Technical Writer/Editor deb@debraferguson.com | 713 202-1540 | LinkedIn Profile
The process of compiling a portfolio requires making difficult decisions about what to include. Generally, a portfolio should include a variety of projects to demonstrate proficiencies, but should not include more information than can be easily reviewed.
Confidentiality issues are another important consideration when compiling a portfolio. Previously signed nondisclosure agreements limit the kinds of information that I can include. Although I cannot include proprietary documents, I can provide publicly available information about some of the projects. I have also included screen captures of a Help system project to illustrate the interface of the Help system without showing the software interface or any proprietary information. For the examples of manuals, I limited the content shown to the cover, table of contents, and early pages. Though reduced, I believe there is sufficient content to demonstrate the scope of projects without disclosing proprietary material. I also deliberately selected older projects to serve as examples to minimize the risk of providing cutting-edge proprietary content.
The following documents are the result of my content deliberations and provide examples of a variety of past projects. Each section includes information about the entity for whom the project was created, followed by a short project description and links to the associated documents.
ManuTrak Manual
Created for: Halliburton Energy Services, Technical Paper Review Board (TPRB)
Description: ManuTrak is a web-based application used by Halliburton to develop and present quality technical conference papers and presentations; it is also used in the development of technical journal articles and associated documentation. The workflow used to develop this technical content is complex, involving authors and other subject matter experts, editors, and internal reviewers; ManuTrak was developed to streamline this workflow.
The ManuTrak manual was designed to serve as training material for new users and to provide a reference for experienced users. It is structured around the application user roles and provides a step-by-step guide to the use of the application.
Because ManuTrak is a proprietary application, the excerpt of the manual included in this portfolio does not include screen captures or application details. The Table of Contents and other content included, however, illustrate the structure and organization of the manual.
Technical Paper Examples
Created for: Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log analysts (SPWLA), American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE), and International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC).
Description: Although I have edited several hundred technical papers over the course of my career, I am including only the first page of several of them to serve as examples. I've also selected papers that were older; consequently, the technologies described are no longer new, and the full papers are available through the venues. The formatting of the papers reflects the formatting requirements of their respective venues.
"Journally Speaking" Articles
Created for: The Oil & Gas Journal
Description: "Journally Speaking" is a regular column of the Oil & Gas Journal (OGJ); this column was originally created as an informal column in which editors discuss aspects of the oil and gas industry that are not usually addressed in technical articles. The OGJ editors create the content for this column on a rotating basis.
Although I've been aware of the rich history of the industry for many years, my job as the Technology Editor at OGJ often brought that history into a much sharper focus. OGJ has been in continuous publication for more than 100 years; most of my work there focused on current practices and procedures, but reminders of the historical underpinnings of the industry were also present.
This section includes two "Journally Speaking" columns that focus on the current industry through its history.
Drilling & Well Performance (D&WP) Technology Newsletter
Created for: Chevron Corporation Energy Technology Company (ETC)
Description: The Drilling & Well Performance (D&WP) newsletter was a quarterly publication of Chevron ETC that focused on new and/or evolving drilling technology. My work on this project spans a period of six years. I was responsible for soliciting and editing articles, writing filler pieces, taking photographs as needed, and occasionally ghost-writing articles for subject matter experts. I was also responsible for proofreading the entire newsletter after the layout process was completed by the graphic artists, as well as maintaining the production schedule, coordinating the distribution with mailroom personnel, and archiving the articles.
Although I cannot provide entire issues of the D&WP Technology newsletter, I am providing the first page of three issues to show the design changes over the years. When I began working on this project, Chevron ETC wanted a new look and a more professionally created newsletter. The new layout was created by Chevron graphic artists. The second quarter 1999 issue shows the first major design change; the first quarter 2002 issue shows a new design that reflects the merger of Chevron and Texaco, and the second quarter 2003 shows a revised design for ChevronTexaco.
ORYX Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) Expansion Project Proposal
Created for: Chevron Corporation Information Design & Communications Team and Sasol Chevron Corporation
Description: The ORYX GTL Expansion Project Proposal was a large document that I created with several members of the Chevron Information Design & Communications (IDC) team. It focused on a $6 billion initiative to expand the capacity of the ORYX facility, located in Doha, Qatar from 34,000 to 100,000 barrels per day.
To create this project, we worked with subject matter experts located all around the world. The variability of locations presented a complication that was not foreseen in the beginning: the IDC team was based in Houston, but the subject matter experts were located across many different time zones.
Because the proposal is a proprietary document, I cannot include it in my portfolio; however, I am including a copy of the press release that announced the acceptance of the proposal and a photo of the signing of the acceptance documents.
Drilling Information System for Windows (DISWin) Brochure
Created for: Chevron Corporation Energy Technology Company
Description:The Drilling Information System for Windows (DISWin) application is a reporting system used for the entry, storage, and retrieval of drilling and workover data. The DISWin brochure was created to inform potential users of the latest enhancements and the benefits of using the application.
I worked with graphic artist Sandy Stout to create the brochure. The DISWin brochure was entered in the Society for Technical Communications (STC) Annual Art & Online Competition and won the STC Award of Excellence.
Excerpts from Selected Chevron Manuals
Created for: Chevron/ChevronTexaco
Description: This section includes excerpts from three Chevron manuals that I worked on during my contract work with Chevron.
Casotte Landing Project Execution Plan
Global Application Deployment System (GADS) Version 3.2 Training Guide
HTHP Knowledge Toolbox: Help and Reference Systems
Created for: Chevron Corporation Energy Technology company
Description: The HTHP Knowledge Toolbox is a proprietary application used for planning wells to be drilled in a high temperature, high pressure (HTHP) environment. The specifications for this application required a Help system to assist users with data entry and a Reference system to provide additional engineering-based information about HTHP issues.
To create the Help and Reference systems, I used RoboHelp X5, a Macromedia product specifically designed for creating Help systems.
Because this is a proprietary application, I cannot include copies of the Help and Reference systems in this portfolio. I am, however, including screen captures of the first pages of each system. These pages do not include any proprietary information, but provide an example of the interface used for the systems and an overview of the organizational structure used to create them.
HTHP Knowledge Toolbox: Help and Reference Systems
Lower Elgin Road Bridge
Created for: The Lower Elgin Road Bridge historical project
Description: The Lower Elgin Road Bridge project focused on the repair of the historic Lower Elgin Road bridge in Bastrop County, TX after it was severely damaged by flooding in 2015. We understood that these repairs would require convincing Bastrop County officials of the historical relevance of this bridge and obtaining funding to cover the repair costs. To support these two objectives, Ernie Nance and I researched the history of the bridge and surrounding area; I compiled our findings into a booklet to be presented to the County officials and repurposed some of the historical content as a website. This documentation was also used by the County to secure funding for the bridge repair. I also created a brochure that summarized the bridge history and damage condition for people who may be interested in supporting the project. The bridge was repaired in November 2018.
Lower Elgin Road Bridge Project History Excerpt
Lower Elgin Road Brochure proofs
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