Technical Writer Senior
Resume:
NICHOLAS PIEROTTI
************@*****.***
SENIOR TECHNICAL WRITER,
WIKI DEVELOPER,
and WRITING MANAGER
I have been working as a Technical Writer for over 35 years for some of the top companies in the Silicon Valley. Many of them, like Apple, IBM, Microsoft, SUN, Hitachi and Hewlett Packard are Fortune 500 companies. I wrote the White Paper for Netscape that got Jeff Bezos to buy their Merchant System product and use it to create Amazon. I also wrote the API documentation for the original JAVA foundation classes.
I am actively looking for new remote work anywhere else in the country.
I am a highly experienced, productive, dependable, and versatile technical writing professional with over twenty years in the internet and telecommunications industries.
Using Topic-based documentation to write some of the most complex and concise documentation in the Valley. Designed, developed, and produced highly technical documentation, including extensive API and programming references, installation guides, system administrator guides, programmers’ guides, and user guides for many complex software products at many Fortune 500 companies including Apple, SUN, Netscape, and Oracle. I have also written significant amounts of technical sales collateral and white papers in many of these positions.
Expert in API documentation (over 10+ years experience). Manager of API Documentation at Kana Communications. Produced much of the original software development (SDKs) and API documentation (Java, C, C++, C#, and Objective C) for Apple, Microsoft, SUN, and Electronic Arts, for both computers and phones (Android and Apple's iOS), and Big Data documentation for Microsoft, IBM, and Terracotta. Expert in Topic-based authoring using DITA. When I documented the original Java Foundation Classes at Sun, I wrote the documentation directly into the code as commented-out text. I was then involved in the development of Javadoc in order to parse that very code, and thereby produce documentation directly from it. I now also develop and manage Wikis.
Experience includes 15 years computer and manual design and layout experience, and over 20 years of experience in writing, editing and journalism. Additional experience supervising small writing teams.
Here is a direct link to my portfolio of writing samples on a Dropbox page:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wujhyn1j93kemoq/AAAwVbZyyedeHphvco_PNWRpa#
Here is a link to my LinkedIn page:
https://www.linkedin.com/profile/preview?vpa=pub&locale=en_US
Technical Proficiency
In charge of researching, organizing, and writing technical documentation from the ground up for a number of high technology organizations. In each position, I have remained involved in all aspects of the production and/or publication process, where appropriate. In each position I interacted intimately with engineers, programmers and designers, interviewing these individuals in order to document products from the ground up. On many of these jobs, I have worked with these developers from the inception of their project, implementing architectural design into the development of each document, and have rarely relied on any previously existing documentation. I am thoroughly familiar with UNIX, Macintosh and PC (DOS) microcomputer environments, and have worked with minicomputers and mainframes extensively. I have supervised small staffs at various times.
FrameMaker expert on Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX and Linux platforms. Extensive work in XML, HTML and DITA. Expert level in Markdown. Expert level in Drupal, Interleaf, Microsoft Word, Pagemaker, Ventura Publisher, and have familiarity with Confluence, DXStudio, Oxygen, Doxygen, XMetal, Lyrix, AutoCAD, and Quark XPress, as well as most other desktop publishing systems. Extensive hands-on experience with systems and languages, including JAVA, BASIC, LSP, AutoLSP, dBASE, db2, UNIX, XENIX, C, C++, C#, Python, and SQL. In addition, I have an extensive working knowledge of computer networks and networking, VPNs and network security, GitHub, DOS, DOS shells, X Windows and Microsoft Windows. I am an expert in Topic-based authoring using DITA. Used Topic-based documentation, Structured FrameMaker and the Adobe Technical Communications Suite (including FrameMaker and Illustrator) as well as Oxygen, and XMetal to design and author a multiple document suite in XML using DITA maps in a DITA environment. I am also experienced in Drupal and Markdown.
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE
SENIOR TECHNICAL WRITER 1991-2025
PayPal (November 2024- present)
Working with several teams, I created documentation for the new cutting edge App Switch and Vault products, which streamline the merchant checkout process for this multinational corporation.
I also documented the testing and sandbox environments for all the new products.
These were products integral to the merchant's developer portal and used by internal developers. I created GitHub Branch Repo and Confluence pages as well as Markdown docs explaining these products and their developer access requirements. I used JIRA and created illustrations using Miro templates, gathered information from engineers and PMs, and coordinated work via Slack and MSTeams.
