Steven E Halpern☰

YouTube is refactoring its internal code into a micro-services architecture. I was brought in to document these services as they came on line for the benefit of the internal engineers who would be using them. I worked closely with both the engineers developing the services and the engineers who would be using them, to determine what the documentation should cover. I read the relevant portions of the code base, experimented hands-on to determine how each service actually worked, and used G-suite tools and markdown to prepare documentation. My final project was developing a set of standards and guidelines for documenting new micro-services that engineers could follow to document their own work.

I was brought in to overhaul and update the documentation for the QuickBooks desktop API, a part of Intuit's developer support that, documentation-wise, had been neglected. I brought it up to date, added to it, and re-factored it so that its structure on the Intuit Developer Portal paralleled the documentation for the QuickBooks web APIs. Worked primarily with the engineer supporting the desktop API. Also spent time hands-on with the product to verify installation instructions, formats of XML messages, and so on. Worked primarily in HTML

For SabreSonic Web (SSW), a massive SaaS platform that supports retail bookings, payments, and ticketing for many airlines:

• Developed online configuration and customization documentation for the airline technical staff that would be performing the configuration and customization (SaaS, XML-based RESTful web services, service engine, analytics, accessibility, CSS, Madcap Flare, JIRA, SVN, git).

When the SSW platform evolved to a complete separation of user interface and business logic:

• Developed documentation for the APIs that expose business logic to those airlines that prefer to access the business logic directly and develop their own front-end web applications (SaaS, JSON-based web services, service engine, Swagger, analytics).
• Documented the configuration and customization options available to those airlines that preferred to use Sabre's new front-end application (single-page applications, responsive user interfaces, Redux, React, SASS, accessibility, analytics).

Developed web sites and web presences for individuals and small-to-medium organizations:

• Worked with clients to craft messages about what made each client unique and interesting, and then developed a web site around that message.
• Used open source tools (php, mySQL, Apache, etc.).
• Emphasized findability (SEO) throughout the process of designing and developing a site.
• Monitored site usage via analytics tools (analytics).

Partnership with bassist and composer Stanley Gilbert, who was prominent on the West Coast jazz scene in the 1960s and 70s, but has been long resident in Japan. After meeting Stanley in Tokyo in 2007:

• Formed partnership with goal of releasing his many Japanese recordings in the US.
• Arranged for print promotion, radio promotion, CD manufacturing, and distribution.
• Developed company web site.
• Negotiated licensing agreements with Japanese companies holding rights to Stanley's recordings.
• Pursued long-term goal of using new technologies for promotion and distribution.

• Co-executive producer for long-time Miles Davis pianist Robert Irving III's 2007 release “New Momentum.”
• Co-executive producer for 2008 recording session featuring Teri Lynne Carrington, Robert Irving III, Nancy Wilson, Kirk Whalum, Patrice Rushen, etc., which served as the basis for Carrington's 2009 release, “More to Say.”
• Developed concept for company's web site.
• Developed concept for promotional video and directed videographer for capture of studio footage.
• Pursued long-term goal of using new technologies for promotion and distribution.

For Java Enterprise System:

• Actively participated in several initiatives that researched the functionality that customers wanted to obtain from Sun’s line of middleware products and designed deployable systems using different combinations of middleware products to provide that functionality (enterprise services, Java Enterprise Edition).
• Designed and wrote deployment guides for these systems, guides that address such topics as distributed installation of the middleware components, deploying components to application or web servers, configuring distributed components for interoperation, setting up overall security for the distributed system, setting up an LDAP schema for the distributed system and provisioning users, and configuring the software to maintain user sessions (UNIX, TCP/IP networking, network security and load management, user sessions).
• Designed interactive configuration tools to help users determine the correct configuration values for their set of middle ware components.

For Sun's line of integrated development environments for the Java language:

• Designed and wrote developer’s guides for Java-language developer tools that used NetBeans technology (Java).
• Wrote API documentation for web-oriented APIs, such as servlet APIs (Java enterprise APIs) and SDK (J2EE SDK).

For Forte’s integrated development environments:

• Designed and wrote developer’s guides for developing distributed enterprise applications with Forte’s Java-language development tools and Forte’s 4GL development tools.

For ObjectBus (Tibco’s CORBA implementation):

• Designed and wrote developer’s guide.
• Developed sample applications in Java and C++ that demonstrated these unique features and wrote developer’s tutorials (Java, C++, distributed computing).
• Documented API interfaces (API).

For project DOE (Sun’s CORBA implementation):

• Wrote administration guide.

For OpenStep (Sun’s implementation of the NeXTStep GUI):

• Wrote various user documents.

For Aion Development System (expert system development tool):

• Designed and wrote developer’s guides and administration guides (expert systems, artificial intelligence).
• Designed and wrote developer's guides for adding graphical interfaces to ADS applications.
• Worked with development manager to develop methodology for mapping KnowledgeWare objects into ADS objects.
• Wrote developer’s/architect’s guide to the CASE Interface feature (computer assisted software engineering)

For ObjectPro, Trinzic’s general purpose developer tool:

• Designed and wrote developer’s guide (tutorial, language reference).

For SPF/2 text editor (a TSO/ISPF look-alike running on Windows and OS/2):

• Wrote developer’s guide, including command reference.

For McCosker’s commercial property management application running on IBM AS/400, System 36 and System 38:

• Wrote user’s guide.

For Investar (Sungard’s mutual fund processing system running on MVS with IMS DB/DC):

• Designed and wrote documentation package.
• Created custom macro library to format and produce manuals with IBM's GML software.

As member of Statistical and Data Services team:

• Coordinated daily production of money supply numbers from the largest financial institutions in the twelfth Federal Reserve district.
• Coded, compiled, and tested routines for analyzing financial data in FRB’s proprietary language.
• Developed end-user procedures, user documentation, and system acceptance tests