Welcome
I create info for folks to easily follow, including knowledge bases, videos, and graphics.
While I gladly consult and freelance, my primary position is as the Knowledge Base Specialist for York College of Pennsylvania (YCP), through their Library and Technology Services (LTS) department.
In addition to the knowledge base, I also manage LTS's video and graphic content, and oversee a team of student employees who I hand pick to help with each. In short, I'm involved with most of our tech-related communications and ensure that they reach the YCP community and public.
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Knowledge base
LTShelp.ycp.edu is the self-service help center / knowledge base (KB) that I manage.
I've sought to organize our articles and resources into a simple, coherent, responsive, and friendly interface.
To write instructions, I learn the processes I teach. I also use this as a review, then collaborate with my colleagues to further streamline those processes. Across various applications, this has included solutions such as shortened URLs, enhanced logos/icons, content reorganization/rewrites, link tracking, and more. I also optimize and follow our analytics to best prioritize my focus.
As our KB has grown and improved, our call and ticket volume has decreased.
Platform
I build YCP's public KB on Google Sites, using third-party apps and some tweaked HTML embeds. I've created SOPs and style guides, so those working with me can easily contribute. Sites meets our budget, so I make it meet our needs. For internal knowledge, we use a few additional applications.
I work with a variety of knowledge base apps, CMS, LMS, and website builders. It'd be my pleasure to create or manage yours with Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, or any other such service.
Videos
I try to keep my material engaging yet concise, and most of these are a bit cheeky, as they're usually targeted to college students. You can see more at youtube.com/ycplts or embedded within LTShelp.ycp.edu.
Standard tutorials
These are the most common videos I make. That's my voice you're hearing, so it'll come with me wherever I go.
Tech tips
I interviewed members of LTS to briefly explain a resource that they have to offer. As IT departments don't always feel like the most approachable places by reputation, these personable interactions have helped to humanize us.
Specialized outreach
Sometimes we need something a little more unique, and I find a creative way to relay the info.
New Phone has gained a viewership outside of YCP, from our YouTube channel, and has gotten about a dozen requests to be used at other businesses and institutions. The University of Chicago and Laitram each hired me to make customized iterations.
Copyright Infringement is my crack at a light and factual explanation of our legal requirements and students' responsibilities. I tried to avoid the morally shaming approach that I've seen some other institutions take.
Graphics
Below are some of my more utilized or unique visual solutions.
YCP LTS logo
For our broad graphic identity (multiple sizes across various apps, media, shirts, equipment, etc.), I designed a wordless logo to complement our wordmark.
Quickly identifiable as both Library & Technology, I made a WiFi symbol and some books, in our college colors.
Fliers
This one is part of a digital "packet" given to incoming students and employees.
Understandably, a number of other departments submit fliers full of text. We have the advantage of already sharing our materials online, so I wanted our piece to simply serve as an eye-catching, interactive path to our KB.
QR codes
As most phone cameras now read QR codes, I utilize them in our media outreach across campus. They're found on door and desk signs, to check whether rooms are reserved, and to reduce our reliance on paper fliers (when we do use handouts, we add them to direct to our KB). I then track their usage analytics to further optimize them.
I created a simple directive, using an online QR code builder and a variation on our logo, making it easy for any of our employees to whip one up, identical to the rest.
It also creates an identifiable, consistent seal, so that YCP members recognize our trustworthy codes.
GIFs
When a video is too much, but a still image is too little, I'll gladly make an animated GIF to supplement my written instructions.
Portal icons
Our college portal admin requested a graphic for each app used by YCP members.
I hunted for high resolution versions of the official logos (when the companies permitted, but only provided too low quality an image), cut them out, converted them, standardized the sizes/resolutions (for load times and responsiveness), and created an Adobe Illustrator template to keep them all consistent. As screen resolutions rise in the future, I can quickly re-export them to match.
Resume & contact
Employment
York College of Pennsylvania
Library & Technology Services (LTS)
Knowledge Base (KB) Specialist
5/1/2018 - present
Manage & build KB/self-service help center
Find, train, and oversee a team of KB, video, & graphics student employees
Optimize & interpret analytics for priorities
Ideate & develop further service strategies
Create style guides, SOPs, & templates
Improve services’ usability & accessibility
Form & participate in cross-departmental teams to foster creative problem solving
Retain prior position responsibilities:
Video Producer & Help Desk Technician
8/16/2013 - 5/1/2018
Manage & produce various types of videos
Learn, publicize, & instruct multiple SaaS’
Write & format knowledge base articles
Manage & design informational graphics: logos, icons, GIFs, QR codes, signage, etc.
Write & distribute campus announcements
Assist with client services at the Help Desk
Laitram
Video Producer, 6/4/2019 - 7/9/2019
Produced custom tutorial video content
University of Chicago
Video Producer, 11/20/2018 - 1/17/2019
Produced custom tutorial video content
Potomac Talking Book Services
Audiobook Narrator, 12/2/2016 - 12/2/2017
Narrated & edited audio content for the US Library of Congress
Nations Photo Lab
Video Producer, Customer Service Rep, QC
12/14/2012 - 8/15/2013
Produced custom tutorial video content
Advised customers on our products & technical solutions for best quality prints
Skills
Technical writing
Project management
Software/service testing & documentation
Employee & client training
Customer service & public speaking
Adobe Creative Cloud
- Premiere, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Encoder, Audition, Acrobat, etc.
Screen capture softwares
- Camtasia, Captivate, QuickTime, VidGrid, etc.
KB / KM / CMS / LMS / Website builders
- Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, PHPKB, Notion, Confluence, TerminalFour, Canvas, Moodle, Google Sites, Squarespace, Wix, etc.
Video & audio recording & editing
Video hosting & streaming
- YouTube, Vimeo, social media platforms, etc.
Voice-over & video talent
Google Drive & Workspace (G Suite)
- Drive File Stream, Shared Drives, Domains, Admin Console, Docs, Drawings, Gmail, etc.
Analytics
- Google Analytics & Siteimprove, URL tracking
Basic domain management
- Setup, forwarding, subdomains, DNS, etc.
Basic HTML & CSS adjustment
Microsoft Office
Mac, Windows, & Chrome OS
Webform platforms
- Qualtrics, Google Forms, etc.
Basic network connection troubleshooting
- Aruba ClearPass (eduroam)
Ticketing softwares
Video conferencing
- Zoom, GoToMeeting, Google Meet, etc.
Education
York College of Pennsylvania
8/25/2008 - 5/12/2012
BA: Mass Communication
MINOR: Visual Communication