Tag about me

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The Google Profile, Google+, and my own personal brand

Jul 28, 11 2:32 PM

With the advent of Google+ and the new-prominance of my Google Profile within the tool, I figured it was time to give it a makeover to more truly reflect who I am today. I’ll be updating the language to highlight current assignments, projects, skills, obsessions. And who knows, maybe I’ll actually put into practice the grandaddy of all web writing principles — brevity.

The exercise will drive massaged Twitter and LinkedIn profiles as well, and perhaps even a few existential ruminations. Here’s one: In the rush to write off the social phenomenon as petty, narcissistic, and now-obsessed, perhaps we could all benefit from a meditative and brutally sincere approach to personal profile management. Done well, it could prove a centering ritual, and further motivate us to live and work up to our own hype.

So much for brevity…

Meantime, here’s the old Google Profile language for posterity’s sake:

I am a business writer first and a sales and marketing professional second.

My current focus is in the area of front-end business-to-business (B2B) sales operations—specifically on equipping reps in the field with the best possible materials to meet the requirements of their customers’ buying process. Sales document optimization is an outcomes-based process after all—and an outlet for my skills in information design and desktop publishing. But the area I find most gratifying is also the one in which I find sales organizations in the greatest need. It’s Sales Knowledge Management, it’s a technological and cultural enigma, and it’s a singular joy for a worker of my temperament.

Sales Knowledge Management is a systematic approach to collecting, synthesizing, and sharing critical corporate, market, and product insights throughout the sales team, and broadening the availability of that knowledge into multiple contexts—from sales letters and e-mail to proposals to online customer portals. With enhanced access to knowledge and easy-to-use assembly tools, reps can spend less time finding answers and creating materials—and spend more time selling. (For a more detailed discussion of SKM roles in B2B selling organizations, refer to my post on the Roles of Sales Knowledge Management.)

The contents of my blog are my own thoughts and observations—codified and organized to help me better think through problems, remember solutions, and maybe even help others experiencing the same issues in their work and their lives. I am interested in the phenomenon known as enterprise content management, and the structured communication processes necessary to move knowledge between producers and consumers.

While I understand that any discussion of knowledge management must go above and beyond technology, my training and background often compel me toward the tools and methods used by those involved in content creation and management. I’m influenced by Shaun Slattery’s work on Textual Coordination. (For my take, see my post Toward a Technological Repertoire in Mediated Writing.) Similarly, I’m intrigued by the use and benefits of social media and user-generated content in a professional environment—the so-named Enterprise 2.0 movement.

From time-to-time, I’ll post items I find interesting from my iPod, from around the internet, around town, or around the house I share with the best wife, two sons, and dog a guy could ask for.

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Infor acquisition of Lawson finalized

Jul 6, 11 3:56 PM

GGC Software Holdings, Inc., an affiliate of Golden Gate Capital, and Infor, a leading provider of business software serving more than 70,000 customers, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Lawson Software, Inc., under the terms of the merger agreement disclosed on April 26, 2011, effective as of July 5, 2011. Pursuant to the terms of such merger agreement, Lawson’s stockholders (other than stockholders who have perfected their statutory rights of appraisal under Delaware law) will receive $11.25 per share in cash, without interest and less any applicable withholding taxes, for each share of common stock they owned immediately prior to the effective time of the merger. 

via infor.com

I’m excited about what the future hold for my company and our product direction. I hope to have news of developments in my area of interest, as evidenced elsewhere on my site.

As any news becomes public, I will be sure to include comment.

In the meantime, this is an auspicious time, for sure.

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Forrester, KMWorld, and the evolving Content & Collaboration (C&C) function #contentstrategy

Feb 12, 11 4:59 PM

Putting the right people in place to lead content and collaboration (C&C)
initiatives for enterprises and government agencies is a growing imperative. The
skills mix required to deliver and to scale up enterprisewide workplace
solutions—like enterprise social tools, infrastructure for engaging Web
experiences and content management—is changing. Raw technology skills are of
lesser importance than in the past; instead, today’s content and collaboration
professional needs to be able to influence stakeholders across IT, legal,
communications, marketing and human resources.

