# Elmer A. Sia Technical Writer | Developer Documentation Specialist Email: pragmatic_panoy@yahoo.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/panoysia Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/elmersiathedocsguy ## Summary I’m a technical writer with a background in software development and hands-on coding experience. While I’ve written content for a wide range of audiences, I specialize in developer-facing documentation — including API references, SDK guides, onboarding tutorials, and internal engineering wikis. Technical writing allows me to combine my love for technology, continuous learning, and teaching. It’s a career that fuels my curiosity while enabling me to help others succeed through clear, actionable content. Beyond my passion for writing and learning, I bring strong emotional intelligence and empathy to the teams I work with. These qualities shape both my documentation style and my approach to collaboration — helping me meet people where they are, regardless of background or skill level. ## Core Skills & Tools - **Developer Documentation**: Specializing in API reference (Swagger/OpenAPI), SDK guides, onboarding tutorials, internal engineering wikis, and developer-focused blog content - **Documentation Deliverables**: User guides, product manuals, SaaS documentation, knowledge base (KB) articles, SOPs, internal wikis, and style guides - **Documentation Frameworks & Standards**: [Diátaxis framework](https://diataxis.fr/), Microsoft Style Guide, Google Developer Style Guide, IBM Style Guide - **Docs Platforms & Tooling**: [ReadMe](https://readme.com/), [Stoplight](https://stoplight.io/), Confluence, GitBook, Zendesk, [HackMD](https://hackmd.io/), Docusaurus, Jekyll - **Workflow & Writing Tools**: Markdown, HTML, Git, GitHub, Postman, VS Code, Google Docs - **Programming & Query Languages**: Visual Basic 6, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, JavaScript, Python, PHP, SQL - **Databases**: MySQL, PostgreSQL - **Collaboration & Issue Tracking**: Slack, Zoom, Jira, Asana, Trello - **AI & Emerging Tools**: ChatGPT, Gemini, Prompt Engineering (for writing and workflow augmentation) ## Selected Project Experience The following Upwork-based engagements highlight my breadth as a technical writer with strong developer sensibilities. Each project involved hands-on contributions to API documentation, internal knowledge bases, or software development process documentation — often with a focus on clarity, traceability, and cross-functional collaboration. ### :closed_book: Pitcher – Internal Documentation for Sales Enablement “Superapp” **Timeline**: Jun 2021 – Aug 2022 **Role**: Technical Writer (via Upwork) - Contracted as [Pitcher’s](https://pitcher.com/) first technical writer to support its ISO certification efforts through internal software process documentation. - Embedded in the QRC department under the QMS team; assigned to document how the engineering team developed and customized solutions for its most critical enterprise client, Sandoz (pharmaceutical). - Led retrospective and prospective internal documentation using a reusable specification ("specs") template that emphasized traceability between JIRA, code commits, functional design, and client requirements. - Authored documentation directly used during Pitcher’s ISO audit and served as the model for other client teams and technical writers across the company. - Created, structured, and maintained documentation within Confluence — organizing by modules and features (e.g., “Drop Management” and “Inventory Management”) with nested specs per requirement. - Mentored new technical writers and cross-trained developers, solution architects, and PMs on proper documentation workflows as internal scaling made centralized writing unsustainable. - Participated in agile ceremonies, collaborated asynchronously across global time zones, and often worked independently to extract insights from code (Vue.js, vanilla JS, PHP) and team backlogs. - Maintained strong stakeholder trust, ultimately becoming the go-to documentation lead for high-priority projects and the internal reference for future writers. **Docs Stack**: Confluence, JIRA, Git, private repos, Salesforce **Docs Focus**: Internal process documentation, traceability, ISO readiness, functional/technical specs, release notes **Languages Encountered**: Vue.js, JavaScript, PHP **Result**: Instrumental in Pitcher’s successful ISO certification audit by delivering rigorous, traceable internal documentation; helped standardize documentation practices across client teams and paved the way for scalable, reusable process documentation. **Challenges**: Faced initial resistance from developers and PMs unfamiliar with process documentation’s value; overcame this by building trust, modeling high-quality specs, and mentoring teammates — gradually shifting attitudes and improving documentation culture across teams. ### :green_book: Panoply – Internal Knowledge Base Overhaul & Data Connector Documentation **Timeline**: Sep 2019 – May 2021 **Role**: Technical Writer (via Upwork) - Contracted to support [Panoply](https://panoply.io/), a cloud data platform built on Amazon Redshift that automates data ingestion and warehousing for analytics workflows. - Initially worked on documenting third-party service connectors (e.g., Shopify, Google Sheets, Facebook) and database integrations (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB), using Jekyll, GitHub, and CloudCannon. - Transitioned to the **internal knowledge base team**, tasked with revamping outdated Zendesk KB articles and creating new ones to support Panoply’s global tech support team. - Wrote clear, example-driven documentation tailored to non-native English-speaking support agents—featuring annotated screenshots, step-by-step use cases, and simplified technical language. - Operated independently with minimal supervision, maintaining a steady output of high-impact KB articles that helped reduce resolution time and increased team confidence during live support. **Docs Stack**: Zendesk, Jekyll, GitHub, CloudCannon, Asana **Docs Focus**: Internal knowledge base, connector documentation, user assistance content **Result**: Transformed the internal KB into a reliable and essential resource for tech support operations across time zones; received direct praise for content quality, clarity, and structure. **Challenges**: Navigated timezone barriers and diverse language fluency among support agents; took initiative to self-study platform behavior and write documentation grounded in real-world support needs. ### :blue_book: Route4Me – API Docs Review, Developer Support, and Knowledge Base Revamp **Timeline**: Jun 2018 – Sep 2019 **Role**: Technical Writer & Developer-Facing