These statements provide greater detail about my knowledge, skills and abilities:
I. Ability to write and edit
text for print and non-print media.
II. Knowledge of the principles
of writing and the stages of production.
III. Knowledge of reference
sources and research techniques.
IV. Knowledge of publishing
concepts including methods of presentations and design of information.
V. Ability to communicate
orally.
Daily, I write and edit technical and business
documents, online media and reports, which communicate: system requirements,
system related policies, procedures, standards, and product features and
benefits. I spend about 30-50% of the
day writing. The rest of the day is
spent on tasks such as research, meetings, data entry, proofreading, estimating
and scheduling, and administration.
Examples of the kinds of documentation I produce are:
·
Life-cycle Documentation - Life-cycle documentation refers to documents
associated with the Software Development Lifecycle. I have managed and written documentation for every phase of the
cycle. An example is my work with
ProEdit (1/01 to 8/01). I wrote a
functional specification document during the planning phase, which detailed the
requirements for a new application by Extreme Logic. This document was based upon information gathered primarily from
interviews and existing documentation.
·
Marketing Collaterals - Marketing collaterals include documentation
associated with public relations activities (materials promoting the features
and benefits of a product, articles, press releases, etc.). I have managed and written several projects
of this type. An example is my work at
Brokat Technologies (6/00 to 6/01). I
wrote and edited content for brochures, press releases and media kits; high
profile collaterals used to represent Brokat’s products and services
worldwide.
·
Computer-Based Training (CBT) - CBT courses facilitate distance learning
and give the learner control over the learning experience. I have managed and authored several projects
of this type. An example is my work at
Spire (3/98 to 2/00). I wrote a course
storyboard which detailed each screen description, action and result. I then used a proprietary authoring tool to
assemble the graphics, audio and text into the final product.
I acquired my ability through a combination of experience (7+ years in technical writing), education (48 college semester hours of English and Communications courses), and training (corporate in-house).
My technical and business writing samples can be viewed at: https://www.angelfire.com/home/kevsite/index.html
Daily, I write and edit technical
and business documents, online media and reports, which communicate: system
requirements, system related policies, procedures, standards, and product
features and benefits. This is the
process I follow when producing documentation:
An example is my work with
ProEdit (1/01 to 8/01). I wrote a
functional specification document during the planning phase, which detailed the
requirements for a new application by Extreme Logic. As a member of a technical writing team, this is the process we
all followed to create the documentation.
I acquired my knowledge
through a combination of experience (7+ years in technical writing), education
(48 college semester hours of English and Communications courses), and training
(corporate in-house).
My technical and business
writing samples can be viewed at: https://www.angelfire.com/home/kevsite/index.html
Daily, I write and edit
technical and business documents, online media and reports, which communicate:
system requirements, system related policies, procedures, standards, and
product features and benefits. This
is what I did at Brokat Technologies (6/00 to 6/01) when conducting research
for my documentation projects:
1. Determine the Purpose of
the Research - When doing research I am looking for answers, results,
making an evaluation, or establishing a principle. I try to find enough
evidence to substantiate a thought I have, to persuade someone, or to evidence
to dissuade a group.
2. Determine Sources -
There are usually two categories of sources I use for research: Primary and Secondary. A primary source usually has first hand
knowledge of the topic I am researching.
I rely on observation, polls, questionnaires, interviews and existing
documentation. A secondary source lumps
together all the other kinds of research tools I use. These are usually books, articles, reports, brochures, and even
websites.
3. Take Notes - I am consistent and thorough in my note taking. I also ensure copyright rules and evaluate
my sources.
·
Examples of my consistency: I always
take notes the same way and on the same type of medium. Depending upon the project and setting, I
may use a note pad, index cards, a tape recorder, computer, or PDA.
·
Examples of my thoroughness: I use the
same format each time. When using book as sources, identify the author, title,
publisher, and publishing date of each source. If I use direct quotes from a
book, I indicate the exact page number.
If I cite sections of a book, I indicate the group of page numbers. I make sure I give appropriate recognition
for direct quotes. If I use a website
as a source, I identify the website owner, title, and author of any specific
information used from it. I also gather
the website address and date you found this information. If possible, I print
the article or make a screen print of the website.
·
Examples of how I ensure
copyright rules: I always check my sources for
copyright rules. If the book or website
I reference or quote requires I obtain permission first, I get it. I never assume that no one will notice.
·
Examples of how I evaluate my sources - I never accept that what
is written on the Internet is gospel.
