Technical Writer State University
Resume:
Scott Kalar
Austin, TX *8745
**********@*******.***
OBJECTIVE
To make a real difference in a growing company's IS group in a way that allows me to apply my leadership, communications, editorial, and technical writing skills. WRITING EXPERIENCE
Documentation Manager, Broadway Technology, Austin, TX, May 2014-April 2015.
*Identified and prioritized documentation gaps, created a plan to address them, and helped develop the company’s documentation strategy.
*Created company S tyle Guide .
*Responsible for 90 percent of release documentation, including release notes for internal and external audiences.
*Maintained internal integration and implementation documents on Confluence wiki.
Senior Technical Writer and U sability Specialist, LifeSize (a division of Logitech), Austin, TX, July 2011-September 2013.
*Responsible for such release documentation as online help, user guides, administrator guides, Quick Reference Cards, and release notes.
*Reviewed and maintained translation files for as many as 13 languages.
*As a member of the User Experience and Communications team, provided design input for user interface.
*Maintained internal integration documents on Confluence wiki and JIRA.
*Worked remotely with teams across the United States and in India. Senior Technical Writer, Bazaarvoice, Austin, TX, February 2010-June 2011.
*Implemented DITA-based processing of XML topics to facilitate single-sourcing of content.
*Responsible for 100 percent of release documentation, including feature guides, worksheets, and release notes for internal and external audiences.
*Maintained internal integration and implementation documents on SharePoint intranet.
*Created internal- and external-facing documents pertaining to eCommerce platforms, integrations and implementations, XML APIs and data feeds, web analytics, and search-engine optimization.
*Managed a contractor who reported directly to me. Senior Technical Writer and E ditor, Borland Software, Austin, TX, February 2007-February 2010.
*Used XMetaL 5.5 to create DITA-based S tyle Guide and S tructured
Documentation Guide .
* Delivered I nstallation and Configuration Guide and Help for data warehouse product.
*Responsible for editing content produced by 10 different writers.
*Member of cross-documentation architecture team (X-DAT) responsible for devising and implementing group-wide standards and recommendations.
*Worked in a true Agile environment with three-week sprints. Senior Technical Writer, Surgient, Inc., Austin, TX, February 2004-February 2007.
*Used RoboHELP HTML to deliver Help for all end-user products.
*Used Word to deliver user guides for all end-user products.
*Used Camtasia to produce instructional videos.
*Used FrameMaker to deliver D eployment Guide .
Senior Technical Writer, TorchQuest, Austin, TX, July 2002-July 2003.
*Used WebWorks Publisher and RoboHELP X3 to deliver Help for system administrators.
*Used FrameMaker to write 110-page I nstallation and Administrator Guide .
*Created XML documents and XSL stylesheets for dynamic Help. Senior Technical Writer and C ontent Strategist, Salion, Austin, TX, March 2001- January 2002.
*As the Senior Technical Writer, I conceived and implemented the company’s strategy for end-user documentation; wrote the product’s implementation plan, technical white paper, and customer setup survey; and used RoboHTML to deliver an expansive Help system for the supply-chain management UI.
*As the Content Strategist, I was responsible for the content of the product interface.
*Managed the version control and accessibility of all internal and external technical documents.
Technical Writer, Baleo, Austin, TX, July 2000-September 2000.
*Used MS Word to write 81-page training manual in 5 weeks.
*Helped define corporate writing style.
Technical Writer and I nformation Developer, IBM, Rochester, MN, November 1996- July 2000.
*As Team Leader for the Communications team, I managed line items, estimated labor resources, and assigned workloads for all non-TCP/IP aspects of network communication; additionally, I delivered all products in a timely fashion while improving the team’s profile within the development community.
*Used FrameMaker to manage and edit DHCP Redbook for International Technical Support Organization.
*Used RoboHELP to create TCP/IP Help for AS/400 Operations Navigator; defined, planned, and wrote end-user documentation.
*Used ID Workbench and Adept Editor to write technical manuals for NetVista thin clients, Client Access APIs, and File Server I/O Processor. OTHER EXPERIENCE
Systems Technician and P roduct Scheduler, PACE Dairy, Rochester, MN, June 1995-November 1996.
*Utilized the AS/400 to redesign the scheduling process, even though I was hired simply to track efficiencies.
*My ability to design HTML pages and user-friendly macros allowed me to revamp the input and output procedures of the entire procurement department.
*$10,000 in weekly savings resulted from improved efficiencies. On-air Personality, KLTA and KDSU radio, Fargo, ND, 1992-1994.
*As an evening Disc-Jockey, I anchored, the evening news and ran the Red River Valley’s "All Request and Dedication Show."
*As an Assistant News Director, I arranged interviews, recorded commentaries, produced shows, and handled all press releases and newsletters.
*As a staff Reporter, I covered the news, interviewed local personalities, wrote news copy, and produced sound bites, all under tight deadlines. COMPUTER SKILLS
XMetaL, Camtasia, RoboHELP/HTML, FrameMaker, DITA, HTML, XML, SGML, SnagIt, Confluence, Acrobat, Photoshop, SharePoint, Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, Word, Access, Excel, Exchange, PowerPoint, Outlook, Front Page, Visio, Adept, WordPro, Freelance Graphics, 1-2-3, Notes, SVN, CVS.
EDUCATION
Master of Science in Mass Communications, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND. Maintained graduate assistantship, which included teaching upper-level courses and working for the college radio station, throughout entire program. Bachelor of Science in Zoology, pre-professional plan of study. North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND. Earned 100 percent of college expenses through academic scholarships and working part-time jobs while enrolled in full-time class schedule. AWARDS
Certificate for Project Management Excellence.
Completed Human-Computer Interface design course, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. IBM Peer Award for Digital Certificate deliverables, February 1999. IBM User Technologies Informal Award for TCP/IP deliverables, May 1998. IBM Peer Award for editorial work on DHCP and DNS Redbook, March 1998. Graduate thesis, A Statistical Evaluation of the Media Selection of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, published by University Press.
North Dakota State University Developmental Foundation Scholarship. Thomas J. Watson Memorial Scholarship.
ACTIVITIES
Writer of fiction and poetry; composer and performer of music; editor of Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity newsletter; Fargo Flood Relief; Community Food Response; reservist in the US Navy; handicapped swimming instructor; United Way wheelchair basketball referee; YMCA basketball coach; captain of city-league basketball, softball, and volleyball teams; member of National Wildlife Federation and intercollegiate diving team.
REFERENCES AND SAMPLES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
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