Technical Writing Specialist

Insightful, results-driven writer with extensive experience in the IT world of technical documentation.

Ability to grab key words and concepts from a presentation or essay in order to do further research.

Excels at learning different pieces of software by hands-on use and networking with the developers who

created the software to ask them questions. Then adapts that knowledge into the best possible expression

for the end user. Specialties include Help file creation using the RoboHelp Office products, Microsoft

Word in the development of technical manuals, Microsoft PowerPoint to create presentations used during

training classes, the teaching of training classes, designing Captivate tutorials, and Visio to diagram the

flow of information thru software. 20+ years of MS Word and MS Office knowledge.

Professional Experience

LifeWatch, Inc. 04/14/2014 – 12/05/2014

Contract Technical Writer Rosemont, IL

Composed a number of different documents for LifeWatch. These documents included user manuals, in-

house documents for the network infrastructure team, Adobe RoboHelp 11 projects, and Excel

spreadsheets. The audience for these documents ranged from outside end users to new LifeWatch hires

learning their job duties.

• Created a MS Word template for use with all documentation.

• Wrote user manuals for the web application LifeWatch Connect, and for the application support

team to be used for troubleshooting issues as they came in to the help desk.

• Created Configuration, Quick Start, and Troubleshooting guides for the EMR (Electronic Medical

Record) project.

• Created gap analysis Excel spreadsheets to document the necessary data for moving from one

EMR data collection application to a new application.

• Used Visio to map the network Data Room and how the racks and other items were laid out.

• Converted all documentation into Adobe RoboHelp 11 projects after explaining the benefits to the

IT Director.

United Airlines 05/08/2013 – 10/01/2013

Contract Technical Writer Chicago, IL

Created 150+ knowledge management (KM) documents for use by United’s customer support

representatives in troubleshooting issues concerning the UC360 web application. UC360 is used by

United to keep track of their cargo planes as they transport goods around the globe.

• Created a MS Word template for use with all of the KM documents.

• Created a MS Excel spreadsheet to keep track of the development of the KM documents.

• Identified all of the SMEs needed to create the KM documents and organized and facilitated

conference calls since they were located in Chicago, Atlanta, London, and Dubai.

• Uploaded all of the completed KM documents to MS Sharepoint for storage.

Joint Commission Resources, Inc. 10/08/2012 – 04/26/13

Contract Technical Writer Oak Brook, IL

Updated all user manuals for the company’s four web based applications using MS Word. JCR’s software

suite is used by hospitals to meet federal healthcare standards, including HIPAA. I then made a

presentation to upper management on the advantages of moving all of the documentation into help

projects, and they purchased RoboHelp 10 for me to develop those WebHelp files.

• Created and maintained four WebHelp projects using RoboHelp 10. Compiled and added a new

layout for one of those help projects to be used in an iPad app.

• Created and edited online training classes using Adobe Captivate 6, and embedded the Captivate

videos into the RoboHelp projects.

• Updated Visio diagrams for use in the manuals and help, showing how the applications improved

workflow by meeting healthcare standards.

• Uploaded all the latest versions of the projects to MS Sharepoint.

The Chamberlain Group 02/20/2012 – 09/21/2012

Contract Technical Writer Elmhurst, IL

Brought on to create a documentation suite for The Chamberlain Group as they implemented SAP into

their Helix project. Gathered all necessary information from SMEs, and wrote installation guides,

standard operating procedures (SOPs), and created Visio diagrams to present the data visually.

Documentation topics included Java Install, Vertex Install, SAP Console, Disaster Recovery, and various

Backup programs. Presented various network landscapes in Visio such as CGI Architecture, PKMS

Landscape, VNX Landscape, and Web Services.

• Interviewed all SMEs to obtain the data necessary for the documentation.

• Wrote 24 pieces of documentation which included installation guides, SOPs, backup guides, and a

general handbook which gave a high level overview of the entire Helix project.

• Drew eight Visio diagrams that explained the setup of the different network landscapes between

the three locations in Elmhurst, Tucson, and Nogales, Mexico.

• Uploaded all of the information to MS Sharepoint.

Joint Commission Resources, Inc. 11/1/2011 – 1/31/2012

Contract Technical Writer Oak Brook, IL

Created a user manual for a web based application using MS Word. The application, Tracers, is used by

hospitals to meet set healthcare standards in various departments – by taking surveys on the system

process used in those departments and recording the results in the application. Created online training

material for both web applications using Adobe Captivate.

• Created and edited online training classes using Adobe Captivate.

• Reviewed and edited a user manuals, and created Release Notes with MS Word.

• Created and edited Visio diagrams for use in the manuals, showing how the applications

improved workflow by meeting healthcare standards.

• Researched HC standards on government websites in order to fully flesh out the documentation

and uploaded to MS Sharepoint.

• Published all material to the Joint Commission Resources, Inc. website Wiki.

Emmi Solutions 02/2011 – 08/2011

Contract Business Analyst / Technical Writer Chicago, IL

Studied the business process used at Emmi Solutions in developing their healthcare tutorial programs, and

wrote the documentation that was put into escrow for Emmi 3 rd-party clients. Researched and

documented the platform on which the programs were built, the 3 rd-party and proprietary applications that

ran on the platform, and the servers and databases used in the business process. The production process

used in the development of the programs (xls, xml/html, fla/swf, and wav/mp3) was also documented –

the writing of the script, the designing of graphics, the recording of audio, and testing.

• Interviewed all SMEs in each area of the business process.

• Researched the computer requirements and features of 3 rd-party applications and updated the

information on Emmi’s Wiki.

• Gathered all source code that needed to be placed in escrow and added it to the documentation.

• Designed Visio diagrams to express the Emmi business process, and designate those items to be

placed in escrow. Uploaded to escrow using MS SharePoint.

Joint Commission Resources, Inc. 11/2010 – 01/2011

Contract Technical Writer Oak Brook, IL

Edited existing user manuals for web based applications using MS Word. The applications, E-dition and

Accreditation Manager Plus (AMP), are used by hospitals to meet set healthcare standards in various

departments – whether it be housekeeping, HR, food service, etc. Trained myself in the use of the

applications while comparing the latest versions to the previous ones in order to compile new Release

Notes. Created online training material for both web applications using Adobe Captivate 4.

• Created nine online training classes using Adobe Captivate 4.

• Reviewed and edited two user manuals, and created Release Notes, with MS Word.

• Created and edited Visio diagrams for use in the manuals, showing how the applications

improved workflow by meeting healthcare standards.

ARAMARK

Technical Writer / Instructional Designer 2003 – 2010

Downers Grove, IL

Created the help file for the software ISISpro using RoboHTML. ISISpro is used by the healthcare and

education clients of Aramark. Hospitals use it to keep track of patients as they are dispatched to various

areas of a hospital, for housekeeping purposes, to purchase and inventory equipment, to keep track of any

HIPAA codes that may apply to a patient, etc. Schools also use it for housekeeping, purchasing, and

maintenance purposes. Was given the responsibility of being the Testing or QA Manager for ISISpro.

• Interviewed SMEs, designed and wrote 33.4 MB help file for the ISISpro using RoboHTML.

• Ongoing editing of the help was done as new modules were created or existing ones updated.

• Designed the QA method to be used in the test scripts and one was created for each of the 31

modules in ISISpro

• Assigned the test scripts to those developers who created the modules in ISISpro and completion

of the test scripts was scheduled for every Wednesday.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in English & Psychology

Luther College, Decorah, Iowa

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