Capital One (November 2022– April 2024)
A technical-tech writer that produces documentation that is leveraged by engineers to do their daily jobs within a CI/CD platform. My team creates documentation for developers on our DevOps tools - tools for automated deployment, tools for testing, and tools for security scanning and vulnerability remediation - focused on documenting an in-house DevOps deployment pipeline, that encompasses various testing and compliance components, and comes in many “flavors” depending on the particular project and environment. Used Amazon Web Services, HTML, API, GitHub, and JIRA.
IBM (March 2021– October 2022)
Writing IBM Cloud Services documentation in Markdown and Visual Studio for a wide variety of internal and Big Data cloud applications. Also employed Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Digital Access Management (DAM).
Apple (July 2020 – March 2021)
Wrote a series of Readmes in Confluence and Markdown for developers for 24 different applications and microservices, working remotely with Bay Area offices and with an offshore team in India. Some Readmes involved Digital Access Management.
Apple (September 2019 – June 2020)
In charge of all documentation for Apple’s Radar product, including user materials and API documentation.
Microsoft (April 2019 – September 2019)
Technical Writer/ Editor - Microsoft Xbox Advanced Technology Group
Producing API-level documentation and reviewing/documenting code samples in support of future releases of the Xbox Game Development Software Development Kit (15,000+ topics targeting Microsoft’s premiere tier of AAA game development partners). Familiar with C# and C++.
IBM (March 2018 – March 2019)
As a Help@IBM Content Team Writer. I use Drupal to develop, write, and edit Help material for Help@IBM. Also employed Identity and Access Management (IAM).
innoWake (May 2017 – March 2018)
I was in charge of documentation for innoWake, which provides a comprehensive suite of documentation for products related to development, lifecycle management, automated migration, and software modernization. These products provide patented methods that push Java technology to its limits and beyond. As the Documentation Specialist and sole US representative of a German-based QA team, my knowledge management mission is to organize knowledge and information on the implementation and development of this suite of software products.
I used Confluence, SharePoint, and Oxygen to manage wikis and standalone documentation, using a topic-based philosophy and methodology, documenting APIs and SDKs.
BlackLocus (February 2017 – April 2017)
• Developed, organized and delivered a fully functioning internal wiki on the complete operation, management and technical documentation of the BlackLocus organization, the internal business software support operation for Home Depot.
Implememted architectural design into the development of each document.
• Used Confluence to develop and launch the wiki.
PCG (Public Consulting Group) (February 2016 – October 2016)
Wrote User Guides, Standards, and Product Solutions Guides for a public company offering industry-leading management technology and access control software to assist public sector education, health, human services, and other government clients. Used AutoCAD, Word, Visio, SharePoint, and Powerpoint.
Continuum Analytics (January 2016 – February 2016)
Completely rewrote documentation for Anaconda, a Python-based open source analytics platform, and Anaconda Repository, together with their ancillary software products and features. Documentation was written in Markup, and posted directly to the internet. Used Markdown, CLI and GitHub extensively, in a Linux environment.
Xamarin (September 2014 – December 2014)
Documented Application Development (SDKs) and API material for a leading mobile development and testing platform: supports more than 700,000 developers delivering mission-critical apps for iOS and Android.
I documented a Unified API at the root of changes that will allow developers using Xamarin tools to simplify development for 32- and 64-bit frameworks, as well as share code between Android and Apple apps.
Microsoft (October 2013 – March 2014)
• Documented the StorSimple Cloud-Integrated Storage (CiS), that provides primary storage, backup, archive, and disaster recovery, in combination with Windows Azure, to provide a hybrid cloud storage solution that optimizes total storage costs and data protection for Big Data enterprises.
• I used DXStudio, SharePoint, and Word as well as Madcap Flare, to produce structured, topic-based documentation for the StorSimple documentation set.
Terracotta (June 2013 – October 2013)
• Documented In-Genius, an in-memory intelligence platform, that couples Real-Time In-Memory Access and Management Powered by Terracotta BigMemory, with Ultra-Fast Universal Messaging and Event Stream Processing for Big Data applications.
• Worked in Markdown, TextWrangler and Confluence to write and edit directly in Wikis and in code. Wrote white papers on Big Data solutions.
Lyris (October, 2012 – May, 2013)
• In charge of the development and implementation of a full documentation suite, including online help, for cloud-based and on-premise applications that combine customer-focused services and support for email marketing solutions, by providing campaign management and automated message delivery, using robust segmentation and analytics driven by real-time social, mobile and web interactions.
• Used Structured FrameMaker, XML, DITA, and Madcap Flare to support the production of a robust and topic-based documentation set. Wrote technical white papers on the Lyris platform.
Hitachi Data Systems (August, 2009- August 2012)
• Wrote User Guides, as well as Online Help, and Installation and Configuration Guides, for Hitachi Data Systems’ Replication Manager storage product.
