Trish McDermott
2140 Peralta Blvd, Suite 206
Fremont, CA 94536-3962
(510) 794-1239

Email

Writing Sample

Objective	Contract Technical Writer/Editor for software/hardware/firmware product documentation.
Background	Over eighteen years experience writing, editing, illustrating, formatting, proofreading, and indexing task‑oriented user documentation and mainstream published books, using templates and industry-standard style guidelines. Started my own company in 1990 (then known as Desktop Effects), which specializes in user documentation for companies that require outsourced technical publications support. Key abilities include documenting products from user’s perspective, product testing, and providing usability improvement suggestions to programmers and design engineers. Also work with subject matter experts (SMEs) to collect information for describing the product and its use, using assertive language. Resolve technical content discrepancies and software bugs.
Hardware and Software	Windows-based PCs, with expertise in use of the following software tools:
	Page Layout Illustration HTML Miscellaneous	FrameMaker CorelDRAW, PhotoPaint, Visio, Illustrator, Photoshop RoboHelp, FrontPage, NetObjects Fusion Acrobat, Word, Excel, Works, PowerPoint
Project Sampling	PLX Technology, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA. Edit, rewrite, and format data books, errata, conversion documents, and other user documentation for PCI Express, PCI-X, and PCI switch and bridge (chip) products. Work with SMEs to resolve technical content conflicts.
	General Electric Vallecitos Nuclear Center, Sunol, CA. Edit, format, and rewrite documents, which include radioactive material transport package safety analysis reports, Xenon XE-133 Diagnostic brochure, and Material Laboratory Operations General Employee Training Manual.
	LumaSense Technologies, Inc. (formerly LUXTRON Corporation), Santa Clara, CA. Write and maintain user and quick start guides for various in-situ process control instruments with DOS and Windows NT user interfaces. Work with programmers to improve software usability. Products include the ThermAsset2, OPTIMA Series, and Models 790, 3100, and WTS‑22LE.
	RoboToolz, Inc., Mountain View, CA. Wrote user and/or maintenance and repair guides for professional grade, measurement tools for construction professionals. Products include RoboLaser, RoboVector, and RT-7690-2.
	Software Made Simple, Pleasanton, CA. Wrote user guides for Windows and Macintosh multimedia products. Products include CD Mania, Clinton Spoofer, Talking Icons, Wired for Sound, and Wired for Sound Pro. Edit and maintain web site, including online technical support documentation.
	Everex Communications, Fremont, CA. Wrote quick start guide for installation and use of the IntelliWAY High Performance Wireless Broadband Server, and co-wrote HTML-based help system. Tested product for usability and reported bugs to development.
	Logical Automation, Livermore, CA. Wrote user guides, as well as maintenance and troubleshooting guides. Products included LA8300 Device Inspection and Tape & Reel System, SE200 Device Programming System (see writing sample), and SD200 SanDisk POD Loader/Unloader. Worked with programmers to improve software usability.
	Immersion Corporation, San Jose, CA. Wrote user guide for VirtualHand Studio Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software for Windows 2000. Worked with programmer to resolve software bugs and improve usability. For a school project, created a RoboHelp online help system, using the user guide content as a base.
	Rebecca Smith, Fremont, CA. Provided editorial and Internet research services for Electronic Resumes & Online Networking (1999, First Edition). Reorganized book to improve usability. Rewrote “The Right Tools for the Right Web Resume” chapter, describing how to create HTML resumes using Microsoft NotePad, Word, and FrontPage Express, and staged screen captures. Provided additional research and editing services for Second Edition (2000).
	AITech International, Inc., Fremont, CA. Wrote user and/or quick start guides for image capture and scan converter products with DOS and Windows 3.1/95/NT user interfaces. Products included WaveWatcher Net-TV 98, WaveWatcher TV/PCI, AIGotcha!, Pro PC/TV 1, PC/TV AirLink, MultiPro Plus, and I-Point.
	The Internet Factory, Pleasanton, CA: Wrote user guides for Windows NT- and Windows 95-compatible web servers. Products included Communications Builder and Merchant Builder.
Education	Certificate in Technical Communications De Anza College, Cupertino, CA
	Associate of Arts Degree, Liberal Arts Minor in English, Mission College, Santa Clara, CA