realtime Archives - Page 2 of 3

There’s a little fixer-upper in all of us, Court Reporters

October 12, 2016 By Lynette Mueller Leave a Comment

I’m anxiously awaiting the premier of the hit HGTV show Fixer Upper Season 4! Chip and Joanna Gaines restore and renovate old homes in the Waco, Texas, area. Their design style, working relationship, and positivity are an inspiration to so many people all over the world.

We court reporters can learn valuable lessons and habits from Chip and Joanna when it comes to our daily reporting and realtime goals.

Make time for yourself and family. During each episode, Chip and Joanna always make time for their cutie kids! It’s paramount to keep in mind what’s truly important, and that is to make family your number-one priority. When I was a young mom, I always came home from the job, picked up my children, gave them a smooch, and spent time with them until bedtime. After the kiddos were tucked in bed, I headed off to the computer. Now that I’m an empty nester with no kids, of course, the computer time is done at a more reasonable hour! My two children are young adults now and thriving in their own careers. When we reminisce, they remind me that I worked hard during their formative years and how they knew I was always there for them whenever they needed me.
Have faith in yourself. When Chip and Joanna buy old properties, of course there’s always the chance something could go horribly wrong with the renovation: asbestos, old wiring, rusted pipes. You get the picture. They stay positive and overcome all obstacles that come their way together. As court reporters, we will always have those bad writing days for several reasons. There’s the fast talkers, the witness who insists on answering the question before it gets out, the thick foreign accents, or the construction noise just outside the deposition room window. We need to rely on our foundations that were laid in our training and maintain a great attitude at the same time in order to overcome those unique and particular obstacles in our depositions and/or courtroom settings. We are human and aren’t perfect. While we only use audio backup as a tool, we are the guardians of the record and need to ensure we capture the verbatim testimony on every case. Always use courtesy when interrupting the proceedings and explain the rationale for your interruption in a concise and respectful way. More often than not, one always gets a better result when staying positive.
Work hard to be the best you can be. The Gaineses are an extremely hardworking couple, for sure! In addition to their tv show, they also have their own farm with animals, they now have a bakery, the Silos, new furniture and rug lines, and a magazine, to name a few. Court reporters work hard too. Every day we produce transcripts for our valuable clients in a timely manner and more often than not on an expedited basis. We should take a hard look at how we can “renovate” our writing and realtime skills so that we can work smarter and not harder to meet the deadlines we are faced with more and more. Realtime is and has been an in-demand service for attorneys for several years now. Court reporters (of all experience levels) need to understand that in order to stay relevant in today’s legal environment, we must maintain and continually hone our skills each and every day. From a previous blog post: Being realtime-capable should be the goal of every court reporter now! My realtime goal is to always strive for 99.8% translation rate on every job. The prep work is essential to maintain or exceed that goal. My writing is constantly evolving (even after 30 years of reporting). Writing short is paramount to the success of my translation rate, for keeping up with the fast talkers, and also being kind to my body — specifically my back and hands. You can read more here to learn some secrets to memorizing brief forms.
You’ll get a higher return on investment. After the homes are renovated on Fixer Upper, the homeowners definitely have a property to be proud of and one that is worth so much more. Once we, as court reporters, invest in our careers, we earn that return as well. The steps and path to being realtime-proficient can be time-consuming but so worth it in the end. When we go out on each job, we don’t always have the luxury of knowing when a rough draft will be requested or an expedited transcript is needed. If your writing is great, you can say with confidence, “Yes, I can get that rough draft to you!” Your “return on investment” is that your editing time is so much less than before and you will earn more dollars for doing less work! You can shout out loud to yourself with pride and confidence after you hit Send “Nailed it!” The less editing time means you can go enjoy your hobbies, your family, or just sit on the couch and watch Fixer Upper!
Trust in colleagues you can go to for help and resources. In order for the homes that Joanna rehabs, she has several go-to friends and colleagues to ensure her rehabs look amazing! There’s Jimmy Don who creates the wonderful and inspirational signs for the homeowners’ kitchens. And then there’s Clint Harp, the craftsman that builds and creates the one-of-a-kind furniture pieces. Court reporters have so many resources and colleagues to help when needed for advice, technology tips, realtime tips, and general help. I’ve found that court reporters are an extremely giving community; one just needs to ask for assistance. There are a multitude of avenues one could use to hone our realtime skills. Here are a few:

NCRA website. There’s a plethora of information, tips and tricks, and technology-related articles here. Go there often to check for new content.
JCR. Again, lots of great information all court reporting related.
NCRA Webinars. Soak up that knowledge at home in your pajamas if you wish!
Create a study group online via Google Hangout, Facebook, or Skype.
Regional seminars held by state associations. Learn from colleagues and stay close to home to reduce travel costs.
Facebook groups. My gosh, there are Facebook groups for just about any court reporting subject you could imagine. Just search and find the right one for you. It ranges from software groups, hardware, realtime, brief forms, health, fur babies — the list goes on and on.

