See Also: Tinny Kaushal | Membership News

Michelle Cherian

michelle.cherian@softbrands.com

An accountant by profession, Michele ventured into technical communication during her long stay at Texas Instruments (TI). With a post graduate degree in commerce, post-graduate diplomas in Business Management and Systems Administration from NIIT and good writing skills, she had just the right credentials.

As an accountant, Michelle worked with a software vendor to design the firm’s accounting systems, which linked the payroll, tax, and reimbursement packages. Her writing skills got her involved with placing TI policies and procedures on the web. She also worked with project trainees to design internal systems for tax declaration and online reimbursement forms, which linked to accounting systems.

It was this stint that brought Michelle in contact with the documentation team at TI. The encounter inspired her to take the plunge embark on a new career! It was tough in the beginning, and took a lot of learning in a highly technical and process-oriented environment. Soon Michele was writing internal user documents for TI’s ASIC division. 

Michele enjoyed working and learning on the Web, and this brought her to SoftBrands, her current employer. At SoftBrands, Michele is the sole writer, writing the help systems, user manuals, and installation guides for 4 hospitality ERP applications for the UK and US, using RoboHelp and Word. Michele is also actively involved in the core team working towards CMM certification. 

Michele feels her greatest challenge as the lone writer is to use the network of writer friends effectively to keep pace with the latest in TC. When things go wrong, you’re the only one around to fix it. 

Outside of work, Michele loves western music. She plays the piano and sings. She has represented her school and college at recitals, and is a soloist and 1st soprano with many choirs. These days, however, she is busy helping her kids grow and is waiting for when she can get back to the hobbies she loves! Besides music, Michele loves gardening, needlework, beadwork, crochet, knitting, baking, and making desserts. The best tag she has is of being a husband organizer, for helping husband Matthew Cherian remember his schedules.

Michele joined STC in 1998 and finds STC conference to help her meet fellow writers and exchange ideas and solve problems. She has made very good friends and found mentors in the technical writing community because of STC and TWIN association.

Tinny Kaushal

tinnykaushal@yahoo.com

An Electronics Engineer by background, Tinny stumbled into the technical communication field in 1997 when Writelines India Ltd. made her a challenging offer. Six years later, Tinny has no regrets. 

Tinny remembers her early days in the technical communication field when very few good companies realized the importance of technical documentation. It was close to impossible in those days to explain is the profession to the curious. 

Tinny believes that as technical communicators, we are the first “real” user of any product and our learning process would be replicated by most end users. The challenge for any technical communicator is to learn the same thing in different ways and find the most effective way to perform, and later, explain a procedure. 

A member of the STC for the last 3 years, Tinny currently works as a freelancer in Japan for the last one year. She writes user manuals, technical specifications, online help, and trains users. 

Tinny enjoys reading, listening to music, meeting people, and of late, cooking is becoming a favorite activity!

Membership News

New Sustaining Organization Member

Kshema Technologies has become a sustaining organization member of STC. 

Founded in 1997, Kshema Technologies Limited is one of India's first venture capital funded software solutions companies. With an annual growth rate of more than 125% since inception, Kshema is the country's second-fastest growing among young software companies. 

Kshema notched a dozen Global 1000 customers within the second full year of operation. The company's ISO 9001 Certification came within the first year of operation. Kshema is one of the youngest companies to have been assessed at SEI CMM Level 5. 

Kshema services industries in Industrial Automation & Embedded Solutions, Financial Services & Enterprise Applications and Life Sciences & Healthcare. Kshema provides consulting services from idea to deployment in technology planning, architectural consulting, application suitability and application acquisition planning.

Kshema is the 19th Best Employer for 2002 according to Dataquest India Survey. NASSCOM August 2002 rating has recognized Kshema Technologies as one among the India’s seven success stories during the slowdown. 

By becoming a sustaining organization member of STC, Kshema Technologies recognizes the importance of quality technical communication in reaching customers and serving them better.

India, One of the Fastest Growing STC Chapters

The STC India chapter had the fastest membership growth rate in STC Size Category 5 (41 to 75 members) since June 30, 2002. In fact, the growth has meant that STC India chapter now is a Size Category 4 (76 to 150 members) chapter.

The following new members have joining us since January: 

• Swati Budhiraja (New Delhi) 

• Beena Katekar (Bangalore)

• Ashish Malik (New Delhi)

• Rajan Doraiswamy (Bangalore)

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