Willamette Valley STC 2009-2010 Competition Categories

The Willamette Valley Chapter sponsors competitions in Online Communication, Technical Publications, and Technical Art. The complete list of categories, judging criteria, and special entry requirements for each competition are listed below.

Online Communication Competition

Entry Requirements
The Online Communication Competition accepts entries that depend on an electronic medium for delivery. Entries must be primarily intended for viewing on a computer or similar device. Acceptable entries include computer-based training, online documentation, help systems, online demonstration programs, simple text-retrieval systems, multimedia information systems, and Web pages. The Online Communication Competition is not limited to online documents that support computer products. Entries can include online encyclopedias, road maps, foreign language instruction, medical handbooks, and more.

Highly interactive PDFs that include linked tutorials, supporting Web sites, interactive forms, and other dynamic or interactive features may be eligible for the Online Communication Competition if they meet the format and purpose defined in existing Online Communication Competition categories (such as Reference Material or User Support Tools).

Note: The Online Communication Competition does not accept “flat” PDF files. Although these files are distributed electronically, they are not highly interactive and they do not take advantage of online functionality (beyond providing simple hyperlinked cross references). For this reason, the Online Communication Competition has eliminated the Books category. Entries in this category in previous years have been primarily Adobe Acrobat PDF files that were distributed in this format as a cost-saving measure. These entries were basically hardcopy documents that were distributed electronically and were meant to be printed by users. Accordingly, PDF book files are now accepted only in the Technical Publications Competition.

The WVC Online Communication Competition accepts entries that run on PC, Macintosh, or Web platforms. Entries that run on other platforms or require special equipment can be accepted only if the submitters make prior arrangements to provide judges with access to any special hardware or software required to view the entries. Submitters may not demonstrate the entries. An entry's platform is not a consideration in determining an entry's category or award level. For other special requirements and instructions for online entries, see the “Special Rules for Online Entries ” section of the Call for Entries.

Judging
Each online communication entry is judged in the context of the entry's original purpose and audience, as identified by the submitter on the Description of the Competition Entry. Judges evaluate the content, structure, and design of each entry.

Categories
Note: Some of the Online Communication categories have been consoidated for the
2009-2010 Competition.

The Online Communication Competition accepts materials in the following categories:

O1. Help.
Online information that has a primary purpose of providing immediate assistance to individuals while they use a product. It provides information appropriate to a task on an as-needed or as-requested basis. This category includes but is not limited to general help, procedural help, cue cards, examples, performance support, and integrated user assistance.

O2. Promotional.
This category includes two types of entries:

• Interactive online information that has a primary purpose of demonstrating or describing the main features of a product or product line with user interaction or feedback. This type of online material motivates people to buy or use a product, or informs them of the features or benefits of products. Besides demonstrations of products, this category also includes guided tours and marketing material designed for dynamic user interaction.

• Static, non-interactive online information that has a primary purpose of describing or defining the main features of a product or product line. This type of online material motivates people to buy or use a product, or informs them of the features or benefits of products. This category includes but is not limited to online brochures, catalogs, and marketing materials that are designed to remain static. Most corporate Web pages belong in this category.

O3. Tutorials/Training.

Online information that has a primary purpose of teaching the techniques for using the main features and capabilities of a product, or of assisting in the process of teaching. This category includes but is not limited to computer-based training applications, tutorials, online lesson books, and training aids.

O4. Reference.
This category includes two types of entries:

• Online information that has a primary purpose of defining or explaining things like structure, results, words, problems, or parameters. These documents are typically published in a reference work format, similar to a dictionary or encyclopedia. This category includes but is not limited to online dictionaries, glossaries, function or object descriptions, data structure definitions, encyclopedias, and directories.
  

• Online information that has a primary purpose of assisting the user to complete a set of tasks or solve a set of problems. This category includes troubleshooting tools, wizards or wizard-like task completion tools, quick start guides, and automated support tools.

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Technical Publications Competition

Entry Requirements
The Technical Publications Competition accepts only hardcopy (physical media) entries. Printouts of PDF files that are intended for electronic distribution are accepted.

Please do not submit PDF documents electronically to the WVC Technical Publications Competition; they will not be accepted. Instead, submit four printed and bound copies of your PDF publication. Use a simple, but sturdy, binding, such as a three-ring binder or report folder. If the publication includes color that impacts how it is used, submit color copies so that the judges can evaluate the document appropriately.

Judging
The following four key aspects of each Technical Publications entry are evaluated: writing, graphics, copyediting, and overall integration. Each entry is judged in the context of its original purpose and audience, as identified by the submitter.

Categories
The Technical Publications Competition accepts materials in the following categories:

P1. Reports.
Includes annual reports and technical reports.

