I worked with Frans on a project for translation for technical manuals. It was a pleasure to work with him and he was very professional. He responded to our queries quickly and informatively and he was an asset to have on the project, as he has a vast knowledge of technical translation. Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, On Time.

Frans gave our group of three teams training in Simplified Technical English. He was engaging as a speaker and really made the 2-day training enjoyable and worthwhile. I didn't think we all could use the new ways of writing and thinking that he was teaching, but everyone got on board right away. We continue to use the skills that Frans taught us, with the same type of enthusiasm he brought to the group during training. This was probably the best training I've had at Check Point, in either technical or professional subjects. Top Qualities: Personable, Expert, Creative

The goals and expectations of the course were laid out clearly. My favourite STE rule was rule 4.2: Do not omit words or use contractions to make your sentences shorter. I tend to shorten sentences as much as possible so I had to pay extra attention each time to ensure accuracy. I've found the course to be very interesting, and Shumin has conveyed the message very well. It would be great if we had more time to go through more assignments during class.

This course shares a good overview of structure, purpose, history, and contextual information about STE. The limited vocabulary and restricted list of words, short sentence constructions, active voice, and imperative verb usage are valuable takeaways messages to act upon in Simplified English. The examples used in this training are quite realistic and it is very likely that I will recommend this STE training to someone else.

The introduction provided a well-rounded history of ASD-STE, the types of industries that use it, and how they use it. I now have a better understanding of what ASD-STE is and how our company should be using it. My favorite writing rule is Rule 1.3 (Use approved words only with their approved meanings.) This rule is the heart of STE. It makes consistency, clarity, and comprehension ubiquitous across all documents regardless of who writes them. It is the main rule that unifies writers with one voice. My favorite STE verbs are Apply, Attach, Make Sure, and Show. The verb Apply has multiple use cases for our documents. The verb Attach is a great utility verb because common alternatives like “mount” are not approved. The verb “make sure” is extremely helpful in cautions and warnings, also in some procedural steps. Finally, the verb “show” is extremely helpful when I write about background processes and how things work in general. 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 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.

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

Rules about noun clusters (no more than 3 words, use of hypens and use of articles/demonstrative adjectives) and sentences (use of short sentences with a max. of 20 words without contractions and write only one instruction per sentence, but also use of vertical lists and connecting words) are definitely my favourite ones! The first session with you was interesting and carried out well! Overall, however, you did a very good job, rescheduling the assignment until we finished the TCTrainNet course, and I enjoyed attending your live meetings!

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

Shumin is a supportive and approachable manager, colleague and friend. She possesses excellent linguistic, communication and presentation skills. She is able to communicate well and is eloquent on the international platform and is able to exercise professional inter-cultural sensitivities.

This Simplified Technical English (STE) workshop has equipped me with the right kind of STE knowledge and skill sets to move forward confidently in my role as a technical writing team leader. I am glad that I was able to attend this course!