Mike Starr Resume 694 1319R2

User Manual: 694

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Summary
Functions and specialties
Professional experience
Education
Memberships
Publications
Software

Mike Starr Page 1

8920 Wilmot Road, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin 53158 (262) 694-1028

mike@writestarr.com http://www.writestarr.com

Summary

I'm a senior-level technical writer with extensive experience creating print and online documentation for a variety of

high-tech products (both hardware and software). I’m highly skilled with Microsoft Word and have developed

numerous templates with VBA/macro document automation. I also have experience as an editor, web developer,

graphic designer and I'm also an expert desktop publisher, able to work with any desktop publishing package. I don't

need much, if any, handholding. Some writers need a programmer or engineer to sit down with them and guide them

through the process or write the first draft, but I have enough background and experience to just go ahead and do it

myself. Give me the product, I'll write the documentation.

Functions and specialties

 Documentation

 Technical writing

 Custom Microsoft Word templates

 Desktop publishing

 Technical editing

 Graphic design

 Online help

 Website design

 GUI design/usability

Professional experience

Technical Writer 5/2015 – 4/2017 Mastech

 Full-time telecommute. Created online help and quick reference guides for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Boston,

Massachusetts) HMH Player, myWriteSmart, and myNotebook products using Adobe RoboHelp, Adobe Acrobat

Professional, Jira, SnagIT, Paint Shop Pro, Microsoft Visio, and Microsoft Word.

 Participated in Agile daily standup meetings using Microsoft Skype for Business.

 Project designer and lead for a Jira project for HMH Player documentation.

Technical Writer 11/2014 – 1/2015 Farenheit IT

 Full-time telecommute. Revised and maintained internal policies and procedures for WellPoint/Anthem

(Indianapolis, Indiana) using Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft SharePoint.

 SharePoint administrator for internal SharePoint site.

Technical Writer 5/2014 – 8/2014 Hi-Tech Solutions

 Documented anti-money laundering processes for BMO Harris Bank (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) using Microsoft

Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft SharePoint.

 Created and maintained Microsoft Word template for AML documents.

Instructional Designer/Technical Writer 1/2014 – 3/2014 ProSoft

 Entirely telecommute. Updated, edited, and recreated training documents for Northwestern Mutual Insurance

(Franklin, Wisconsin) using Microsoft Word.

Lead Technical Writer 11/2012 – 5/2013 Bard na nGlean

 Full-time telecommute. Created and updated user manuals for Cisco Systems Intelligent Automation for Cloud

products using Adobe FrameMaker, Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Acrobat, and Microsoft SharePoint.

 Published content to cisco.com using Documentum Web Publisher.

 Accessed agile user stories and tasks using Rally.

 Participated in daily standups using Cisco WebEx Connect and Cisco Jabber.

 Created Microsoft Word template using Microsoft Word for developer-owned content.

Editor/Technical Writer 4/2013 – 5/2013, 11/2012 – 12-2012 Artech

4/2011 – 8/2011, 6/2010 – 8/2010

 Full-time telecommute. Created and updated user manual for Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, Illinois) EIDM

internal user management application using Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Acrobat, Visio, and Microsoft

SharePoint.

 Created quick reference.

 Updated HTML templates for EIDM customer messages

 Created web-based help with RoboHelp.

Mike Starr Page 2

8920 Wilmot Road, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin 53158 (262) 694-1028

mike@writestarr.com http://www.writestarr.com

Technical writer 10/2011 – 7/2012 Accord Group

 Revised and edited developer documentation (Firmware Design Document and others) for clients of Garrett

Technologies (Northbrook, Illinois) using Microsoft Word, Visio, and Adobe Acrobat.

 Extracted content from source code as well as output from Doxygen and other developer tools.

 Created custom Microsoft Word templates for client use.

Editor/Technical Writer 8/2010 – 4/2011 Artech

 Full-time telecommute. Revised user manual and online help for Abbott Medical Optics (Santa Ana, California)

WhiteStar Signature Phacoemulsification System using Adobe Technical Communication Suite, single-sourcing

online web help from the structured FrameMaker operator’s manual (with XML and DITA) via RoboHelp.

 Created and managed SVRs with MKS Integrity

Business Analyst/Technical Writer 8/2009 – 11/2009 Mullins and Associates

 Created content prep documents (wireframes) for Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, Illinois) myHR portal using

Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Paint Shop Pro, and Adobe Acrobat Professional.

 Created and maintained site map spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel.