These five lessons I’ve named are just a few to get you started on your personal “fixer-upper.” I’d love to hear about your big “reveal” after you’ve implemented some of these ideas!

Get Realtime-Capable Now: Tips for Learning Brief Forms for Court Reporters

August 29, 2016 By Lynette Mueller Leave a Comment

Being realtime-capable should be the goal of every court reporter now! My realtime goal is to always strive for 99.8% translation rate on every job. The prep work is essential to maintain or exceed that goal. My writing is constantly evolving (even after 30 years of reporting). Writing short is paramount to the success of my translation rate, for keeping up with the fast talkers, and also being kind to my body — specifically my back and hands.

The JCR has an article in the October 2015 issue with lots of great tips from some amazing court reporters across the country on how to get flawless realtime output. Definitely worth the read!

Today on the blog I’m going to focus on brief forms. Creating briefs on the fly is an acquired skill, for sure. My BriefIt feature in my CAT software is an integral and valuable resource and helps immeasurably with my high translation rate, even though the proceedings could be a fast-paced deposition. It takes focus and dedication to be able to look at the screen during the proceedings and capture those suggested briefs. During a recess is a good time to take a few minutes to go over the suggested briefs. With my software, the phrases I stroke out the most (with a suggested brief) are highlighted in a bolded color. Genius! Therefore, it’s easy to concentrate on the strongest colors and make a note of the suggestions.

So one may ask, “Okay, how do I memorize and keep track of all the brief forms I want to add to my dictionary?”

Our minds have great capacity to recall all kinds of information. I feel it’s good to have a multi-prong approach to memorizing brief forms. Remember to take a handful of briefs at a time to incorporate into your writing; otherwise, you’ll be overwhelmed and could end up dropping important testimony.

Here are a few suggestions to help with that memorization:

Be sure you want to improve your realtime writing and are invested in the process.
Set a goal for yourself.
Write out the brief forms you wish to incorporate into your writing.
Make notes to yourself.
Apply repetition to your practice. As I said, make sure you start with small bits before moving on to the next round of briefs. Keep this in your memory banks before moving on to the next set.
Do most of your studying in the afternoons. One study suggests your ability to memorize relates to the time of day you study, with the afternoon appearing to be the best time of day.
Ensure you are well rested in order to retain the memories. Make sure you take breaks and come back to it later in order to find out how much you actually retained. Then you can focus on the briefs you might have more trouble with.

Next are the steps I’ve implemented that have greatly improved my ability to incorporate new briefs into my writing.

Use BriefIt all the time during the job and add the briefs that make sense to your personal dictionary. Dictionary building is key to the success of a higher translation rate.
Make sticky notes and attach to your writer or computer.
Use the app, Sticky Notes. This is a great tool to use because you’ll never lose that physical note again. Simply open the app and move it to the side of your laptop screen. Multiple colors are available for families of briefs!
I like to use my Recorder app on my iPhone to dictate the briefs I want to work on. By recording the words and phrases, it is an easy task to set up my writer to practice on those briefs. You will get instant feedback if you are writing the briefs correctly when you are hooked up for realtime during your practice session.
The last prong of my process is a cool app called Tinycards. This is a free flashcard app to help make memorization more fun! This app is a game where you can unlock new levels and keeping your memory strength bar full! Tinycards uses spaced repetition and other smart learning techniques to help you master new material efficiently. You can create your own decks and share them with friends or pick from a variety of collections exclusive to Tinycards. You’ll find constellations, country capitals, history, and lots more.

I’ve already created two Tinycards called Steno Brief Forms – Part 1 and Steno Brief Forms – Part 2. When you set up your new (free) account, simply search for these and any other topics to add to your stream and start memorizing those briefs today!

Technology is great!

