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Contact me at laeren at gmail.com

Last updated on January 20, 2015


Highlights

Versatile engineer with deep web development experience, from back-end systems building and production automation, to front-end coding/design and feature requirements gathering, to project and release management

  • Strong XML/HTML/CSS/Perl/shell scripting/Source Depot skills, and significant PHP development history
  • Familiar with JavaScript/PowerShell/Java, MySQL/SQL/PostgreSQL, and git
  • Deep globalization/localization experience and passion for the international web
  • Extensive experience designing and scripting automation for complex processes
  • 15 years cross-platform technology experience in both corporate and academic environments

Professional experience

Web Production Engineer

ExtraHop

Seattle, WA

01/2015—present

Newbs don't have resume-able bidness.

International Project Engineer / Production Engineer / Senior Content Engineer

Microsoft

Redmond, WA

11/2006—11/2014

Led round-the-clock international team supporting http://windows.com in 36 languages and 62 markets, from Windows 7 beta release through Windows 8.1; worked with cross-functional partners worldwide to continuously deliver locally relevant content and expand platform capabilities

  • Devised method for and worked with engineering to implement feature that allowed simultaneous work against current/future site: ability to publish ahead and merely “flip the switch“ to reveal content reduced Windows 8 launch to < 1 hour process vs. 17 hours for Windows 7

  • Designed/developed various tools/scripts that enabled constant scale as site grew to web’s 10th most-visited, with 10,000+ pages generated via 300,000+ XML files; many of these tools were adopted outside team or incorporated into core platform functionality

  • Worked closely with site management, content authors, localization and engineering to identify requirements for and help spec and improve http://windows.com’s CMS/pipeline/rendering platform

  • Acted as functional team lead all-up during multiple and extended management changes, and directly managed multiple onsite and offshore vendor teams

  • Trained both full-time and vendor engineers; drove team buy-in on lightweight documentation model that increased documentation coverage from near-zero to near-complete in < 6 months

  • Owned global front-end look and feel for http://windows.com, ensuring that all sites (including East Asian and right-to-left languages) rendered properly at all responsive breakpoints

  • Designed/developed custom style model that enabled site managers and content authors to deliver complex experiences without breaking brand or requiring involvement from engineers

  • Took over failing http://explore.live.com launch 1 month from release and successfully managed execution to original schedule, and later planned/executed migration to http://windows.com

  • Implemented predictable cadence, triage process, structured request model, and code review methodology for team, and created technical support model for self-service publishers

  • Oversaw technical consolidation of pre/post-sales content across all markets/multiple products onto http://windows.com; managed the Windows 7-8 and Internet Explorer 8-11 global releases as well as the full migration of all localized Vista content simultaneous with Windows 7 launch

  • Owned all international production tasks for Vista's localized Help site end-to-end; worked with site management to identify requirements for new site features and designed/developed several front-end features including an RSS parser for integrating partner content

Localization Program Manager

Microsoft

Redmond, WA

9/2005—11/2006

Managed multiple content projects, including Windows Vista and Windows Media Player 11, end-to-end, both as part of a collaborative team and solo

  • Specialized in automating tasks such as file management and bug analysis for Vista content team localization effort; designed/implemented comprehensive audit automation that was key to accurately shipping such a complex product in 34 non-English languages

  • Co-designed/developed content build system that enabled delivery of all localized in-product Vista Help content; built localized Windows for verification and troubleshooting of user assistance content; consulted on international build process/automation opportunities for multiple teams

  • Successfully partnered with core build team to design and implement global build solution for WMP11 content, removing need for separate English/non-English systems

  • Designed/developed general file management automation that dramatically reduced check-in errors across multiple projects; became team’s go-to technical person for a variety of internal tools

  • Took on ownership of neglected internal SharePoint site/external SharePoint portal; fully revamped information architecture and functionality

Localization Program Manager (contract)

Siemens Business Services @ Microsoft

Redmond, WA

5/2005—9/2005

Managed check-ins/coordinated testing of localized builds for HTML and CHM content for the legally-mandated Windows XPN release; built dynamic CHM content to make and validate in-house technical fixes

  • Troubleshot content bugs for over 20 languages and either fixed in-house/drove outsourced fixes depending on available resources/schedule and regulatory impact

  • Analyzed complicated localization status of Slovak/Slovenian XP Help, including automating depot retrieval and file comparisons, to ensure shipping with legally-compliant and appropriate content

  • Edited Flash content/audio for Japanese “dynamic tour," using Macromedia Flash and Sound Forge

  • Conducted post-project translation memory analyses using Trados

Research Assistant (unpaid, for-credit)

Department of Technical Communication, University of Washington

Seattle, WA

1/2003—9/2005

Instrumented/administered sites using PHP/Perl to run web-based experiments on information design

  • Developed, tested, and documented unobtrusive tools to track research data online

  • Created overall framework for generalized web experiments that continued as basis for research team’s work for several years

  • Assisted with graphical and statistical data analysis using Excel and SPSS, conducting literature reviews, writing and editing journal and conference articles, and presenting at conferences

