Paul Farley

Technical Writer / Instructional Designer - Information Technology.

**** **** ******* ***** 925-***-**** (mobile)

Cary, North Carolina 27519 ac2g3x@r.postjobfree.com

Summary

Contract technical writer, help systems developer, content editor, and instructional designer experienced in hardware, software, firmware, networking, telephony, datacom, database, and smart grid/city technologies for enterprise IT and SMB environments. For end users I focus on creating the right information, in the right format, in the right place to minimize the need for live support, and increase user satisfaction.

For clients, I focus on cost-effective content development by providing quality product documentation in sync with the product, on time at or below budget.

Recent Professional Experience (past ten years)

Silver Spring Networks, San Jose, CA –April, 2010-October, 2013 May 2016 – June 2017 Contract Senior Technical Writer, Lead Technical Writer, and Technical Trainer; May 2016 – June 2017 Contract Technical Writer

As a contract technical writer for smart grid Advanced Metering Infrastructure, Security (DNS, net_MgrSecure, Certificate Authority Tools, LDAP). SensorIQ documentation set, and smart city Streetlight Control Management (Vision) Software, and Street Light Adapter documentation set, I created or updated the entire doc sets for these different platforms. I also created the SOX compliance documentation in preparation for the annual SOX audit.

My past experience with this client allowed me to quickly create the necessary documentation in FrameMaker, archived in Perforce. My role was to provide support for the regular UIQ and SensorIQ writer who was on maternity leave. Upon her return, I took over the Street Light products as they had no regularly assigned writer. All projects were managed in an Agile Scrum methodology which allowed me to be successful in creating two installation guides that were not planned and did not appear on the schedule until they were needed. Because of the agile processes in place, I knew the SMEs and had access to everything and everyone I needed. I created a reviewable draft in a day and managed it through two full rounds of review. The docs shipped with the rest of the release with no delay in schedule and no increase in budget. Lead technical writer for Smart Grid Distribution Automation, Field Tools, Advanced Metering Infrastructure, Enterprise database (Oracle and Greenplum), Networking and application deployment guides. Security (DNS, Certificate Authority Tools, LDAP). Also updated WSDL API references.

Created the Distribution Automation documentation library.

Also Technical Trainer for national and international utility customers. At the time, Silver Spring had only one trainer available for deployment to the field. That trainer at times experienced oversubscription for his services, so I took over delivering training for my area of expertise (Distribution Automation). Eventually, I took over all the training which allowed the previous trainer to migrate into sales engineering support which was his original interest. I spent my own time to come up to speed on the many products for which I had had no previous exposure.

GE Digital Energy, Oil & Gas, Power & Water, Aviation San Ramon, CA – November, 2013 - November, 2014, August 2015 – May 2016 Contract Technical Writer

Maintained the documentation set for GE Aviation's Rapid Data Forensics. Created and maintained Key Performance Indicator documentation for Power and Water (power plant) operations. Primary writer for Operational Excellence. Backup writer for Brilliant Manufacturing. Primary writer for GE Aviation. All deliverables were managed using Agile. The writing tools were MadCap Flare and DITA using oXygen-Astoria. All deliverables were completed on time and on budget. The contract ended because of GE's policy of limiting contractors to no more than one year at a time. GE limits contractors to a maximum of two one-year contracts.

I was also responsible for Agile-developed, end-user documentation and online help for smart grid's Grid IQ™ Advanced Meter Insight. The documentation set included User, Administrator, Installation, Implementation, and REST Web Services guides. I also assisted in training utility customers to use Grid IQ products. I created the deliverables using Madcap Flare with source control provided by Git. All of my deliverables were provided on time and on budget

Hewlett Packard Sunnyvale, CA – November, 2014 - July 2015 Contract Technical Writer

As a contract technical writer, I was initially responsible for Helion's OpenStack Neutron (networking) end user documentation. Then I also took over the cloud storage documentation. I also was a contributor for Ironic, Swift, and other services as needed. The tool used was Markdown Pad. And file management was through Github. This team was distributed around the world and was loosely managed as agile projects. All of my responsibilities were delivered on time and on budget

Ericsson, Montreal, Canada January 2013 – September 2013 Contract Senior Technical Writer

Supported IPOS 13.x customer documentation; developed 13.x Delta training for Broadband Network Gateway topics such as AAA and enhanced configurations (such as QoS.) This team was managed as an agile project which enabled close communications for those of us remote to the core team. When my deliverables were submitted, the project was reorganized as an operational product and my services were no longer required. The deliverables were created in FrameMaker.

Hitachi Computer Products of America. Hitachi Data Systems, and Hitachi Communications Technologies (formerly Salira Systems), Santa Clara, CA and San Jose, CA 1994 - 99, Jan 2008 - Sept 2010 Contract Senior Technical Writer

Supported an existing Hitachi Communications Technologies Technical Publications department in expanding EPON platform end user and reference documentation for standard EPON, Metro Ethernet, Multi-wave EPON, and DOCSIS-EPON technologies. Assisted in improving CLI usability by editing help strings and message content (ClearCase based in ISO 9001 environment).

