For CCTE’s conference that is this week, I also volunteered (or at least did not say no when asked) to create the program brochure.
I thought that was fairly simple. I could take pictures, put stuff in the program, and organize it.
Even those parts turned out to be less simple than I expected.
First, how to I get the pages right for the program? Thankfully someone pointed me to Create Booklet. Create Booklet is an incredibly helpful application if you need to fold pages for a program. It lets you create your work in MSWord and then it formats it into the correct pages afterwards. Thank you to the creators!
I went to take pictures, which was fun. I did not, however, get as many good pictures as I wanted, so I ended up using other photographs that I had taken–which was fine–but I really wanted some pictures that I did not get.
I didn’t realize that when I said I would create the brochure that I would be in charge of organizing all the panels. That worked out all right, but it was work I wasn’t expecting.
I also didn’t realize that when I said I would create the brochure that
1. folks would not go check out the spelling of their names, etc, until AFTER it was printed and
2. folks would not tell me who the chairs for different sessions were until after the work was taken to the printers.
It’s not a perfect brochure and I wanted it to be. I did the best I could with what I had at the time, though. I think it looks nice, even if it isn’t perfect.
The BEST parts of doing the program?
I know who is presenting. (Although not everyone I wanted to hear ended up coming, which was sad.)
I know when they are presenting.
I got to take the photographs and figure out which photographs I could put in the brochure.