Senior Technical Writer, Editor
Resume:
Allan P. Sand
**** ***** **** *****, ***** Clara, CA 95051
**********@*****.***
(email to request phone number)
SUMMARY
Senior technical writer delivers large and complex documentation sets in multiple formats specifically designed for intended target audiences (customers, partners, developers, etc.). Dedicated advocate for ALL end users. Proactive project management delivers accurate and complete content – on time, every time.
Additional Information and recent work samples here.
WRITING TOOLS
Adobe RoboHelp
Adobe FrameMaker
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Captivate
Document360
XMetal, DITA
MS Office
MS Visio
MadCap Flare
Graphic apps
GitHub, Perforce, JIRA
Zendesk, Confluence, SharePoint, Arena
HTML, CSS, Markdown, JavaScript
Languages: C#, C+, JSON,
SOAP, XML, REST
Published author: www.billiardgods.com. Also see YouTube video instructions generated with PowerPoint.
WORK HISTORY
Senior Technical Writer, ZPE Systems, June 2021 to April 2023
Maintained user guides for ZPE Nodegrid device management and ZPE Cloud environment.
Configured Document360 Knowledge Base Portal
Migrated user guides content into the portal structure using Markdown and HTML
Established internal Jira process flows for documentation (content creation, review/validation processes, and publication schedules)
Completed conversion from FrameMaker to Word/HTML formats (2,500+ pages)
Created configuration guides for environmental sensors
Supported QA activities and testing processes
The customer facing documentation is available at: https://docs.zpesystems.com/docs
Senior Technical Writer, Cisco Secure SaaS, August 2020 to June 2021 (DynPro contract)
Training documentation: Salesforce agent operations, support/ticket operations, cloud operations, customer automation processes, provisioning processes, permission sets/access roles
Create/update/manage process flow documentation
Knowledge Base: infrastructure support, processes, procedures, overviews, best practices, etc.
Employee onboarding support – application installation and configuration, system setup, best practices, security configuration, hardware/software tips & tricks
Capture DevOps support processes and procedures
Senior Technical Writer, Spectranetix, Inc., May 2018 to July 2020
Top Secret Clearance (DOD CAF) May 2020
Electronic Warfare project documentation: progress reports, test plans, summary reports
Electronic Warfare product documentation: user manuals, getting started guides, quality control testing procedures
Laboratory: infrastructure equipment documentation: safety standards, equipment configuration, test setups
Training support: created Arena Solutions, Mini-MRP, DX Components
As Confluence administrator, created Spaces, developed content templates, provided admin support and problem resolution, created classroom and self-paced training courses for new Confluence/Jira users
Created Jira templates for stories and tasks.
Maintained and updated internal documentation: HR on-boarding forms, employee policies/standards, calendars/schedules, corporate news, etc.
Senior Technical Writer, Ayla Networks, March 2017 to May 2018
Maintained and managed customer-facing documents - manuals and guides for IoT developers to include device security, mobile apps (iOS/Android).
Documentation included app IoT development (iOS & Android) guides, SDK manuals, UX and End User design guides,
User guides for the Developer Portal and OEM Dashboard client-server.
Provided Cloud Management (US, EU, China) support. Updated wireframe tooltips, UI fields and help topics.
Captured internal developer tips/tricks for PaaS and SaaS developers.
Edited JavaScript to modify Swagger display parameters.
Updated GitHub help content with Markdown.
Created training courses, onboarding instructions, Getting Started guides.
Assumed responsibility to maintain Ayla’s API Browser (Swagger). Developed sample code, validated API behavior (JSON & XML) in Postman, submitted JIRA bugs and improvements.
Used Agile SCRUM meetings to identify functionality modifications and additional features, then update working drafts.
Senior Technical Writer, Bill.com, September 2016 to February 2017
Created and delivered complete API (JSON) infrastructure documentation for developers.
Utilized API testing platform to create example code for CRUD samples (Create, Read, Update, Delete, Undelete).
