From Silos to Syndication: Seamless Solutions, Shared Content
September 29 - October 1, 2025 | Coors Field, Denver
MadWorld Conference
Dawn Stevens
President, Comtech Services
Dawn Stevens is the President, and owner of Comtech Services and the Director of the Center for Information-Development Management. With over 35 years of experience, including more than 20 years at Comtech, Dawn has practical experience in virtually every role within a documentation and training department, including project management, instructional design, writing, editing, and multimedia programming. With both engineering and technical communication degrees, Dawn combines a solid technical foundation with strong writing and design skills to identify and remove the challenges her clients face in producing usable, technical information and training. Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/comtechdawn Twitter: @comtechdawn
Dawn Stevens is the President, and owner of Comtech Services and the Director of the Center for Information-Development Management. With over 35 years of experience, including more than 20 years at Comtech, Dawn has practical experience in virtually every role within a documentation and training department, including project management, instructional design, writing, editing, and multimedia programming. With both engineering and technical communication degrees, Dawn combines a solid technical foundation with strong writing and design skills to identify and remove the challenges her clients face in producing usable, technical information and training. Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/comtechdawn Twitter: @comtechdawn
Tuesday
Track 8:00 - 9:00
Be More with Less
Minimalists define the minimalism lifestyle as the “intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it.” While you may not subscribe to this idea in your personal life, professionally as technical writers, it should be our mantra. Learn how to apply the four principle of a clutter-free life to your technical content. Take away strategies for prioritizing what content you should be spending your time on and what you should be eliminating.
Wednesday
Track 21:50 - 2:50
What Got You Here, Will Get You There
As the tools and technologies of technical communication evolve—ushering in structured authoring, DITA, and a growing focus on user experience—many writers wonder if traditional skills still carry weight. The answer is a resounding yes. This presentation explores how the foundational strengths of a seasoned technical writer—clear, concise writing; audience awareness; and a mindset for minimalism—are not only still relevant but essential in today’s landscape. We’ll examine how these core competencies translate into success with DITA, modular content, taxonomy design, and UX collaboration, and how embracing new methodologies doesn't mean discarding what made you effective in the first place. Whether you're navigating DITA maps or wireframes, your traditional skill set remains your greatest asset—only now, it has a broader field to shine.
