Curriculum Vitae

Personal Details

Address: 25 Newman Avenue, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 7LE.

Mobile: 07910 452651

Email: mark@markgallagher.co.uk

Summary

I am an experienced technical author, producing manuals and help files to support hardware and software products. These are publishing via CD, DVD, websites, and as part of software application. I have worked extensively both as a sole author managing all aspects of the documentation process and as a member of a documentation team.

Job History

Senior Web & Technical Author - Avaya (March 1992 to Current)

Working for the small/medium enterprise division of a telephony hardware and software manufacturer. Initially this was as the sole technical author for the division and also included both documentation and application interface translation. My role then moved to be part of a global team providing technical documentation services to the whole company.

The documentation is distributed as part of applications, on DVD, and through a number of company product support websites.

I also work regularly supporting other engineering functions as part of the internal product testing, customer field trial support, and through product design and bug review teams.

Authoring tools currently used on a regular basis are Help and Manual, Tridion DITA, Adobe Acrobat and Visio.

Technical Author - Crosfield De La Rue (October 1987 to February 1992)

Producing user and installation manuals for control systems used with large printing presses in the packaging and newspaper industry. Responsible for all the company manuals, translation of those manuals and liaison with the manual printers.

Test Technician - British Standards Institution (September 1986 to September 1987)

Testing electrical equipment and components to a variety of national and international standards. This testing was done on behalf of both product manufacturers and for trading standards authorities. The work included both passive and destructive tests and the writing of test reports.

Nursing Assistant - South Hertfordshire Health Authority (June 1986 to August 1986)

Performing general nursing duties on secure psychiatric unit for adult male residents at Leavesden Hospital near Watford.

Student - Bath University (September 1983 to June 1986)

See Education & Qualifications.

Nursing Assistant – Norfolk Health Authority (July 1982 to August 1983)

Performing general nursing duties on a psychiatric unit for adults at Little Plumstead Hospital in Norfolk.

Software Experience

Producing text and drawings for product documentation output as help, Acrobat and HTML files. Context sensitive help files for applications in WinHelp (.hlp), HTMLHelp (.chm) and Javahelp (.jar) formats. Also producing context sensitive HTML for use with server based applications accessed via web browser.

•Help Authoring Tools
Currently Help and Manual, Microsoft HTML Help Workshop and Trisoft DITA XML.
Previous experience with RoboHelp, Doc2Help, Word and Ventura.

•Web Editing
Direct HTML editing - HTML4, HTML5. Adaption of JavaScript, PHP, Ajax and CSS stylesheets. Website search engine creation using Zoom Search.

•Graphics
Visio, Paint, Paint.NET.

•Other Software
Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Access, Word, PowerPoint). Tortoise SVN for publishing into application version control system. Confluence and JIRA as part of Agile software development process.

•Other Skills
Regularly setup and testing of beta hardware and software on a variety of operating systems and platforms. CD and DVD creation.

Education & Qualifications

BSc. (Hons) Engineering (June 1986)

At University of Bath. Mechanical Engineering Degree specialising in product design, vibrations, structures and mechanics.

A-Levels (July 1982)

Mathematics (A), Physics (B), Engineering Design (C).

O-Levels (July 1980)

Mathematics (A), Integrated Science A (A), Integrated Science B (A), Technical Drawing (A), English (B), Engineering Science (B), Geography (B), Design & Technology (B), French (C), History (C).

Other Qualifications

•Full driving license.

Hobbies & Activities

•Science Fiction Reading
Keen reader of science fiction, fact, and fantasy.

•Cycling
Keen cycle tourist. Regularly assist as a cycle mechanic and general helper on organised cycle holidays.