Charles E. Vermette
85 Washington Park Drive, Norwell MA 02061
Phone: 781/659-1836
e-mail: cvermette@comcast.net

 

Professional History

July 2002-Present      
nSight , Burlington MA (contract)

Title:

Instructor

Company business:

Leading Boston area training facility for Technical Communication instruction.

Role(s):

  • Trainer/Course Developer
  • Designed and presented "WebWorks Publisher Fundamentals". The two day workshop details the process of single sourcing print and online content using FrameMaker and WebWorks Publisher

Tools/skills used:

  • FrameMaker 7, WebWorks Publisher 7

April 2002 - July 2002
June-September 2001      
Access International, Cambridge MA (contract)

Title:

Technical Writer

Company business:

Software Development house serving the non-profit community. Major clients include United Way, World Wildlife Fund, Museum of Fine Arts-Boston, Carnegie Hall

Role(s):

  • Updating printed documentation and online help for upcoming product release.
  • Created Release Notes and Physical Data Model

Tools/skills used:

  • FrameMaker, Photoshop, RoboHelp HTML Edition, Acrobat

February-June 2001
Eagle Investment Systems, Newton MA (contract)

Title:

Online Help Developer

Company business:

Software Development House

Role(s):

  • Wrote two manuals (35 pages and 200 pages.) Interfaced with Product Managers and Subject Matter experts
  • Introduced a Single sourcing methodology to department, in which FrameMaker documents are converted directly to online help(using FrameMaker and WebWorks Publisher.)
  • Created online help systems for product release
  • Redesigned company knowledge base, doing extensive content editing, adding search functionality, and graphic content.
  • Trained and consulted with staff in the use of FrameMaker, Acrobat, Photoshop and HTML

Tools/skills used:

  • FrameMaker
  • WebWorks Publisher
  • RoboHELP Office
  • Allaire HomeSite
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Acrobat

November 2000-Present          
Perseus Development Corporation, Braintree MA (freelance)

Title:

Consultant

Company business:

Software Development House

Role(s):

Knowledge transfer.

  • Conversion of HTML Help environment into RoboHELP
  • Training of staff in RoboHELP application
  • Architecture of Single Sourcing environment (where one set of documents is used to create both Online Help and Print Documentation.)

Tools/skills used:

  • RoboHELP Office

March 2000-November 2000      
Access International, Cambridge MA (contract)

Title:

Online Help Developer

Company business:

Software Development house serving the non-profit community. Major clients include United Way, World Wildlife Fund, Museum of Fine Arts-Boston, Carnegie Hall

Role(s):

Architecting and coding of help systems, creation of online graphics, some editing and content writing. Also serve in an advisory role to management regarding new technologies and tools.

Tools/skills used:

  • Extensive use of RoboHTML, WebWorks, Allaire HomeSite, Macromedia Dreamweaver and FrameMaker, as well as extensive HTML coding. Significant image manipulation in Photoshop, online content editing and some online content writing.

Major projects

  • Updated and redesigned online help for the company's major product (Enterprise/CS, a Windows based client server product for tracking and managing the fund raising activities of large non-profit organizations.) Project involves Conversion of RTF based Help Systems to HTML based help; FrameMaker to HTML conversion using WebWorks Publisher, editing content for maximum effect on web (i.e., adding links, ActiveX controls, Dynamic HTML)
  • Worked with Documentation & Training director and Documentation Team lead to create a "single source" methodology, in which all printed documentation is converted directly into online help, eliminating the need for duplicate editing and verification functions.
  • Worked with Documentation & Training director to create web based customer support and learning systems

Feb. 2000-Present
Management Roundtable, Waltham MA (freelance)

Title:

Freelance Developer

Company business:

Conference Planning, publishing, product development consulting and research

Project:

  • Created a web based archive of five years of MRT's Product Development" Newsletter. Involved in ongoing site maintenance and design.

Tools/skills used:

  • Dreamweaver, RoboHTML, some JavaScript

Aug. 1998-Mar. 2000         
International Communications, Framingham MA (contract)

Title:

Help Systems Engineer

Company business:

Localization of software products and documentation (i.e., take software packages and create a "mirror image" in other languages.)

Role(s):

  • Reverse engineered Winhelp and HTML based Help Systems, and then recreated them in foreign languages. Reformatted files to appear as originals, also tested links, macros, and functionality.
  • Created online documentation for internal training; also ran training classes and seminars on Online help engineering.

Tools/skills used:

  • RoboHELP, RoboHTML, WebWorks, Allaire HomeSite, FrameMaker, MS Word, Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro. Also required extensive HTML coding skills, intimate knowledge of Winhelp and HTML Help coding and architecture.

Major projects

  • Microsoft Office 2000 documentation for European/Japanese markets
  • Allaire Home Site 4.0 and 4.5 HTML Help for European and Japanese markets
  • WallData RUMBA 6.2 Winhelp for European/Brazilian markets

Nov. 1999-Dec. 1999         
Honeywell Phoenix Controls, Newton MA (contract)

Title:

Technical Writer

Company business:

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) controls

Project:

  • Created print documentation (in FrameMaker) for an HVAC utility program. Also did software testing of product..

