Rule 1.3: Use approved words only with their approved meanings and rule 1.4: Use only the approved forms of verbs and adjectives are rules that left an impression on me. But it is difficult to have a favourite rule as you need something from all the rules we touched upon. The STE writing rules were presented well and I cannot think of any way to do this better. Overall, exercises were well balanced between how much each person had to do. More crucially is that people understand each question.
Erik Madsen Head of Maintenance Support, Maersk Drilling
I found all the STE rules to be highly beneficial for my work and certainly look forward to start applying Simplified English rules by using the ASD-STE100 specification. The two-day workshop conducted by Shumin has taught me how to use the STE rules correctly and apply them in the appropriate context. Everything has been explained very clearly.
Tina Kosman Safety Engineer, De Boer Machines
The presentation on rules clarified a lot of things of which I was unaware. I have a much better understanding of how to format lists with colons, when to use obey vs. comply, and the differences between notes, cautions, and warnings. Moving forward, I will be able to utilize the ASD-STE rules more effectively to write better documents.
I appreciated the exercises completed in this workshop because they helped me immediately practice and enforce the ASD-STE rules. I like the fact that they were timed. Writing under time-constraints forced me to think quickly and fully concentrate on my writing.
I will definitely recommend this training to writers of many fields, especially technical fields. The material, presentation, and instructor are fantastic. I learned a lot about ASD-STE. Even though I’ve been using this writing convention for almost eight years, formal training brought much clarity and comprehension that I had not previously realized. I now know that an aptitude for writing and a copy of the STE rules is a good start, but not enough. This course takes your understanding to a professional level!
Lauren Gelli Senior Technical Writer, Aerotech Inc.
I know Frans from our involvement in a collaboration between companies to develop and market controlled language checking technology. Frans showed great talent and efficiency as a technology developer and communicator of technical ideas. He is fluent in multiple human and computer languages and his understanding of the principles of controlled language writing and clear communication enable him to provide great value to his customers.
Phil Harrison Advanced Computing Technologist, Boeing
The course intro was helpful. Shumin used examples, videos, and
asked us questions to introduce the material. Knowing that the
subject matter could be dry, she tried to counteract that by varying
the presentation. The information itself was useful for what we did
later in the course.
My favourite rules are the word count rules. That sounds lame, but
I tend to write too long of sentences that don’t get to the point.
The exercises were really helpful in demonstrating the rules that
we had talked about / gone over. I got the most out of doing the
exercises and working on the examples that we submitted.
I would definitely recommend the course to someone considering or currently using STE. Shumin catered the course to our needs and familiarity level. She was very knowledgeable and was happy to help us through trouble spots and answer our questions.
Kelly Walsh, Technical Writer Aerotech Inc.
Entertaining, short, and clear presentation of the STE specification and rule sets. Overall, a good mix of rules, examples, and exercises. The course was very much on point and encouraged me to write in a more structured way. This will help the readers to properly understand my message even in business writing. Shumin had a very calm way of leading all of us through the training. Her style of teaching is rather empathetic and she keeps the group working effectively with timely breaks in between. Thanks Shumin for an enjoyable course with the perfect score of 10/10 in terms of trainer evaluation.
Cécile Roos, Corporate Translation Manager Schindler Management Ltd
I attended Frans's training course in Simplified Technical English in June 2010 and I am very glad I did. Apart from being an engaging speaker and managing to enunciate 57 and a half writing rules in three hours without boring you for a second, Frans is a brilliant technically-minded linguist - a rare find. The ease with which he can turn convoluted (or downright bad) material into crystal-clear technical writing, at first sight and without hesitation, didn't cease to amaze me throughout the training sessions. Frans is personable, flexible, an extremely knowledgeable scholar and an excellent teacher. The two days spent in training with him definitely enriched my skill set. I can wholeheartedly recommend him, as an efficient trainer, enthralling presenter, and leading documentation expert. Top qualities: Personable, Expert, Creative
Nadina Rosentuler Senior Technical Writer, IDE Technologies
Frans was both consultant and trainer to my authoring team as we developed a version of STE specifically targeted for the information technology sector. His tremendous experience in the field and passion for conferring that knowledge to our writers was instrumental in our success in adapting the authoring process as well as the documentation itself. In the long run, controlled authoring initiatives are only as good as the writers themselves and the enthusiasm with which they adopt the changed working environment. I believe Frans was critical in assisting with the cultural reformation of my team. Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity
Karen Toast Conger Director, Product Training & Publications, WatchGuard Technologies Inc.
Thanks for this course. I learned a lot and would have liked to spend more time improving these skills. My takeaway? Simplify and remove whatever is unnecessary.
TCLoc Master's Student University of Strasbourg
TAI hired Frans to work with our experienced team and help them to improve their ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English skills. Frans helped us to identify areas for improvement both in our own documents and in those supplied by our customers and partners. At the end of the training, we all had learned simple yet effective methods to improve the quality, readability and compliance of our writing. Most importantly, we learned how to scrutinize text for commonly made mistakes and how to balance compliance with optimum readability. We enjoyed working with Frans, who has a pleasant personality and an open mind. I am happy to recommend him to any company that wants to improve its documentation, be it for compliance reasons or to facilitate translation. Top Qualities: Great Results, Expert, Good Value
Halil Kan, Logistics Specialist, Turkish Aerospace Industries TAI/TUSAS