In contracts for Hitachi Data Systems and Computer Products, with the active support of engineering director, was able to create focused, accurate, task-oriented documentation for end users, administrators, and programmers (using FrameMaker and Word). Topics ranged from storage area network hardware and software products (new), array subsystems (revised), AIX, HP-UX, DEC, Solaris, and HDME user guides (revised), and the Y2K remediation guide (new) for Hitachi G7 and G9 mainframes. All docs were developed with full support from marketing, product management, engineering, QA, tech support, and training resulting in brief, accurate user docs. Page counts from revised doc sets were reduced by as much as 50% with increased end user comprehension. Doc sets became cheaper to produce, easier to maintain, and more useful to end users.

Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, CA, as needed from 1990 through Sept 2009 Contract Senior Technical Writer

Developed a white paper comparing the features and benefits of Cloud Computing office application suites and determining which package offered the most value to end users.

Hired to speed up release of a series of minor projects bogged down in rewrite cycles, was able to work directly with product managers, testers, and developers to develop accurate docs that were ready when the product was (often requiring updates done in real time). Ultimately because of my background with DEC and IBM, was assigned to translate third-party connectivity product documentation for SunLink releases 7 through 9. The SunLink doc sets consisted of more than 35 individual documents for DEC (VAX) and IBM environments (SNA, SAA, and Bisync). All the docs (admin guides, programmer references, API references, etc.) were completed on time and met or exceeded Sun publications standards. Also wrote the Solaris Federated Services white paper and the Solstice FireWall-1 Installation and User’s Guide.

Polaris Wireless, Santa Clara, CA, January 2007 – June 2009 Contract Senior Technical Writer

Developed external end user and internal customer support documentation for cellular E911 compliance.

Cisco Systems, San Jose, CA as needed: June 1991 - May 2008 Contract Technical Writer, Instructional Designer

As sole writer for Cisco Smart Care Services, created and maintained doc set (including user guides, message reference, and release notes) and online help for multiple audiences including external Partner Portal users and internal Wiki users. Project was fast-paced, changes were dynamic, and releases frequent. Was able to develop and update documentation in real time to meet aggressive release schedules. Sole writer for Security Infrastructure in creating and updating the end-user doc set for a physical security system with camera, controller, storage hardware system and video analytic, motion sensor software system. Main technology writer for networking protocols, network management, security (AAA/IPsec), access servers, media gateways, cable (DOCSIS) routers, wireless (802.11a and b) communications, dial, traffic management, QoS, and VPN. Produced over seventy (70) feature modules. Also aided folding in these features to the IOS documentation set. Used the Cisco doc tool set (Documentum, Confluence Wiki, FrameMaker, HTML and PDF generators). Created additional spreadsheet tool to help managers staff and track documentation releases resulting in management of over 1,100 publication deliverables. Able to deliver quality user, programmer, and API documentation for multiple projects with overlapping deadlines. Created the following instructional designer deliverables:

Tier 1 Student and Instructor Guides (New product training updates)

Managing Cisco Enterprise Internetworks Design Document to update existing MCSI course

Designing Cisco Networks – web-based certification training.

CEMS course ware update

Designing Cisco Networks Web Version

Cisco Voice Web Version

BCMSN Web Version

BCRAN Web Version

SnapLogic, San Mateo, CA, March – November 2007 Technical Publications Consultant/ Vendor

Designed templates and wrote tutorials on the use of a Python-based WebUI that allows users to create interfaces for different data types and work with them in a collaborative, unified environment.

Education

Ph.D. Sociology-Architecture (research methodologies, urban planning and architectural practices), University of Utah

B.A. Sociology and English, University of San Francisco

Skills

Programming environments include:

C /C++/C#

Unix/Linux (RHEL, CentOS)

CORBA

BASIC

Visual BASIC

PostScript

SPSS

Java (J2EE)/Javadocs, JavaScript

HTML

XML

Web Services, WSDL

GCD

LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)

Ruby/Python

Tools include:

FrameMaker

MS Office

Paint Shop Pro

Photoshop

vi, Emacs,

Acrobat

Illustrator

Dreamweaver

Visio Pro

SnagIt

Documentum, SCCS, CVS, P4, SVN, Git, GitHub

RoboHelp

MSProject

WebWorks

ClearCase

VMware

Madcap Flare

Confluence, Twiki

Jira/Rally

HipChat

Markdown

oXygen-Astoria

Areas of expertise include:

Wireless Networking (802.11, 802.16, GSM, OFDM, RFID, RF 900MBz, Cellular 2.4 GHz)

Networking (Layer 2, Layer 3, BGP, OSPF, MPLS, IGP, RSTP, RSVP, SNMP)

Telecommunications / Cellular (PSTN, VoIP, VoATM, VoFR, GPON)

Banking / Finance

Semiconductor

Cable (DOCSIS, CMTS, CFM)

Passive Optical Networking (PON, EPON, and GPON)

Security (AAA, IPsec, PKI, ECBOCA, DLCA, encryption, tunneling, VPN, VLAN, and physical)

API and Programming References

Cloud Computing/Virtualization

Metrology / Smart Grid / Smart Cities / Internet of Things (IoT)

Web Services

Documentation Management

Enterprise Security

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