• Used Topic-based documentation, Structured FrameMaker and the Adobe Technical Communications Suite as well as Arbortext, Oxygen, and XMetal to author in a DITA and XML environment.
Electronic Arts 2009 (May –August)
• Wrote API and SDK-related material for their Apps that are being ported to the Apple iPhone, as well as Programmer’s Guides, and an Integration Guide for game developers, who are porting applications to the iPhone. Also wrote white papers and technical sales collateral.
• Languages used were Objective C, C#, C++, and Java. Used Structured FrameMaker and Word. Electronic Arts (EA), in Playa Vista (next to Marina Del Rey in L.A.)
• They define electronic gaming and created SIMs
Cisco 2008-2009 (March-January)
• Researched, designed, and wrote four administrative guides for Cisco, on the administration of Enterprise webservers and log servers: the Munge Administration Guidebook, the AFS Webserver Logging Guidebook, the Cisco Employment Connection (CEC) Administration Guidebook, and the Cisco.com (CDC) Administration Guidebook.
Apple 2007 (January-September)
Researched, designed, and wrote webserver documentation for Apple’s Leopard Enterprise Server (Mac OS X (10.5)), including the iChat Services Guide and Web Technology Services Guide.
ARC International 2002-2005 (September 2002 – March 2005)
• Wrote, developed, and maintained the Programmer’s Guides, the Debugger’s Guide, the Language Reference, and all Application Development and API Documentation and SDKs.
• Senior Technical Writer/API Doc lead with a leading developer of user-customizable, high-performance 32-bit processor cores, development tools, synthesizable peripherals, and other intellectual property (IP). ARC pioneered the development of configurable 32-bit processors. Customers use ARC's processor technology in applications such as cable and DSL modems, network routers, 3D graphics chips, cordless telephones, and digital cameras. Implementied architectural design into the development of each document.
• Used FrameMaker, HTML, XML and DITA.
VOXEO 2002 (April-June)
• Wrote Installation, Configuration and Systems Administration Manuals, plus all Application Development and API documentation, for the leading edge Voice Recognition Software Company, producing B2B applications. Languages include VoiceXML, and CCXML
SAVI 2002 (January- March)
• Wrote Smartchain API Reference and Common Services API Reference, for the Smartchain platform, a supply chain software product written entirely in JAVA. The software is reliant upon EJBs and J2EE, in addition to standard JAVA. Products utilized technology similar to IMB (Intelligent Mail Barcodes)
KANA COMMUNICATIONS 1999-2001 (June 99- February 01)
• Team Lead and Manager for API documentation group; in charge of maintaining all JAVA API documentation and ancillary materials (specs, SDKs, etc.) for Kana Communications, a company that specializes in networking, B2B, and e-mail management software. Wrote technical white papers.
• Involved with Kana from their pre-IPO days, and continued through their period of boom and growth, managing a team of API writers in producing both online (HTML) and printed documentation
• Used FrameMaker, Quadralay WebWorks Publisher, Dreamweaver, Homesite
NUANCE 2001
• Wrote JAVA API documentation as well as Installation and Administrator’s Guides for the Nuance Voice Web Server.
ORACLE 1998-99
• Wrote a series of technical and marketing white papers, on the implementation of Enterprise JavaBeans, in a CORBA environment. Also authored Enterprise software white papers involving J2EE.
NETSCAPE 1998
• Wrote the Reviewer's Guide for Netscape's new Directory Server 4.0
TIBCO 1997-98
• Wrote JAVA API (Application Programmer’s Interface) Reference and Tutorial manuals for Tibco’s MarketSheet for JAVA, an interactive Financial software, that is used for tracking live market data in a user customized application environment, running on the Internet.
• Wrote API documentation for the Java-based program, and documentation regarding HTML authoring and user interface customization.
• Worked on PC and Macintosh, using FrameMaker and FrameMaker for SGML.
SUN MICROSYSTEMS – JAVASOFT 1996-97
• Wrote API (Application Programmer’s Interface) Reference and User manuals for SUN’s new JAVA Foundation Classes. Wrote JAVA API documentation directly into the source code.
I also worked on PC, UNIX and Macintosh using FrameMaker
• Javasoft was implemented to scan the code and provide user documentation that was printable.
HEWLETT-PACKARD 1997
• Wrote NSA WebPage Online Help in HTML.
