MALCOLM GRAHAM, HND, CEI Part II

MALCOLM GRAHAM, HND, CEI part II

PROFILE / Malcolm has over 40 years experience in the electrical, electronics, and high-tech industries; including 5 years as an apprentice and journeyman electrician. He has extensive experience in planning, managing, writing, and editing all forms of knowledge transfer products including proposals, plans, training courses, and user guides for both print and online deployment. He has excellent skills in analyzing and presenting technical information verbally and in writing. In addition, Malcolm is an experienced project and people manager with a successful history of setting and meeting deadlines and in helping staff identify, develop, and reach their highest potential.
ACADEMIC
BACKGROUND / Professional British electronic engineer (H.N.D. and C.E.I. part II)
• Currently studying, part-time, for a masters degree (M.A.) in Language and Professional Writing from the University of Waterloo
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY / English
SECURITY
CLEARANCE / Secret

Malcolm Graham Spearhead Management Canada Limited 7

EXPERIENCE SUMMARY

Highlights

·  Analysis of knowledge transfer requirements for telecommunications products

·  Preparing knowledge transfer plans

·  Preparing and presenting knowledge transfer business cases

·  Creating knowledge transfer documents and training

·  Conducting knowledge transfer needs and gap analysis

·  Preparing and presenting knowledge transfer reports

·  Preparing job profiles that include skills needed and career progression guidelines

·  Analysis of organizational structures and recommending structures that promote continuous learning

·  Promotion of knowledge transfer strategies that involved developing documents using a new formative usability approach

·  Promotion of new visual and audio learning strategies to improve knowledge transfer

·  Management of a staff of 15 involved in preparing knowledge transfer plans, documents, and training materials

·  Created and managed a strategy for professional development across six knowledge management groups representing 70 people. Developed generic staff objectives, performance evaluation criteria, career development models, and career progression guidelines

·  Pioneered the development and implementation of new online knowledge transfer processes and delivery tools to facilitate the delivery of more complete, accurate, and timely product information.

Experience in Canada

Nortel, Ottawa, Information Architect (1999 – 2009)

WriteDoc, Kanata, Contract Technical Writer, Editor, Trainer (1993 – 1999)

Bell Northern Research, Ottawa, Manager (1982 – 1993)

Experience outside Canada

Control Engineer (1981-1982)

Honeywell, Motherwell, Scotland

Software Engineer (1979-1981)

Ferranti, Edinburgh, Scotland

Avionics Engineer (1978-1979)

British Aerospace, Warton Aerodrome, England

Design Engineer (1976 – 1978)

Plessey, Poole, England

Electrician (1966-1972)

Bostok & Bramley, Stalybridge and Horwich & Smith, Oldham, England

Developed and presented the following technical papers:

·  Words into Pictures, STC93, Dallas

·  Webbed Documents, ACM SIGDOC95, Savannah

·  Performance-based Documentation, IEEE IPCC97, and The Mythical Dream Interface, ACM SIGDOC97, Salt Lake

·  Words about Consciousness, ISTC2000, Manchester, England

·  Implementing FrameMaker Conditional Text Using Epic Editor Profiling, PTCuser2006, Dallas

·  See Writing Portfolio @ http://writedoc.com/resume/portfolio.htm (if prompted for a password use writedoc).

Coursework:

• IEEE Professional Communication Society Technically Write II Certificate

• Robert Fritz’s Technologies for Creating course

• Dale Carnegie’s Effective Speaking and Human Relations course

• NTL’s Management Work Conference in Interpersonal Competence

• University of Waterloo’s Canadian Summer School on Quantum Information

Other:

·  Founding editor for various newsletters (Toastmasters, OIW, NSPI, CAD)

·  Competent Toastmaster and founding member of BNR/Nortel Toastmasters

·  Volunteer with the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) Professional Speaker’s Bureau and creator of a web site on diabetes, see http://diabetestype2.ca/

Malcolm Graham Spearhead Management Canada Limited 7

ACHIEVEMENTS

Nortel Technical Documentation Application (NTDA) Project

Nortel Knowledge Services
Information Architect
June 2004–January 2009

Overall Project Cost: $8 million over 5 years (including software, hardware, and people)
Project references: Both managers are no longer at Nortel (the emails included are personal ones)

• John Lepore, Nortel Manager,
• Alison Evans Adnani, Nortel Manager,

The Nortel Technical Documentation Application (NTDA) project involved converting over 500,000 pages of FrameMaker-based documents into a new XML DITA-based authoring system. The project started with analyzing existing templates, styles, and documents and then recommending to management, in a knowledge transfer report, a new XML-based tool set and conversion strategy to deliver documents in PDF, HTML, and on-product help; the recommended XML tool set and conversion strategy were accepted and then implemented. Malcolm was the project authoring prime with responsibility for developing new processes, procedures, and training required to use the new XML system by over 300 Nortel Knowledge Services staff who were responsible for creating and maintaining documentation and training for all Nortel products.

