Deloitte & Touche
Position: Technical Writer/Editor & Web Content Developer/Manager
Location: Hermitage, TN.
Time Frame: June 1998 to November 1999
I worked with a team of contractors and managed one employee as we created and enhanced a national Web-based Online Help system for SAP, Systems Applications and Products in data processing. This product supported the following SAP modules: Human Resources, General Ledger, and Accounts Payable.
Took Ownership of Online Help Files & Delivery Method
Upon my arrival at the firm in June of 1998, I immediately became integrated with the personnel creating the SAP Online Help files. The staff was distributing SAP information as a simple Online Help file, delivered via WAN/LAN technologies. Within one month, I officially took over the responsibility for this project, and the rest of the personnel moved on to other firm-related tasks. Major accomplishments include:
- By interviewing all of the relevant SAP players and personnel, I was able to document all of the SAP Online Help-related facts and development information (which only existed as intellectual property) and present it to team members as an easily accessible Intranet site. This site included such data as HR/AP/GL-specific data, Online Help mechanics, network resources, and development environment data.
- I immediately put a version control mechanism in place for all of the SAP Online Help files and made the data available to team members via the network.
- I created the SAP Online Help Documentation Plan. This early document served as a type of "Where we are in the SAP Online Help" mechanism. It included such topics as: available resources, needed prep work, F1-style Help issues, and so on.
Evaluated Online Help Technologies and Delivery Methods
The next major milestone involved evaluating the SAP Online Help system, in terms of providing quality customer service. This was accomplished by:
- Evaluating the Online Help (Winhelp) technologies. For example: How stable was the product? How much time went into developing Online Help verses fixing bugs created by third-party Winhelp vendors? In which technological direction was this Winhelp software heading? (Answer: HTML Help.) How did this new HTML Help technology fit in with the firm's current technological infrastructure?
- Reviewing the total needed resources to implement, distribute, and maintain traditional Winhelp/Online Help files. Conclusion: Process was "labor intensive," requiring a great deal of resources across the firm--even for the smallest updates.
- Speaking with firm personnel to learn from their SAP Online Help implementation efforts and to touch base with their current delivery methods.
- CONCLUSION: I concluded that the best way to provide maximum customer service to our SAP clients was to convert the current SAP Online Help from Winhelp to HTML technologies (both HTML Help and Web) and deliver it to our national client base via an Intranet site.
Management Buy-In
The next step was to sell team members and management on the idea and show leadership that we could increase customer service by converting from Winhelp to Web technologies. This was accomplished by:
- Creating a series of reports and memos, explaining my findings to management.
- Creating a sample Intranet site--showing the increased functionality over traditional Winhelp.
- Explaining how the conversion would both increase customer service and save firm resources.
- CONCLUSION: Management agreed and authorized me to push forward.
The Conversion of Winhelp to HTML Technologies
Once management agreed with the direction, I began creating the DNS. Major accomplishments include:
- Creating a detailed conversion plan and timetable.
- Identifying needed resources to make conversion a success, which included software, hardware, books, personnel, technology training, and so on.
- Attending locally held Microsoft-related seminars.
- Attending detailed HTML Help technology training in Seattle, WA.
- Leadership hired a contract writer to help with the conversion. (See related management duties for more details.)
- Executing the conversion plan and developing the DNS.
Served as Communication Hub
As conversion began, I served as a communication hub for the entire project and initiative by:
- Communicating, as needed, with key individuals involved with HR, GL, and AP.
- Communicating with contract writers as I put the Human Resources infrastructure in place.
- Communicating with Change Management personnel to acquire firm-approved data for the HR site.
- Serving as communication supervisory hub between a contract writer management. (See management-related comments.)
- Coordinating with the various technology groups and departments to get site live on a server, acquire a Web address, and distribute files to LAN Admins.
Writing/Editing Tasks
While true that the bulk of the development work involved converting documentation, I wrote my share of it too over the past year. This work involved (at least) the following:
- Met with key players (i.e.: project leaders, content experts, and so on) to generate needed raw data for needed documentation.
- Gathered and created needed graphical elements—combining it with text to effectively communicate technical info to a non-technical audience. These elements included such items as icons, screen prints, bitmaps, and so on.
- Presented info to key players for editing—making edits as needed.
- Created project plans, development standards, and Web procedures for the project and site.
Management Tasks
I served as the management contact for a contract Technical Writer and Web Developer who helped me create the SAP Online Help Intranet Site. Duties included:
- Helped contract writer’s transition into the firm by giving him tour of facilities and introducing him to team members/key players with the SAP Online Help project.
- Introduced employee to the development tools that we were/are using. Since he had never used the tools, I had to train him. These tools included: MS FrontPage98/2000, MS HTML Help, the HDK Winhelp application, and various MS Office97/2000 applications.
- Provided weekly status reports and project updates.
- Conducted Project Management by: 1) Assigning conversion and development tasks, via a series of short-term goals; 2) As each goal was achieved, I performed quality assurance testing, helping the writer make the needed updates and learn from mistakes; 3) At scheduled times, imported his work into the main site and hooked it all up; and 4) Set up work schedule to fit writer’s needs and the project’s demands.
