Meet the Team - Ellyn
Name? Ellyn
How long have you been at Blackbaud?
6.5 years. I left Blackbaud for 2 years and just returned March '08 (remotely in
Williamsburg, VA).
What technology from the past do you wish would make a comeback?
Sound effects in games like Pong and Pac-Man! I even had the Pac-Man Fever
album.
Favorite part of technical communication? I enjoy the usability aspect
- assessing how our users process and use the products and documentation we
create. I love visiting clients in their work environment and learning how they
use our products! I also have great interest in international communication and
translation. And lately, I'm becoming more fascinated with social networking and
Web 2.0.
Products you Work On? The Education Edge, Blackbaud Student Information
System, The Patron Edge, Blackbaud Enterprise CRM.
Other projects you Work On? Usability group - researching Team Foundation
Server to track client contact activity.
How did you get into technical writing?:
As an English major, I completed a few internships with various literary reviews
and magazines. The experience was sufficient but I didn't really enjoy that type
of writing. My advisor was big on this thing called tech writing and encouraged
me to try a few tech classes in the department. I did and I've been in tech
writing ever since!! I continued into the MA in English/Tech Writing program
(almost finished paying the student loans!) and gained some very cool real-world
experience. We worked on so many interesting projects, ranging from helping to
publish the department web site to editing documentation for NASA. I also really
got into the international communication/translation aspect of tech writing but
that's another story. Maybe I'll blog about it :-)
What's changed about Blackbaud since you've been here?
The technology - it's amazing how much has changed in just the 2 years I was
gone!
What hasn't changed? The
people! My co-workers genuinely care about helping users make the most of our
products and documentation. And my team is awesome. Especially being remote, you
lose a little of that personal connection established by living in the cube
farm!! I think we all work well together, communicating about work stuff but
also taking a bit of time to connect personally.
What's one unique thing about you?
I love to scuba dive.
Anything else? Happy to be back!
