EVER FEEL LIKE YOU ARE SPINNING YOUR WHEELS TRYING TO SOLVE AN ISSUE?
-:-
HOW VALUABLE WOULD IT BE FOR YOU TO HAVE A SOUNDING BOARD?
TPC Affinity Groups
The TPC Affinity Groups provide unique learning opportunities where members talk about real time issues they are solving and share ideas for possible solutions.
Like a virtual Birds of a Feather round table, an Affinity Group is a facilitated conversation among a small group of peers that focuses around the issues and challenges associated with technological challenges that affect documentation groups.
Like the hallway conversations between sessions at a conference, the affinity group members come together to wrap their arms around topic and understand how to make it work in their unique situations.
The TPC Affinity groups are Members-Only to encourage long-lasting, confidential relationships between group members. Members understand each other's businesses and goals while still providing unique insight based on their own experience.
Everyone in the Affinity Group works together to develop solutions. This collaborative approach provides an unmatched innovative method for solving problems.
Where members solve real-time problems and share ideas for possible solutions.
Success is no accident
Creative solutions come from making connections, seeing patterns.
Don't Go It Alone
Ever feel like you are spinning your wheels trying to solve an issue? How valuable would it be for you to have a sounding board?
Save Time and Effort
How much time, effort, and money is it costing you to keep struggling to learn how to implement, architect, and transform your content and your team by yourself?
Learn from experience
Chances are if you are facing something, someone has gone before you or they are in the same place.
Meet Virtually
With travel budgets down, you still need a place where you can network with peers and collaborate on best practices.
How it works
Our TPC Affinity Groups have a limited membership so members can build long-lasting, trusted relationships. The roster doesn't change from month to month. As a result, members can talk frankly about their challenges and get practical advice.
Discussions are moderated, so there is only one conversation and everyone gets to hear everyone else’s comments, insights, and needs. No one's pitching, everyone is actively trying to help.
Each group has a dedicated forum to facilitate collaboration. Productive conversations can take place because group members have a chance to really get to know each other. Members understand each other's businesses and goals while still providing unique insight based on their own experience.
Real recognizes real. Everyone works together to develop solutions. The collaborative approach of our TPC Affinity Groups provide an unmatched innovative method for solving problems.
TPC Affinity groups meet once a month for an hour.
Learn from the mistakes of others…you can't live long enough to make them all yourselves.
-Chanakya
Benefits
What is included? All sorts of things!
Affinity Group Calls
In the TPC Affinity groups, small groups of professionals delve deeper into solving complex issues in real time. Discussions are virtual, dynamic—focused on issues representative of the attendees current challenges. We all work together so everyone wins.
Priority Response Time
When you just don't have the time to wait for an answer that may never come, you can depend on the advisory line to help you through a tough spot. Members receive priority response time from the Advisory Line.
Discounted Services
Members who need additional consulting services can secure our services at a discounted rate not available to the general public.
Members-Only Forums
A collaborative web space where members post tips, templates, and procedures that others have expressed interest in sharing. Also included is the Single-Sourcing Solutions knowledge base including helpful forms, archived articles, sample code, transcripts, notes, our favorite videos, and much more.
Private Mentoring
Dedicated time with an expert every month, scheduled at your convenience, and focused on you. Amount of time allotted depends on your subscription level and does not carry over. Corporate members can bring their entire team to their private mentoring sessions.
Private Chat Channels
TPC Affinity Group members get access to our private slack channel, our Discord server, as well as the private areas of our public channels.
Free Access to Video Training
Members of the TPC Affinity groups have full access to the TC Dojo recordings. Videos posted to Vimeo On-Demand Channels are available to members for free on the members website.
Workshop Discounts
We record a lot of training, but we give it too. We've taught DITA and XSLT at STC conferences. We've taught library science workshops at customer sites. As a member of our TPC Affinity group, you get free access to elearning courses and discounted rates on workshops.
What's Next?
People tell us that we make club houses. We try stuff out and see what works. TPC Affinity Group members and our customers get to try things out before anyone else.
Choose the level that is right for you
Techcomm General
It doesn't matter where you are on your path or what tools you're using. This group covers everything related to technical information and content development.
For anyone involved in content development, publishing, or supporting those who are.
Topics may include: best practices for writing, content strategy, information architecture, content management, XSL, XSL-FO, HTML5, ePub, multi-channel publishing, collaborative authoring, editing, user-focused writing, minimalism, DITA, reuse strategies, linking, etc.
Arbortext Users
We cover every aspect of the Arbortext product suite from the user's perspective. There may be cross-over with the TechComm General affinity group when discussing best practices and strategy.
Access special Arbortext TC Dojo recordings, sessions, and training materials. This group includes coverage of Windchill topics for Arbortext users and business managers.
Topics may include: Editor, Styler, APP, stylesheets, publishing, configuration, content management, managing Windchill workspaces, XLIFF
Windchill for IT
Business-Level Members only
Need help working with or administering PTC's Windchill PLM and CCMS system? Or connecting Windchill to Arbortext to automate user tasks?
This group is aimed at Windchill IT staff members and meetings happen on demand to accommodate the demanding schedules of IT Staff. Arbortext Windchill Users should join the Arbortext Affinity Group.
Topics may include: Windchill, workflow, configuration, process automation, change management, SIM, Translation Management, automated publishing
Or choose everything!
Business memberships have additional benefits as well as access to both Affinity Group benefits packages plus eLearning.
- Up to 5 of your team members can attend the individual Affinity Group conference calls.
- Your entire team can attend your private mentoring sessions
- Your entire team has access to the members forums and the private forums and discussion channels.
Corporate members also get access to the on-demand Windchill Affinity Group, which meets when busy IT teams have special needs.
What do our members say?
Pricing
Sometimes magic is just someone having time to collaborate with someone else.
BUSINESS
Full Access- 5 conference call attendees
- Access to ALL Benefits Packages: Techcomm, Arbortext, and Windchill
- 1-hour private mentoring session monthly**
- Unlimited team members can attend private mentoring sessions
- Video recordings of mentoring sessions
- Full access to all areas of the Members Forums
- Free access to video training
- Access to Slack channel, Discord Server
- Private collaboration area
- 25% discount on Workshops and Training classes
- Discounted rate on services
- Priority response time
- Access to new projects we develop before they are made available to the general public
Individual
Limited Access- + Limit: One Affinity Group Membership per person*
- + Choose One Benefits Package: Arbortext or Techcomm General
- 30-minute private mentoring session monthly**
- Individual mentoring only
- Video recordings of mentoring sessions
- Limited access to Members Forums (access to matching benefits package forum only)
- Free access to video training
- Access to Slack Channel and Discord Server
- Private collaboration area
- No discount on Workshops or Training Classes
- Standard rate on services
- Standard response time
- Early access to public projects
* Individual memberships cannot be combined or chained together. One membership per person.
** Private mentoring time does not roll over.
Have questions about which membership is right for you?
Before we can advise you about which group best fits your situation, we recommend a short call to provide us with some basic information about you and your focus. There is no charge to talk to an advisor, and you’ll only begin paying the membership dues after you joined an TPC Affinity Group.