• Saved client $50K in licenses & training by preparing output with common PC tools.
• Edited & laid out user manuals for DirectConnect document scanner & Web software.
• Shot & edited photos for same manual.
• Composed troubleshooting & maintenance guide for support team.
• Drafted over 20 manuals on eBanking software modules. (ColeTaylor Reporter)
• Set up basic review & release method.
• Product tester.
• Also prepared training documents for Customer Service use.
• Edited previous literature to improve readability & usability.
• Other projects: SecureTrust instructions (secure bank email). Quick start guide for users of two-level authentication with RSA tokens.
• Tools: PC with Word. PC Paint. HTML origination in Notepad. Acrobat. Excel. ColeTaylor Reporter. DirectConnect.

• Recurring free-lance project: Go-to guy
• Hired by startup company president to conceptualize details for secure memory device & Web portal.
• Produced patent application, user manuals, market scenarios, contracts & collateral materials.
• Also edited business plan, Web XML sales presentation & management PowerPoint.
• My theory document fleshed out operation of front & back-end .Net applications.
• Conceived & proposed new market applications for memory device.
• Collaborated in person & electronically with software engineers.
• Tools: PC with Word, PhotoShop, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, QuarkXPress, WS_FTP95, Notepad, Paint.

• Three-week assignment.
• On crash basis, prepared operator manual for arcade video game.
• As product developed, I kept book in step.
• My 52-page, illustrated manual includes product details, installation, programming, maintenance, troubleshooting & parts.
• My design: Improved manual durability & quality. Reduced printing cost & turnaround.
• Advised outside engineer & inside staff on artwork enhancements.
• Created & edited registration card.
• Tools: Word, Acrobat, QuarkXpress, PhotoShop, CorelDraw, Paint.

• Three-month contract at client Zebra Technologies.
• EDITING. Edited & rewrote manuals for thermal OCR printers, RFID encoders & Zebra Programming Language.
• My improvements routinely increased readability on Flesch-Kincaid scale.
• WRITING. To help writers improve readability, composed & edited style manual.
• Introduced “plain talk” syntax of Rudolf Flesch.
• Also critiqued graphics.
• WEB. Crafted lesson on converting passive voice to active voice.
• Critiqued & rewrote department Web site.
• Produced & demonstrated interactive, online HTML style guide.
• This tool provides random access to bite-size tutorials.
• Includes lesson on how to maintain & contribute Web pages.
• Lesson also serves as site template.
• Created HTML & JavaScript slide show with individual critiques of graphic flaws.
• Tools: Word, FrameMaker, Acrobat. Coded HTML in Notepad.

• Wrote & edited 172-page user guide for engineers. Subject: Motorola iDEN (intelligent digital enhanced network) cellular network control & reporting software.
• Manual follows outline from engineering, with enhancements from the team & me.
• Book includes artwork by an SME, a technical illustrator & me.
• Responsible for periodic milestone reports. Otherwise, self-directed.
• Assured manual usability by improving source material syntax & by manual design.
• To client’s satisfaction, designed, managed & negotiated solutions for startup, review & closure processes.
• Beat client deadline.
• Tools: PC with Word, FrameMaker, Visio, Adobe Acrobat, PowerPoint, PhotoShop, Notepad, Paint.

• Wrote, edited & designed service manual for commercial, coin-operated, computerized photo booth. (First product for startup company.)
• Service manual includes chapters on safety, equipment setup, programming, operation, maintenance, troubleshooting & parts.
• Modified illustrations to match current design.
• Prepared camera-ready artwork & print production specifications.
• Secured printing estimates.
• Produced entire manual during product development.
• Liaison with engineers, marketing & service staff in different states.(No local staff.)
• Worked entirely from home.
• Tools: PC with QuarkXPress, Acrobat, Word, PhotoShop LE, Notepad, Paint.

• Designed & edited corporate tax forms & fields for computerized tax preparation project. Forms are front end for Java & HP-PCL application. Application feeds data to batch COBOL back end.
• Created, proposed, tested & proved method to automate form annotation.
• Method replaced handwritten comments with clearer, partially reusable HTML. Cost savings: Few dollars per form (over thousands of forms per year).
• Tools: PC with proprietary applications: FormEditor, FieldEditor, FormSafe & DryDiff. Also ClearQuest, Microsoft Project.

• Subject: Computer-simulated, avatar-based sales training application for executives.
• Testing includes operating, analyzing, critiquing & proofreading the simulation.
• Composed & submitted official change reports (CRs).
• Repaired errors in the simulation.
• Edited simulation text passages.
• Researched & wrote background text for new character.
• Maintained workflow in synchronization with SDLC.
• Integrated my work with others in collaborative, deadline-sensitive environment.
• Tools: PC with eRoom, StarTeam, Word, AIM.

