Work Experience
Professor of Practice in Technical and Professional Writing
Associate Director—Professional Writing Program
WPI | Worcester, MA | August 2017 - Present
Develop curricula and teach writing courses for Professional Writing program in the university’s Humanities and Arts department.
- Assist in managing operations of the Professional Writing program.
- Teach practitioner skills in technical writing, business communication, and web content and tutorial development.
- Create and deliver online classes and training modules using Camtasia and learning management system.
Associate Professor of Practice—Professional and Technical Writing
Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, VA | August 2014 - May 2017
Developed curricula and taught technical writing, editing, online content, and user documentation courses for professional and technical writing program in the university’s English department.
- Taught single sourcing and structured authoring through DITA and Oxygen XML Editor.
- Taught HTML, CSS, and XML for developing online content.
- Created and delivered online classes and training modules using Captivate and learning management system.
- Wrote instructor handbook for teaching assistants and faculty to teach online technical writing course.
Sample: Instructor HandbookDocumentation Consultant
Kevin Lewis Consulting | MA, CA, and VA | May 2007 - May 2017
Worked with clients to create technical documentation, strategies, and processes. Clients and projects included:
- Electric Power Group (EPG), Pasadena, CA: Developed software documentation sets and processes and wrote online help and user guides for engineers using electrical grid monitoring system.
- Used RoboHelp to write, single source, and generate content into online help and user guides for 8 products.
- Developed documentation processes, templates, and strategies for company with no documentation team.
- Inventory Optimization Solutions (IOS), Aliso Viejo, CA: Upgraded online help platform and provided ongoing content updates to online help and quick-step guides for end users of SaaS healthcare inventory management system.
- Upgraded web-based help platform using RoboHelp and designed template for quick-step guide using Word.
- Designed and developed prototypes of web-based demos and tutorial modules using Captivate.
- Greenwave Systems, Irvine, CA: Developed product documentation sets and processes and wrote online help and user guides for administrators and end users of IoT consumer electronics and mobile apps.
- Used Dreamweaver to develop help platform that allowed business customers to brand and customize help content.
- Used RoboHelp to write help for administrators using admin tool to support consumers’ energy management systems.
- Worked with global teams and international customers to manage localization and translation of content.
- Implemented standards for consistency across documentation and UI text for company with no documentation team.
- Suzuki Motor of America, Brea, CA: Restructured online help platform for motor vehicle dealership management application.
- Used RoboHelp to restructure FlashHelp architecture to provide a more efficient and customizable online help system.
- Crescent Healthcare, Anaheim, CA: Wrote online help and user guides for administrators and end users of SaaS pharmacy application.
- Customized web-based help delivery for application built on Salesforce platform.
- Designed and developed prototype of web-based tutorial modules using Captivate.
- Developed documentation processes, templates, and strategies for company with no documentation team.
- Southern California Edison (Economic Development Services Group), Irwindale, CA: Wrote online help and user guide for end users of web-based application that helps businesses find properties for sale or lease in California.
- Used Word to design and write user guide and client’s proprietary tools to write web-based help.
- Semantic Research, San Diego, CA: Created online help infrastructure for desktop and web-based software that captures, explores, and represents knowledge and research.
- Architected a new online help system using RoboHelp and integrated it with company's source control system.
- Guided the company's documentation group through the conversion and reorganization of existing user guide content into new online help structure.
- Yahoo!, Burbank, CA: Wrote online help and architecture documentation for engineers, administrators, and end users of search advertising platform and SaaS application.
- Wrote web-based help for search advertising platform accessed by millions of Yahoo! customers and users worldwide.
- Assisted technical writers with writing system architecture documentation using FrameMaker.
- Assisted globalization managers with content localization and translation processes.
- WebVisible, Irvine, CA: Developed software documentation sets and processes and wrote online help and product documentation for engineers, administrators, and end users of search advertising platform and SaaS application.
- Wrote web-based help and search advertising guides using RoboHelp.
- Assisted developers with writing API documentation for search advertising platform’s web services.
- Developed documentation processes, templates, and strategies for company with no documentation team.
- BioDot, Irvine, CA: Overhauled product documentation for medical engineers to use tools for research, development, and commercialization of diagnostic tests.
- Used Word to design new format and templates for online and hardcopy publications.
- Iron Mountain, Boston, MA: Worked with company's executive chairman to write a vision document for his information archiving and discovery strategy.
- Gartner, Stamford, CT: Worked as subcontractor for company's primary vendor to review transcripts from interviews Gartner conducted with IT executives and then converted the interview content into written case studies.
Manager, Technical Documentation
Iron Mountain Digital (Formerly Connected) | Southborough, MA | June 2001 - March 2006
Supervised team of 7 technical writers to deliver documentation for administrators and end users of data-backup software and administration tools that spanned multiple desktop, server, and SaaS applications.
- Mapped group’s direction, designed infrastructure for deliverables, and guided group in setting project goals.
- Developed strategy to automate and sell customized documentation to business partners.
- Managed integration of technical writers and documentation deliverables during company acquisition.
- Coordinated localization and translation of product documentation.
- Led company’s efforts to create and implement corporate standards for documentation and UI text.
- Used FrameMaker, Word, WebWorks, and RoboHelp to write manuals, online help, and knowledgebase articles.
Technical Writer (Temporary Contract)
Jitia Software | Cambridge, MA | March 2001 - May 2001
Wrote product documentation for analysts and end users of decision-making software that helped its users perform system dynamics modeling.
- Developed and deployed hardcopy and online documentation including a reference manual, getting started guide, tutorial, and online help system.
- Assessed documentation needs, determined documentation deliverables, and managed the documentation project for company with no documentation team.
Principal Technical Writer
PrimeStreet | Boston, MA | January 2001 - February 2001
Wrote product documentation for engineers and administrators of SaaS platform that enabled online lending for small businesses.
- Planned, wrote, and edited installation, administration, and architectural documents.
- Developed documentation processes, assessed documentation needs, and implemented documentation strategies.
Principal Technical Writer
HighPoint Systems | Lexington, MA | January 2000 - January 2001
Wrote online help and guides for administrators and end users of repeat-order e-commerce platform and consumer apps.
- Used RoboHelp and Word to write installation manuals, administration guides, product datasheets, and online help.
- Implemented documentation strategies and established corporate standards for documentation and UI text.
- Supervised personnel involved in the development of documentation and training material.
- Created documentation templates and provided design and editing feedback for corporate website.
Lead Technical Writer and Course Developer
IDX Systems (Acquired by GE Healthcare) | Boston, MA | September 1996 - January 2000
Wrote product documentation and created training material and systems to support data warehousing, relational reporting, and patient management applications for healthcare industry.
- Used FrameMaker, Word, Doc-to-Help, and RoboHelp to write user guides, installation manuals, and online help.
- Designed and integrated computer-based training, multimedia, and dynamic database content with online help.
- Wrote message boxes for software applications and assisted with UI design.
- Trained writers on RoboHelp and JavaHelp, mentored interns, and moderated round-table discussions for meetings.
- Researched, planned, and designed web framework for company’s online university.
- Conducted focus groups and meetings to determine online university’s design.
- Wrote functional specifications and implemented design specifications for online university.
- Assisted trainers with the design and development of computer and web-based training systems.