach her goals that she is an
inspiration, much like a traditional Olympian, to communications
professionals.

• Read Michele Norris' biography »

Tune in on the UMCF Facebook page and Twitter feed for weekly training tips--the tips will preview the conference and provide helpful tricks of our trade along the way!

So, about that job study...

Everyone who participated in the job study last August should have received the news about their new classification by yesterday. So, how did it go? What do you think, after all is said and done? Did you land where you thought you would? Are you disappointed by anything?

Let's have a forum for everyone's thoughts here in the comments section.

Google Forms: A success for the Libraries!

A great big thank you to Marlo Welshons, the Communications Director for the University Libraries. She answered my questions about Google Forms both for this blog post but also following the recent UMCF event about surveys. Our office uses a survey tool for a variety of purposes including RSVPs for events and Marlo explained how they use Google Forms for that purpose. Since Google Forms is more university-friendly than a third-party survey tool, I figured I needed to learn more about how that works! Her wisdom has been helpful for me in my department and I thought we could all benefit from her experience. Do others have helpful hints regarding RSVPs using Google Forms?

When did you start using Google Forms and why them instead of another program or service?

We started using Google Forms last summer for the simple reason that they were easily available now that we've all moved to Google Docs. We didn't research other alternatives, we just started playing around with the Google Apps suite to see how it worked and what was possible.

What are your primary purposes for using Google Forms (i.e., surveys, registrations, etc.)?

Although I have used Google Forms to create a few basic surveys to gather information from project groups I'm working with, the single most frequent use is providing a customized, online RSVP form for our many events.

I have to credit our graphic designer, Jen Peters, who figured out how to embed a Google form in a web page (when in form editing mode, select "embed" from the "More actions" drop-down). She created a form to let people RSVP to a retirement party for one of our senior administrators, and then embedded it in an HTML wrapper that looked like the HTML email invitation she had created for the event. Attendees really liked being able to RSVP online, and also that there was a field where they could write a congratulations message to the event honoree. We've since implemented this for nearly all of our Friends of the Libraries events.

You can see an RSVP example of this in an email we've developed for an upcoming poetry reading.

Who in your office manages your Google Forms?

We don't have a central manager for using these. For event RSVP forms, we create the form and give edit rights to the event organizer(s). We also give view rights to other staff who may wish to know how many people are coming, or if specific people will be in attendance.

What benefits do you see from using Google Forms?

The coordinator for our Friends of the Libraries events has seen a tremendous benefit from this new process. In the past, attendees were asked to RSVP by phone or email. The time saved by no longer processing those email and voicemail messages is huge, and she uses the spreadsheet created by the form to generate name tags and keep track of other details related to managing the event guest list.

Additionally, we ask attendees to provide us with an email address or phone number in case we need to contact them with changes to an event date or location. This has proven helpful because we can suppress the email addresses of those who have already responded from the mailing data when we send reminder emails. We have also on occasion used the email addresses of those who have RSVP'd to send a confirmation email with customized parking information and directions to the event.

Do you have some tips for other communicators who want to use Google Forms but aren't sure of how or why?

A couple of things we've learned from doing this:

1. Be sure to customize the submission confirmation message (access this from the same "More actions" drop-down for getting the embed code). We use the confirmation message to repeat the time and location information and contact information for the event organizer. For example, the confirmation message for the Pankake Poetry Reading email reads:

Thank you for your reservation.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. in Elmer L. Andersen Library, University of Minnesota, 222 21st Ave S, Minneapolis.

Please contact Lanaya Stangret at 612-624-9339 or stangret@umn.edu with any questions or concerns.

2. We make a copy of a previous RSVP form instead of starting from scratch with each new RSVP forms. If you do that, be sure to go into the associated spreadsheet and delete the rows that contain the information collected from the form you copied. If you simply delete the contents of those rows and not the rows themselves, then Google will insert the new data below the last row used by the previous form.

We learned this the hard way: we had a scare where we thought the form was not capturing the information from people who had RSVP'd, but luckily we thought to scroll down and discovered it all appeared starting with row 73 (72 people had filled out the RSVP form for the event that we'd used as the template for the new RSVP form).

A poll on surveys

Thanks to Christina Frazier from the Office of Planning and Analysis for sharing lots of helpful information about U of M survey policy and tools on Wednesday. It was interesting to hear about planning for the new U survey tool. The event had me wondering how many people are currently using UMSurvey and other survey tools.

A Beginner's Twitter Guide to Domination in Five Steps

As the new Marketing & Promotions Chair for the Communicators Forum, I've been having fun diving into the depths of Communicators Forum social media, especially Twitter. Social media has become an unexpected passion of mine over the last year or so, with daily use of it for my day job at Northrop Concerts and Lectures, and my side project, the literary website Hazel & Wren.

