Simon Burrows: Online CV

PERSONAL PROFILE 

Ceditor was formed in 2011 by Simon Burrows, in order to best provide marketing and technical communication expertise to the I.T. industry.

Simon is an innovative communications specialist with over 15 years’ experience creating print and digital collateral. His extensive portfolio covers the full range of corporate and technical communications, from company brochures, white papers and case studies to video work, online help and documentation.

As an English Graduate who also holds the CAM Advanced Diploma in Marketing Communications, Simon combines traditional writing skills with marketing savvy and a genuine interest in new and emerging technologies.

 

SKILLS PROFILE

Technical writing

  • User guides
  • Reference manuals
  • Release notices
  • 'Readme' files
  • Administration guides
  • 'Quick start' guides
  • Installation guides

Instructional design

  • Online help (Windows based)
  • Online help (web based)
  • Software demonstrations
  • Screencasts
  • Tutorials
  • Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
  • Quizes

Marketing materials

  • Testimonlias
  • Case studies
  • Product guides
  • Newsletters
  • Electronic Direct Mail
  • White Papers
  • Company brochures
  • Employee profiles
  • Web copy

Editorial materials

  • Templates
  • Editorial standards
  • Style guides
  • Content guides
  • Boiler plates
  • Best-practice handouts
  • Wikis

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY 

Publishing Manager - Talis (2009-2011)

Responsible for creating print and electronic marketing resources for Talis’ E-learning and Linked Data services. Key achievements include:

  • Solely responsible for the introduction and development of Talis’ video/screencasting outputs, transforming both marketing and support capabilities within the organisation.
  • Creating a full suite of marketing collateral (including the company’s first ever product brochure) to ensure our values and offerings are professionally conveyed in print and online.
  • Edited multiple company newsletters, increasing click-through responses across all campaigns.
  • As acknowledged content expert, training the other marketing team members through a combination of mentoring, proof reading, one-to-one coaching and workshops.
  • Introducing editorial standards and style guides to ensure consistency across case studies, newsletters, web copy and press releases.
      

Documentation Manager - Talis (2002 - 2008)

Responsible for documenting the UK’s market-leading library management system and all its associated products and services. Key achievements include:

  • The design, authoring, and maintenance of the online help for the company’s flagship product. Praised by internal staff and customers alike, it reversed the negative perception of Talis’ user documentation (as evidenced through the annual customer survey).
  • Managing the transition from providing paper-based to electronic documentation, saving Talis time and money, and providing customers with more accurate, relevant and timely content.
  • Establishing a web presence for all Talis product sites, ensuring that content from marketing materials, technical documents, knowledgebases and legacy systems could be discovered.  

 

Technical Author - Pan Security International (PanSec) (2001 - 2002)

Pan Security International provide an internet based scanning service that tests organisations’ Internet connections for security vulnerabilities.  Key achievements include:

  • Re-writing highly technical security information into ‘plain English’ to ensure that non-expert users were provided with clear and concise diagnostic and repair information.
  • Documenting complex database administration procedures for staff, ensuring expertise was spread throughout the development team.

 

Technical Author - ICL (2000 - 2001)
Worked as a member of their 30-strong writing team. Key achievements include:

  • Providing consultancy to both documentation and engineering staff on GUI design, Adobe Acrobat PDF generation, and online help design.
  • Editing and producing a 500+ page competitive tender submitted to the DHE.

 

Technical Author - FOX I.T.
Technical Author - Madge Networks
Technical Marketing - Delcam International Plc

Worked for the IT organisations listed above. Key achievements include:

  • The design and implementation of online help projects for both individual  authors and documentation teams, allowing multiple authors to collaborate on single projects.
  • The creation of interactive demonstration disks for distribution at trade events. In this pre YouTube era, they allowed prospects to visualise the software from their own PCs.
  • Writing paper-based installation and user guides for networking hardware (switches, hubs, etc.).

 

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS

East Warwickshire College, Rugby (1993 - 1994)
Postgraduate Course in Marketing and Management Studies, comprising:

  • The CAM Advanced Diploma in Communication Studies
  • The Certificate Of Management

Loughborough University of Technology (1989 - 1992)
B.A. (Hons) English - Upper second.

Bournville School
‘A’ levels Maths (B) Chemistry (B) English (C) General Studies (B)
‘O’ levels Ten passes including the above plus German, French, Technical Drawing, Biology and Physics.