Wrote workflow guidelines and best-known methods for Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable processes.
Reviewed and redesigned customer-facing knowledge base articles.
Wrote and developed help articles for Customer Support (Tier 1, 2, 3 service levels).
Participated in Agile meetings to determine documentation updates for users.
Edited JavaScript to improve UI look/feel.
Edited Customer Support articles with Markdown.
Created/updated Zendesk customer help articles.
Senior Technical Writer, Kateeva, Inc., October 2014 to August 2016
Established the company documentation group.
Produced technical documentation for the YIELDjet Substrate Printers.
Created procedure documentation for end users (software and hardware maintenance procedures).
Documented preventive maintenance and repair documents for tool operators, process engineers, field service engineers.
Participated in software control development projects.
Provided descriptive content for UI fields, sections, pages, and pop-up dialogs.
Wrote internal company SOP procedures for component assembly and manufacturing, operations, the Customer Satisfaction group, as well as other internal processes (warehousing, parts distribution, etc.)
Assembled and updated training documentation (presentations/videos) for field support engineers, customer training, and new employee education).
Established localization program for customer's field maintenance team. Created centralized documentation library.
Senior Technical Writer, SanDisk, April 2014 to October 2014
Documented test block programming for SSD products.
Established a department library for engineers (design, development, QA, product marketing). Each topic included descriptions, methods, command sequences, failure criteria, and Visio flow charts.
Training processes included test design guidelines as well as development processes to rapidly educate new and cross-training engineers.
Senior Technical Writer, VMware, January 2014 to April 2014
Developed documentation for infrastructure Cloud Hybrid Services, VMware Usage Meter, Praxis, Storage Tiering.
Documentation sets included user guides, API reference guides, programmer guides, release notes, wikis, etc.
Provided feedback on usability features and user interface improvements. Established department processes for documentation update cycles.
Senior Technical Writer, Savvis (CenturyLink), January 2013 to January 2014
Established new documentation for Cloud Data Center networking products.
Generated Online Help, Quick Start Guide, API Ref Guide (JSON, XML, SOAP), and Knowledge Base for system administrators and cloud network infrastructure developers/designers.
Participated in Agile SCRUM meetings to ensure documentation closely followed development.
Recommended JavaScript changes to improve UI. Updated content with Markdown.
On the UI development team acted as user advocate to review wireframes of web pages and recommend definitions for field descriptions and tooltips.
Wrote and edited scripts for sales personnel training.
Created trade show demonstration videos.
Wrote and edited white papers and corporate presentation material.
Provided editorial review to customer-facing communications.
Senior Technical Writer, Kateeva, Inc. August 2012 to December 2012
Created new documentation set for Kateeva Inkjet Printing Tool, including Quick Start Guide, Operators Guide, and Service Manual.
Built customer documentation for multiuse flexibility. Established single-source content for multiple devices (PDF, CHM, EPUB, CHM, WebHelp).
Reviewed and selected translation vendor. Developed Operations Guide template for future machines (single and multiple inkjet versions).
Created Korean localization process.
Senior Technical Writer, ADARA Networks, Inc. April 2011 to July 2012
Documented deployment, configuration, and infrastructure operation of cloud and virtual networking servers/routers/switches.
Documented router configurations and functions for GOLD, DLAR, DLSP, MDLSP, Multipath, OSPF, QoS, RIP, SLB, SNMP, SOA, TCP Proxy, VLAN, VON, VRRP, WDNS.
Documented security configuration setups including Layer 2-VPN, SSL-VPN, IPSec-VPN, PaaS, SaaS.
Marketing services: Created white papers, data sheets, position papers, sales support, partnership training courses, and other marketing support content.
