No doubt for Frans knowledge of simplified technical English. It's really useful in my job. Top Qualities: Personable, Expert, Creative
Jumadi Timotius Simangunsong Aircraft Engine Maintenance Planning Engineer, GMF AeroAsia
I was at first skeptical of the advantages that STE will bring as it seemed to have mainly been used in the aerospace & defence industry. This intensive three-day training course has changed my opinion and certainly helped to sharpen my technical writing skills tremendously! Top Qualitites: Cheaper, faster, and better translations.
Brian Cho Head of Language Services Division, HansemEUG
I am glad to say the STE course attended by team was really satisfactory. Feedback is very positive and we will be interested in repeating the experience in a near future. Top Qualities: Personable, Expert, On Time
Felix Donoso Translation Manager, arvato technical information S.L.
Personally, it became clearer to me that STE is a language that one can learn to pick up. This includes the standard vocabulary and customised dictionary that is built for every company or product. In other words, STE is a ‘way of life’ in the field of technical writing and documentation. The ASD-STE100 exercises covered a wide spectrum of topics from choosing between approved and non-approved words to recreating documentation in STE. Shumin expertly guided us from classroom learning mode to real-life practical application of STE rules. The materials that she presented were informative and very convincing. Top Qualities: Practical, Convincing, Informative
Martin Broekhuis Technical Editor, Webasto
The course provided a strong foundation in Simplified Technical English. While the core principles were familiar, the emphasis on practical application was invaluable. I particularly appreciated the concise and clear writing style promoted throughout the training.
However, to truly maximize the learning experience, additional time for hands-on exercises and in-depth discussions would be beneficial. Prior exposure to the writing rules could have optimized class time for more interactive learning and focused question-and-answer sessions.
Despite these suggestions, the trainer's expertise and engaging delivery significantly enhanced the overall experience. The course content was well-structured and informative, providing a solid understanding of STE principles. I would confidently recommend this course to colleagues seeking to improve their technical writing skills.
Lotta, Technical Writer Jula AB
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
Good explanation with history and background of STE to illustrate the importance of using STE in the aircraft industry. Rule 6.1: To give information gradually is my favourite. My favourite verbs are DO, PREPARE, REPLACE, REMOVE and STOP.
I am now conscious of writing in shorter sentences for better clarity and getting the point across. Before STE100, I tend to include too much information for fear that the message was misinterpreted. These verbs are commonly used and I agree that the intrinsic meaning of these are sufficient to get the message across efficiently.
There were good practice sessions to reinforce the essence of the respective rules. I would most certainly recommend Simplified Technical English as a standard to maintenance related fields since I personally do not like to read instructions in a disorganized manner.
JD Hong Maintenance Superintendent, Maersk Drilling
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.
Keep doing what you’re doing - it’s a good subject and a very helpful class! I like the list of approved words. This could really help clarify and harmonize the writing in an organization. My other favourite STE rule being: Do not write noun clusters of more than 3 nouns. It helps when reading and writing texts also outside of STE.
TCLoc Master's Programme Student University of Strasbourg
I have found Shumin to be a very patient and knowledgeable instructor! This is a great course that offers me an in-depth look into all of the technical English writing rules. I will recommend this course to everyone!
Consultant, Technical Writer Sigma Technology Information AB