Message from the chair - Summer 2014

Hello communicators!

That was some conference, right? It's not every day I get to see my design author hero, Ellen Lupton; get inspired by artist Seitu Jones; and hear a compelling talk and then musical performance by Dessa, joined by Aby Wolf. And it's not every day all these communicators emerge from the U's nooks and crannies, and beyond. It's my favorite thing about the conference each year.The people.

The conference is a great example of what professionals like all of you can make happen. We are an engaged group. Like past year's themes, we're good at "making something out of nothing," "making our case," seeing "the big picture," and exploring "unchartered territory."

Our theme this year was "craft the future" and we certainly did. A lot went down in 2013-14:

9 monthly programs of relevant content, with around 30 peopleconsistently attending 
Collaborations: Web People, PCMC, OIT, Portal... 
Events Circle launched: 3 programs + monthly brownbags

425 members at our peak
33 members profiled on the blog 
Monthly member newsletter 
Monthly Mixers at Campus Club

200+ RSVPs for 2nd year: Member Appreciation Event and Awards Celebration at the Weisman Art Museum

34 awards given | 144 awards submitted, up 10% from 2013 |New awards categories introduced to better reflect the work of communicators today | Innovator award introduced | Improved submission process! | 2nd year of online voting for Mike (people's choice)

Listserv » now Google group | New, improved website planning underway 

Am I a member? No guessing needed. Members can check their last renew and join dates online!

1 awesome conference | 3 keynotes | 202 registeredparticipants

Letterpress coasters created, nachos consumed, connections made: Many, many, many!

This is my last issue of the newsletter as your chair, and I'd like to welcome your new chair for 2014-15, Sarah Howard. Sarah was chair of the programs committee this past year and she was the Communicators Forum 2013 Volunteer of the Year, as a member of the programs committee. Monthly programs are core to what we offer members. Sarah has shown great leadership to find relevant programming for all of us. She's a true blue communicator and I'm excited to be on her board of directors team this upcoming year.

In the conference program I included a quote from Charles Eames, half of the inspirational, design innovator team with his wife, Ray:

"Choose your corner, pick away at it carefully, intensely, and to the best of your ability and that way you might change the world."

This has always resonated with me as a communications professional at the U. It's not always bounteous, glamorous, notorious, and glorious on the grassy knoll. Our buildings can be old, cracking, stinky. People don't get what we do, often. Editing an article in an alumni magazine or drafting how-to content for a web page might not bring fame and yachts. We can't always get the U's great research on the cover of Newsweek, but we get it in front of people who matter. We target. We accomplish. Looking at this year's award winners at the member event, I was impressed with all the content we cover and the range of what we do, discover, and deliver as communicators at the U.

So go forth, stronger together: Make it happen. Make connections. Make sense of it all. Make a difference.

Thanks for all you do,
Rebecca Noran, chair, Communicators Forum, 2013-14

Board for 2014-15

The term for the 2013-14 board of directors ends June 30, 2014. At the annual conference on June 19 we elected the board for 2014-15. Please welcome them!

Chair: Sarah Howard
Chair emerita: Rebecca Noran
Vice chair: Stuart Robbins-Butcher
At-large director: Kit Breshears
Treasurer: Andrea Jacovitch
Recorder/Scribe: OPEN--If interested contact Sarah Howard,showard@umn.edu 
Awards chairs: JoAnne Makela and Echo Martin
Membership chairs: Patrice Johnson and Tiffany Clemens
Programs chairs: Laura Krueger Vitko and Holly Santiago
Conference chairs: Pam Belding and Lindsay Bork
Communications and Technology chairs: Lani Payette, Mandee Nguyen, Honey VanderVenter

Message from the chair - April 2014

Hello communicators!

Communications professionals show amazing versatility at work. We can get pretty crafty on our own time, too! 

The conference committee has created an opportunity to showcase the talents of Communicators Forum members and U employees at this year's annual conference, June 19, to complement this year's theme "Craft the future." 

Along with the standard vendors, there will be a "craft vendor" space available. More information will be sent soon to members through the email list (forum-c@umn.edu). Printmaker, knitter, jewelry artist? It's your chance to show your colleagues another side!

Speaking of conference, in addition to lining up three amazing keynote speakers, the committee has filled the vendor fair, secured an all-day coffee supply, and is honing in on diverse, engaging sessions. And they have a special treat: All registered conference attendees will receive a free Dessa CD.

Conference registration to come later in April or in early May. Need to get budget approval now? Cost is $120 for members, $160 for non-members. (Membership is $40, and you can join any time--it's not tied to conference registration like it used to be.) 

