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 and printed documentation from three recent projects.
Coast Capital Savings Credit Union 2010
This project involved writing end user documentation for the Coast Capital Savings implementation of the Temenos T24 banking system. It was an exciting project. As documentation lead, I worked with the developers to create a Coast-specific context-sensitive online help system that no other Temenos clients have ever developed. The help is delivered using an innovative web-based methodology, which is possibly also the first of its kind. To the best of my knowledge, I was the first technical writer in Vancouver with experience with the Temenos T24 banking system. I trained another writer, and she has trained a third! And so it goes. The diagram above shows how staff can click an icon in the software to open help for that screen. The help topic has links to related information on the company intranet.
In addition to developing context-sensitive online help for this software, I also created attractive quick reference materials to help banking staff on Go Live day. I designed a Quick Reference Guide and a business card sized Quick Reference Card. The personalized Quick Reference Card can be distributed to staff during training, used while they practice in the software, and carried with them to remind staff of what to do on Go Live day. The front of the card has sign in instructions, and is personalized with the staff member’s log in ID. The back of the card, displayed here, shows staff how to get help if they need it. All of the quick reference topics in the printed guide are also accessible online from a folder in their Favorites list in Internet Explorer. They are also available in the online help, and from the Start Menu.
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 users’ 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.
