This document will illustrate for the reader a typical editing project that I encountered in my years as a Technical Writer and Editor. The sample document under review is a real Quick Start Guide that I worked on and that is published worldwide. This is a publicly available document and is not subject to any proprietary restrictions. The purpose of this portfolio synopsis is to explain my approach to technical editing, and the different considerations the editor must make based on the context of the document and the product. A narrated, video component will be included to further assist the reader and aide in their overall understanding of the project and my role.

The LUX-Dx Insertable Cardiac Monitor was a new product from Boston Scientific. It’s a monitoring and recording device that is inserted under the skin without a need for surgery. This was a new product space for Boston Scientific and all accompanying documentation would be created from scratch as there was no existing documentation on which to base the new documentation package. One particular piece of content that was created was the Quick Start Guide. I served as the Technical Editor for the Quick Start Guide project.

Technical editing is of utmost importance when creating new documentation. In more typical projects, editors and writers benefit from their content having been through multiple edits over the lifetime of its existence. With existing content, each iteration will receive multiple edits and have multiple reviewers. This helps hone the message, improve accuracy, and greatly reduce the chance for errors to get through. However, when content is being released for the first time, the technical editor must heavily scrutinize the content while keeping a firm grasp on project context and requirements. First generation content needs to make a great first impression, but also carries a heavier risk of error.

Click the button below to open the Word document explaining the project and my role. Then watch the accompanying video for further explanation.