Thanks,

Rebecca Noran, chair, Communicators Forum, 2013-14

Do I need to renew?

With the member drive email going out recently, we've received a number of questions from members about whether they need to renew. Here's how to check. Did you receive this newsletter? If yes, then you should be set. If it feels like you haven't received Communicators Forum emails or the newsletter recently, you can always check the member list. Want to be sure? Email umcf@umn.edu and ask.

2014 Maroon & Gold Awards now accepting submissions

The submission period is now open to enter the University of Minnesota 2014 Maroon & Gold Awards for Communications Excellence. The deadline for all submissions is 3 p.m., Friday, March 21.

Submit entries to the form on Submittable.

There is no cost to enter. Entries must be submitted by a University of Minnesota Communicators Forum member who is a member of the project team. Any work created and used by the University of Minnesota between March 1, 2013 and February 28, 2014 is eligible. Submission period is March 3-21, 2014.

This year, the submission form requires a digital file [PDF] of your entry to accompany your submission for verification purposes.

Awards will be presented at the annual Communicators Forum Member Appreciation Event, May 28, 2014, 3-6 p.m., Weisman Art Museum.

For more information and directions on how to enter, visit the awards section of the Communicators Forum website.

Please direct submission or other awards questions to awards committee member Echo Martin at mart1794@umn.edu.

Message from the chair - March 2014

Hello communicators!

March is awards time for the Communicators Forum. We are excited to offer a number of new categories this year, revised to reflect the work communicators at the University of Minnesota are doing these days, including a new innovator category.

There is no cost for members to enter their work, so go for it! Submissions are due Friday, March 21, by 3 p.m. The winners will be revealed at our annual Member Appreciation Event and Awards Celebration at the Weisman Art Museum, May 28, 3-6 p.m.

It's also time to start planning who will lead the Communicators Forum next year: Who will chair and participate on the committees that make all that good stuff happen? Serve on the board? Do things like run the social media, edit the newsletter, update the website, design materials, and so on? Leadership opportunities abound.

• --If you are interested in participating on or leading a committee, please let the current committee chair know.
• --If you are interested in a role on the board of directors, including social media, newsletter, and other communications activities, please let me know at ran@umn.edu.

Thanks,

Rebecca Noran, chair, Communicators Forum, 2013-14

Conference update

Keynote speakers announced

Our 24th annual conference is right around the corner, June 19 at the Carlson School of Management. This year's theme is "Craft the future" and we are excited to announce the keynote speakers: 

--Ellen Lupton: curator, author, teacher, designer

--Seitu Jones: Joyce Award Winner, visual artist, master gardener

--Dessa: singer, writer, rapper, producer.

Request for vendors

We're seeking vendors for the vendor fair at conference. The vendor fair helps make the low cost of conference possible. If you work with any vendors and think they might be interested in this inexpensive opportunity to raise their profile with potential clients, please contact Karina Carlson at carl2263@umn.edu as soon as possible.

2014 Communicators Forum Awards 

Our annual awards competition, the Maroon and Gold Awards for Communications Excellence, encourages high standards by recognizing excellence in communications at the University. You must be a member to submit an entry. This year's submission process will occur in March 2014.

Any work designed or produced by Communicators Forum member(s) and/or published / used by the University between March 1, 2013 and February 28, 2014 is eligible. Submission period is March 1-21, 2014. 

We revamped the award categories (Gold) and created several new sub-categories (Maroon) to better showcase the excellent and effective work being done by University communicators. 

More to come, but start planning what you want to submit for these 2014 award categories: 

--Design: Expanded the previous print category to include design for non-printed items; applications, infographics, web, video, and display items. 

--Interactive: Expanded the previous electronic media category to include interactive blog, application, single social media. Coordinated social media is now a part of the Campaign/Series category. The website subcategory has been broken into three subcategories: website, web section and web page.

--Writing: Expanded category to include writing for websites, newsletters, and messages. 

--Campaign/Series: The least changed of the four categories, added coordinated social media.

In addition a new maroon award has been added in each of the four categories: Innovator. The innovator award will be given to work in Campaign, Interactive, Design, and Writing that uses new media, techniques, tools, or combinations of communication tools in innovative ways heretofore unseen by the University of Minnesota community.

--Illuminate: Best use of this year's "Driven to Discover" campaign theme: "Discovery Illuminates Everyone." Any communications piece can be submitted for Illuminate award consideration.

--MIKE: The "people's choice" award. Any communications piece can be submitted for MIKE award consideration.

--Margo: Award for the highest impact for the lowest dollar amount. Any communications piece can be submitted for Margo award consideration.

Message from the chair - February 2014

Hello communicators!