• Subject: Model 9003 ADSL router modem.
• Developed, edited & supervised overseas production of four-color, illustrated quick installation guide.
• Developed & edited extensive HTML user manual.
• Authored glossary & alpha index.
• Oversaw work of HTML coder, & completed coding myself.
• Liaison with engineers & project management.
• Tools: PC with Dreamweaver, FrameMaker, Visio, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PhotoShop & Notepad.

• Pursued home-study course in Java applet creation.
  
  
• Designed, prepared & implemented a multi-page Web site. Site includes my Java programs that design electronic circuits.
  
  
• Edited & prepared graphics for a technical newsletter about metallurgy (MIL).

• Wrote column for Chicago-area amateur radio operators (Society Radio Operators).

• Coordinated, planned, edited & designed service literature for an arcade video product (Konami).

• Advised clients on preparation of technical manuscripts. (Both clients published.)

• Critiqued & edited technical articles on astrophysics & international marketing.

• Co-wrote & published article on television development & first television star.

• Wrote an article about a mechanical television signal-tracing circuit that I designed. (Published twice.)

• Proctored exams for Illinois College of Optometry.
• Pursued some of these part-time projects while completing the DePaul Computer Career Program.

• Tools: PC with Word, HTML, JavaScript, FrontPage, PhotoShop, PageMaker, Quark XPress, Java SDK 1.3, TextPad, VistaScan, OmniPage, Conversions Plus, NetMeeting, Notepad, Outlook Express & PaperPort. Macintosh with Quark XPress, MacWrite, ClickArt & SuperPaint.

• Edited instruction, installation, service & schematic manuals for Motorola's cellular, multi-frequency radio systems.

• Detailed both hardware & software for system operators.

• Worked on a daily basis with engineers to coordinate revisions to three-volume software & hardware instruction manuals.

• Tools: Macintosh with FrameMaker, Acrobat, PhotoShop & Word. PC with Visio, Word, VistaScan, OmniPage & Paperport.

• Provided concept-to-print services on manuals for software & hardware products.
• Coordinated projects involving illustrators, engineers, outside services.
• Developed print vendors.
• Retouched photos.
• Pioneered net-ready CD-ROM & Acrobat conversions of publishing files.
• Implemented proofing process, saving $20K.
• Improved bindings with stay-flat technology & enhanced durability features.
• Saved $10K on house stock covers.
• Worked with programmers to develop software procedural manuals during & throughout the SDLC.

• Standardized manual components for faster, more accurate, more readable publications.
• Tools: PC with Word, FrameMaker, PhotoShop, PhotoPaint, CorelDraw, AutoCAD, Acrobat, OmniPage & Easy CD Creator. AS/400 terminal.
• Go to my "Games & Gaming Links" Page

• Coordinated service literature production for all jurisdictions, worldwide.

• Wrote, edited, illustrated & published technical manuals, service bulletins.

• Modified vendor literature & schematics to match product, saving $50K for company.

• Retouched schematics, line art.

• Prepared camera-ready art.

• Designed & composed video help screens.

• Created & implemented three new publication styles to meet changing needs.

• Supervised work of subordinates & vendors who wrote, edited, illustrated, printed & stocked documents.

• Hired, trained & managed another writer.

• Developed vendors.

• Worked in same capacity for sister company Williams, 1981-1984

• Tools: Macintosh with Quark XPress, PhotoShop, Illustrator, PageMaker, Acrobat, Claris Works, Word, Excel, Canvas & MacDraft. AS/400 terminal. DVM.

• Go to my "Games & Gaming Links" Page

• An accelerated, post-graduate program concentrating on development of structured programming & system analysis. First in class.

• Systems group project:   Analyzing & designing a turnkey system for an investment brokerage company

• Details of James T. Hawes' CCP achievements

Society for Technical Communication - Chicago   Certificate: FrameMaker, Intermediate FrameMaker

Oakton Community College   Continuing Education: Micro Focus COBOL, Advanced Micro Focus COBOL, Microsoft C, Unix/GNU C++ & Borland C++

Heath Educational Systems   Certificate: Electronic Circuits

National Radio Institute, Washington, D.C.   Diploma: Master of Industrial Electronics

National Technical Schools, Los Angeles   Diploma: Basic Electronics Technician

Dynamic Graphics   Certificate: Graphic Design

University of Iowa   M.A.: Speech-Broadcasting

Northwestern University   Continuing Education: Advertising & Marketing Courses

International Radio & Television Society   Intern: Honorary, Professional Internship Program

Northern Illinois University   B.A.: Speech-Public Address

Ripon College   Courses leading to B.A.: Core & Theater Courses

• Webmaster, www.hawestv.com

• Officer of ham radio club since 1992, including president, vice-president, secretary. (Extra Class, callsign AA9DT)

• Secretary, Experimental Television Society.

• Member & contributing writer, Narrow Bandwidth Television Association.

• Participant in RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service).