Learn from Secret Agents Like Ethan Hunt, James Bond, and Others

January 17, 2016 By Lynette Mueller Leave a Comment

January 2016 JCR

So, I live in a household with two guys. As you can imagine, our moviegoing outings tend to be action films, science fiction, and comedies. Don’t get me wrong — I am not complaining in the least. I love all of those genres!

This summer’s movie season has been great! The last two movies we’ve seen — Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. — are flicks about secret agents and packed with continuous action!

As is the case with most action films featuring secret agents like Ethan Hunt, James Bond, and others, common elements can be found throughout the movies: mysterious plot, superhuman skills and maneuvers, amazing chase scenes, continuous action, and the gadgets that help them achieve their mission or goals. The heroes generally have the same character traits: dependable, in peak physical condition, and prepared for any situation. They exercise continuously and consistently because they know it can mean the difference between life and death out in the field. They don’t cut their workouts short when they’re tired or miss a day because they’re not up to the challenge. They train hard, train with purpose, and train as if their lives depended on it. Even though I’m a working reporter, I feel it is imperative to practice my writing on a daily basis. There are several resources to find practice material.

Realtime Coach (my favorite)
YouTube
stenospeed.com
speedstenodivas.com
Facebook groups

So, in our effort to channel our inner “secret agent,” we can learn from these fictional characters in our quest to become the best professional court reporter ever!

The definition of “professionalism”:
the skill, good judgment, and polite behavior that is expected from a person who is trained to do a job well

Just like Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible series, court reporters should use technology tools and gadgets to solve everyday tasks and real-world problems in order to help make the job easier. Court reporters should keep in mind that in order to be effective and stay relevant, we must keep abreast of technology, embrace it, and never be skeptical of the newest innovations. This past June, I co-presented with my good friend, Keith Lemons, at a seminar about realtime tips and fears and also the gadgets we use to help us be more productive. Some of the favorite gadgets:

smartphones
iPads/tablets (realtime reading devices)
Apple Airport Express (output for realtime)
MXL AC404 USB Conference Microphone (great for AudioSync)
DYMO LabelWriter (create exhibit stickers and mailing labels on demand)
Bolse 4 Port USB AC Rapid Charger (charge multiple devices at once)

Find a full list of my gadgets here.

In the opening minutes of Mission: Impossible, Ethan Hunt dangles precariously from a mammoth four-engine turboprop plane that pushes triple-digit speeds during a steep vertical takeoff — superhuman skills for sure and in peak physical condition! While we court reporters may not be superhuman, we should strive to be the best we can be and keep up with our writing skills. Being realtime-proficient is the key to achieving super agent status for our clients and meeting their needs so they have the tools necessary to prepare their case. The benefits of realtime are huge:

improved writing skills
less editing time
improved translation delivery
quicker transcript turnaround
job satisfaction
name recognition; people ask for you
increased income
readback is phenomenal

In The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the two main characters, Solo and Illya, realized they were going to have to work together and they discussed what they knew about each other. Both of these men had clearly done research about their respective rivals and gathered information that would help them down the road to achieve their joint mission. Just like Solo and Illya, court reporters need to be sure to be prepared for each assignment and know where to search for answers to different scenarios we may be faced with on a daily basis.

In order to make our realtime feed topnotch and prepare for the job, we should reach out to our clients and/or their assistants to request as much information about the case that is available. Some things to request:

full caption/style of case
list of attorneys/participants
proper names and case-specific jargon, if available
previously marked exhibits
research online for case-specific terminology and technical terms
create and enter briefs into job dictionary
practice newly created briefs
create a cheat sheet with new briefs

Finally, everyone knows all secret agents are dependable and can get the job done speedy quick! Dependability means that court reporters should arrive to the job at least 20 minutes early, be prepared for each assignment, willing to comply with expedited transcript requests whenever possible, and meet transcript delivery schedules.

Court reporters, our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to be even more awesome every day!

Episode I: Realtime Readiness

January 9, 2016 By Lynette Mueller Leave a Comment

It is a period of ever-changing technology! Court reporters, in the courtroom and deposition setting, are winning with tools and gadgets to help them work smarter and provide their important clients with the technology to assist them in their cases.

Okay, I’m a technology/gadgets geek – I admit it. So excited that the new Star Wars film opened this past December!

Here are some awesome quotes from the Star Wars series that are totally relatable to court reporters using gadgets and technology to help them provide great realtime output for their clients.

The first quote is from Yoda, that wise master: “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

“Do” embrace the realtime technology. Use it to be more productive and provide your clients with a service that they crave for. If you “do not,” they may look to other reporters or other technology.

