TECHNICAL WRITER/TRAINER
INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER

ROBERT J NAGLE

12777 Ashford Point Dr #1417
Houston TX 77082
idiotprogrammer at fastmailbox.net
832-251-7522
Formats: HTML | PDF | DOC
For the most current resume, check my linkedin profile and my professional website for Technical Writing & Instructional Design. Please check these links for information about my availability to do fulltime and contract work. The resume here is 4 years old and left here only for archival reasons.

Education & Training
  • B.A. in English, Trinity University (1988)
  • Master's degree in Writing, Johns Hopkins University (1989)
  • Graduate Courses in Instructional System Design, UT-Austin, (2000-2001)
  • Conferences: Hypertext (2000), Usability (2000), Presenting Data & Information (2002), South by Southwest Interactive (2002)
  • Course: Introduction to Video Production, Austin Access (2001)
Certifications
View Writing Samples

Technical Skills
  • UNIX System Administration and Networking (2 years)
  • MS Office (Expert Level for Documentation), Framemaker (intermediate), Star Office (intermediate)
  • Tools:Visio (6 months); Photoshop (low intermediate), PhotoImpact (intermediate)
  • HTML, CSS, Accessibility & Web Design (advanced); Php & Mysql (intermediate)
  • Apache (high intermediate); Postnuke CMS (intermediate); Zope CMF (novice);
  • Document Version Control with CVS and Visual Source Safe (6 months)
  • XML (Novice to Intermediate), Emacs/PSGML(intermediate), Morphon XML Editor (novice)
  • For more detail about my IT proficiencies, visit my Technical Skills Summary (PDF)
Writing Projects
  • User Guide (Dell) -- prepared all online documentation and instructional material for a network administration software package. Wrote and coded the online help, including a self-test, faq's, reference guide and troubleshooting guide. Created presentations and diagrams using Power Point and Visio. (2001)
  • User Profiling (Dell) -- Modeled typical user behavior for a new content management software system. Wrote a report for developers detailing user requirements and served as user advocate in software design meetings. (2000)
  • Web Repository (Dell) -- Created an online document repository for a software group and standardized the look and feel of documentation templates. Also, wrote a detailed online graphical tutorial providing a high-level view about software tools used for the manufacturing process. (2000)
  • Cookbook (Peace Corps, Personal) -- Wrote, edited and produced two small cookbooks, one as a summer project with Peace Corps (1996) and another as a personal project (1992). This documentation was procedural in nature and depended on accuracy and clarity in instructions. (1992, 1996)
  • Educational Writing (Peace Corps, Soros Foundation) -- Wrote grant proposals, academic articles, instructional modules for business students, handouts, glossaries, learning exercises and a proposal to restructure a university curriculum. (1995-8)
Training Experience
  • Software Training (Dell, Austin, TX) -- Wrote training plans, needs analysis and performance objectives. Delivered "hands on" training in person and remotely (to network administrators in Malaysia). (2000-1)
  • Online Tutorial (Dell) -- Wrote a detailed online graphical tutorial for a critical manufacturing process at Dell. Interviewed subject-matter experts, selected instructional material, integrated the tutorial with the existing online documentation and did periodic updates when needed. (2000)
  • Linux Web Tutorial (Class Project) -- Wrote a brief learning module about Linux permissions as a project for a graduate class in instructional design at UT-Austin. (2000)
  • Teacher Training (Soros Foundation-Ukraine) -- Gave teacher training seminars in 5 Ukrainian cities for university English instructors. Topics included: business trend analysis, using the Internet for class, American culture and Western methodologies for teaching a foreign language. Prepared multimedia accompaniment and wrote flyers and handouts. (1997-1998)
  • College Teaching (Peace Corps, Soros Foundation) -- Taught at universities in USA, Albania and Ukraine. Subjects included "English for Specific Purposes" "Business English" and other foreign language topics. Prepared handouts, assignments, tests and learning activities. (1989, 1995-8)
Experience by Industry
  • Medical (1 year)
  • Engineering (1 year)
  • Government (2.5 years)
  • Legal (1 year)
  • Information Technology (1.5 years)
  • Education (4 years)
  • Telephone/Customer Service (4 years)
  • Retail (5 years)
Work History
  • Technical Writer/Usability & Training Specialist, Dell Computer Corporation, 2000-1
  • Editorial Assistant, Dept. of Scientific Publications, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1999
  • University Lecturer, U.S. Peace Corps (Albania) & Soros Foundation (Ukraine) 1995-1998
Affiliations
  • XMLAustin Developers' Group
  • H-Town Blog Writing Group
  • Society for Technical Communications, Houston
  • Austin Linux Users' Group
  • Returned Peace Corps Volunteer
Current Technical Interests
  • P2P, Network Security, Game-Based Instructional Methods, Zope Web Application Server, Open Source CMS's
Other