Graduate Assistant

Educational Partnerships and Learning Technologies, University of Washington

Seattle, WA

12/2003—5/2005

Supported variety of departmental technology initiatives, including researching/testing technology options for the department, administering several infrastructure systems including the Big Brother and LDAP servers, and providing technical support to administration staff

  • Administered/developed new content and tools/databases for internal training program using PHP and MySQL; co-managed program itself and assisted with hiring/training/managing staff working in computing labs

  • Edited reference site for Walk-In Workshop Program, contributing to award for excellence in electronic instructional materials in 2004; provided support to workshop instructors including curriculum design and backup teaching services

  • Provided database (MySQL and PostgreSQL) and web development/standards (PHP, HTML, CSS) consulting services for various departmental projects

Process Engineer (internship)

Process and Technology Center, Sumitomo Kagaku

Osaka, Japan

6/2003—12/2003

Modeled powder behavior, using Insights neural network software, for plant-design prediction from base powder properties

  • Developed Excel VBA tools to analyze neural network data

  • Applied understanding of underlying chemical/physical processes to develop and document explanations for successful prediction models

  • Worked with prototype team to plan experiments for model verification

  • Volunteered English translation and editing services for journal articles and conference presentations

Seattle Public Schools Coordinator

Educational Partnerships and Learning Technologies, University of Washington

Seattle, WA

6/2002—6/2003

Recruited, interviewed, trained, and placed qualified college students as technical support staff in the Seattle Public School district

  • Administered and created new content and tools for the program web site (PHP, MySQL)

  • Communicated with principals and other school district officials at regular intervals to assess computing needs in the district; provided regular feedback and other management support to staff

  • Designed, bug tested, and documented a separate departmental software project, a web-based scheduling and general staff management tool

  • Edited documentation for a variety of other departmental projects

Computer Lab Consultant

Student Access and Computing Group

University of Washington

10/1999—6/2002

Provided cross-platform software support for UW students, faculty, and staff in the two campus general-access computing labs

  • Taught walk-in workshops on HTML, Photoshop, and Unix to UW students, faculty, and staff, and organized and taught training workshops for other student staff

  • Promoted to assistant network lead and installed, configured, and maintained several dozen Windows and Unix infrastructure servers

  • Specialized in printer system administration and hardware maintenance; reduced printer downtime to less than 2 days (from 3-5 before) within 2 months

  • Researched and wrote a departmental style guide; edited documentation for a variety of other departmental projects.

Education

M.S.

Technical Japanese (Technical Communication Focus)  

University of Washington

9/2002—6/2005 (3.78 GPA)

Localization Certificate

University of Washington Extension

9/2004—6/2005

B.A.

Japanese Linguistics

University of Washington

9/1997—6/2002 (3.56 GPA)

B.S.

Chemistry

University of Washington

9/1997—6/2002 (3.56 GPA)

Publications

  • Spyridakis, Wei, Barrick, Cuddihy, and Maust. "Internet-Based Research: Providing a Foundation for Web Design Guidelines." IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 2005

  • Wei, Evans, Eliot, Barrick, Maust, and Spyridakis. "Influencing Web Browsing Behaviour with Intriguing and Informative Hyperlink Wording." Journal of Information Science, 31, 5, 433-445, 2005

  • Cuddihy, Wei, Bartell, Barrick, Maust, Leopold, and Spyridakis. "Conducting Remote, Internet-based Experiments on Web Design." Proceedings of the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference, 2005

  • Wei, Cuddihy, Barrick, and Spyridakis. "Conducting Usability Research through the Internet." Proceedings of the Usability Professionals' Association 2005 Conference, 2005

  • Wei, Maust, Barrick, Cuddihy, and Spyridakis. "Wikis for Supporting Collaborative Writing." Proceedings of the 52nd Annual International Technical Communication Conference, 204-209, 2005

  • Cuddihy, Wei, Barrick, Maust, Bartell, and Spyridakis. "Methods for Assessing Web Design through the Internet." CHI '05 Extended Abstracts of the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1316-1319, 2005

  • Barrick, Maust, Spyridakis, Eliot, Wei, Evans, and Mobrand. "A Tool for Supporting Web-Based Empirical Research: Providing a Basis for Web Design Guidelines." Proceedings of the IEEE International Professional Communication Conference, 189-193, 2004

  • Evans, Wei, Eliot, Barrick, Maust, and Spyridakis. "The Effect of Informative, Intriguing, and Generic Hyperlink Wording on Web Browsing Behavior." Proceedings of the 51st Annual International Technical Communication Conference, 313-317, 2004

Awards

  • 2006 Recipient: Microsoft "Gold Star" for initiative and problem solving in designing build system for localized Windows Vista assistance content

  • 2004 Recipient (group): ACM SIGUCCS Competition, Electronic Instructional Classroom Materials, Second Place

  • 2002 Recipient: Henry S. Tatsumi Scholarship for excellence in the study of Japanese

Teaching experience

  • Teaching Assistant: Technical Communication 100
    Department of Technical Communication, University of Washington, 9/2004—12/2004

  • Teaching Assistant: Chemistry 120
    Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, 9/2001—12/2001