About Michael Fraase

By Michael Fraase

Monday, 01 February 1993 09:09PM CST

Section: Announcements

Michael FraaseAfter having produced more than 20 computer books and hundreds of articles for various trade publishers, Michael Fraase wrote the first Internet books designed specifically for Macintosh and MS-Windows users (Internet Tour Guide series, Ventana Press 1993-94). Fraase’s internationally best selling Internet Tour Guide series demystified using the internet for non-technical readers while predicting the rush to cyberspace. He has appeared as a featured speaker at various conferences and has been a guest on nationally syndicated radio programs.

Michael Fraase specializes in content strategy and development, information design and architecture, user experience design, general and technical writing and editing, and general business and technology consulting.

Experience

2006 - present University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN
College of Design senior editor/ecommunications manager

The College of Design encompasses the full range of design disciplines: apparel design, architecture, graphic design, housing studies, interior design, landscape architecture, and retail merchandising. The faculty and students in the college seek to advance the quality and value of the natural, designed, and social environments, with a focus on the interaction of people and their world.

  • Advanced critical communication strategies
  • Provided expertise and leadership for college-wide electronic communications (web, email, etc.)
  • Developed, implemented, and managed online content strategy across college and its units
  • Developed, implemented and managed online information architecture across college and its units
  • Developed, implemented, and managed website usability testing across college and its units
  • Ensured college and University web practices and policy were honored throughout the college
  • Coordinated and convened a college-wide web communications team
  • Represented the college in appropriate University organizations
  • Developed and implemented guidelines and standards including online style guide
  • Provided leadership on usability and accessibility issues
  • Managed college web projects
  • Provided leadership to college web content providers regarding effective content and editing
  • Authored and maintained key areas of various college web properties
  • Authored and edited content for both online and print publication
  • Oversaw production of college electronic publications

2002-06 Utne Reader/Lens Publishing Company, Minneapolis, MN
Online managing editor and webmaster
Member, executive committee
Member, management committee

Our staff searches through thousands of small-press publications along with internet sites, newly published books, and other off-the-beaten-path sources looking for the best articles and freshest ideas. Utne, by the way, rhymes with chutney and means “far out” in Norwegian. Utne magazine was founded by Eric Utne in 1984 as the “Readers Digest for the alternative press.” Today the publication produces original content and reprints the best articles from thousands of alternative media sources, focusing on the latest ideas and trends emerging in the culture. Utne draws attention to ideas and issues not getting attention in the mainstream media. We write about the America not being explored.

  • Managed the company’s online department (including budget responsibility); reported to publisher/president
  • Contributed to the strategic direction of the company
  • Developed, implemented, and managed company’s online content strategy
  • Developed, implemented, and managed company’s online content strategy
  • Developed, implemented, and managed company’s online information architecture
  • Provided leadership on usability and accessibility issues
  • Edited, produced, published, and maintained the online edition of the magazine and archive
  • Edited, produced, published, and maintained the company’s email newsletters and archive
  • Assigned, edited, produced, and published the company’s website articles and archive
  • Established journalistic style of online publications
  • Supervised assistant editor, staff writers, freelancers, and interns
  • Contributed editorial content to all of the company’s publications
  • Provided support services for the various business departments

1994 - present Independent contractor, various locations
Web project manager and technical lead

  • Designed, implemented, and managed content strategy, information architecture, content, and usability for clients ranging from one-person businesses and successful startups to major design firms and Fortune 100 companies
  • Managed client, contractor, and engineering teams
  • Defined, implemented, and managed web strategies
  • Defined, implemented, and managed information plan, content strategy, information architecture, usability goals, content specification, validation, and document testing procedures

1984 - present Independent contractor, various locations
Technical writer and editor

  • Designed, wrote, edited, and published end-user documentation for clients ranging from one-person businesses and successful startups to Fortune 100 companies.
  • Managed client and contractor teams
  • Defined, implemented, and managed publication strategy
  • Defined and implemented information plan, content strategy, information architecture, usability goals, content specification, validation, and document testing procedures

1979 - present ARTS & FARCES LLC, Saint Paul, MN
Co-founder, president, and editorial director

ARTS & FARCES is a multi-faceted communications concern specializing in all aspects of print, electronic, and online publishing, content strategy, information design and architecture, usability and human factors, general business consulting, and technology consulting.