I've learned mostly by trial and error, and by watching and learning from expert tweeps as they grow with their following and gain momentum for their business or organization. But perhaps the most helpful for me are simple guidelines from other users that pop up in blog posts, articles, and more all over the internet, such as this one, which I stumbled upon last week, and passed on through the UMCF Twitter channel. And, as a bonus, here's a quick look at some things I've learned over the last year or so in my own guide: A Beginner's Twitter Guide to Domination in Five Steps. (Brace yourselves for the power of this knowledge.)

A Beginner's Twitter Guide to Domination in Five Steps:

1.) Follow like-minded people. This is the number one step to exponentially increase your number of followers. Search hashtags and topics to see who is talking about them, and follow them. Or, even better yet, find another organization similar in cause to you, and start following who they follow. Not everyone will follow you back, but the surprising majority do. (This means your description and recent tweets better be stellar, so these people are intrigued at first glance.)

2.) Curate lists. This has been the most helpful for me to not only more easily find quality content, but also for organizing my approach and to make sure that I'm diversifying my tweets. If you're unfamiliar with lists, what this means is that you create segmented categories of Twitter accounts that you follow, based on their content and/or area of interest. For example, I have a list for the Communicators Forum called "University Departments." Another could be called "Communications Publications." That way, you can just view the feed from that list's sources specifically, to narrow down and focus the constant stream of information coming in. You can make these lists public or private, and can call them whatever makes the most sense to you. These take time to curate, but are so worth it.

3.) Be smart with your retweets. Don't get overly click-happy with that retweet button. Yes, it's just so easy, but doing that too often can make it seem like you don't have any original content or thought, or, that you're just plain lazy. If you're going to retweet something, switch it up more often than not. Copy and paste the tweet into your own post, tag the owner with RT, and preface it with some your own commentary. This could be something as simple as "Especially agree with rule #3 RT @umcf: The Official Rules of Twitter Domination http://LINK_HERE". You can also start over completely with your own original tweet, and just tag whoever originally posted the link by ending your post with: "(via @umcf)." Just remember: your followers want to know what YOU (whether you are an individual, or the voice of an organization) think, not how many posts you can retweet in a minute.

4.) Use short links for original content. Here at the University, we have a fantastic link shortener, z.umn.edu. Why use short links for original content (i.e. your organization's blog posts, events, etc) specifically? Stats, my friends, stats. Through z.umn.edu short links (and others) you can then track who is clicking that specific link, and where those paths to your original content are starting from (Twitter, Facebook, emails, etc). This can be incredibly helpful when figuring out where your audience is getting their information. There are other link shortening services outside of the University, but many of them you have to pay for, especially if you want to customize your short links.

5.) Tweet at least 3-5 times a day. From what I've heard, tweeting about five times a day  (and not all at once) yields the most effective results. At that rate, you're not pushing people off the edge with endless tweets about your oh-so-amazing breakfast sandwich, and you're also making following you worthwhile with daily updates and insights. For some organizations, it can be tough to get up to five tweets per day, but just work in that direction. This doesn't have to be (and shouldn't be) solely original content. The main purpose of Twitter is to embrace and engage with your community, whatever it is. Retweet insightful posts from fellow professionals, engage with your followers by asking questions and starting conversations, seek out articles and sources related to your field or area of interest, and share it all with your community.

That's all for now, folks. Happy tweeting, and may the force be with you.

Valentine's Day & Branding

A few marketing communication lessons, in the form of a link round-up, surrounding Valentine's Day and branding.

The brand of your business is just a word until people come along and give it meaning.

Real brand love, like in life, is reserved for a special level of brand engagement and emotional impact.

Creating an emotional appeal with storytelling makes messages stronger.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Telling a story. Or, "What Grog done."

A presentation on Feb. 8 at Walter Library brought Matt Jennings and communications professionals at several universities throughout the U.S. together via a web conference to talk about what makes a story. Jennings is a great writer, currently working for Middlebury College. 

But storytelling, no matter the medium--and these days there are many--essentially maintains similar elements. It likely always has, from the first time a story was ever told, somewhere long ago, probably in a cave. Maybe it went like this: "Grog got up tree. Hit the big thing with club. Surprise! Thing fall down. We eat. Full. Feel good now" (followed by, oohs, ahhs, and some small applause).

That's a story. Beginning, middle, end. Some element of tension. A plot. 

Jennings specifically called out a few key elements I found helpful to keep in mind when considering, first, whether a story is a story at all; and second, how to write it once you decide it's a go. 

First: is it a story or a topic? 

A topic, according to Jennings, is static, passive, and is about "things." "Bill Smith: Alumnus of the Year" is a topic."Alumni in Hollywood" is a topic. Topics by themselves are not stories, but dig deeper and they may become more. 

