I was looking forward to the training and was not disappointed. I think that the training was valuable and would recommend that my colleagues take the training either on line or in person. Being able to send a sample document and then working on it together using my new STE skills was very helpful and valuable. Shumin was extremely knowledgeable and gave many practical examples. I hope to be able to make use of the support period post-training.

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.

Shumin gave us a an all-rounded presentation to Simplified Technical English. Personally, rule 1.3: To use only approved words with their approved meaning holds the key to successful controlled language implementation. Rules 3.4, 3.6, 4.1, 5.3, and 5.5 are also among my favourites. The approved verb TO MAKE SURE THAT can come in very handy for technical writers as well. The presentation of STE rules offers quite a detailed overview that includes not only language rules but good, old technical authoring principles in general. It has been very helpful for us to learn and understand the concept of STE. I have found Shumin to be very competent in STE and will defnitely recommend her course!

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.

A good 1 slide introduction on the history of STE100. Not too lengthy and still comprehensive enough to inform us about how the standard came about and who is the committee behind the updates. My favourite rule will definitely be the half rule since I can decide if I want to follow it or not. Jokes aside, I think all the rules will take some time to remember and put into practice. Interesting exercises during this training that allow us to practise what was just taught. Good that the answers were provided so we can refer back in future. Shumin enunciates her words well and is understandable, so I would recommend anyone who is interested in getting some knowledge about Simplified Technical English to take up this course with her. Having the class address the rules individually keeps us awake and on our toes!

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

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 ASD-STE100 course I attended by Shumin was very intensive yet enjoyable. Besides the standard format and company templates used when creating documentation, STE rules helped me understand that there is an alternative approach to technical writing. By shrinking the size of my vocabulary, I am effectively using only one word for one purpose. With STE, my goal is to focus on what I would like to communicate effectively, rather than to simply place information into a template.

The introduction to STE gave me a more detailed idea about the STE concept. STE favours simple and short sentences to give the audience a clear idea of how information develops. It was also good to know that some verbs that ar evry commonly used in Schindler vocabulary are not acccepted in STE. Instead, shorter, simpler verbs can be good enough. To add, rules and tips provided during the training has been very helpful for my work. The exercises were practical and useful and I wish we had more time to go into more detail. Everything had been clearly explained and Shumin was very specific. I would most likely recommend this course to technical authors.

I've worked with Shumin Chen when she was a Localization Program Manager for large projects into multiple languages. She was always very professional and confident. I would work with her again in the future.