  • Co-managed the company’s business processes
  • Defined, implemented, and managed company’s internet presence since 1993
  • Defined and implemented company’s web and print strategy, usability goals, methodology, information plans, and validation procedures
  • Provided IT services, web development services, business consulting services, and publication services to company’s clients, ranging from sole practitioners to members of Fortune 100

1979 - present Independent contractor, various locations
Contributing editor and writer

  • Wrote product reviews, articles, essays, and opinion pieces for various national trade and consumer publishers
  • Helped define editorial direction for various national trade and consumer publications
  • Helped manage editorial calendar for various national trade and consumer publications

Education

1978-79 West Georgia College
M.A. Humanistic psychology (incomplete; one foreign language credit required for graduation). 4.0 GPA.

  • Creativity
  • Holistic studies
  • Values clarification
  • Crisis intervention
  • Cognitive psychology
  • Transpersonal psychology
  • Human factors
  • Teaching practicum

1972-76 West Georgia College
B.A. Humanistic psychology and philosophy (double major)

Publications

  • ARTS & FARCES internet; ARTS & FARCES, 1993 - present
  • Information Eclipse: Privacy and Access in America; ARTS & FARCES, 1999 (general nonfiction)
  • Internet Membership Kit series (2 volumes); Ventana, 1994 (best seller, first suite of Internet productivity software with national connectivity)
  • Internet Tour Guide series (3 volumes); Ventana, 1993-94 (international best seller, multiple translations; first non-UNIX-specific Internet books)
  • Guide to the Macintosh Underground; Macmillan, 1993 (with Bob LeVitus)
  • Rapid Reference Guide series (15 volumes); Irwin, 1992-93 (no-nonsense, 100-page guides to leading computing productivity applications)
  • Structured Publishing From the Desktop: Frame Technology’s FrameMaker; Irwin, 1992 (first book about FrameMaker)
  • Groupware for the Macintosh: A Complete Guide to Collaborative Computing; Irwin, 1991 (networking guide in the era when networking meant a long printer cable)
  • Farallon MediaTracks: The Ultimate Training Tool; Irwin, 1990 (guide to Farallon’s computer training software environment)
  • Hypermedia series (3 volumes); Scott Foresman, 1988-89 (introduction, methodology, and reference guides to using hypertext)
  • MacWEEK (contributing writer) 1988-94
  • MACazine (columnist, contributing editor) 1987-89

Videography

  • Various independent videography productions and documentaries; 1979-82, various underwriters and self-financed productions
  • Strange Apples: Creativity in Special Populations; 1980-82, underwritten by West Georgia College
  • The Meaders Family: North Georgia Folk Potters; 1979-80, underwritten by the Georgia Council for the Arts, Georgia Humanities Council, and the Smithsonian Institution

Selected additional activities

  • “Deepening Online Deliberation” conference invited attendee, The Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota, June 2005
  • Excellence and Ethics in Journalism Foundation fellowship, The Media Center at API, “Monetize the Web” seminar, San Francisco, September 2004
  • Convenor and Chair, House District 64B caucus, Green Party of Minnesota, March 2004
  • Judge, Minnesota Magazine & Publications Association (MMPA) Publishing Excellence Awards, 2003
  • Committee member; Caucus, Screening, and Endorsing Committee, Green Party of Minnesota, 2003
  • Delegate, Green Party of Minnesota, 2002
  • Expert witness, Jobs, Energy, and Community Development Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Technology, Minnesota Senate, 2000
  • Expert witness Judiciary Subcommittee on Data Privacy and Information Policy, Minnesota Senate, 1999
  • Featured speaker, “Workplace privacy and the Internet,” Business for Social Responsibility, 1998
  • Minnesota Internet Services Trade Association (MISTA) founding board of directors, 1996-97
  • Publisher and Executive Editor, Cyberspace Settlers Guide (Internet publication), 1995-96
  • Featured speaker, Internet World, 1993-95
  • Featured speaker, Macworld Expo, 1993-96
  • Apple Computer, Inc. certified developer, 1984-89
  • Apple Computer, Inc. seeded HyperCard developer, 1987-91
  • Publisher and Executive Editor, ARTS & FARCES Review (online publication), 1984-87
  • Contributor, OWL Int’l. Introduction to Guide project (electronically-distributed hypertext publication), 1987
  • Contributor, Minnesota Creative Source Book, 1988
  • Cited as one of 200 most influential members of Mac community, 1988
  • Contributor, MacTV 2.0, 1988
  • Developed Telebit TrailBlazer Plus Disk, Telebit Corp., 1988
  • Produced independent videography, specializing in documentaries, 1979-82
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