Support (via Upwork) - Hired to update and expand [Route4Me’s](https://www.route4me.com/) outdated user-facing documentation for iOS and iPadOS platforms, including detailed manuals and support guides with annotated screenshots and improved clarity for end users. - Reviewed and proofread internal API documentation authored by non-native English developers; improved language quality, consistency, and structure while deepening API literacy through hands-on testing with Postman and cURL. - Supported API and SDK users via live chat as part of the Customer Success team, providing accurate developer-level responses, interpreting errors, and collaborating with SDK maintainers for resolution across multiple languages. - Independently authored an API integration guide using Route4Me webhooks and Twilio for real-time SMS notifications; published the guide using Docpress (JS-based static site generator) and GitHub Pages. - Contributed to the early structure of a Route4Me certification program to onboard users more effectively; outlined program components and objectives before its de-prioritization by leadership. **Docs Stack**: WordPress (KB), GitHub, Slate (Middleman), Docpress, Postman, cURL **Docs Focus**: API literacy, integration guides, knowledge base updates, developer support **Result**: Delivered significant improvements to the user documentation and developer support experience, directly resolving API-related tickets and driving internal awareness of documentation gaps. **Challenges**: Faced cultural and leadership resistance to documentation ownership and technical writing’s value; learned to maintain professionalism, advocate for user clarity, and navigate difficult personalities while still delivering excellent output. ## Writing Samples Below are selected writing samples from my past and current projects. These include product documentation, technical blog posts, how-to guides, and API-related content. All links are publicly available and were either approved by the client or published as part of their official documentation. Please note: I’m unable to share samples from select projects featured in the **Selected Project Experience** section (e.g., Pitcher, Panoply) due to their internal and access-controlled nature. Most of the documentation I produced for those companies resides in private tools such as Confluence or Zendesk and was intended for internal use only. *Source Markdown files for the samples listed here are available upon request.* ### :electric_plug: API Documentation - [Route4Me API Documentation](https://route4me.io/docs/) — Contributor & Proofreader - Reviewed and improved internal and external API documentation authored by the engineering team; focused on language clarity, accuracy, and developer usability. - [Bibendo API Reference – Staging](https://bibendo-docs-dev.readme.io/reference) — Lead Writer (Work in Progress) - Leading the development of Bibendo’s API documentation using OpenAPI and Readme.com. Responsible for refining endpoint structure, improving schema clarity, and authoring endpoint descriptions, examples, and onboarding content. - Drafted an initial [demo API guide](https://hackmd.io/@elmer/demo-bibendo-api-docs) in HackMD as part of a growing set of onboarding documentation, which is planned for future integration into Bibendo’s Readme.com portal alongside the API reference. - *Live staging link; content still subject to revision.* ### :male-technologist: Developer Guides These tutorials demonstrate my ability to support developers through clear, hands-on instructional content. I’ve authored and contributed to guides covering SDK usage, API workflows, real-time event handling, and integration strategies. - [BeOpen Developer Docs](https://developers.beopen.com/docs) — Major Contributor - Contributed SDK usage guides, troubleshooting flows, and best practices to help developers implement BeOpen’s platform effectively. - [Route4Me API Tutorials](https://elmer-route4me.github.io/api-tutorials/index.html) — Author - Independently created and presented this demo tutorial site to showcase real-world usage of Route4Me’s API, including webhook-based workflows and SMS integration via Twilio. Though not officially adopted by the company, it remains a polished and technically sound example of my ability to write hands-on integration content. - *Note: This guide includes slow-loading screenshots—refresh your browser if they don’t appear immediately.* ### :page_with_curl: Product Documentation - [Livedocs Documentation](https://livedocs.com/docs) — Author - Wrote end-user and platform documentation for Livedocs, a collaborative data tool that blends SQL, Python, charts, and narrative content into a single AI-powered workspace. - Covered onboarding, feature overviews, and interactive usage examples designed for both technical and non-technical users. - Used **Docusaurus** for site generation and **Git/GitHub** for version control and deployment. ### :writing_hand: Technical Blog Articles - [Joyfill Developer Blog](https://joyfill.io/blog) — Contracted Contributor - Contracted by [Joyfill](https://joyfill.io), a modern PDF SDK platform that enables developers to build, populate, and manage dynamic forms in web and mobile applications. - Authored developer-focused blog articles exploring real-world challenges and modern solutions in PDF generation, automation, and JavaScript-based tooling. - Leveraged AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini) and prompt engineering techniques to augment writing efficiency and technical depth—an approach fully supported by the client. - The following articles were approved and published on the Joyfill Developer Blog: - [Creating PDFs from HTML + CSS in JavaScript: What Actually Works](https://hackmd.io/@elmer/creating-pdfs-from-html-css-in-javascript) - [How to Generate PDFs in the Browser with JavaScript (No Server Needed)](https://hackmd.io/@elmer/generate-pdfs-in-browser-with-javascript) - [Why the PDF Has Stood the Test of Time (A Developer's Perspective)](https://hackmd.io/@elmer/why-the-pdf-stood-the-test-of-time) ### :hammer_and_wrench: How-To Guides A collection of practical tutorials and walkthroughs created for various clients to help users install tools, configure software, and solve technical problems efficiently. - [Using the Netarx Plug-In](https://hackmd.io/@elmer/installing-using-netarx-plug-in) — Author - [Installing Memgraph + Memgraph Lab on macOS](https://hackmd.io/NVgFEpBpSl-YxvJUDwkVGw) — Author - [Integrate Route4Me with Zapier](https://support.route4me.com/integrating-route4me-with-zapier/) — Author --- > 🔗 For additional background and client reviews, visit my [Upwork profile](https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/elmersiathedocsguy).