Member Profile: Christine S Gilray
Occupation:	Technical Communication Consultant in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
	“I am a Technical Communicator at KPMG in Toronto. I have been with KPMG for 15 years, working as a Technical Communicator since 1995. I work in the Technology & Knowledge Management department where we support and develop the technology used across the firm. I am responsible for developing documentation to support new computer systems and applications that we develop and/or implement to our offices across Canada. To do this, I work with our Business Analysts, Quality Assurance firm members, Subject Matter Experts, Functional firm members, and many more. Most of our documents are produced using [Adobe] FrameMaker®, some using [Microsoft®] Word.” -Christine Gilray Christine quietly goes about documenting, while applying cumulative knowledge about documentation standards. Occasional challenges by contractors about her template and grammar choices fail to shake her confidence. She points out that writing and formatting choices are often subjective. If the explanation is insufficient, she seeks support through various style guides and grammar books. As with many of us, she watches the STC and the QSIG for concrete guidelines. The ISO guidelines, she says, are geared more toward government, and “don't really apply” to the company. However, if the STC were to mandate ISO use, she would do so. Why? She says that she would hope that their recommendations would be thoroughly “researched and accurate.” Her natural ability to communicate through documentation allows her to realize that not everyone can write. While she is respected in her position, she senses that the “benefits of a good user document is not recognized.” A good user document allows users to “find the answer themselves.” When she hears nothing about her documentation after it’s signed off and put to use, she assumes that it is working, “or they're not using it.” At the end of her workday, Christine looks forward to the greeting she receives from her husband and her pet cat. She drove about 150 km, or 90 miles to London, to relieve her niece from the disabling allergy to the cat. Her niece rescued the cat from an abusive upper-story neighbor, and tucked it safely into her basement home. The cat has since learned enough trust to allow Christine to pet his belly. It has been too long since her last vacation. Her next anticipated vacation is designated for re-distributing their belongings to their proper place in her new home. There is little doubt that between making a home and working out at the gymnasium, she will remain fit and ready for another day in the documentation world.
	About the Author: Marla Davis is an STC Senior Member in the Phoenix Chapter. Back to top