NETSCAPE 1994-96
• Wrote both the Marketing White Paper and the Site Administrator’s Handbook for the new Netscape Merchant System, which is a product used for setting up online shopping malls on the Internet. I implemented architectural design into the development of each document. This is an HTML based product that is set up on UNIX systems. I wrote the technical white paper for Netscape that got Jeff Bezos to buy their Merchant System product and use it to create Amazon.
• Worked on a Macintosh using FrameMaker.
TRINZIC 1995
• Wrote C and C++ language API Reference manuals for Trinzic’s ObjectPro 2.0 application development product, which provides a GUI environment for the development of database applications.
• Worked on both PC and Macintosh using FrameMaker.
TALIGENT 1994
• Wrote C and C++ language API (Application Programmer’s Interface) Reference manuals for Taligent’s Messaging Interface ERS, which is used by the messaging framework of Taligent’s CommonPoint™ system.
• Worked on a Macintosh using FrameMaker.
APPLE 1993-94
• Researched, designed, and wrote the API (Application Programmer’s Interface) Class Reference manual for Apple’s OpenDoc architecture (which was the architecture that implemented drag-and-drop functionality to the user interface, and led to such products as Windows and the later Apple GUIs).. I worked on a Macintosh using FrameMaker.
VERITY 1993
• Developed and wrote installation and configuration manual for the TOPIC SQL BRIDGE, which was an SQL interface allowing the TOPIC Document Database Product to transparently access existing commercial RDBMS database products.
• Worked on a Macintosh using FrameMaker.
BORLAND 1992
• Wrote the Query Language Interpreter (QLI) User’s Guide for the InterBase product. InterBase is a customizable and transparent accessing environment that can access a number of disparate RDBMS products from its own programmable interface.
• Worked on a PC and Macintosh using FrameMaker.
SUN MICROSYSTEMS 1992
• Wrote all on-line help for SPARCworks/Ada, a graphical user interface product for the Ada development environment. This product consisted of a suite of integrated object-based and window-based development tools that applied workstation technologies and object-based interfaces to the development and compilation of large Ada programs. Worked in Sunview and on a Macintosh using FrameMaker.
TERADYNE 1992
• Wrote both Technical and User Reference Manuals (including indexes) for Vanguard and MultiSim GUIs, which were integrated CAE and CAD Schematic Graphic Design frameworks that run on SUN, VAX and IBM workstations on UNIX and DOS platforms.
• Worked directly with high-level software engineers and designers (much of the documentation was specifically for programmers and engineers).
• Worked in Sunview using FrameMaker.
VALID LOGIC (CADENCE) 1991
• Worked directly with top-level software engineers and programmers in producing highly technical documentation for use by engineers and software designers in the production of GUIs that consisted of integrated CAE and CAD Graphic Design Management frameworks running on a UNIX platform. The primary languages used in programming and development were C++ and C.
• Used Interleaf on Sunview and the X window system
THE SCRIPPS INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY 1988-90
• In charge of documentation and development of all written materials (technical manuals, research papers, grant proposals, etc.) for a computer-reliant research project in atmospheric chemistry (which produced the groundbreaking study on the breakdown of the Ozone layer as a result of the use of Freon gas in aerosol cans). This project was based on Tenerife, in the Canary Islands of Spain.
OTHER RELATED EXPERIENCE
EDITOR 1991-92
THE SANTA CRUZ WEEKLY
• Edited all feature materials. Personally responsible for overseeing all aspects of design and layout, including all camera-ready copy.
• Edited all ad copy and press releases for consistency of style and brevity. Determined overall editorial policy.
• Helped develop and implement innovative Sales and Marketing strategies, which increased advertising revenue by 200% during my tenure.
FOUNDER AND SENIOR EDITOR 1986-88
CALYPSO MAGAZINE
• Idea Man. Personally responsible for the ground-up development, organization, and implementation of a quarterly literary journal. Generated operating income from various public and private sources. Single-handedly drafted an eclectic and informed staff from the community, brainstormed an original and egalitarian selection process for manuscripts and artwork, and subsequently interfaced with printers and met with distributors in the marketing of the final product. Involved in all aspects of the production process and ultimately responsible for all editorial decisions.
EDUCATION
BA; The University of California at Santa Cruz
Degree awarded in English Literature and Writing, with a minor in Mathematics, June, 1988
One year's coursework completed toward an MBA in International Business and Economics,
UCLA Graduate School of Management, June 1996
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Published poet: Almost Inkfish, 1993 and Tuna by Luna, 1995.
Have completed drafts of three novels. Accomplished chef in Chinese and French Cuisine. Extensive travel on the European Continent (lived and worked in Paris for a year) and in Latin America (lived and worked in Mexico City for a year). Other interests include acting, fencing, philosophy, and film.
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