• Annual Reports are publications that summarize the activities or financial position of corporations, government agencies, or nonprofit community organizations. "Annual Reports" includes reports that comply with the regulations of government agencies, such as the U.S.

• Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as reports of unregulated, nonprofit organizations. Technical Reports report on scientific or technical efforts, usually aimed at the professional community or a contracting agency.

P2. Books.
Books: Includes bound, printed matter usually sold to the public through a bookseller. For this competition, a book is defined as a lengthy document covering one technical subject that is intended for sale to the public.

P3. Reference Materials.
Includes training materials, documentation sets, all manuals, quick reference guides, and organizational manuals.

• Training materials include student guides, tutorials, workbooks, and instructor guides, or sets of these pieces.

• Documentation sets are intended to be a single unit, and are typically packaged together. Examples include, but are not limited to, software documentation sets, and multivolume reference materials.

• Manuals include software guides, hardware/software combination guides, computer hardware guide, and non-computer equipment guides.

• Quick reference guides provide ready reference to features and functions about a product or service. Organizational manual tone and content are usually dictated by a company.

• Organizational manuals include, but are not limited to employee manuals, policy and procedure manuals, and style guides.

P4. Periodicals.
Periodicals include magazines, newsletters, and scholarly and professional journals. Three consecutive issues of periodicals must be submitted.

• Magazines appear as serial publications that are covered and bound. Magazines have features and regular columns in an established format that people recognize. Advertising may or may not be included. They are controlled by identifiable publishers or owners and served by editorial staff. Magazines can contain news and information about an organization, technology, industry, or scientific field. They can serve either an internal, external, special interest, or general public audience.

• Newsletters are regularly scheduled publications with brief articles and a flexible format. They generally have lower budgets and fewer pages than magazines, and may or may not have photographs and illustrations. Newsletters are generally about a company's employees or products, and they may be intended for an internal or external audience. Their primary purpose is to deliver information that, at the same time, will interest the reader and promote the interests of the sponsor.

• Scholarly/professional journals appear as serial publications that are covered and bound, with features and regular columns in established formats that people recognize. Advertising may or may not be included. They are controlled by identifiable publishers and served by editorial staff. Writing style may tend to be relatively formal, and design creativity may be limited, in keeping with standards defined by expectations of the profession.

• Journals are usually targeted for a limited and specialized audience and typically contain information about research and developments in a particular discipline or profession.

P5. Articles.
Includes scholarly articles, professional articles, and trade or news articles.

• Scholarly/professional articles are single articles appearing in academic or professional journals or in a scholarly book as an original contribution of knowledge.

• Trade/news articles are single articles appearing in trade journals or general interest periodicals and are not original contributions of knowledge.

P6. Technical Marketing Support.
Includes informational materials and promotional materials.

• Informational materials are designed to attract potential buyers while providing information about a technical or scientific subject, product, service, or organization. The materials must persuade the audience favorably toward the subject or sponsor. Visual design, including production, is very important. So, too, is editing, because errors are very obvious.

• Promotional materials market a technical product, service, or organization. They include advertisements, flyers, brochures, catalogs, and other presales literature. The materials must persuade the audience to some action, using integrated text and figures. Visual design, including production, is very important. So, too, is editing, because errors are very obvious.

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Technical Art Competition

Entry Requirements
The Technical Art Competition accepts both physical media and online entries.

Physical media entries include products that are mounted for viewing or are included in a book, brochure, or other paper-based publication. Physical media entries to the Technical Art Competition should be quality reproductions. Original artwork will not be accepted. Entries requiring mounting should be on standard-sized foam core or mat board. If such entries are not mounted, they will not be accepted and will not be returned.

Online entries include art that appears in products that depend on an electronic medium for delivery. Online technical art entries must be integrated into a viewer application and must not be dependent on the design package used to create them. For example, a piece of art included in a help file or HTML page is acceptable; a file saved from a design or graphics application (for example, an .ai file from Adobe Illustrator or a .vsd file from Microsoft Visio) is not acceptable. The WVC Technical Art Competition accepts entries that run on PC, Macintosh, or Web platforms, although advanced notice is requested for Mac entries. For other special requirements and instructions for online Technical Art Competition entries, see the “Special Rules for Online Entries” section of the Call for Entries.

Judging
Technical art is judged on how well it visually communicates a technical message. Judges evaluate the visual appeal, technical execution, and presentation of each entry.

Categories
The Technical Art Competition accepts materials in the following categories:

A1. Mechanical Illustration, Line & Tone.

• Line illustrations are composed entirely of lines, dots, and solid areas and may be color or black and white. Mechanical illustrations require precise depiction of the subject, including the proportions or relationships of objects depicted or represented, and the subject matter is not open to interpretation. Entries may include exploded views, cutaways, orthographic or isometric projections, schematics, diagrams, graphs, charts, and tables. Physical media entries must be mounted. Each copy of the entry must be accompanied by a sample of the illustration's publication or an example of its use.