Development support: Directly edited CLI (XML) code to present a consistent standard view. Performed QA validation of CLI code/syntax. Tested, debugged, maintained, and validated the CLI (Perl, XML) and maintained CLI Reference Guides (Perl, XML versions). Added and coded verbose and terse help to the XML CLI,
Senior Technical Writer, Cisco, Inc., November 2010 to April 2011
Delivered customer documentation for Cisco server management software and hardware for:
Unified Computing System (UCS) Manager
Virtual Network Management Center (VNMC)
Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC)
Generated new and updated documentation for API Reference Guides, Release Notes, Troubleshooting Guides (DITA), CLI Guides, and Faults Reference Guides (DITA) within Cisco’s CMS.
Senior Technical Writer, Applied Materials, Inc., September 2002 to November 2010
Delivered extensive customer documentation sets and training material for a sophisticated enterprise client/server semi-conductor factory management application and three fabrication equipment monitoring systems.
Job responsibility achievements:
Always on-time, every time deadline delivery. Delivered final customer documentation sets for enterprise client/server enterprise application (7 major and 4 minor releases) and three additional related applications (6 major and 8 minor releases). Maintained 14 training courses (PowerPoint slides, instructor’s notes, and student handouts).
Developed proactive document quality improvement process. Documentation usability research and validation was a continuous and on-going responsibility. Users from the various target audiences were formally and informally polled on their documentation use. All comments, however casual, were subjected to a full analysis process that considered presentation, content quality, detail level, and accessibility. These generated projects of various complexities that implemented approved improvements. Used Perforce and ClearCase to identify bug fixes/updates to be documented. Used Customer Support logs to identify processes/procedures needing additional details.
Saved a multi-million dollar sale to a large Asian business. The company prepared a last-ditch 300 page implementation plan to salvage the sale with poor prospects of success. During editing, global English concepts were applied to the descriptions. All company action items were rewritten to reflect an aggressive commitment to deliver the highest level of service and quality. The strongly worded positive can-do/will-do approach was successful.
Reduced site installation time by 20 hours. Redesigned and reorganized the server and client installation guides to simplify system setup and high availability configuration (8 servers and 25 clients). Reduced document page count from 734 to 215. Eliminated the need for on-site hand-holding.
Provided UI/UX input. Part of the UI design team to simplify user-input data processes.
Value-added accomplishments:
Implemented global English concepts into all documentation. Integrated global English concepts to improve user experience. Based on wireframes, directly edited user interface fields to ensure consistency across 45 modules. Edited Fault/Error strings to include solutions, and for grammar, spelling. Re-structured user documentation for automated localization.
Reduced total service calls by 10%. Added new policy that all customer support (“how to”) requests were handled by the tech writer instead of customer support engineers and updated content accordingly. Over a twelve-month period, “how to” calls were eliminated as a measurable category.
Redesigned QA test case process. Rewrote and simplified the QA test case library to allow non-engineers to run test cases and report variances from expected behavior.
Documented departmental business processes. Created a department process orientation document with access to an off-line test bed that new hires to get up to speed. Significantly minimized the learning curve.
Expanded the knowledge base. From a thin document (50 simple resolution procedures), expanded to include component descriptions, BKM, diagnostics, database configuration, and troubleshooting processes.
EDUCATION
Masters Specialist Workshop Certificate, Technical Communications, JER Group, May 2003
PBIA and ACS Instructor Certification
Languages: Mandarin Chinese (conversational level)
DOCUMENTATION TYPES
Users/operators guides
Quick start guides
On-boarding guides
Context sensitive help
Online/web-based help
API/SDK reference guides
System administrator guides
Network administrator guides
Database administrator guides
Troubleshooting guides
Fault reference guides
Technical reference manuals
User Interface text & tooltips
CLI reference guides
Data dictionaries
UI design guide
Training courses, self-guided
Training material
Web site content
Knowledge bases
Installation guides
BKM (Best Known Methods)
Customer support guides
PR releases
Documentation plans
FSE/CSE procedures
Web articles (blogs)
Newsletters
Business/marketing plans
HR policies/procedures
ISO 9000/9001 documentation
White papers (3 to 30 pages)
QA test plans
Marketing support
Design specifications
Project specifications
Functional specifications
Job hats/departmental policies
Manufacturing SOPs, Work Instructions
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