Overview

• Over 10 years experience technical writing (software manuals, online help, healthcare, SOPs)
• Experience working with Agile development teams
• DITA, ID Workbench, FrameMaker, RoboHelp, Acrobat, WebWorks Publisher, Word, Visio, XML
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Classroom instruction experience
• Excellent project management skills
• Experience with healthcare research, electrical distribution networks, systems management
• Short learning curve for new technologies, style guides, processes
• Programming skills include JavaScript, Perl, UNIX shell scripting, and XSLT

Professional experience

Technical Writer

Advanced Instructional Systems, Inc., DBA WebAssign

12/2008-present (first 6 months as contractor)

1791 Varsity Dr. #200, Raleigh, NC 27606

(919) 829-8181

Led conversion of FrameMaker documentation to DITA. Created DITA Open Toolkit plugins for PDF and help customizations. Wrote topic-based help and user guides for the WebAssign online homework system. Completely rewrote and expanded WebAssign Creating Questions Guide with a task-based orientation. Collaborated with user experience team on user interface text.

See WebAssign Student Help and WebAssign Instructor Help.

Technical Writer

CTG, Inc., contracted to IBM

5/2005 - 11/2008

3039 Cornwallis Rd., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

(919) 337-1351

Wrote topic-based content for the IBM Director systems management software in DITA and IBM IDDoc. Built Eclipse information-center, PDF, and HTML help deliverables using ID Workbench and Ant-based transformations. Maintained style guide for the IBM Director information development team. Served as backup to the team lead.

Technical Writer

TekSystems, Inc., contracted to Sealy, Inc. (IT Department)

4/2005 - 5/2005

One Office Pkwy., Trinity, NC 27370

(336) 861-3919

Wrote IT security policy/SOP documents for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, updated internal policies website, and created templates and publishing process for future SOPs and policies.

Technical Writer

T-P-S Inc., contracted to ABB

2003 - 2005

8396 Six Forks Rd. #204, Raleigh, NC 27615

(919) 460-9644

Updated and expanded the seven user guides, training materials and two online help systems for the CADOPS, netCADOPS and FeederAll software for modeling electrical distribution networks.

Technical Writer

Make Systems, Inc. (now OpNet Technologies)

2000 - 2001

200 Regency Forest Dr. #150, Cary, NC 27511

(919) 461-2445

Updated and expanded web-based help and PDF documentation of the NetMaker network modeling tool.

Associate Program Mgr. for Computer Organization

UPBEAT Program, VA Greater LA Healthcare System & UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center

1996 - 2000

11301 Wilshire Blvd. (116S), Los Angeles, CA 90073

(310) 268-4000

Provided technical writing, administrative, and computer support to a nine-site national VA demonstration project assessing the benefits of psychogeriatric screening, intervention, and follow-up in over 2500 elderly veterans.

Teacher / Graduate Student

English Department, University of Denver

1994 - 1996

2140 South Race, Denver, CO 80208

(303) 871-2266

Taught first-year undergraduate English core curriculum classes focusing on expository writing and research skills; facilitated computer writing labs.

Education

• Graduate Study, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
• BA in English, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky

Awards, publications, and presentations

• Presentation, “Brushing your teeth with DITA” at the DITA 2006 Conference, March, 2006.
• Honorable Mention, 2002 Randall Jarrell/Harperprints Poetry Chapbook Competition
• Royer CM, Dickson-Fuhrmann E, McDermott CH, Taylor S, Rosansky JS, Jarvik LF. 2000. Portraits of change: case studies from an elder-specific addiction program. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry & Neurology 13(3): 130-3.
• Schonfeld L, Dupree LW, Dickson-Fuhrmann E, Royer CM, McDermott CH, Rosansky JS, Taylor S, Jarvik LF. 2000. Cognitive-behavioral treatment of older veterans with substance abuse problems. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry & Neurology 13(3): 124-9.
• Peer-reviewed research poster presentations at professional conferences (1997-2000): UCLA Research Conference on Aging, Gerontological Society of America, International Psychogeriatric Association, American Psychiatric Association
• National Merit Scholar, 1988

Contact information

1119 Ivy Lane, Cary, NC 27511 • (919) 744-6829 • shane@taylortext.com

References

Available on request.