In partnership with KMWorld, Forrester Research recently surveyed more than 200
professionals engaged in those initiatives. Their goal—supporting anywhere,
anytime access to information and expertise—remains unchanged. But the people
making those objectives happen are now highly compensated managers leading
cross-functional teams, particularly in sectors like technology and
telecommunications, financial services, government and business/professional
services.

via kmworld.com

A very nice encapsulation of what my career has evolved into. Mentions diversity of job titles and official roles in our ranks (a sign of immaturity overall, I’m certain), a broad cross-secton of industry application, where companies are investing, how much salary we tend to make and associated project responsibilities, barriers to success, and future direction. Of note: “Among other changes, Forrester believes the role of the C&C professionals will: organize and invest according to the industry they serve; focus less on technology, and more on people, process and change; orchestrate the interests of multiple functions; and take a greater role in mobilizing the enterprise.

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BtoB Mag’s “Introducing Infor” piece from Q4’09. Good snapshot of co layout and positioning—In case you missed it

Jun 8, 10 1:54 PM

http://bit.ly/b2eKzB

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New Role! Content Strategist, Infor Customer Direct Sales

Mar 15, 10 7:00 PM

So the transition is complete. Extra special thanks to friends and family who have supported me through this period.

As many of you know, the best possible scenario has come to fruition and I’m back at Infor, working for a fantastic team, and doing the precise work I’ve been steering myself toward for the past several years.

I am now in charge of design, architecture, training, and support for the Customer Direct team’s intranet portal–built on the SharePoint 2007 platform.

I have responsibility for its transition to the 2010 release, as well as for the optimization of the site’s content towards sales enablement for the nearly 300 inside sales reps and business development personnel comprising this global team.

To that end, I’m exercising the cohesive principles of content strategy–an expanding professional identity, community, and body of knowledge blending business analysis, quality standards, information architecture, interface design, search engine optimization, and user advocacy.

This is a fantastic opportunity to exercise my core technical communications skill set to streamline the operational performance of an energetic, if slightly disorganized, enterprise selling team.

Infor sells well over a hundred products into nearly every industry on a global basis, and is positioning itself as the premier alternative to SAP, Oracle, and the other big ERP players. I’m delighted to be playing a part in that mission.

For more information on this role, and to connect with me, please check me out on LinkedIn.

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Wrapping up a fantastic sales knowledge project

Mar 1, 10 8:00 PM

I just completed a contract for a friend in the proposals world. Her team produces enterprise software proposals for the public sector, and she wanted a functioning knowledgebase of reusable solution and selling content.

I designed a solution for her based on the Pragmatech product suite and an enterprise taxonomy overlay. I also refined her Microsoft Word templates using advanced styling to improve their usability from the writer’s prospective, and to better integrate them into a partially-automated system.

Now her team can access a single repository of chunked proposal knowledge—from cover letters to executive summaries to RFP questions and answers—and pull that information directly into Microsoft Word in a format to match corporate standards.

This short-term assignment marks the fourth such role I’ve performed since 2005. Building, managing, and productively using corporate knowledgebases is a gratifying role—and a critical one for companies who need to optimize their content stores, produce quality deliverables, and contain costs.

Challenges I’ve experienced, and would bring to the attention of those who wish to do this kind of work (or those looking to hire someone to do it), are ensuring you have the proper skill set to bring to the work, and providing the role with the visibility and authority necessary to grow adoption.

Too often “knowledgebase administration” is the part-time function of an already overburdened proposal writer, or it is a full-time junior role occupied by someone without the skills, incentive, or power to maximize the system. In either case, the individual typically moves into another role and any positive momentum is lost.

APMP research bears this out: salary studies consistently reveal that knowledge managers earn less than proposal writers. Sales organizations shoot themselves in the foot over and over again.

I have been fortunate in my experience to work with some excellent teams and open-minded leaders who see the value in this vision for sales knowledge management.

I’m moving on now to another full-time opportunity (a coming home of sorts) where I will have the luxury of more tools and more flexibility to add value to sales teams. Five years after backing into this niche from a decade of the standard technical writer’s life, I’m increasingly optimistic.

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Reentering the Market

Jan 19, 10 2:31 AM

Sometimes we design our own new year’s resolutions and sometimes they’re gifts. Is it coincidence this traditional time for taking stock immediately follows the most intense period of giving our culture’s calendar has to offer?

Today marks the one-month anniversary of my separation from WorkForce Software—and I wish my friends there all the luck their hard work has earned them. 2010 will surely be a telling year for us all as the marketspace dusts itself off and limbers up for the recovery’s sprint.