Elements of a story include characters, dialogue, plot, tension, and scene. Personally, I feel like you get the most out of dialogue and tension. Tension, especially...if you can find some emotional connection and convey that to your audience, you can transfer the emotion. That can mean asking your characters hard questions sometimes. 

A story, then, is active, about people (not things), and shows; it isn't all tell.

Jennings says to find out if you have a story, ask, "Why does this matter?" and "Will people care?" Then, find out the players and how to tell it. Think about visuals or artwork from the beginning, he says--about how to tell the total story. And when it comes to characters, he says, "Don't tell the story of the army. Tell the story of the soldier." Tell the story from a unique perspective and show the audience things they would not see otherwise. A recent story on Northrop Auditorium's renovation is a pretty good example here, as the photographer and I were lucky enough to get access to the interior during demolition. Do all that, and one gets the idea that in the end, you'll be telling the story of the army more effectively simply by telling the story of the soldier. 

------

Speaking of storytelling, tell yours. U communicators meet monthly to share stories. Next meeting is Feb. 9, 3 p.m., 510 Morrill Hall.

Superbowl Ads

T-minus 2 days and 5 hours until Superbowl XLVI. Are you excited for the Giants v. Patriots rematch, or are you like me, and more excited to see the new ads? I love seeing what creative advertisements companies pay millions for - sometimes the ads are great and sometimes they, well, aren't great.

Get a sneak peek at some of the Superbowl ads by going to the following link:

http://journalexpress.net/cnhi/x2053730301/Sneak-peek-at-this-years-hottest-Super-Bowl-ads

Happy Superbowl Weekend Forum Members!

Awards Season is Nigh!

Greetings fellow Communicators! If you were at the Experts Insights with Cyndy Brucato on Monday, you heard some exciting news about the Awards this year! If you weren't there, I guess I'll tell you now...

But first! Our new members might be curious about what the "awards" are. Maroon & Gold awards are presented annually to University
of Minnesota Communicators Forum members whose work
best embodies the University's core values: excellence,
innovation, integrity, diversity, academic freedom, collaboration,
sharing of knowledge, accountability, stewardship, and
service. Awards are submitted annually, judged by an independent panel of outside experts in communications topics, and awarded during the annual conference.  Receiving an award is kind of a big deal...not only personally, but professionally. In this day and age where we are all justifying our value to our colleges and units, an award from the UMCF says to your leadership that you and your work are highly valued and respected.

Here is the UMCF Awards website, where you can read all about the categories, eligibility, etc. Please note that we are in the process of updating the pages.

So, the big news for 2012 is that awards are FEE FREE!! That's right! You do not have to pay a single cent towards awards submissions this year. That means you have no excuse not to enter all your fabulous work! The awards submission window is March 1-March 30. The one change to the process due to the free fees is that we had to do a little something different with the MIKE Award. The MIKE Award is the "People's Choice" award, voted on at the conference. In the past, it was an additional $5 fee for an already entered item. This year, we have decided to cap the MIKE entries at 30. Each college or unit may submit up to 2 entries to be considered for MIKE. These 30 entries are first come, first served, so don't procrastinate!

Our last bit of news is that we are adding a new subcategory to the Writing category. In the past, we have noticed that articles of a more technical nature were not receiving the recognition deserved because they weren't as "captivating" to the judges when compared to other work, like magazine features, etc. We feel that technical writing, while maybe not as glamorous as speech or feature writing, is very much worth recognition because when done well, it is really amazing. More information and criteria will be added to the website soon.

We'll be sharing more information on the Listserv once we get closer to awards submission month! Have a happy February!

Member profile: Melanie Zobeck

Ed note: Melanie submitted all of her answers in pink. 

Job title: graphic designer

Which means: communicating with visuals rather than text, and enhancing text with visuals.

What do you like most about your job? besides my sweet iMac, working on diverse projects, and having a supervisor that encourages creative thinking

What's an average day like? gazing at a large screen, plugged in with headphones... I dive into a project. I do at least a dozen google image searches and thumbnail sketches everyday. I problem solve and spatially rearranging as often as Pandora has ads (which is a lot, and more than necessary). When I grab my prismacolor colored pencils or xacto knife it's as normal as someone else grabbing a calculator or opening a word document. My virtual canvas in InDesign, Illustrator or Photoshop gets filled with ideas that I bring to the client to be critiqued and then I refine for a final design. I work closely with my supervisor and communication colleagues who write the content for anything that has text... thank goodness, because I'm not a writer.

Is there an aspect of your job that's fulfilling? being able to come to work everyday and love what I do: solving design problems, working towards an end product, working with print materials, and expanding my knowledge by being forced outside my design "comfort zone"

How does what you do support the mission of the University? designing for Academic Support Resources (ASR) I have a diverse audience, ranging from the President and Provost to students and parents. I support the University's mission everyday through designing visuals for that audience. The designs are sometimes aesthetically pleasing, and other times my designs help to convey important information... information that helps make decisions about research, discovery, teaching, and learning.

