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You can download David’s CV from the Download section.
Professional summary
David Farbey has been a technical communicator, working as a writer, editor, and consultant in hi-tech industries, since 1994. He has written user guides, self-study tutorials, online help systems, reference manuals, and policy and procedure guides. He has worked on web sites and intranets, as well as on both printed and electronic publications.
David has experience in a wide range of business sectors including infrastructure projects, e-learning systems, finance, image recognition and processing, enterprise resource planning, and business processes and procedures, as well as experience in copywriting and marketing materials. He has worked in a variety of software development environments, and has also designed and managed research projects in both academic and public sector fields.
He is a graduate of the distance learning MA programme in Technical Authorship at Sheffield Hallam University and has been a part-time Associate Lecturer on the same course. He has also taught undergraduate courses on professional writing at Coventry University.
Specialist knowledge
- Experienced user of documentation and help authoring tools (FrameMaker, Ventura Publisher, Adobe Acrobat, ForeHelp, WebWorks Publisher, HDK, and RoboHelp), graphics preparation and editing tools (CorelDraw, PaintShop Pro, Adobe Captivate) and Web tools (FrontPage, Dreamweaver, HTML, XML).
- Very experienced user of Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio.
- Familiarity with operating systems (Windows, UNIX, Linux), software development environments (C++, .NET, Java, J2EE) and technologies (Microsoft Server 2003, Microsoft Active Directory, Exchange 2003, Microsoft Project, Microsoft SharePoint Portal, Windows XP, Office 2003).
- Experience of business needs analysis procedures and formal project management methodologies.
Professional Experience
February 2007 to September 2007
Technical Author (contractor) Carphone Warehouse, Acton,
(self-employed, trading as Dannywell Ltd.)
- Wrote and edited operational procedure manuals as part of an internal restructuring programme and developed documentation templates for infrastructure design projects team
- Established and managed internal document repository system, including creating user self-study training materials using Adobe Captivate.
- Converted and edited technical documents for publication on internal Wiki system.
August 2005 to February 2007
Business and Technical Writer and Information Design Consultant
(self-employed, trading as Dannywell Ltd.)
Writer, editor, and consultant for a range of short and medium term projects including:
- Editing a user guide and marketing materials for a digital image analysis system (DxO Labs - France).
- Creating system documentation for a new media interactive mobile application (Cellcast UK Ltd.).
- Editing documentation for a major public transport infrastructure commercial tender (Arriva Trains).
- Creating a help system for an online financial derivative trading monitoring system (Point Nine Financial Technologies).
- Updating user’s guide for financial application for major investment bank (ABN AMRO).
- Developing staff procedure manuals for a Local Authority department (LB Enfield).
- Developing administrator and user guides for a web-based graphics workflow system for the advertising industry (Vio).
- Creating user’s guides for a series of Linux-based high speed image processing and recognition system (OmniPerception Ltd.).
- Developing a training programme for a blue-chip property corporation (LS Trillium).
- Revising user manuals for a real-time public transport information distribution system (ACIS Ltd.).
August 2004 to July 2005
Technical Author (contractor), Centrica plc, Staines, Middlesex
(self-employed, trading as Dannywell Ltd.)
- Developed an internal style guide, guidelines for authors, and a range of document templates in Microsoft Word for both design and operational documents for a strategic internal infrastructure project (Microsoft Server 2003, Microsoft Active Directory, Exchange 2003, Microsoft Project, Windows XP, Office 2003) affecting more than 35,000 users.
- Edited project development documents and created user assistance materials including procedural instruction guides for operational tasks, using Microsoft Word, and Nimbus Control; published documents on Microsoft SharePoint Portal.
- Developed a range of task-based user assistance information products for use on company Intranet and as printed documents.
August 2003 to July 2004
Technical Author, UK eUniversities Worldwide Ltd., London SW1
- Worked with programme development and interface specialists to analyse and define business needs of project stakeholders for a comprehensive web-based e-learning system for British Universities.
- Developed user assistance material (such as User’s Guides and Help systems) for a range of different users including system administrators, course administrators, tutors and students, using Adobe FrameMaker, Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat and other tools; documents distributed as PDF files and proprietary HTML help.
- Worked in a remote development environment using Citrix Metaframe for access.
August 1999 to July 2003
Technical Author, Lazy Software Ltd, Wooburn Green, Bucks.
- Planned, researched, developed, and produced comprehensive documentation set for new database product, distributed as PDF files and printed manuals.
- Used Adobe FrameMaker to develop User’s Guide, Tutorial, product guides, training material, and technical bulletins; used Quadralay WebWorks Publisher to develop online help from FrameMaker source documents
- Created and maintained intranet, supported company Web site, using Macromedia Dreamweaver.
March 1997 to July 1999
Technical Communications Manager, Baan Engineering, Kfar Saba, Israel
- Responsible for producing a series of User’s Guides, Programmer’s Guides and an Online Help system for a Product Data Management software product for use in engineering and manufacturing industries.
- Planned and supervised the work of a team of four other writers, including subcontractors.
- Participated in decisions on product usability and on interface development.
July 1994 to March 1997
Technical Writer, Magic Software Enterprises Ltd., Or-Yehuda, Israel
- Member of team producing software documentation for an award-winning Rapid Application Development and Deployment product, including reference manuals, installation and configuration guides for different platforms, and tutorials.
- Developed company’s first Windows-based Online Help system (over 1,000 topics) and created online documentation.
- Responsible for producing formatted files for hard-copy printing, and for liaison with graphic artists and print vendors.
Previous Professional Experience
1981 -1994
13 years of managerial experience working in both the commercial sector and in public administration, in areas including regulatory monitoring, asset tracking, purchasing systems, computer system specification and implementation; supervision of clerical and administrative staff (further details available in Download files).
Professional affiliations
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Member
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British Computer Society (BCS) (professional grade, MBCS ); Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators (ISTC) (corporate member, MISTC)
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Senior Member
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Society for Technical Communications (STC), (President, UK Chapter, 2005-2006; Co-Manager, Europe Special Interest Group)
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Associate Lecturer
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(part-time, January 2006 to December 2006) Coventry University, undergraduate courses on professional writing; (part-time, March 2005 to April 2007) Sheffield Hallam University, MA in Technical Communications (distance learning programme)
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Education & Training
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2005
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MA in Technical Authorship, Sheffield Hallam University
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1976 BA (hons.)
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English Literature, Polytechnic of North London (now part of London Metropolitan University)
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Contact details
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