Russell Whitmire
1016 Hood Rd. - Fayetteville, Georgia 30214
(770) 460-5446 - rwhi2614@hotmail.com - http://russellwhitmire.yolasite.com
Senior Technical Writer
Accomplished Technical Writer professional experienced in developing documentation and manuals throughout the software development lifecycle. Gather information by interviewing various audiences such as programmers, analyst, technical support staff, project managers, IT security staff, end users, etc. and develop system documentation, user documentation, and standard operating procedures using Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Power Point, Microsoft Project, Visio, Paint Shop Pro, and Adobe Products. Provide specific input to Project Managers, Business Analysts and Technical Architects in regard to project direction/approach, deliverables, timelines, and resource needs, etc. Help to facilitate clear channels of communications between all business entities and IT. An effective, consistent producer with more than 12 years of applicable work experience.
Skill sets include:
§ Able to be flexible and adapt quickly to changing priorities
§ Able to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations
§ Able to speak effectively present information and respond to questions from Project Manager, CIO and development team
§ Able to work in a collaborative environment
§ Able to work independently and complete tasks on time and with accuracy
§ Able to write reports and business correspondence
§ Able to write technical manuals and user manuals for software applications
§ Create, apply, and revise templates as necessary
§ Customer Service, Training and Support
§ Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
§ Excellent oral and written communicator
§ Expert in many industry-standard development tools and understand industry initiatives such as content management, single sourcing, xml, controlled English
§ Guide the work of other project contributors, oversee the completion of and coordination of all deliverables
§ Implementation and Conversion Management
§ Information Architecture
§ Information Mapping
§ Interview subject-matter experts, attend project meetings, manage project hours, and recommend documentation improvements
§ Learn quickly when facing new problems, open to change and analyze both successes and failures in order to always improve
§ Participate as a leader of design and development of documentation presentation and distribution systems
§ Produce clear and concise documentation for proprietary, web-based, database-driven mission critical applications
§ Protect intellectual property during development and dissemination of documentation
§ Retrieve, organize, analyze and synthesize complex subject matter and transforms it into easy-to-understand information for specific audiences
§ Solid Presentation and Public Speaking Skills
§ Strategic Planning and Product Roadmap
§ Team Leadership and Management
§ User Experience and Interface
§ Write, edit and revise documentation for all stages of the software development lifecycle
Professional Experience
Dogwood Professional Solutions Inc., Fayetteville, Georgia November 2008 – July 2009
Senior Technical Writer (Contractor)
Responsible for developing documentation and manuals throughout the software development lifecycle. Gather information by interviewing various audiences such as programmers, analyst, technical support staff, project managers, IT security staff, end users, etc. and developed system documentation, user documentation, and standard operating procedures using Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Power Point, Microsoft Project, Visio, Paint Shop Pro, and Adobe Products
Accomplishments
§ Develop Methods of Procedures, Service Level Agreements, User Guides, Computer Based Training, and Training Manuals
§ Deliver work product to the Technical Architects that was used to design software
§ Edit and approve all documentation
BCD TRAVEL, Atlanta, Georgia , June 2007 – November 2008
Senior Technical Writer (Contractor)
Responsible for producing documentation of six strategic, proprietary portal technologies designed to provide 200+ mid to large market customers personalized self-service environments, improved communications channels, productivity tools and compliance-based cost savings. Documentation for Portal Web System: Admin Guide, Host Guide, User Guide, Technical Discussion Document for sales team, How to Guides, Computer Based Training, and Interactive Help for the Portal.
Accomplishments
§ Lead, train, and supervise a core team of 4 technical writers responsible for product content, consulting, conversion, documentation, implementation, planning, scheduling, support, and training tasks with a 100% on-time delivery record
§ Edit and approve all documentation
§ Develop dynamic partnerships with executive stakeholders, customers and third-party content and solutions providers
§ Develop cost effective, forward-thinking business, product, strategy and marketing requirement documents
§ Define the user experience by working with information architects and graphic artists/designers. Deliverables include business requirement, use case, storyboard, wireframe, style guide, and composition assets
§ Formulate product contract, privacy policy, terms of service/use, pricing models and service level agreements
§ Deliver work product to the technical architects that was used to design software
§ Serve as editorial board member for internal and external customer publications
§ Design and conduct 100+ personal interviews with business and industry leaders
DoLat Inc, Stockbridge, Georgia June 2004 – June 2007
Senior Technical Writer, Manager (Contractor)
Responsible for producing and managing documentation and manuals throughout the software development lifecycle. Gathered information by interviewing various audiences such as programmers, analyst, technical support staff, project managers, IT security staff, end users, etc. and developed system documentation, user documentation, and standard operating procedures using Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Power Point, Microsoft Project, Visio, Paint Shop Pro, and Adobe Products.
Accomplishments
§ Lead, train, and supervise a core team of 26 professionals responsible for product content, consulting, conversion, documentation, implementation, planning, scheduling, support, and training tasks with a 100% on-time delivery record
§ Edit and approve all documentation
§ Define the user experience by working with information architects and graphic artists/designers. Deliverables include business requirement, use case, storyboard, wireframe, style guide, and composition assets
§ Deliver work product to the technical architects that was used to design software
§ Develop Methods of Procedures, User Guides, Computer Based Training, and Training Manuals
§ Design and conduct 500+ personal interviews with business and industry leaders
Unisource, Atlanta, Georgia November 2003 – June 2004
Senior Technical Writer (Contractor)
Responsible for documenting all stages of Unisource as it separated from Georgia Pacific and became its own Company. Documented the Unisource design network and created team website.