Working at a university there's a cycle that feels warm and familiar-from breathing the back-to-school air in fall, to the get-it-done time before "break," to the cold but fresh start of a new year and then a new semester when the buses are back to running regularly and people abound, then to the spring and summer of bikes, bustle, music, sun, and such.

The Communicators Forum cycle brings regular activity each month through the Google group, educational programs, and informal brown-bags and mixers, then a flurry of major happenings in the spring semester and early summer.

This issue of the Communicators Forum newsletter shares updates on these signature activities that are coming together:

Member drive this month

--Awards entry process in March

--Member appreciation event on May 28

--Annual conference on June 19

The volunteers on the Communicators Forum board and committees are excited to see these take shape, filled with anticipation like a tulip bursting through the frozen tundra of a Minnesota lawn.

Thanks,

Rebecca Noran, chair, Communicators Forum, 2013-14

Message from the chair - December 2013

Hello communicators!

There's a lot going on. All the time. The close of 2013 is near. So near, people. I mean, it's December, it's snowing and everything. Ever wish you could just press pause?

Communications need breathing room. The "white space" in design. The time to take stock of what you've done and plan for what's next, to focus on what needs to be done and you know, do it. The creative brain time to read an article, attend a program, watch a video (try this from artist Jeff Scher), sketch or jot or type ideas. 

Before 2013 ends and a new year begins, while you are go-go-go, go ahead when you need it to be a strong communicator (and happy human) and: press pause.

Up for some reflecting and thoughtful perspective offering? Take the opportunity to give feedback on two U-wide communications initiatives:

• News on the U portal has moved forward since the helpful Communicators Forum program in October, a rough draft is available and accepting feedback in December.
• Web header and footer: University Relations is providing an opportunity for input on changes that will need to be made to the U header and footer required on all University of Minnesota websites; share your input on this short survey by Dec. 9.

There's a lot going on with your Communicators Forum board and committees, too, so we'll take that moment to take stock. Here's some of what we've been up to in programs:

• Thanks to November's program, more communicators are ready for an emergency. Maybe you missed the program, but you didn't miss out! Find the handout and recording from the most recent program emergency preparedness.
• Monthly Mixer at the Campus Club is this Thursday, Dec. 5, 3:30-5:30 p.m., RSVP here. Save the date for the next one: Jan. 2. The nachos will be waiting!
• Work with or interested in events planning? The Events Circle officially kicks off this month with a Dec. 9 program on working with University Dining Services. (And events planners know the value of an RSVP -- food will be served, space limited.)

...and in other news:

• Awards alert: Look for Maroon and Gold Awards information to be announced early in 2014, including a new "innovator" category; submission process will be in March.
• Our email list transitioned to a Google Group; email the member community at FORUM-C@umn.edu
• We'll be doing a member drive in January and February to share the benefits of joining; a presence at new employee orientation continues throughout the year.
• In the works: We've connected with communicators at Crookston, Duluth, Morris, and Rochester campuses to explore opportunities beyond the Twin Cities and better serve their needs, and have started plans to revise the Communicators Forum website--stay tuned!
• Planning has picked up for the May 28 member appreciation event (Weisman) and June 19 annual conference (Carlson).

Can't make a monthly program? They are recorded for your post-event viewing pleasure, find recordings on the events page.

Have a great rest of 2013, communicators!

Rebecca Noran, chair, Communicators Forum, 2013-14 

Google Groups

Recently, UMCF transitioned our email list management tool from Listserv to Google Groups. This migration greatly increases the toolset to manage our email list. Added functionality includes options of reading and posting messages online or via email as well as a fully searchable archive of our group's messages. 

As a member of our email list, you can now unsubscribe from the group by going to Google Groups. You will also be able to manage how you want to receive messages from this group via the "Edit my membership" link on the group web page. 

If you wish to send an email to the entire Forum, please use the FORUM-C@umn.edu email address. To add yourself to the UMCF Google Group, click here.

Want a say in upcoming programs? Take this survey today!

Have you taken our survey? The UMCF Programs Committee wants to know what kind of programming you would like for 2013-2014. Take our survey today! 

Message from the chair

Hello communicators!

There's a Communicators Forum website, a blog, regular events, social media, and now a Google Group. So why do we have a newsletter?

To share highlights of what's happening in one juicy, scannable email: upcoming opportunities to engage, what's new on the blog, and what the board and committees are planning. We want to keep you in the know, and provide an easy way for you to share with others. Feel welcome to forward this newsletter to colleagues to let them know about the Forum.

So... what's happening with the Forum board and committees?

--The technology committee has updated the FORUM-C listserv to a Google Group, so you can control your own settings and reference past posts.

