Portfolio
As a Vancouver-based technical writer, I have been creating technical documentation since 1993. I have quite a diverse range of technical writing samples in my portfolio, including some great printed books and other materials that I can show you in person. This page provides samples of online documentation from three different projects.
Rockwell Automation 2009
My most recent technical writing project for Rockwell Automation was to update a documentation set consisting of over 20,000 files, 7 user’s guides, 20 help projects, and 5 product inserts. I completed the updates in 9 months.
The product’s comprehensive documentation is highly regarded by the end users, and is a key selling point for the software. In addition to updating the documentation with the new features and changes for the current release, I converted all of the files to the latest versions of FrameMaker and RoboHelp.
Some of the documentation was over 25 years old, and many different technical writers worked on the product over the years, resulting in a mix of writing styles, outdated language usage, and inconsistent formatting. Since there wasn’t time in the contract for me to do a thorough edit of the documentation, I provided the client with a list of recommendations for bringing the documentation in line with current company and industry technical writing standards.
Here are some pieces from the documentation set.
Installation insert: Arena Software Installation
Manual describing how to use the product with a third-party product called OptQuest:
OptQuest for Arena User’s Guide
I can show you the help projects and full manual set when we meet in person.
Rockwell Automation 2008
Installing server – before.pdf Installing server – after.pdf
I rewrote the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server installer section, which is part of a very complicated installation process. The tasks were somewhat buried within the main body text, and it wasn’t clear when the user needed to do something. I pulled the tasks out of the paragraphs where they were buried and put them into numbered steps.
Version B – FactoryTalk AssetCentre Installation Guide.pdf
Version B of the Installation Guide is the “before” version. Notice that the bookmarks don’t show the chapter numbers. (Open the bookmarks pane in your browser.) Also check out the word wrapping on Page iii of the table of contents.
Version D - FactoryTalk AssetCentre Installation Guide.pdf
Version D is the “after” version. I added the chapter numbers to the bookmarks pane to make it easier for readers to orient themselves in the book. I also changed the page numbering in the .pdf file to match the page numbers in the book. It can be very confusing for readers when there are two different numbering sequences. I also cleaned up the formatting of the table of contents.
Other technical writing work on this book included revising material for a new release of software and updating text to conform to the company’s style guidelines.
Version C – FactoryTalk AssetCentre Installation Guide.pdf
Version C was an intermediate patch release. I learned about the patch when I got back from vacation on September 2, and completed the revisions, put it out for review, and prepared the final .pdf by September 12. I also still completed Version D ahead of schedule.
Diamond Dust 2005
DD Fall 05 – before.pdf DD Fall 05 – after.pdf
The Diamond Dust is the newsletter for a spiritual work school. I volunteered on the editorial team from 2005 to 2008. This is the first issue I worked on with the team, in the Fall of 2005. The before and after versions show how I redesigned the layout that the new layout editor had created. I wanted to give a more open, spacious look to the pages.
I wrote interviews and a regular column for this international newsletter with readership of about 550. I performed layout edits, copyedits, and proofreading. I trained others on the team in layout and editing skills. I created a Word template, style guidelines, and other procedural guidelines. The team consisted of about nine editors in three countries. We produced the newsletter by holding one phone meeting per issue, and the rest of our communications were by email.