Accomplishments
§ Edit and approve all documentation
§ Develop dynamic partnerships with executive stakeholders, customers and third-party content and solutions providers
§ Develop cost effective, forward-thinking business, product, strategy and marketing requirement documents
§ Formulate product contract, privacy policy, terms of service/use, pricing models and service level agreements
§ Deliver work product to the technical architects that was used to design software
§ Modify the Rational Unified Process to fit the needs and culture of the organization, and still maintain the core processes and functionality
§ Develop documentation for networking environment. Experience with Windows NT, Windows XP, Novel, UNIX and Linux
Commerce Bank, Kansas City, Missouri December 2002 – October 2003
Senior Technical Writer (Contractor)
Develop the I.T. Operations Manual and Style Guide throughout the software development lifecycle for bank operations.
Accomplishments
§ Lead core team of 1 technical writer and 1 business analyst responsible for bank networking and systems documentation
§ Edit and approve all documentation
§ Modify the Rational Unified Process to fit the needs and culture of the organization, and still maintain the core processes and functionality
§ Develop documentation for networking environment. Experience with Windows NT, Windows XP, Novel, UNIX and Linux
Pioneer Services, Kansas City, Missouri February 2002 – December 2002
Senior Technical Writer (Contractor)
Develop the Atlas User Guide and Style Guide throughout the software development lifecycle for the Atlas System that replaced most existing Pioneer Systems to better streamline processes.
Accomplishments
§ Modify the Rational Unified Process to fit the needs and culture of the organization, and still maintain the core processes and functionality
§ Create Methodology process documentation in order to integrate the organizations customized version of the Rational Unified Process so that the process can become repeatable and tunable by using Rational rose and UML. Provide input to process engineers in regard to the modification of the Rational Unified Process
§ Responsible for producing and maintaining quality of end user information, including writing and maintaining web-based help files and support documentation by using RoboHelp and RoboInfo Publisher
§ Create and maintain online training manuals and courses by using IntraLearn Software. Worked within the project team to extract product information from technical specifications. Ensuring all materials needed was accessible and up to date
§ Deliver work product to the Technical Architects that was used to design software
§ Edited/proofread business documents and system use cases
Sprint, Overland Park, Kansas July 2001 – December 2001
Technical Writer III (Contractor)
Published and maintained quality to end user information for Service Level Agreements, Methods of Procedures, User Guides, and Training Manuals. Researched all project needs and implemented them into standard documentation. Transferred Word documents into Adobe and HTML files and uploaded to web.
Accomplishments
§ Responsible for producing and maintaining quality of end user information, including writing and maintaining web-based help files and support documentation by using RoboHelp and RoboInfo Publisher
§ Delivered work product to the Technical Architects that was used to design software
§ Edit/proofread business documents
U.S. Coast Guard, Topeka, Kansas April 1997 – April 2001
Technical Writer E-4 (Active Duty Military)
Published and maintained Coast Guard publications and manuals, which can be referenced at the HRSIC Web Site at http://www.uscg.mil/hr/psc/library.asp.
Accomplishments and Professional Training in Coast Guard
§ Coast Guard Human Resources Administration - June 98 to August 98
§ 1998-2000 - New Horizons Computer Learning Center, Overland Park, KS: Successfully completed beginning, intermediate, and advance levels in: MS Front Page 2000, HyperText Markup Language, MS Publisher 2000, MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Adobe Illustrator, PageMaker, PhotoShop, and Information Mapping
§ 3-day Course in Adobe Acrobat
§ Information Mapping: 3-day course in developing user-focused documentation by making complex information easy to use. Developing procedures, policies and documentation through analyzing, organizing and presenting written information clearly
§ Total Quality Management (TQM) Facilitator: 4-day course in helping teams progress toward completing their assigned tasks through the use of TQM tools, disciplined problem-solving methods, quality awareness and improvement techniques
§ Leadership and Management Seminar (L.A.M.S. training): 5-day course in strengthening leadership and management skills
Education And Professional Development
DeVry University, Atlanta, Georgia June 2003 – December 2003
DeVry University, Kansas City, Missouri June 2001 – June 2003
Bachelor's Degree, Networking Communications Management / GPA – 3.6
Skills Summary:
Throughout the DeVry Networking Communications Management program, I gained valuable experience in using a broad array of voice-and-data communications equipment; designing local and wide area global networks; working with a wide variety of computer hardware and software; and effectively communicating with computer-technology specialists. DeVry's laboratory exercises are constantly being revised to provide practical application of learning using a wide range of technology tools.
Technical Expertise
Envisioned, created and managed documentation utilizing the following concepts, technologies and methodologies:
§ Adobe Creative Suite
§ Agile Application Development
§ AJAX
§ API
§ Apple Safari
§ ASP
§ ASP.Net
§ C#
§ DotNetNuke
§ Elementool
§ Enterprise Service Bus
§ ERP
§ HTML
§ Information Mapping
§ Internet Explorer
§ JavaScript
§ Joint Application Development
§ Microsoft Office
§ Mozilla Firefox
§ Oracle Forms
§ Oracle Reports
§ PeopleSoft
§ RAD components
§ Rapid Application Development
§ Rational Rose
§ Rational Unified Process
§ SAP
§ SDK
§ Software as a Service
§ Software Oriented Architecture
§ SourceForge
§ SQL Server 2005
§ UML
§ Visual Source Safe
§ XML
§ XML Web services
REFERENCES Supplied by Request