Tools/skills used:

  • FrameMaker, Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Acrobat

Aug.1998-Feb 1999           
Multimedia Communications, Natick MA (freelance)

Company business:

Internet Service Provider

Project:

Subcontractor for web design

URLs:

http://www.metalbellows.com
http://www.educationguide.com

March 1998-May 1998      
Packard Bell NEC, Boxboro MA (contract)

  • HTML coding, editing and indexing of UNIX online computer manual. Also edited graphics using Photoshop and Illustrator.

Jan. 1998-Nov. 1998         
Towery Publishing, Memphis TN (freelance)

  • Profile writer for Boston: History in the Making. (May 1999: ISBN: 1-881096-66-1)

Aug. 1997-May 1998         
Boston/New York Software Newspaper, Watertown MA (freelance)

  • Contributing Editor. Write corporate profiles on local companies and cover local conferences and seminars on technical issues. Have profiled companies such as Financial Technologies International, Mainspring Communications, Earthweb and Raptor Systems.
  • Have covered State House Hearings on Science and Technology, as well as area trade shows and association meetings.
  • Wrote two monthly columns; one profiling companies receiving Venture Capital Funding, and one profiling people of interest in the NY software and new media communities.


Aug. 1997-Jan. 1998         
CVS Corporate Offices, Woonsocket R I (contract)

  • Presentation graphics in Photoshop and PowerPoint

June 1997-Jan 1998         
Community Newspaper Corporation, Marshfield MA (contract)

  • Newspaper pagination in QuarkXPress/Photoshop

April 1997-July 1997         
Full Circle Research (freelance)

  • Database Creation, Spreadsheet Analysis, Graphic Production.

January 1997-April 1997
Kukstis Auctions, Scituate MA (freelance)

May 1996-January 1997
Data General Corporation, Westboro MA (contract)

Played a major role in creating an intranet presence for Data General's Special Systems Division. Contract involved:

  • Web Page Design, Site Maintenance, Image Scanning and Editing, OCR scanning

Other projects included:

  • Online content writing, including product descriptions and product announcements
  • The editing/design of a technical paper ("The Challenges and Success of a Handheld Computer Design," delivered at WESCON '97, Anaheim CA.)
  • The creation of marketing documents, flyers, and brochures using MS Word and Adobe Photoshop

April 1994-Dec. 1995         
Roman Research, Pembroke MA (permanent)


Performed all Marcom writing for a catalog manufacturer and marketer of hypoallergenic jewelry. Functions included Catalog Copywriting, Public Relations, Copyright/Trademark Processing, Medical and Marketing Research. Also did design work, media coordination, model coordination and TV production coordination.

  • Conducted national publicity campaigns, placing releases in the San Jose Mercury News, Orlando Sentinel, Lexington Herald-Leader, and Houston Chronicle
  • Wrote catalog copy for a 48 page catalog with six editions per year
  • Extensive use of QuarkXPress, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and MS Office to create Direct Mail materials, ads, internal and external newsletters and sales collateral.

Dec. 1994-June 1999        
Financial Independence Network Ltd., Boscobel ,WI

Wrote a monthly column, "Computers for Your Small Business", for FINL's "Small Business Builder" newsletter.

July 1992-Present
Freelance Writer

Various freelance writing and documentation projects, including annual report creation, radio script writing, and freelance newspaper/magazine articles on business issues, computer topics, and social issues.

Published articles in the following commercial and controlled circulation publications: DM News, Online Access, Filipinas, Mariner Newspapers.

July 1990-June 1992        
MBI Inc., Norwalk CT (permanent)

Wide ranging position as right hand man to mid and upper level managers in a $300 million corporation. Position involved heavy purchasing and vendor contact , Interacting with line/staff managers to resolve production problems, and working with creative departments to produce advertising and display materials.

April 1984-April 1990        
Space Age Printing, Norwalk CT (permanent)

Production functions including programming /operation of digital process camera, 1 and 2 color stripping, platemaking. Management functions included Work scheduling/delegation, customer service, and quality control. Also involved with major purchasing/policy decisions:

Programming Initiative:

  • Designed and coded a Database program (in command line BASIC), which used Pre-Press Material and Cost Tickets to create Reports on Customer Trends, Material Costs, and determine material wastes. System was in use for several years, and resulted in a 20% reduction in material costs.

Education

  • B. A. English 1981, Stonehill College, North Easton, MA.
  • Cert., Myers-Briggs Administrator, Otto Kroeger Assoc., Fairfax, VA. 1993
  • Computer Science Program, Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater MA 1982
  • Also Postgraduate studies in: Business Management, Accounting, Jazz Arrangement, and Graphic Arts.

References

Available upon request