And speaking of gifts and giving, I’ve taken the opportunity I’ve been given over this holiday to examine my elevator pitch under fresh lighting and—beyond a little touch here and there—it’s in fine shape. I’ve sought counsel from friends and colleagues past and present and I’m told it still sings:

Experienced communicator, technologist, and user advocate. Focused on expanding sound technical communications methods into the complex B2B sales environment. Interested in knowledge management, collaborative selling models, document management & dynamic delivery, enterprise content management, approach design/methodology of documentation suites, and promoting strategic connections between process, deliverables, and greater sales productivity.

These are the values I bring. These are the principles for which I strive with great passion. If you believe as I do that the upswing is coming, if your team is growing to meet the opportunities, and if this sings to you, let’s connect

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On Breaking into the Atlanta Tech Writing Field

Aug 29, 04 11:02 AM

Got an e-mail from a guy graduating early next year. He’s considering Atlanta for a career and Technical Communication for a place to live. Tee Hee. Anyway, I got to rambling. (I’ve changed his name from Michael for his protection, then changed it back). I think my elevator speech is in here somewhere as well…

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What skills should a typical entry level technical writer have?
A degree is nice. A degree in English or Computer Science is better. A degree in Technical Communication is primo. There are technical skills such as print and online publication to consider, familiarity with graphics and graphics tools, and the more mystical areas of information design, human-computer interaction, usability, and layout. The following words: Microsoft Word & Visio, RoboHelp & Dreamweaver, FrameMaker & Acrobat on one’s resume typically moves it from the tall stack to the short stack (and they’re searched for in databases constantly!), so I would recommend at least downloading demos, reading books, and producing sample projects in each. Most important, however, are the softer skills you read about in the business success section of your local bookstore. Reliability, verbal communication, project management, office sophistication — from inside your PC to the work team to the department to management, stakeholders, end users, and customers. Voracity. A good sense of humor. A good sense of irony. Respect and empathy for your reader/user.

What companies are hiring Technical Writers?
A great many, from larger organizations (Coke, Cox, Home Depot, IBM, BellSouth, UPS) to smaller (my mom’s friend’s mortgage company). Type “Atlanta” and “Technical Writer” into some of the larger databases, and you’ll find plenty. Some of the more industry-friendly sites can be found at http://www.stcatlanta.org/links.htm#Employment.

What is it like to live in Atlanta? What areas do you recommend living in?
I’d say there’s 5 months of summer, 5 of winter, a month each of spring and fall, and 5 months of summer. It can get hot. There’s a wall of speeding motor vehicles several layers deep surrounding the metro area called I285 you should be aware of. The baseball and football are so-so. I live northwest of the city in an area called Marietta. Much of the work is located in a “W” shape that extends down I75 to the heart of the city and forks back up GA400 (due north) and northeast up I85. You want a lot of house for a little money, look in the serifs of that “W.” Kennessaw, Cherokee, Alpharetta, Cumming. Pricey real estate, lots of society and lots of work await you in Buckhead. If you were to land somewhere along the intersection of GA400 and Hwy92, you’d be in the thick of things.

Any advice on relocating here and being successful in the Technical Writing field? ANYTHING WOULD BE HELPFUL!!
I guess I tackled much of this in number 1 above. As far as relocating goes, I’d say visit some of the industrial and corporate areas down here next time your visiting, and check out the housing in those areas. Maybe go on some interviews and (who knows?) land your first gig and radiate from there. Being successful? Hmmm… I’ve worked with all kinds. Many feel tech writing is their holding pattern, their stopgap or stepping stone to bigger and better things—and it can be that. The successful, I have found, have an identifiable passion for THIS craft, THIS trade. You can tell by what they read, how they spend their breaks and lunch hours. The media they consume. Their willingness to further their own training and exposure out of their own pocket. The kare with witch they compoze and repli to e-maales. And their sense of humor.

I would also like to get involved with the STC-Atlanta chapter not only as a member but to also participate in volunteering. What opportunities are available?
There are plenty: http://www.stcatlanta.org/volunteer.htm And there’s quite simply no better way to grow your network, your sense of the town, or your sense of the market than becoming involved in this chapter.

…I graduate in May 2005. Atlanta is my first choice in towns to relocate to. I often visit there and I believe this is where I will be most comfortable.
Glad to hear it. Next time you’re visiting, why not attend a meeting? http://www.stcatlanta.org/meetings.htm And drop me a line beforehand. We’ll meet. I’ll introduce you around.

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