Some of the NTDA sub-projects that Malcolm was responsible for are identified below. For NTDA project work samples, see http://writedoc.com/resume/Nortel/ntda.htm (password writedoc).

Project 1
Nortel Knowledge Services
NTDA Structure Analysis, Information Transformation, and Knowledge Transfer
June 2008 – January 2009
Project Cost: $82,000

The final document structure to be used by all Nortel end-user documentation is called a Modular Task-based Information (MTBI) structure. Because of the numerous structures used within existing FrameMaker-based documents and the major structural differences between them and the final MTBI structure (and because of the associated major rework needed to restructure them) most documents were converted to a Non-MTBI structure. The final NTDA project phase involved transforming thousands of Non-MTBI XML documents into an MTBI structure. Malcolm prepared a business case that justified the cost of developing an XSL-based script for automating the conversion of the existing Non-MTBI XML documents into MTBI XML documents. Malcolm then identified all the existing
Non-MTBI structures and mapped them to the new MTBI structures. To ease the conversion task, Malcolm identified what could be changed in the source Non-MTBI XML documents. Malcolm also prepared the training materials needed by over 300 staff and external vendors to perform the conversion task. Malcolm then prepared test cases for, organized, and conducted user acceptance testing of the transformation XSL script and procedure.

Project 2
Nortel Knowledge Services
NTDA Change Management, Process Definition, and Knowledge Transfer
August 2005 - May 2008
Project Cost: $385,000

Malcolm identified which existing processes needed to be changed or replaced and then created the new processes; he then identified and created the required underlying procedures. The new knowledge transfer processes and procedures were documented using Microsoft Powerpoint and Adobe Acrobat (and, eventually, in XML and HTML). Whenever a new process or procedure was created or changed, Malcolm immediately informed the NTDA user community of over 300 staff and supported monthly training sessions that focused on anything new. In order to improve access to the process and procedures, Malcolm developed a script that integrated access to online PDF and HTML versions of all NTDA processes and procedures directly from the XML authoring tool. Malcolm also maintained the XML Document Type Definitions (DTDs) and system configuration files.

Project 3
NTDA Conditional Information Capture and Knowledge Transfer
February 2005 – July 2005
Project Cost: $70,000

FrameMaker documents being converted to the NTDA XML system used the conditional text feature extensively. Malcolm was tasked with identifying how FrameMaker conditional text tags could be automatically captured during the XML conversion process. Malcolm designed and implemented a method for automatically capturing conditional text tags using Epic Editor profile configuration files (PCFs) and updated the XML Document Type Definition (DTD) files to support the new PCFs. Malcolm then created the procedures, training materials, and provided ongoing support for using and creating new profiles by over 300 staff and external conversion vendors.

Project 4
Nortel Knowledge Services
NTDA Skill Identification, Training Course Definition, and Knowledge Transfer
August 2004 - January 2005
Project Cost: $70,000

After consultation with management and staff to identify current and future key skills required, Malcolm developed and distributed, to over 300 staff, a questionnaire to identify current skill proficiencies in the identified key skills. Malcolm then created a Microsoft Access database and entered all the collected responses. The collected responses were then analyzed to identify strengths and weakness within the organization. Malcolm then created and presented a knowledge transfer report to management that outlined a training strategy and courses needed to address the skill weaknesses within the organization. The recommended training approach was approved; Malcolm then implemented the strategy and developed the training courses (and presented the first course to over 300 staff).

Tools & Environments: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Visio; Adobe FrameMaker, Acrobat (PDF), Photoshop, and Illustrator; SnagIt; Arbortext Epic Editor and Dynamic Link Manager (DLM/DCAM; XML and HTML. Microsoft Windows XP and Vista; OpenText LiveLink; EMC Documentum

Succession VoIP Specification Project

Nortel Knowledge Services,
Senior Information Developer
November 1999-May 2004
Project Cost: $502,000

Voice Trunking over ATM (VToA) is a switching architecture that uses asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) broadband switching technology. The main purpose of VToA is to allow the transmission of voice calls over an ATM fabric (that is, a network of one or more ATM switches), reducing traffic congestion in existing TDM-based offices. It also allows the integration of service providers’ voice and data networks, because ATM technology can support many different services on the same unified network. VToA is a backbone technology that supports the Voice over IP (VoIP) technology.

