Niki Dow
Senior Director, Technical Communications
Arm, the world's leading semiconductor IP company
I lead a team of over 100 people who research and write technical content that describes our products and how to use them. I also look after our technical website's content, and the applications that are used to download our products.
I love the people I work with - they are curious, clever, and committed to helping our customers. I also love working for a company that has created technology that helps with everyone's daily live, from the tech that makes our smartphones work, to the technology inside the helicopter that's part of the Perseverance Mars rover.
I spend time talking to my team, making sure that they have what they need to do their work. I also spend time looking at how we can improve what we do, through automation, better processes, or new tools to help us be more efficient.
I discovered technical writing by accident after I spent some time as a PA for a large tech company in a sales team. I enjoyed learning about how things work and then writing about them for other people to use. I spent some time working in France on large computer systems, and did some translation of documentation as well. As I moved to new jobs it was always because I wanted to learn something new about technical writing and online delivery of content. Through each new role I learned something different and expanded my knowledge of how business works, all the financial elements of making a profit (or not), but mostly how to make things better for people who buy products to do something else. I've also had a go at software user interface design!
I am very happy doing what I'm doing, and I've still got things I want to achieve in my current role: I can see more automation in my future, as well as relaxing in my garden, and having fun with family and friends. Mostly I want to make sure that I still enjoy my work, and ensure that others can achieve their full potential through any help I can give them.
I love flowers and my garden, so I spend a lot of time pottering about in the greenhouse (no it's not boring honest!). I love walking my two Bernese Mountain dogs in the countryside where we live. I also love to cook and bake and enjoy trying out new recipes.
You only need 30 seconds of bravery and you never know what you can achieve.