--The program committee has planned several programs -- including kicking something off this month for the Events Circle -- and is looking ahead for the year. Want a say in what programs happen? Provide your input on this survey by Wednesday, October 9.

--The marketing and promotions committee has been representing the Communicators Forum at the U's new employee orientation, and has started planning for the member appreciation event and awards celebration this spring.

--The conference committee had their first meeting to plan this year's conference: Craft the future, June 19, 2014.

--The awards committee is looking at revising categories this year to better align with the type of work communicators are doing these days.

--And more: Member profiles on the blog every month, special brownbag Oct. 24 on the U's new "portal," reaching out to system campus communicators to better engage, exploring an upgrade of the Communicators Forum website, design concept for the Craft the future theme, and of course updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the blog. 

And that's just off the top of my head! If you want to know more or get involved, reach out to the related contact on the board of directors. 

I hope to see you at an upcoming program and your tiny picture on Google Group messages. And, if you are looking for the place to be, where it is truly at, look no further than the next nacho-fueled monthly mixer on Thursday, November 7, 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the Campus Club.

Rebecca Noran, chair, Communicators Forum, 2013-14

Writing Daily

Are you, like me, sometimes overwhelmed with your daily "big picture" tasks, that you lose track of the smaller things that you should be practicing every day? Don't worry, you're not alone. As a copywriter and editor, I try to set aside X amount of minutes each day to just free-write. This is not always related to work, or personal life, or anything. It's just the practice of writing (and no, emails don't count!) that gets those juices flowing.

I recently read this article, "Why You Should Write Daily" by Leo Babuta, which outlines the importance of setting aside writing time, and also gives tips on how to do it. His top five tips?

1.) Commit to writing daily.
2.) Set aside the time.
3.) Start small.
4.) Blog.
5.) Shut down distractions.

Read the full article here, and happy writing!

Year of the Communicator Conference | The Benefits

You already know the
advantages of attending the Year of the Communicator conference on June 25,
2013, but you may need some help convincing your supervisor.

Here are some tangible benefits of
attending this year's UMCF conference:

1. It is affordable!

With airfare consistently on the rise, attending the conference means you won't
only save on airfare, but hotel and food costs as well. Plus if you
register before May 30, you receive the early bird discount.

2. Expand your professional network.

Because the conference is for communicators at the University, you expand your
professional network across campuses. We rarely get a break to talk with our
fellow colleagues and this is an excellent opportunity.

3. Keep up with the trends in the communications field and be
inspired by inspiring people.
This year's conference has two
keynote speakers that are industry leaders. Krista Neher is an expert on social
media and will be addressing how higher education institutions can make social
media work for us. Debra Frasier, author and illustrator, will help guide you
on your path of creativity, something every communicator needs.

4. Attend together as a teambuilding activity.

Attending the conference as a team means you can talk about which sessions will
provide you with the most skills and choose your tracks together. Creating a report for your supervisor about
the sessions you attend also helps outline what you learned. Then you can discuss your day at the reception, surrounded by inspiring art at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery.

5. Gain topic-specific experience.

The strategies, tools, and skills that you learn can be taken back to your
department and applied immediately. The conference offers you two keynote
speakers and three breakout sessions geared to give you the tools that you
need to be the best at what you do.

Don't delay and register today!

Thanks Google

Say that everyone has been talking about that television show. Your friends. Your coworkers. That friendly neighbor lady. You want to know more about it. Correction: You need to know more. So, you go to your desktop computer. You go to your laptop. You go to your iPad. You go to your phone. Wherever you are you get to the Internet and get to that Google.

This looks interesting. Thanks Google.




Say the show looks interesting enough you want to watch it. I mean now. Maybe the whole series in fact.

Thanks Netflix Instant.

Say you're in the middle of episode 3 and a new character comes in. That guy looks really familiar. Really. What have I seen him in? I know I've seen him in something.

Thanks IMDB.

Say you are intrigued and want to know more about this actor. Why did he get started acting so young? And what went on in the 80s?

Thanks Wikipedia.

Say it's an hour later and you've stopped your show and are down the Wikipedia rabbit hole now listening to the radio. Say a song comes on that you are really liking, but who is that? What's it called?

Thanks MPR's The Current playlist.

And now you're realizing you need to be somewhere. Out in the world. What bus should you take from your house to that location?

Thanks MetroTransit Trip Planner.

And you're waiting for the bus. When is it coming?

Thanks MetroTransit NexTrip.

And you want to see what where you're going looks like for real. You want to see the cross street. You want to email your friend you're almost there. You want to search for the menu. You got there and ate and now you want to email yourself a picture of that tasty bruschetta. Thanks Google.