 Loaded and configured myHR portal content using SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer and SharePoint.

 Created content loading training presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint and Paint Shop Pro.

Consulting Technical Writer/Editor 10/1999 – present Mike Starr, Writer

 Created print and online documentation using Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro, Visio, Adobe Acrobat and Doc-to-

Help for a manufacturer of clocks that feature enterprise-wide synchronization.

 Created Microsoft Word template files with document automation functionality for a major banking company and a

travel services company.

 Created print and online documentation using Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro, Visio, Adobe Acrobat and

RoboHelp for new consumer software products for a manufacturer of wireless communication equipment and

software.

 Edited investment analyst reports for a prominent financial analyst company.

 Created updated versions of Microsoft Word template files with extensive document automation functionality for a

major travel-industry company.

 Created printed and online documentation with Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat and ForeHelp for a systems

integrator/software company.

 Created print and online documentation using Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat and ForeHelp for new consumer

software products for two different software companies.

 Served as technical editor of translated documents for New York-based translation company.

 Assisted in the redesign of several sections of the printed catalog for a large biotech company (resulted in

substantial savings in printing costs).

 Created online documentation using RoboHelp for content management system for an educational publisher.

 Created websites for several small companies and two non-profit associations (pro-bono).

Business Analyst/Technical Writer 7/2008 – 4/2009 Alliance Consulting

 Documented accounting procedures for Legion Insurance (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) using Microsoft Word, Paint

Shop Pro, Adobe Acrobat Professional, Adobe Captivate, and Visio.

 Designed and implemented documentation templates.

Technical Writer 12/2007 – 3/2008 New Resources Consulting

 Created print and online documentation for the Inflection Point Solutions (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) PIMS

(Pretreatment Information Management System) product using Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Acrobat

Professional, Doc-To-Help, Bugzilla, and Visio.

 Revised and updated a series of PIMS training courses.

 Designed and implemented documentation templates.

Business Analyst/Technical Writer 6/2007 – 10/2007 Connection Strategies Enterprises, Inc. (CSEI)

 Created print and online documentation for the FedEx SmartPost (New Berlin, Wisconsin) sortation reengineering

project in a .NET and Citrix environment using Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Acrobat, Doc-To-Help,

SourceForge, and Visio.

 Designed and implemented documentation templates.

Mike Starr Page 3

8920 Wilmot Road, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin 53158 (262) 694-1028

mike@writestarr.com http://www.writestarr.com

Technical Writer 6/2006 – 6/2007 Connection Strategies Enterprises, Inc. (CSEI)

 Created print and online documentation for WAREsystems (Sturtevant, Wisconsin) Pumpware product suite using

Microsoft Word, Microsoft Visual FoxPro, Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator, Visio and RoboHelp.

 Designed and implemented documentation templates.

 Redesigned several key GUI elements for the Pumpware product suite using Microsoft Visual FoxPro.

 Assisted in the design of GUI elements for implementation of GPS tracking features.

Technical Writer 2/2006 – 5/2006 Manpower Professional

 Wrote and updated software and hardware documentation for Honeywell HomMed LLC (Brookfield, Wisconsin)

Genesis and Sentry home health monitors using Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Microsoft

Word, and Visio.

 Served as a member of the RFP and RFI team developing proposals and information responses.

 Created Engineering Change Notices (ECNs) for the release of new parts and bills of material (BOM).

 Established documentation standards and style guidelines including development of Microsoft Word templates.

Technical Writer 5/2005 – 8/2005 TEK Systems

 Updated SAP process documentation flowcharts and Business Process Narratives for S.C. Johnson Corporation

(Racine, Wisconsin) using Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro, RoboHelp HTML, Adobe Acrobat and Visio.

 Received Administrator training for Microsoft SharePoint.

Technical Writer 3/2005 – 5/2005 Technisource

 Wrote and edited software development requirements documentation for Shure Corporation (Niles, Illinois) using

Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro, Test Director, Visio and CaliberRM.

Technical Writer 10/2004 – 2/2005 MAKE Corporation

 Wrote and edited software development documentation including requirements, architecture, and testing for

Volkswagen Credit (Libertyville, Illinois) using Microsoft Word, Paint Shop Pro, Test Director, Visio, and Visual

SourceSafe.

Technical Writer 2/2004 – 9/2004 TEK Systems

 Wrote and edited end-user and developer (API) software documentation for Marshall & Swift/Boeckh (New Berlin,

Wisconsin) using RoboHelp Office, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Paint Shop Pro, and Visio.