Some reasons that have been cited for “do not” include:

writing is not good enough
do not want anyone to see my mistakes
hookups are intimidating
overlapping voices can be distracting
no control over the environment

Here are some ways to overcome those fears and hesitancy and be more confident to “do.”

improve by practice — write at least 15 minutes a day
analyze your writing and keep a journal
build your dictionary
keep current with technology
offer realtime to a client you are comfortable with
let your software work for you
relax and breathe
stay positive

“In my experience there is no such thing as luck.” ~ Obi-Wan Kenobi

In order to be realtime-proficient and keep your feed topnotch, all reporters should practice for speed and accuracy on a regular basis. Practicing and speedbuilding takes time and hard work (it’s not just luck), but the benefits are enormous! In addition, be prepared for each and every job, whether it’s realtime or not, and there will be less editing time at the computer later.

Some things to do prior to each job include:

create a job dictionary with brief forms, if possible, for all attorneys, participants, proper names, witnesses, case-specific terminology, and technical words
practice new briefs prior to the job
create a “cheat” sheet for the briefs during the job as a reminder

“In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.” ~ Yoda

As I said previously, we need to educate ourselves as much as possible about the case-specific terminology for a realtime session and add brief forms to our dictionary in order to have our feed be topnotch! Our CAT software can help us too. I love my BriefIt on my Case Catalyst software. During a recent fast-paced deposition, this brief form saved my butt: AO*EUK (independent contractor). Embrace and learn more about your specific CAT software and let it do some of the heavy lifting.

“It’s a trap!” ~Admiral Ackbar

Don’t get caught off guard. Be prepared for every realtime job by bringing your cables, power cords, router, iPads, netbooks, et cetera. This past month, I was scheduled for a daily copy trial in a rural town several miles from my home base that required me to stay overnight. In addition to my Luminex, laptop, and realtime software, I also packed up a mobile office of sorts. Included were things such as the following:

extra writer
extra laptop with CAT software loaded
iPads
netbooks
router for realtime feed (just in case they changed their mind)
portable scanner
Dymo labeler for exhibit stickers
office supplies (stapler, paperclips, binder clips, etc.)

“May the Force be with you!”

So, that’s my wrap-up for Star Wars quotes.

Remember that Luke was not a youngling when he learned the Jedi ways. Reporters do not need to be younglings, either, to provide realtime. I am always striving to pick up better ways to write and tips and tricks from my colleagues (even after 30 years in this amazing profession). My colleagues are a valuable resource for me. All one needs to take that leap into realtime is the belief in yourself and your abilities, a strong desire, hard work, and the focus to get there.

Hope everyone had an awesome time seeing Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And, oh . . . “May the Force (a/k/a/ realtime) be with you!”

Lynette L. Mueller, CRR, RDR, FAPR

The opinions expressed are my own and I receive no compensation for any of the products or services mentioned in this blog post.

Preparation Guide for Flawless Realtime Output

October 17, 2015 By Lynette Mueller

Published in October 2015 JCR, Pages 25-27

Lynette was a contributor for this JCR article.

As a realtime writer, how important is preparing for a job to your routine. The JCR asked several reporters.

Reporting a deposition or other event in realtime doesn’t need to add stress to your day. Knowing your software and its shortcuts, having a plan, and being prepared for the topics you hear will go a long way to helping you provide flawless realtime on the job.

Know your software

Several reporters interviewed by the JCR said the first step to being prepared is to know your software.

“Our CAT vendors have provided us with a large number of tools to not only prepare for realtime jobs but, more importantly, on-the-fly correct your realtime feed from your writer using macros, realtime commands, speaker fields, etc.,” said Sandy VanderPol, RMR, CRR, a freelancer from Lotus, Calif. VanderPol, who also holds NCRA’s Realtime Systems Administrator credential, noted that this is the single most important piece of advice she could share.

“Be familiar with your CAT software capabilities and let your software work for you. My software has options to power define entries from the writer. Whenever you can keep your hands on the writer and add entries, it gives you just that extra bit of time to do things quickly and make your feed even more clean on the fly,” said Lynette L. Mueller, RDR, CRR, a court reporter in Johns Creek, Ga. “My software also has AccelerWriters dictionary entries to J-define words, delete last untranslate, define the last untranslate, delete an extra Q and A, fix a translated word, and much more!”

