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Writing projects

This page describes some of my projects:

Product brochures
Policies and procedures
Specifications
Software users' guides
System administrators' guides
Software developers' guides
Journal design
Books
Websites

Product brochures

client's work: design, manufacture, and install low-voltage assemblies; for example, motor control centres and switchboards.

requirement: prepare text for the product brochure

my role: edit the information provided by the client. The key task was to arrange the information into an effective structure.

results: my edited text provided the following benefits:

comments: as I worked on the original text, many questions came to mind — questions that wouldn't occur to experts in the subject. I referred the questions back to the client and we subsequently expanded the original text considerably.

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Policies and procedures

client's work: social services department, local authority

requirement: make policies and procedures available on an intranet

my role:

results: I introduced a system that enables the client to create effective documents and to publish them efficiently and flexibly.

comments: I designed the page layouts, defined the typographic details, and created the appropriate templates. I also wrote a guide to explain all aspects of the system I had set up.

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Specifications

client's work: steel manufacturer

requirement: edit a functional design specification for software that controls the manufacture of steel plates

my role: edit the original version of a document, which had been written by several engineers and programmers

results: my work provided information that is easy to use and easy to understand

comments: my work included:

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Software users' guides

client's work: highways department, local authority

requirement: create a users' guide for software developed using a geographical information system

my role: design and write the guide

results: as well as step-by-step procedures for tasks, I included material to explain clearly how the software relates to a user's work.

comments: The software is used by highway authorities and utility companies to coordinate street works. It stores details of the works and inspections, and displays the information on Ordnance Survey maps.


client's work: seismic exploration for the oil and gas industry

requirement: improve and extend the users' documentation for software that processes data from seismic surveys. The software is extensive and complex, providing a toolbox of modules for geophysicists.

my role:

results: I provided:

comments: for Seismic Processing Methods, I created a glossary and an index and I set up a single-source publishing process. I also helped the client to create its own documentation team.

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System administrators' guides

client's work: highways department, local authority

requirement: create a system administrators' guide for software developed using a geographical information system

my role: design and write the guide

results: my document explains how to install and configure the software, and how to set up the maps, the street gazetteer, the network of road centre-lines, and the database of engineering data

comments: the software is used by highway authorities and utility companies to coordinate street works. It stores details of the works and inspections, and displays the information on Ordnance Survey maps.

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Software developers' guides

client's work: steel manufacturer

requirement: create a reference guide for developers of process control software

my role: research, design, and write the guide

results: I made essential information available to the client's own staff and also to external suppliers

comments: researching information was a large part of my work. I created a glossary and an index; I explained many topics using a combination of text and diagrams.

The guide describes a wide range of topics; for example, system startups and shutdowns, communication between processes, communication between systems, inputs and outputs, reports, trends, and alarms.

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Journal design

client's work: professional institute for technical communicators

requirement: redesign the institute's journal

my role: identify and establish items that are regulars in every issue; design and set up the page layouts and typography for regular items and feature articles

results: I established the foundations for an impressive journal that benefits existing members and also helps promotional work. This project was very successful for the institute.

comments: my design introduced many techniques found in popular magazines while retaining an appearance suitable for a professional journal. This project was done on a voluntary basis.

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Books

client's work: professional institute for technical communicators

requirement: re-publish The Presentation of Technical Information

my role: co-editor and designer

results: the project achieved two aims:

comments: the book explores topics that must be understood by anyone who needs to communicate complex information. In particular, it explains how the human mind works when handling new information, and it shows how to compose well crafted text to deliver the information. This project was done on a voluntary basis.

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Websites

requirement: this site

my role: everything!

results: that's for you to decide but this is what I've tried to do: present information that is easy to use, easy to read, and easy to understand

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