 Created single-source solution for print, PDF and WebHelp for MS/B’s RCT Express product.

 Coordinated and edited French translation of WinHelp for MS/B’s RCT product.

 Created highly automated Microsoft Word template with macros for all MS/B products.

Technical Writer/Editor 9/2003 – 2/2004 York Enterprise Solutions

 Wrote and edited policies and procedures for the GE Medical Systems Global Server Team (Milwaukee,

Wisconsin) using Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Paint Shop Pro, and Visio.

Technical Communicator 5/2003 – 9/2003 Manpower

 Edited and formatted marketing documents, specialty catalogs and user manuals for Allen-Bradley (Milwaukee,

Wisconsin) using Adobe FrameMaker, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, and Adobe Illustrator.

Senior Technical Writer 04/1999 – 10/1999 Interim Technology

 Created online documentation for ADAC Genesys/Pegasys Nuclear Imaging system in support of GE Medical

Systems Healthcare Services business (Waukesha, Wisconsin) using Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Paint Shop

Pro, and Visio.

 Served as technical expert and principal designer of Microsoft Word template used in development of online

documentation for delivery in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

 Created scripting to add functionality to PDF document.

Senior Technical Writer 07/1998 – 02/1999 PLATINUM technology

 Created user manuals, online help files and online documentation for PLATINUM technology (Northbrook, Illinois)

ProVision Network Monitor and Network Report Card application software products using Microsoft Word, Adobe

Acrobat, Paint Shop Pro, and Visio.

 Designed HTML user interface for the Network Report Card application; designed and created installation script

for software product.

Mike Starr Page 4

8920 Wilmot Road, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin 53158 (262) 694-1028

mike@writestarr.com http://www.writestarr.com

Consulting Technical Writer 02/1998 – 07/1998 WriteStarr Information Services

 Created user manuals, online help files and online documentation for Geneva Software (Northbrook, Illinois)

AlertPage Enterprise and Network Report Card software products using Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Paint

Shop Pro, and Visio.

Technical Writer/Editor 04/1997 – 10/1997 Adecco

 Created and coordinated application support documentation for 40 Solaris telecom applications for Ameritech

startup long distance service company (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) using Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Paint Shop

Pro, and Visio.

 Edited procedures documentation created by two procedures analysts.

 Designed and supervised development of Lotus Notes database for application support event log and

management report creation.

Technical Writer 01/1997 – 03/1997 Systems and Computer Technology

 Created and documented change-management procedures for Continental Cablevision (Richmond, Virginia) IBM

RS/6000/AIX/Tuxedo/Oracle system

 Worked on application documentation for Remedy multi-platform customer service application.

 Worked on policies and procedures documentation for QA group.

Senior Technical Communicator 03/1994 – 08/1996 Rockwell Software

 Created new user's manuals and on-line documentation for Rockwell Software (West Allis, Wisconsin) using

Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Paint Shop Pro and ForeHelp.

 Created data sheets and catalog text for Communications Business Unit products.

Education

 Usability Certificate, Society for Technical Communication

 AAS, Technical Communication, Gateway Technical College, Racine, Wisconsin

 AAS, Electromechanical Technology (Robotics), Gateway Technical College, Racine, Wisconsin

Memberships

 information Architecture Institute  Working Writers of Wisconsin

Publications

 Give them printed documentation, too!, Intercom (Society for Technical Communication), June, 1999.

Software

Microsoft products

 Access

 Excel

 Front Page

 Internet Explorer

 MS-DOS

 Office

 Outlook

 PowerPoint

 Project

 SharePoint

 Skype for Business

 Visio

 Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)

 Visual FoxPro

 Visual SourceSafe

 Windows (all versions)

 Word

Adobe products

 Technical Communication Suite

 Acrobat Professional

 Captivate

 Dreamweaver

 FrameMaker

 Illustrator

 PageMaker

 PhotoShop

 RoboHelp

Cisco products

 WebEx Connect

 Jabber

Corel products

 Draw

 Paint Shop Pro

 Ventura Publisher

 WordPerfect

Other products

 Documentum Web Publisher

 SAP NetWeaver Visual

Composer

 Agile

 Rally

 MKS Integrity

 WordPress

 Artisteer

 Doc-To-Help

 Jira

 KompoZer (Nvu)

 Quark XPress

 SnagIT

 SourceForge

 Test Director

 Bugzilla

 CaliberRM

 Cascading style sheets (CSS)

Mike Starr Resume 694 1319R2

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