Technical Writer, Information Developer

Core Competencies

• Communication – Skilled in communication as essential element for efficient organizations
• Development – Able to work with developers and business personnel, providing a bridge and translation link
• Technical – Able to understand and interpret programming and scripting languages at a basic to intermediate level, familiar with database systems
• Implementing Information Systems – Proficient at assessing, organizing, and technical implementation of key systems to enhance team working
• Project management – Competent at assessing goals, managing plans and deadlines
• Knowledge of technology and information systems issues and trends, including change management and legacy system conversion issues and solutions

Experience

Cloud9Analytics – Redwood City, California July 2010 - Nov 2011

Senior Technical Writer for sales analytics software (first technical writer)

Created first professional help documentation well ahead of expectations

• Created first professional help documentation from existing documents and other sources
• Researched, presented, and purchased a new documentation tool and implemented the system, importing and creating content
• Worked on managing information for the company, including a new content management system, implementing and documenting processes, and collecting information and making it available company-wide
• Worked as Product Manager for one component of the software

Reason for leaving: Laid off due to product and organizational change of direction, not performance-related. Documented processes and all pending work to allow them to continue in the new direction

Talking Fingers – San Rafael, California 2010

Contractor - Updated and reworked user manuals and web site content for educational software products. Delivered their first professional documentation, on time and under budget.

CollabNet – Brisbane, California 2009 - 2010

Contractor - Created FAQs from CVS issues and legacy content, using Eclipse and OxygenXML to create, organize, edit and publish XML/HTML content to the public site at help.collab.net for Subversion and TeamForge products. Completed project well ahead of schedule and began to work on other projects until the funding ended.

Navis – Oakland, California 2008 - 2009

Senior technical writer for enterprise software for shipping and transportation of goods

Had sole responsibility for a major change management project to import FrameMaker legacy documentation into a new system and implement a single-source solution. Successful and completed well ahead of time expectations.

• Upgraded Author-it content management system to a new major upgrade
  
• Merged legacy and new content into a single library/system
  
• Upgraded underlying database from Access to SQL server
  
• Imported and updated all legacy content, maintained system and documented new software

Wells Fargo – San Francisco, California 2007 - 2008

Contractor - Migrated a documentation set from Lotus Notes to Author-it, implemented a system for managing and publishing the content, and trained staff to use the system and manage the content. Project completed ahead of expectations and staff well-trained to carry it into the future.

Equilibrium – Sausalito, California 2006 - 2008

Director of Publications for graphics-processing software company, second time with Equilibrium

• Reviewed documentation systems and products, evaluated existing processes and wrote proposals for improvement of information systems and processes, including implementing systems to share information
  
• Updated and reworked existing documentation, reorganizing information and systems for tracking changes
  Project managed software releases, coordinating with QA and Developers to ensure issues were addressed

Reason for leaving: Laid off after successfully revamping their documentation to a professional level; the next round of expected funding was not forthcoming and they scaled back.

Pilat Media – London, United Kingdom 2004 - 2006

Documentation Manager for enterprise software for broadcasters

• With the team leader, led efforts to convert 4500 pages of Word documents into a new content management system; then as team leader, managed team and hiring writers
• Managed replacement of Pilat's enterprise resource planning system: gathered requirements and wrote specification for new system; provided feedback forums for stakeholders; arranged demos, installing and configuring trial software packages for review; administration of the purchased system (TeamTrack Administrator)

Reason for leaving: To move back to the US; was on good terms and highly valued by Pilat.

Independent Contractor – London, United Kingdom 2002 - 2004

I completed all jobs well within the timeframe and to the extreme satisfaction of employers

• Barclays – Web author/content manager for web portal content rework, collaborating with stakeholders to determine requirements, then implemented new structure and content
  
• London and Quadrant Housing Trust –  As technical author/systems analyst, worked with developers to present an IT strategy, comparing Microsoft .Net and J2EE solutions
  
• Invensys – Web content manager for new web site of building systems company, working with design contractor, engineers and product managers to update product information
  
• Viaken – Information developer for biotech software, documenting databases and creating sample bug, document, and reporting management systems using Lotus

Purple Voice – London, United Kingdom 2000 - 2001

Technical author for communications software company (first technical author)

• Assessed and created documentation and new product requirements; created FAQs to reduce support requirements; managed public web site and intranet; redesigned bug reporting database with input from developers; developed style guide, templates, guidelines, and worked on interface design of software
  
• Created content management system and played a key role in increasing communication, building systems to store and facilitate communication and information management
  
• Evaluated authoring tools and implemented purchase and integration of a new tool

Reason for leaving: Laid off due to lack of funding for the company.

Equilibrium – Sausalito, California 1997 - 1999

Technical writer for graphics software company

• Wrote, created, and produced a training course to create and process web graphics; worked with users to test the course and gather feedback; taught at Autodesk
  
• Documented product and testing requirements, updated documentation, wrote and distributed company style guide

Reason for leaving: Moved to the UK. Was highly valued, and worked a second time for them on returning to the US.

Wired – San Francisco, California 1996 - 1997

Reporter, copy editor, researcher for new-media company

• Fact-checked stories under tight deadlines; identified and researched news stories
  
• Compiled style guide using hundreds of emails and collaboration

Freelance – San Francisco, California

Reporter, copy editor, technical author for various publications

Education

BA in Journalism, San Francisco State University

• Graduated with honors, Dean’s List for academic achievement

MSc in Information Systems, University of Westminster, London, 2006

• Graduated with merit

Training

FrameMaker - Publishing and documentation tool
AuthorIT – Single-source, object-oriented documentation tool
Serena TeamTrack – Issue-tracking software administration
“Soft Skills” – Communication and Management training

Other work

• Lighting designer and technical director for theater companies and KQED public television, frequently in management and leadership positions.
• Continuous work for various nonprofits, past and present, in IT maintenance, systems and web site help, editing, and documentation management