Technical Writer, Help-System Designer and Ruby-on-Rails Web Developer. Eight years' experience writing customer-facing software documentation and developer-facing API / integration guides, and now two years coding with Ruby, Rails, JavaScript, HTML and CSS, and a touch of React around the edges.
- Built the back-end to three separate internal systems, and the front-end to one.
- Created, from scratch, many Ruby on Rails applications, both as side projects and for internal company use.
- One internal app in particular is in near constant use, by 40 employees every day.
- Understanding and use of TDD using RSpec.
- Comfortable in the terminal and using Vim.
- Created, from scratch, many help systems using a variety of Technical Writing packages.
- Written many, many technical User Guides, Campaign Briefs, Doc Specs, API Guides, Help Systems/Servers, HTML helps etc. etc.
- Been part of teams that have completely redesigned existing help systems to focus on user-engagement, multiple outputs or converting to DITA methodologies.
- Completed Makers Academy, an intensive 12 week coding course that allows people without a coding background to get to the stage where they can test-drive the development of web apps.
- Code Club: having completed the course above, I ran monthly code meetups for non-technical staff at North Highland, and Talent Point, providing insight into their developers' workflow and a basis in JavaScript and Rails.
- Ruby
- Rails (+ Active Record, ActionCable etc.)
- JavaScript
- BEM
- HTML/CSS
- Heroku
- Vim
- Familiar with React.js
Both in a team, using Jira in an Agile environment, and working solo, including owning my own LTD for contracting purposes. Communicated with stakeholders, ran usability testing, liased with developers about features, and completed release notes and all documentation for many software products.
- Created documentation in Wordpress with DITA methodologies, as the sole technical author of Netbiscuits, a mobile analytics company.
Having used a multitude of technologies to create technical documentation, I have somehow acquired a genuine interest in learning new ways to deliver help content:
- Madcap Flare, in which I am certified, focusing on content reuse for multiple outputs using single-sourcing, context-sensitive help and variables.
- Also proficient in Adobe Robohelp, a Help Authoring Tool similar to Flare.
- HTML solutions including FlatDoc and Fixie Docs.
- Backend CMS solutions like Jekyll, Wordpress or XSL/XML using DITA.
- Recently, using Github pages and simple Markdown to create developer-facing Github readmes (like this one!).
- Very familiar with Git and other version control systems.
- Will use Vim whenever anyone lets me.
- Learnt to code over 12 weeks
- Dedicated to Test Driven Development, Behaviour Driven Development, Object Orientated Programing.
- Wrote about my experiences in a light-hearted way via this blog: medium.com/@harxy
- English and American Literature, BA
- 11 GCSEs, A-C
- 3 A-Levels, A-C + General Studies
Technical Communications Manager and Ruby Developer
- Client-facing / relationship building.
- Creating Technical Campaign briefs based on client requirements and skills availability in the market.
- Web Development and App building (building apps as required / helping with website changes etc).
- Helping with processes/kanban etc.
Associate Software Engineer
- Junior Ruby/Rails developer.
- Worked in XP environment, Agile++
- Exclusively pair-programming, TDD, CI/CD.
Sole Technical Writer
- Sole Technical Writer working between England and developers in Germany.
- Balanced product documentation encompassing marketing-related material and technical implementation guides.
- Moved entire knowledge base from locally hosted wiki to Wordpress.
- Used DITA, XML stylesheets and git version control.
Sole Technical Writer
- Created the CMS HTML help guide from scratch, now used as the sole documentation for the product worldwide.
- Created searchable HTML API documentation for the Perform Group API.
- Conducted training for publishing/writing teams of the CMS system.
- Conducted usability studies for the CRM system before it was launched.
Consultant Technical Writer
- Contract technical author documenting user-facing Medicinal Workflow software.
Technical Writer as part of a large team
Technical Helpdesk Engineer
Runner, Squash and Cricket player, lover of games in most forms, wannabe productivity-app developer, write less than I'd like, occasional beer drinker.