Suzanne O. Richards

5901 Broadway #7

Oakland, CA 94618

510-708-2989 cell

french7suzi@yahoo.com

 

 

URL

www.oocities.org/french7suzi

Summary Statement

 

A Technical Writer/Instructional Designer whose major strengths are writing and designing both technical and non-technical material with a creative spin. Additional skills in task analysis, team leadership, and global communication.  Cited as a high-energy person who is self-motivated and ambitious.

 

Skills

 

  • Dreamweaver
  • Visio
  • SnagIt
  • Photoshop
  • HTML
  • JavaScript
  • FrameMaker
  • Web Works
  • SourceSafe

 

 

  • Microsoft Office Package
  • Quark
  • NT Exchange Server (networking concepts)
  • Outlook (end-user and configuration)
  • MS Project 98
  • Paint Shop Pro

 

 

 

 

 

Professional Experience

 

VerticalNet Solutions, San Francisco, CA

Instructional Designer/Technical Writer

(2001)

 

Assess, with developers, current documentation for VNS eMarketplace Suite 3.0.5, and revise documents in FrameMaker, and PowerPoint.   Analyze relevance of old documentation and business flows.  Design query diagrams in Visio, and collect API documentation.

            Projects:

ü      ü      C2 Suite 101 Training—Managed and delivered training on the C2 Server, stateless server that handles queries for VNS’s vertical market software product.  Also managed the taping and transfer of the training presentation for upload to the web.

ü      ü      C2 Suite 102 Training and Deployment—Managed and delivered the more technical level of the C2 Server.

ü      ü      3.0.6 Documentation—Wrote and updated eMarketplace Suite documentation for VNS’s 3.0.6 documentation release in Framemaker.  Managed delivery to printer and layout of book.  Converted all documents to PDF and delivered to printer.

 

Oracle Corporation, Redwood Shores, CA

Technical Writer (Contract)

(2000-2001)

 

Assessed with SMEs the relevance and validity of the documentation for the Oracle CRM solution, and updated the materials in Framemaker and Webworks.  Developed Visio documents outlining flow charts and component integration.

ü      ü      Traveled alone to Reston, VA to oversee the document change and update after only two weeks on the job

 

Brigade Corporation, San Francisco, CA

Global Instructional Designer

(1999-2000)

 

Assessed client training needs.  Developed and designed account training from such products as M2card, Pagoo Phone©, eVoice, Octane 2000© and eGain Live in Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and HTML according to client specifications.  Developed and designed Customer Support training in Dreamweaver in order to implement the new chat Support service.  Facilitated account training globally, doing both train-the-trainer sessions via Webex, and local facilitation in the classroom for the SF reps.

 

ü      ü      Since its inception, the Brigade Chat component has snared two new accounts

 

ü      ü      Designed and implemented Account recognition program for eVoice, which resulted in a 15% quality increase in three weeks.

 

ü      ü      Facilitated beta-test of the Pagoo training with the Pagoo project manager and his contractor group in order to bring them up to speed.  The successful training resulted in renewed client confidence in Brigade, increased client product knowledge, and resolved client concerns.

 

Robertson Stephens, San Francisco, CA

Trainer/Document Specialist (1999 contract)

 

Planned and wrote a help guide for US Clearing, IE 4.x and Netscape for banker end users.  Provided technical support for Office Suite, including advising executives on the best application for their particular tasks.  Trained new hires on Excel, Outlook, NT, and remote user procedures.

 

ü      ü      Facilitated a Excel three hour training session of 80+ users with excellent reviews

 

ü      ü      Our diligent documentation of US Clearing’s banking application revealed its inherent inadequacies, therefore resulting in the decision to go with a stronger product prior to launch instead of later.

 

Prior

 

Northwestern Polytechnic University, Fremont, CA

English Instructor (1997-1998)

 

Taught computer science students ESL and essay writing at the university level.  Graded essays and papers, planned syllabus and reading material, chose books, counseled students on their progress, and computed grades.

 

ü        Received above average student evaluation during course of employment

 

 

New Horizon’s Computer Learning Center, San Francisco, CA

Trainer (1998-1999)

 

Taught all-day classes on the following software:  MS Project 98, MS Word 7 and 97, MS Excel 7 and 97, MS PowerPoint 7 and 97, Outlook 98, Quark, Windows NT, ACT! 4.0, Lotus Notes, Quattro Pro, WordPerfect, Access 7 and 97 on both a Mac and Windows platform.  Developed courseware plans and exercises as needed.  Troubleshot and consulted as needed.

 

Maintained student evaluations of >90% during course of employment

Education

 

BA, English, University of California, Davis

 

MFA, English/Creative Writing, San Diego State University

 

Darryl Sink’s Instructional Developer Workshop, Levels One and Two

 

Fred Pryor Project Management Workshop

 

Introduction to SQL—HTML Writer’s Guild

 

Java for Entry Level Programmers--Sun