Say you want to share that bruschetta on your Pinterest. You do. People like it. They really like it.

Thanks the Internet.

Maybe things on the Internet help you. You can share them here. Thanks blog comments. Thanks social media 2.0. Thanks to the tubes and wires, the signals, calls, and marches. Thanks to everyone who puts these answers to my questions on the Internet and makes it work. It's good when it works.

The Internet of Things

By now, you may have heard rumblings about the "Internet of Things" and depending on the context, it can be defined in many different ways. Everyone, however, agrees that the emerging "Internet of Things" (IoT) will link everyday physical products to each other via the web. This will be (and currently) is done by embedding technology in an object in order for it to communicate with other connected devices. This will essentially create a giant digital information system. The experts at Harbor Research suggest that the Internet of Things will have a bigger impact on our daily lives than either the internet or social media combined, radically shifting the way that we think, act, and connect with each other.

"We are creating a connected world with entirely different touch points," said Glen Allmendinger, president of technology and business development consulting firm Harbor Research. "In the past, a company would sell a product, and it would disappear into a black hole. There was no way to know what anyone did with it or what other marketing opportunities existed. Today, it's possible to see how a customer uses a device and discover all sorts of opportunities."

Recent articles point to the IoT as the interaction and exchange of data between machines and objects, and now there are product definitions reflecting the same concept. Nike has been utilizing this technology for a few years now, with their Nike Fuel band that tracks and monitors your fitness levels, suggests ways to conserve energy, and connects you with a community of Fuel Band users.

There is almost no limit to the possibilities that the IoT will bring and it's no secret that marketing will be at the center of that universe. The Blake Project's Derrick Daye believes that the IoT will change branding in a monumental way. "It can deliver the brand promise at every point of customer contact and deliver a more meaningful relationship. It can help a company create a greater brand alignment across devices, screens and experiences."

Needless to say, the Internet of Things is here to stay. I'm anxious to see how the University of Minnesota will start integrating this technology into the different experiences that they offer. What will this mean in terms of recruitment, retention or giving? Marketing and branding? Only time will tell.

Infographics

I have been sitting in on the conference committee this year, which has been great fun. We did a huge brain dump of all of our session and keynote presenter ideas, and one of the committee members turned me on to Kevin Quealy, a Minnesota native who does infographics for the NY Times. I'm obsessed with his work.

His animations and static graphics bring information to life. This graphic on Olympic long jumpers uses everyday comparisons that most of us can relate to, such as the length of the free-throw line on a basketball court.

At a glance, we can see how people spend their time--and click on 18 different variations of the data.

And this is cool: Who goes to State Dinners, from what industries, and how many times?

One thing you don't see here? Lengthy copy with various font sizes, masquerading as "infographic." (Google "view our infographic" for more like these.)

How do you share information without text?

Minimalist story telling

You may have heard of Blaise Pascal famously ending a correspondence to a friend with "I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had time to make it shorter." Many writers identify with this because they understand how much time and effort is needed to convey complex meaning in few words.

I'm no designer, but I'd imagine they face similar challenges when conveying meaning with minimal visual elements. At least that's what I thought of when I saw this series of minimalist posters for fairy tales. Scroll slowly and see if you can guess the tale with just he image.

Do You Code?

I ran across Code.orgs latest YouTube entry featuring the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and will.i.am. (among others) who discuss the importance of coding. Calling it the new human "superpower" - the video states that 90% of schools in the United States do not teach this basic skill. 

It seems as though the industry would go to any length to retain top talent by making "the most awesome environment" for their employees. This includes full service dining centers, rooftop lounges and onsite dry cleaning (leading me to think I've chosen the wrong career path!). 

Were you taught code in school? Do you consider it a basic skill when entering today's work force?

A banana nut muffin

It happens to the best of us. You sit down to start a project or feature article...or a blog entry for the Communicators Forum and you get stuck. The blank page or screen is the biggest dam for creative juices. How can you get them flowing? 

Just start writing. You could just get out what you want to say and agree to come back later and fix it or you could just start with a stream of consciousness. 

Get up and go somewhere else. Maybe if Charlie had moved his typewriter to a less dismal location, inspiration would have hit!

Exercise! A quick walk around the block or a trip to the gym might give you a bolt of creative energy from just getting your blood circulating to your brain. 

Look at something completely unrelated. Watch a short TED Talk, open book of images, or read an article about a new science discovery. The point is to break out of the subject matter you are dealing with and come back to it with a new perspective. 

What other tips do you have for getting un-stuck? Share them here and help your colleages!