M. EILEEN COWAN

experience

Technical Writing Consultant, specializing in software user guides, technical manuals and help files. Expert in developing and linking modular software help files and using cascading style sheets (css). With modular help, customers can purchase only those modules they need or want, and online help is provided for just the software modules sold.

Typical Project

Write software user guides by running software and documenting and editing existing materials
Write custom style sheets and css to ensure uniform, customized appearance for all manuals and help files
Develop software technology manuals from developers notes and other existing materials
Ensure all copy is written in Standard English to improve readability and help with translations
Provide graphics (with callouts as needed) for screens and menus
Review with managers and developers to ensure accuracy
Provide copy in print-ready PDF or other required format
Develop modular help files with linked modules where needed (only necessary help files need to be provided for modular software)
Work with developers to provide links for context-sensitive help

Projects

Engineering Consulting Firm

Provided typical project services and supervised contractor brought in to help with manual production. Provided engineers with files needed to build context-sensitive help. Worked with changing deadlines and requirements to provide customized user guides, technology manuals and help files for seven major projects. Consulted with marketing department to ensure correct terminology was being used.

Software Engineering Firm

Organized and set up procedures and schedules necessary to provide software user’s guides and help files. Worked with graphic artist and management to develop covers and printing schedules.

Major Oil Company

Organized and supervised production of software user’s guides and help files for software being migrated from mainframe the company’s network. All hard copy and help files, including those written by subcontractors were edited and proofed to ensure accuracy and Standard English.

Updated modular help files are provided on an as-needed basis when software upgrades are released.

Software Engineering Firms

Coached technical writing team on use of specialized software used to build help files. Assisted with manuals production and helped build help file modules. Worked with management and writing team to organize and schedule production of software user’s guides for energy production software. Coached team on the use and production of modular help files for the software and taught them how to link modules so the help files could be used as a unit.

After one firm had a reduction in force, Documentation Resources produced software user’s guides and help files for new software products. Worked with engineers and development team to organize, schedule and produce necessary hard copy, PDF files and help file modules.

Other Firms

Worked with engineers at several firms to write, edit and rewrite reports, policies and procedures and operations manuals.
Wrote operations procedures for a chemical plant in Deer Park.
Wrote training materials for national organization to use for certification classes and for major oil and gas company.
Provide on-call help with MS Word and Excel problems for a major construction company. Help the company’s writers with use of specialized software for building help files.

International Architectectural and Engineering Firm (Specifications Writer and Coordinator) - Worked with architectural and engineering management, internal staff, word processing department, in-house printers and international shipping company to organize and schedule specification production, printing and shipment. This involved updating and distributing master specifications, setting schedules for critical path items, updating cover originals and obtaining personnel assignments from supervisors. Proofed and edited all specifications, worked with word processing department to ensure rapid turnaround of review copies. Scheduled printing and binding of hundreds of sets multi-volume specifications and supervised shipment to the company’s international offices.

Other responsibilities included working with outside firms to develop master electronic specifications, updating and replacement of library materials and pulling punch lists on buildings in Houston. Supervised and set up classes for architects and engineers for certification purposes and to help them use master specifications. Classes included Standard English as a translation tool for international use.

software skills

Macintosh, Windows, and UNIX operating systems; Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Visual UML, FrameMaker, RoboHelp, Doc-to-Help, Adobe Acrobat and DreamWeaver. Word and Doc-To-Help expert.

Help files can be compiled in singles file or multi-file (modular) formats. Modular help files can be linked as needed. On-line help is available in Windows formats, generic HTML, Compiled HTML and Web Help.

M. EILEEN COWAN

experience

software skills

clients

education

affiliations

certifications