Many of the software companies offer specific training on these features. They also work through various associations to help court reporters better use their products. And it pays off for reporters. Many of the CAT products can now offer users the ability to define a stroke after the fact, suggest strokes, or fix or delete untranslates – all of which create a smoother product for your clients.

“I always learn as much about my software as I can,” said Marjorie Peters, RMR, CRR, also credentialed as a Realtime Systems Administrator, a reporter from Pittsburgh, Pa. She noted that the CAT software features are like “very powerful tools that can ease my work (and mind) as I write to help me provide the cleanest translation. Even if I do receive a Complaint or find information about the witness, unanticipated phrases, terms, and number sequences will crop up in a deposition, only to be repeated multiple times. [Case CATalyst’s] Brief It and Live Suggestion come to my aid every single time.”

Know your system

The reporters also said that knowing your system inside and out will save you valuable time if you do encounter problems. For Peters, prepping for a realtime job “involves two distinct elements: the tools and the writing. When I know the realtime equipment setup that I will be using inside and out, I can walk into a deposition suite calmly and confidently. That removes stress. If there is any troubleshooting that has to be done, I can be more focused on finding the resolution and will do so quickly because I am already confident that my realtime equipment is set up properly.”

Peters explained that her need to get problems fixed quickly comes from her days working as a broadcast and CART captioner. “In broadcast captioning, we have to record the actual time spent resolving a technical issue and then file a written report,” said Peters. But, she noted, the same kind of knowledge can help in court, depositions, or any other situation you find yourself in.

“I practice setting up using different schemes: Internet-delivered realtime streaming or local wireless stream; netbooks vs. iPads, or both; and then all of the above, wirelessly streaming locally and over the Internet at the same time,” said Peters. “I want to always be ready to send a stream to someone who is not in the room. Many times an attorney taking a deposition will ask whether realtime can be sent to his colleague back at the law firm. It’s an excellent tool in that scenario as well as for someone participating by conference call to view the realtime stream. It reinforces the value that I can bring to the client as a proficient realtime writer.

“When I practice and prepare both my hardware/software and writing, I am more relaxed and write at peak performance,” said Peters.

VanderPol feels that preparation is constant, referring to a job she took recently: “Just today, I spent about two hours preparing for a LiveDeposition realtime, audio, and video feed. I have a new computer and haven’t worked with LiveDeposition streaming for several months, so testing the technology on my end and with the client was a necessity to ensure client satisfaction and for my peace of mind.”

Update your dictionary

Reporters still rely on word lists and the notice or prior transcript to get a sense of the vocabulary, although many of them also said they would go a search for the deponent on Google.

“I am always adding in dictionary entries,” said Lesia Mervin, RMR, CRR, of Visalia, Calif. “Recently, I had a realtime criminal proceeding with 30 defendants and 30 attorneys and their Hmong and Laotian interpreters. I got the docket ahead of time and then I made briefs for every defendant using the first syllable of their names written twice and each attorney with the first syllable of their first or last name.

“I also do a lot of international conference captioning that requires speaker ID for 125 countries in case they speak,” Mervin continued. “I spend a great deal of time perusing the conference website, looking for documents and prior sessions, inputting names and possible terms, making sure I have all the country names with brief forms and also written out.”

Most of the reporters said that dictionary building is a continuous process. “It’s not just the individual job you’re prepping for, but general knowledge and dictionary entries of words in case they come up,” said Mervin.

As a federal official reporter, Cathy Pepper, RMR, CRR, of New Orleans, La., looks at whatever information is available. “If it is criminal matters and I am just handed a cover sheet with names and numbers of cases, I hurriedly make briefs for the defendants’ names and their attorney’s names,” she said. “If it is a civil oral argument, I look at the relevant briefs and skim through them looking for words or phrases of what they will be discussing and make briefs for that, along with making briefs for the plaintiff’s and defendant’s name as well as the attorneys’ names. If it is a civil trial, I will get a copy of the Pretrial Memorandum and make briefs for commonly occurring words and phrases concerning the case, the parties’ and witnesses’ names, and the attorneys’ names.

“I skim through documents in the case and pick out what I think they will be discussing and make briefs ahead of time so that I can write shorter and faster,” Pepper explained.