• Tonal illustrations are composed of shading that graduates from one color (or shade of gray) to another and may be color or black and white. Mechanical illustrations provide precise description of the subject, including the positions or relationships of objects depicted or represented. The illustrations may include exploded views, cutaways, orthographic or isometric projections, schematics, diagrams, graphs, charts, and tables. Physical media entries must be mounted. Each copy of the entry must be accompanied by a sample of the illustration's publication or an example of its use.

A2. Interpretive Illustration, Line & Tone.

• Line illustrations are composed entirely of lines, dots, and solid areas and may be color or black and white. While the subject of an interpretive illustration entry is technical in nature, the intended use of the artwork permits artistic interpretation of features or physical arrangements. The image may include illustrative views depicting arrangement or general configuration, cartoons, and conceptual visualizations (as in technical proposals). Physical media entries must be mounted. Each copy of the entry must be accompanied by a sample of the illustration's publication or an example of its use.

• Tonal illustrations are composed of continuous tones that graduate from one color (or shade of gray) to another and may be color or black and white. While the subject of an interpretive illustration entry is technical in nature, the intended use of the artwork permits artistic interpretation of features or physical arrangement. The image may include illustrative views depicting arrangement or general configuration, cartoons, and conceptual visualizations (as in technical proposals). Physical media entries must be mounted. Each copy of the entry must be accompanied by a sample of the illustration's publication or an example of its use.

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A3. Photography.
Photography. Photographic entries contain technical content that demonstrates mastery of light and of the medium (film or digital). Photographs may contain innovative lighting, multiple exposures, or other effects and may be black and white or color. Physical media entries must be mounted. Do not mount entries larger than 11 x 17. Roll up entry and send in a tube.

A4. Manual/book and Cover Designs.

• Manual/Book designs includes user and reference manuals designed for technical products, services, or organizations; and books on technical subjects, published covers, software product splash screens, and World Wide Web home pages. The design should support the flow of information and the ease with which the reader can locate and identify specific information.

• Cover design considers integration and placement of visual images and accompanying text. Note: Covers must be mounted; front and back views are preferred.

A5. Annual Report Design.
Annual reports summarize the activities or financial position of a corporation, governmental agency, or nonprofit community organization. The design should support the focus and projected image of the entity, and present financial and technical information in a visual manner.

A6. Catalog Design.
Entries in this category are intended to deliver information about technical products and services. Catalogs should be designed to be visually appealing and to present large amounts of data in a readable format. They should also provide information on ordering the products or services they describe or illustrate.

A7. Magazine Design.
This category includes regularly scheduled publications in a magazine format with a feature treatment, including photographs and art, about an organization, technology, industry, or scientific field. Magazines may be intended for an internal or external audience, a special-interest audience, or the general public. Submit three consecutive issues as a single entry. Entries in this category are judged on their design, rather than on their content.

A8. Promotional Poster and Informational Poster Design.

• Promotional posters support or market an employee campaign, a technical product, an organization, or an event. The Description of the Competition Entry should include information about the poster's intended use. Physical entries must be mounted.

• Informational posters includes posters that communicate educational (as opposed to marketing) information about a technical or scientific subject, service, or organization. The poster may be intended for a technical audience or the general public. The description of the competition entry should include information on how and where the poster was used. Physical entries must be mounted.

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A9. Packaging Design.
This category includes packaging for hardware, software, multimedia, end-user merchandise, and boxes containing two or more manuals. If the package is intended to contain software, the software media itself should not be submitted with the entry.

A10. Promotional Materials and Information Materials Design.

• Promotional materials include flyers, advertisements, product data sheets, single-unit promotional handouts, and multiple-page publications that market a technical product, service, or organization. Corporate and program identity materials (folders, stationery, logos, etc.) are acceptable if they communicate technical information or images. Entries in this category are judged on their design, rather than on their content.

• Informational materials includes multiple-page publications that provide information to the general public or a particular audience about a technical or scientific subject, product, service, or organization. Publications include newsletters, technical reports, proceedings, and organizational manuals. Entries in this category are judged on their design, rather than on their content.

A11. Quick Reference Design.
This category includes materials that provide concise reference to essential features of a technical product, service, or subject. This includes graphical devices, data reference tools, and other job aids. Entries in this category are judged on their design, rather than on their content.

A12. Display.
This category includes large-scale presentations such as trade show booths, exhibits, and billboards. Because the size and space requirements for displays makes submission of original displays impractical, photographs, illustrations, and other representative material is accepted in lieu of actual displays. The presentational material is not judged in or of itself, but is used to provide information about the display. Presentation material must be appropriately mounted or bound. A description of the actual display must be provided.

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