Malcolm was the prime for identifying new VoIP software features, provided in Word and Powerpoint, and how they were used within different marketing solutions; he then documented them within Succession VoIP Solution Specification documents using FrameMaker, Acrobat, Visio, Excel, Illustrator, and SnagIt. He also created and maintained a Microsoft Access database of all hardware used within the different VoIP solutions. The specifications and database were used for knowledge transfer purposes by the whole development community as the definitive guides for all VoIP solutions. See http://writedoc.com/resume/Nortel/success.htm

Tools & Environment: Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Visio, Access; Adobe FrameMaker, Acrobat (PDF), Illustrator. Microsoft Windows XP; OpenText LiveLink; Unix.

CIS Gateway CSCP Gateway Access Project
Nortel Knowledge Services
Information Development Team Leader
July 1999-October 1999
Project Cost: $187,000

The Concert Inbound Service (CIS) Gateway Customer Service Control Point (CSCP) Access service provides an interface between Concert Network SCPs and other customer-owned and operated CPE (customer premise equipment) SCPs. The CIS Gateway CSCP Access service enables customers to dynamically control the routing of their inbound calls on a call-by-call basis.

Malcolm prepared, managed, and implemented the knowledge transfer project plan for all Concert documentation and training. This involved managing the work of a multidiscipline team of 7 people. He also created and maintained the FrameMaker templates used for all deliverables. See http://writedoc.com/resume/Nortel/concert.htm

Tools & Environment: Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Visio; Adobe FrameMaker, Acrobat (PDF); SnagIt; PaintShop Pro; Macromedia DreamWeaver; HTML. Microsoft Windows XP; OpenText LiveLink; Unix

IMPSAT Proposal Project
Nortel Knowledge Services
Proposal Editor
March 1999–June 1999
Project Cost: $47,000

Nortel was requested to submit a proposal for the design and implementation for the IMPSAT 2000 network in Argentina and Brazil. Nortel recommended an IP-based network for the IMPSAT 2000 network using ATM as the underlying layer 2 protocol. Nortel was awarded a $49 million contract.

Malcolm created all proposal FrameMaker templates, coordinated and tracked all proposal inputs (Word, Powerpoint, and Excel), edited all proposal content, and formatted the final proposal for print delivery. See http://writedoc.com/resume/Nortel/impsat.htm

Tools & Environment: Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel; Adobe FrameMaker, Acrobat (PDF), Illustrator; SnagIt. Microsoft Windows XP; OpenText LiveLink

Webmaster Projects

Nortel Knowledge Services
Webmaster
Project Cost: Background tasks done during main projects

Created and maintained department web sites using HTML and Dreamweaver. These web sites were organized by project and identified the resources assigned to them and tracked project progress.

Webmaster for the New Employee Online (NEPOL) training course using HTML, Dreamweaver, and Flash. The NEPOL training course was a required course for all new employees.

Tools & Environment: Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel; Adobe Photoshop; Macromedia Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks; HTML. Microsoft Windows XP and Unix.

Other Projects

Contract Technical Writer, Editor, and Trainer

Nortel 1993 – 1999

GeneriCAD, Ottawa - 1998-1999

Newbridge Kanata – 1995

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade – 1994

Digital Kanata – 1993

Bell Northern Research, Ottawa (1982–1993)

Manager, Project Leader, Writer, and Software Engineer

·  Managed a budget of over $1 million. Hired, mentored, evaluated, and supervised the work of a multidiscipline team of 15 technical writers, editors, trainers, and illustrators.

·  Created and managed a strategy for professional development across six knowledge management groups representing 70 people. Developed generic staff objectives, performance evaluation criteria, career development models, and career progression guidelines.

·  Pioneered the development and implementation of online knowledge transfer processes and delivery tools to facilitate the delivery of more complete, accurate, and timely product information.

·  Increased technical writer productivity by 21%, reduced development costs by 17%, and decreased printing costs by 85%.

·  Initiated the development of a formative usability knowledge transfer process.

·  Sponsored and participated in the development of the Words into Pictures course for stimulating technical writers to think more visually.

Malcolm Graham Spearhead Management Canada Limited 7