Because the majority of research today is done via computer, I am sure
to verify sources to establish credibility and intent. I make sure that the information gathered is
fact and not someone’s personal bias. I
also ensure that the timeliness of the information is relevant to my
research. For example, if I find an
article written in 1996 that supports a theory I do not rely on it solely
without carrying out further research to ensure that more current information
is/isn’t available.
4. Organize the Facts & Ideas - Once
I've completed my research, I begin to organize everything.
·
Examples of how I organize: If I've
taken notes on index cards, I spread them out and arrange them in an order that
best suits the message you want to write.
Another way is I cut out each section of notes and then rearrange them
just like I would the index cards. If
I’ve taken notes via tape recorder, when transcribing the tape, I keep in mind
to transcribe word for word so that I won’t have to go back and listen to the
tape again. When creating my outline I
make sure I've acknowledged clear points and key ideas and placed them in
specific categories. Finally, I ensure I've created a logical order for the
reader or learner to follow that best identifies the message. Once I have a detailed outline, I begin
writing the document.
5. The
Final Review - I make sure my final review includes spelling, grammar, and
punctuation checks. I don’t rely solely on word processing software for
this. I go back to the first point in
this checklist and make sure I’ve stated my purpose clearly and supported it
thoroughly. I sometimes ask someone
else to read the document to see if they understand the purpose. If they don’t, I ask them to explain where
they are confused. I never get
defensive about criticism, for I have found it helps me to become a better
writer.
I acquired my knowledge
through a combination of experience (7+ years in technical writing), education
(48 college semester hours of English and Communications courses), and training
(corporate in-house).
My technical and business
writing samples can be viewed at: https://www.angelfire.com/home/kevsite/index.html
Daily, I write and edit
technical and business documents, online media and reports, which communicate:
system requirements, system related policies, procedures, standards, and
product features and benefits. I begin
designing the final product once I’ve determined the scope of the
documentation.
·
Examples of determining the scope of the documentation: I first determined who the audience would be. I asked questions like: Is it for a select, advanced user base? The general public? What is their level of education? Age?
Gender? Technical knowledge? From these questions, I then determined what
topics had to be covered. I considered
whether there was a need for a short tutorial or just basic information. I then determined if the steps covered
should be task-based (usually good for beginners), informational (just listing
the steps for reference), or a combination of both (usually the best way to
go). Finally, I decided what level the
language should be.
With a clearly defined scope, I then determine the best method of presentation and distribution of the documentation. To describe discrete steps for using a specific feature, I distributed documentation in the form of on-screen help topics. To describe systems rather than tasks, I distributed documentation in paper form (user manuals, white papers, release papers, etc. ). To facilitate distance learning or to give the user control over the learning experience, I distributed documentation in the form of web pages and CBT courses.
·
Examples of how I used methods of design: I employed information mapping principles which aim to provide
better upfront analysis, simplify information retrieval, allow easier document
updating and improve comprehension and performance. I did this at Hardin Construction (with ProEdit, 6/01 to 8/01)
with a user manual by organizing small, relevant units of content into a
hierarchy, and labeling each level of the hierarchy.
I acquired my abilities
through a combination of experience (7+ years in technical writing), education
(48 college semester hours of English and Communications courses), and training
(corporate in-house).
My technical and business writing
samples can be viewed at: https://www.angelfire.com/home/kevsite/index.html
Daily, I orally communicate technical and
non-technical information and concepts ranging in complexity to various
individuals and audiences (in-person and by telephone).
·
Classroom Training - I teach adult students how to use computer
hardware and applications. This requires
me to be creative and resourceful in getting information across to each student
in a way they can understand. Sometimes
I use humor and storytelling to get concepts across to them and make them
comfortable. An example was my work at
Terminix International (6/02 to 1/02).
The company was going to a brand new computer system and many of the
personnel were not technically inclined.
I had to use examples familiar to them in their daily jobs in order to
help them understand how to use the new system.
·
Radio Broadcasting - I produce and host a weekly jazz music and
interview broadcast on WRFG Atlanta, 89.3FM.
The weekly challenge for me is to entertain and hold the audience’s
attention through music selection and providing information about artists they
enjoy or have never heard before. I
often did this with live guests. I like
talking with artists and asking them questions on the air because it gave the
listeners a good feel for who the artist, making them more inclined to stay
tuned and perhaps encourage them to support the artist by buying their music or
going to see them perform.
I acquired my ability
through a combination of experience (7+ years in technical training; 2 years experience
in radio broadcasting), education (48 college semester hours of English and
Communications courses), and training (corporate in-house).
My technical and business writing
samples can be viewed at: https://www.angelfire.com/home/kevsite/index.html