“Realtime has become such a constant for me personally in that I connect to my iPad with every job,” said Debra A. Levinson, RMR, CRR, CMRS, CRI, CEO of DALCO Reporting, Inc., based in New York and White Plains, N.Y. “The day-before prep has really become nonexistent for me. Others on our staff who do not follow this routine will run through a set-up the day before: I always Google search a deponent for a realtime deposition regardless of being provided with a word list or notice or prior transcript. I read a few URLs and jot down some words on a Microsoft Sticky Note the night before. At the job, I stroke out any case specific names or words available. Invariably, the parties will talk about topics other than what I’ve prepared for, so I’m ready to make appropriate briefs for words or phrases that are used repetitively.”

Even so, Levinson doesn’t skimp on the basics: She said she makes sure to arrive early, properly fed, and with a positive mindset. “And a supply of snacks!” she said. “I never lunch out and am prepared to work through every single recess short of comfort breaks.”

Final words of advice

“My realtime goal is to always strive for 99.8 percent translation rate on every job,” said Mueller. “The prep work is essential to maintain or exceed that goal. My writing is constantly evolving. Writing short is paramount to the success of my translation rate, for keeping up with the fast talkers and, also, being kind to my body — specifically my back and hands.”

“Do realtime every time so stress does not become the underlying component of a job. There are always variables to factor in, so go easy on yourself and accept that realtime is transparent and not picture-perfect,” said Levinson. Making realtime the norm instead of the exception will mean that you are always (mostly) prepared, no matter what is thrown at you on the job.

“I love when they say a name and it comes out spelled correctly,” said Pepper. “I love the time and stress it saves me by knowing that names will come out every time I write them. I think it really makes me look absolutely marvelous.”

When asked what the pay-off was for prepping, Mervin said, “Good, clean realtime. Spend the time. It pays off in a big way.”

“We all prepare in different ways, that’s for sure,” said VanderPol. “But the bottom line is: Prepare until you feel comfortable and relaxed about reporting your assignment.”

A few pro realtime preparation tipsBy Sandy VanderPol· Always arrive at least 45 minutes prior to the deposition.

· If you can, ask for a caption (if you don’t already have it), and create dictionary entries of proper names, unfamiliar terms, and phrases.

· If providing a realtime feed, set up equipment immediately and test your realtime feed. Always do this first. Your client expects to have a successful hookup to their reporter.

· If you are working for a firm, request the caption ahead of time and a case word list. Read over these prior to the deposition to gain familiarity with the terminology.

· If, for instance, the deposition is centered on a specific topic, such as groundwater contamination, use your favorite Internet search to learn more about that topic. You will be amazed at what you will find. (You don’t have to enter every word into your dictionary – familiarization is usually sufficient.)

· If you are working on a case reporting multiple depositions, maintaining your case dictionary and speaker identification saves time in preparation going forward. I’ve got my “CAT scratch” global entries available and review them before each deposition, along with my case dictionary.

· Oh, and I never forget to have a cup or two of coffee! Get plenty of sleep and smile. Seriously, being relaxed, alert, and full of energy, after appropriate realtime preparation, is the recipe to success on your realtime job.

Sandy VanderPol, RMR, CRR, a freelancer from Lotus, Calif. VanderPol also holds NCRA’s Realtime Systems Administrator credential.

How to troubleshoot your systemBy Marjorie PetersNever troubleshoot haphazardly. Remember that our realtime feed is an electronic one-way street that starts at the writer, through the realtime laptop, where the router or other sending device is located, and then finally out to the attorney iPads and netbooks. Start troubleshooting at the source, and move outward in an organized way. Does the realtime feed leave the steno machine and reach the reporter’s laptop? Is the router still connected? Does one iPad have a feed, but another does not? Are the iPads connected and receiving, but the netbooks are not?

When I am testing, I try to anticipate what kind of problems could occur that may interrupt my realtime feed and then, of course, what I will do to resolve that as quickly as possible. Professional athletes, concert musicians, and Oscar-winning actors practice technique to hone their craft. They perform drills over and over. Their practice creates muscle memory. Because of this, their performance seems effortless as well as flawless. Their bodies automatically know what they are going to do under pressure and will evade the tackle, hit the high note, and convince us as we watch. As court reporters, we do this when we practice writing, make entries, learn terms and names, and commit to know our troubleshooting plans.

Create a plan for your troubleshooting ahead of time, and your clients will see your confidence on the day when you do have to troubleshoot, and you will again demonstrate your value and gain a loyal customer. They depend on us for this.

Marjorie Peters, RMR, CRR, is a reporter from Pittsburgh, Pa. She is also credentialed as a Realtime Systems Administrator.