Lavacon 2018 at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel in New Orleans, LA, was the largest LavaCon yet! From October 21 to 24, over 550 content strategy experts and enthusiasts participated from all over the world. The participants were in for four days of educational and fun sessions on technical communications.
Saiff Solutions unloaded a lot of firepower in this year’s LavaCon! Barry Saiff, Founder and CEO of Saiff Solutions, was accompanied by two of our strategic partners: William Schwartz and Darryl Dobin. William Schwartz is the representative of Alpha CRC. Darryl Dobin is the representative of Fitch Group. We were also joined by Michelle McNabb, Owner and Event Marketing Strategist of Emenee Marketing and Events.
Barry’s new book, Outsourcing Technical Writing: A Primer, was available for the first time at LavaCon! The book was published on October 20, 2018 by XML Press, as part of the Content Wrangler Content Strategy Series. Barry signed copies of the book as requested by delighted recipients. In addition to Barry’s book, Saiff Solutions also debuted short videos showcasing our Multimedia and Technical Writing services.
Barry showcases his new book, Outsourcing Technical Writing: A Primer, at Mag’s 940 bar.
On Saturday, October 20, Saiff Solutions met with our partner and fellow LavaCon sponsor, Precision Content, to deepen and expand our strategic partnership. In this year’s LavaCon, we also welcomed our strategic partner and guest, Panviva, represented by Stephen Pappas. We were pleased to be situated next to our partner, Adobe.
Saiff Solutions led and hosted two breakout sessions and a workshop, and sponsored events throughout the conference. Saiff Solutions sponsored a coffee table, providing complimentary coffee for all the participants during the conference. On Sunday, October 21, at 9:00 AM, Barry spearheaded a workshop on how to effectively manage documentation teams. Participants engaged in exercises and lively conversations.
On Sunday night, Saiff Solutions also sponsored a fun opening reception at Mag’s 940 bar along Elysian Fields Avenue. Barry spoke for a couple of minutes to welcome the participants.
The reception featured a drag show by Princess Stephanie, which set the mood and paved the way to a delightful night for the 100+ speakers and conference participants.
On Tuesday, at 12:45 PM, Barry read excerpts from his new book, Outsourcing Technical Writing: A Primer outside the Astor Ballroom. During lunch, Barry led a Q&A session in the Astor Ballroom, where five people won chocolates that he brought all the way from the Philippines.
On Wednesday, at 9:00 AM, Barry went deeper into the misunderstood yet exciting world of outsourcing technical writing. A dozen people attended and the participants had a variety of experiences – from people working at outsourcing firms to managers of technical writers to technical writers. The participants shared their experiences and asked excellent questions. The breakout session was very active and informative.
Saiff Solutions is grateful to everyone who attended our events, drank our coffee, took home a book, talked to us, or in other ways made this our best LavaCon ever! We are excited by the new relationships we started and the existing relationships we deepened. To everyone we met at LavaCon, and to all of those we haven’t met yet, we stand ready to support you, assist you, learn from you, and grow with you.
If you want to know more about Saiff Solutions, let us know here. We’d love to discuss with you the latest trends and innovations in technical communication.