Amterra specializes in developing documentation for complex products. Amterra's most recent project was to develop the documentation for HP's Blade Workstation Solution. This consisted of developing documentation for the blade workstation itself, documentation for the software (Remote Graphics Software) which conveys the blade workstation desktop image to the client computer, plus a number of client computer documents.In addition, I also developed the Marketing collateral for the blade workstation solution, including a number of white papers and the blade workstation planning guide.Amterra's value add is to develop clear, accurate and complete documentation that conveys technically-complex topics in a manner that can readily be understood by the reader. Diagrams (including interactive diagrams) are used wherever they can effectively aid the reader's comprehension.

In 2005, I departed HP to join a startup, Smart Sensor Systems (SSS), in Loveland, Colorado. SSS designed Bluetooth-based smart sensors that adhered to IEEE standard 1451, which defines a standard for remote (wireless) smart sensors.At SSS, I architected and developed the Bluetooth driver software for the remote sensor as well the Bluetooth driver software on the computer that interfaces to the remote sensor.I also developed the marketing collateral for our Bluetooth-based sensor and developed the booth signage for the two major tradeshows that we attended, Sensor Expo and ISA (International Society of Automation).SSS was founded on the belief that IEEE 1451 would be adopted & mandated by the Department of Defense and Homeland Security for future sensor projects. Accordingly, SSS personnel provided critical guidance leading to the standarization of IEEE 1451. While the IEEE 1451 standardization work was successfully completed, DoD and Homeland Security never mandated the use of IEEE 1451 as was expected, which led to the dissolution of the company.At this point, I decided to pursue my passion, developing documentation for complex products, and rejoined HP as a contract writer (please see my Amterra experience above).

Upon joining HP's Desktop Computer Division in Fort Collins, I performed hardware and software development. After the creation of HP's Graphics Software Lab, I became a software project manager in this lab. My team provided graphics drivers for the X Window System as well as graphics drivers for several graphics libraries. While working on the X Window System, my team developed the world's fastest X server.I next moved into HP Program Management, providing program guidance for HP's Scalable Visualization Solution family of products. I coordinated the tradeshow presence of these products at SIGGRAPH (a graphics tradeshow) and DAC (Design Automation Conference).