I have been at the University since: student from 2004-2009, professionally from 2010-present

Why did you join the Forum and how are you involved? I was first introduced to the Forum as an Intern. My supervisor was on the committee and she let me do all the fun projects, including the program for the conference. I had such a great experience working with the committee, when it was presented to me to be on the committee this year I was excited to get involved again.

Family members: a crazy dog, a sister (and cat) that abandoned me for Williston ND, supportive parents, and a boyfriend

Hobbies: downhill skiing, eating sushi, shoe shopping, and downloading apps

What/who is your muse--what inspires, enthuses or drives you? the color pink, to be specific Pantone 226 C. I try to keep it minimal in my work, but when surrounded by pink I can't help but to be inspired!

People are always surprised to learn that I: used to HATE pink!

Where's home? La Crosse, WI

How would you like to be remembered (it's never too soon to think about mortality! Yay!)? As a creative mind who was slightly outspoken and loved pink!

Fun with Jargon

This is my most favorite Onion rail item EVER. Oh, how I wish it were true.

I love doing media training with faculty. I always learn a lot about a new topic. But about half the professors I talk to don't know how to describe their work in terms that the general public typically understands. So I have a practice that I call "Jargon Translator." As they talk about their work I jot down their $5 words, and then together we translate them to something a little more common. At the end of our training I give them a list of "forbidden words."

We all use jargon. (high-res, vector, phoner, embargo, CSS, EPS, etc.) We just have to pay attention to how our audiences are hearing what we're saying.

What are your favorite academic "forbidden words"? Please share in the comments. I'll list a few of mine to get us started:

Relativizing
Concomitant
Heteronormative
Hegemony
Exigencies

Throwing your work into the ether: measuring value

Everyone likes validation. Validation is tangible evidence that what you do is valuable. For those in a creative field it's essential, if only because for most of us the money isn't validation enough (because it's not enough money). Social media is a shining example of the power of validation. The Facebook "like" button is founded on the principle. Twitter's retweet is the same. Digg is a popularity contest. Everyone wants to go viral on YouTube. Measurement tools, metrics, and analytics are just another way to ask, 'Do people like us (me)?" In a way, it feels very much like an extension of high school. The hormones of it all are quite frankly making me breakout.

Despair
Let's assume for a second that when, for example, I write a story, it's not about me getting any sort of personal feedback--that it's about who or what I'm writing about. Now get rid of that notion. It is about me, dammit. How long would any of us keep doing something without once-in-awhile hearing an "attaboy?" Say what you will about writers having low self-esteem (it's true), but sometimes you gotta hear "good job" to believe it.

I asked a friend in a similar field about this, and, like me, he wasn't afraid to admit his deepest insecurity about self/work-efficacy. He said, "Sure, you're promoting events people might attend, making someone aware of research. They might or might not take action. But that's just too far removed...too hypothetical." His despair is my aggravation. And so, as in every situation, I first ask myself, "who can I blame?"

Assigning blame
First, I blame inadequate metrics. Metrics for online media simply aren't yet where they need to be unless you're selling something (and someone is buying). If your video of an intoxicated squirrel gets 7 million views, what does it really mean (other than being absolutely friggin' hilarious)? Who does it touch? What difference did it make in a life?

For this conversation, I reference a fantastic article on ClickZ about measuring marketing success (related), which says all I might hope to say. Suffice to say, metrics are and will continue to evolve until one day we all have high self-esteem.

Second, I blame you. And I blame me. Because it's not enough anymore to drop your work into the series of tubes (minute 2:12) that make up the internet, hearing only a "whoosh" and then...nothing...into the ether.

Solution: "Good job!"
When is the last time any of us read something wonderful and sent a note to the writer, or photographer? Why doesn't this happen? If someone sat down and told you a story in person, or showed you a slideshow, and you just sat there and didn't say anything afterwards, it would be...a very weird and awkward silence. Direct feedback can't be beat. Most of us, I'd wager, would trade 1,000 "impressions" for a direct comment any day. So next time you read something you like, send a note to say so*.

So, what are some solutions here, and how are you getting your fix? Do comments on Facebook do it for you (certainly more meaningful than "likes")? Is a retweet enough? Should the author always include a byline with an email address? Let us know in the poll.








*The irony here is that most of the time, if someone takes time to send a comment, it's negative. Nothing motivates quite like displeasure. Let's try to change the tone.

P.S. The Comm Forum does a nice job of filling this void with its yearly conference and Maroon & Gold awards program. And members are known to give the occasional shout out. But no one should need to fill out an application in order to receive positive feedback.