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Preparing Your Knowledge Base for the Future of Intelligent Systems with STE

The landscape of information is rapidly transforming. Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative AI are no longer concepts of tomorrow but powerful tools reshaping how we create, process, and consume knowledge today. Yet, the true potential of these AI systems hinges on one critical factor: the quality of the data they are fed. As the adage goes, “Garbage In, Garbage Out” applies more strongly than ever to Artificial Intelligence.

What Makes Documentation “AI-Ready”?

For AI models to perform optimally – whether generating content, answering complex queries, or translating vast amounts of text – they demand specific characteristics from their input documentation:

• Unambiguity: AI struggles with interpretation. A single word or phrase with multiple meanings can lead to incorrect inferences or “hallucinations”.
• Consistency: Predictable sentence structures, consistent terminology, and uniform phrasing enable AI to learn patterns more effectively and retrieve information accurately.
• Structured Language: While LLMs can handle unstructured text, highly structured, logical content allows for more precise analysis and generation.
• Controlled Vocabulary: A limited and defined set of words reduces synonymy (multiple words for the same thing) and homography (one word with multiple meanings), which are common challenges for AI.

This is where the principles of clear human communication unexpectedly converge with the demands of artificial intelligence.

Simplified Technical English: The Original AI-Friendly Language

Long before the current AI revolution, Simplified Technical English (STE), formalised as ASD-STE100, was meticulously developed to enhance clarity and reduce ambiguity for human readers, particularly non-native English speakers. It achieves this through a carefully selected controlled vocabulary and a set of precise writing rules (e.g., short sentences, active voice, avoiding jargon).

What’s fascinating is that the very characteristics that make STE easy for humans to understand also make it remarkably machine-readable. By enforcing consistency, limiting vocabulary, and simplifying sentence structures, STE inadvertently created a language that is inherently optimised for computational processing. It removes the linguistic “noise” and uncertainty that often befuddle AI systems.

Specific Benefits of STE for AI-Driven Workflows

Adopting Simplified Technical English is no longer just about human comprehension and compliance; it’s a strategic move to future-proof your documentation for an AI-powered world:

• Enhanced Machine Translation (MT) Quality:
  • STE significantly improves the quality of machine translation output by eliminating ambiguity and linguistic complexity. This leads to cleaner initial translations, fewer post-editing cycles and, ultimately, lower translation costs for global organisations.
• Improved Content Reusability for AI & Automation:
  • STE-compliant content is naturally more modular and atomised. This makes it easier for AI-powered content management systems to identify, segment, and repurpose content blocks for various outputs, from automated summaries to new content generation.
• More Accurate AI-Powered Search & Information Retrieval:
  • With consistent terminology and simpler sentence structures, AI-powered search engines, chatbots, and virtual assistants can more accurately find, interpret, and present information from your documentation. This dramatically reduces instances of “hallucinations” or incorrect responses from conversational AI.
• Streamlined Data Input for LLMs & Knowledge Graphs:
  • The structured and unambiguous nature of STE provides cleaner, more reliable input for training LLMs or populating knowledge graphs. This results in more robust AI models and more trustworthy outputs across your enterprise.

Future-Proofing Your Documentation Investment

In an era where data is the new currency and AI is the engine, the quality of your organisation’s knowledge base will dictate its competitive edge. Investing in Simplified Technical English is not just about refining existing documentation; it’s about making a strategic move that prepares your entire information architecture for seamless integration with future AI advancements. It means less rework, higher data integrity, and more reliable AI-driven insights down the line.

Ready to Master Simplified Technical English and Prepare for AI?

Understanding how to apply the principles of Simplified Technical English – including the latest updates in ASD-STE100 Issue 9 – is crucial for optimising your documentation for both human comprehension and the power of Artificial Intelligence. Our tailored STE training programmes are designed to equip your team with the practical skills needed to implement these standards effectively and future-proof your content strategy.

Learn more about our upcoming training sessions and secure your spot today!

From a rigorous specification to a global international standard: ASD-STE100’s evolution with Issue 9 marks a new era for technical communication.

On January 15, 2025, ASD-STE100 took a significant leap forward with the release of Issue 9. This latest version marks a crucial evolution, formally transitioning STE from a mere specification into a full-fledged international standard. This designation change underscores its broader applicability and reinforces its global relevance in technical communication.

While Issue 9 doesn’t introduce entirely new writing rules, its focus has been on comprehensive refinement and modernisation.

Refined Rules for Greater Clarity

One of the primary areas of update lies in the existing writing rules. 31 out of the 53 writing rules have undergone revisions in their wording. These tweaks aim to improve clarity and ease of application, directly reflecting current best practices within technical communication. The goal is to make the standard even more intuitive for authors to follow.

An Updated, Smarter Dictionary

The STE dictionary, a cornerstone of the standard, also received a substantial overhaul. A staggering 555 entries – encompassing words, definitions, and examples – were updated. These revisions ensure the dictionary aligns with the latest linguistic and technical conventions, maintaining accuracy and relevance across a wide range of industries.

Aligning Terminology with Global Standards

Issue 9 placed a significant emphasis on modernising the meta-terminology within STE itself. This review focused on streamlining legacy classifications and aligning them with international terminological frameworks. For instance, terms like “technical name” and “technical verb” from previous issues have been reclassified as “technical noun” and “technical verb (term)”, respectively. This update directly links STE to ISO 1087-1:2019, making the standard more consistent with broader linguistic principles. Additionally, subject field classifications were refined, and new categories (such as “Law and regulations” and “Animals, plants, and other life forms”) were introduced under rules like Rule 1.5 and 1.12 to cater to an expanding range of content.

A User-Centric Approach

A key driving force behind these updates was the aim to improve usability for technical authors. Recognising that most authors are not linguists, the standard’s developers prioritised balancing terminological precision with practicality. This ensures that STE remains straightforward and accessible, enabling authors to apply it effectively without unnecessary complexity.

A Collaborative Effort

Issue 9 is the culmination of extensive collaboration. Its development involved the ASD Simplified Technical English Management Group (STEMG), academic experts, and STE users from around the world. A two-month global feedback period was integral to gathering diverse insights, ensuring the final standard is robust and truly reflective of industry needs.

In essence, ASD-STE100 Issue 9 solidifies the standard’s position by clarifying and modernising its existing framework. By enhancing its global standing and practical applicability without introducing entirely new rules, it focuses instead on refinement and alignment with modern terminological practices, ensuring STE remains a powerful tool for clear and precise communication.

Ready to Master ASD-STE100 Issue 9?

Understanding the updates in Issue 9 is crucial for ensuring your documentation remains compliant, clear, and efficient. Our tailored ASD-STE100 training programmes are designed to equip your team with the practical skills needed to implement these latest standards effectively.

Learn more about our upcoming training sessions and secure your spot today!

Understanding the Disconnect Between Universal Benefit and Varied Adoption

In the world of technical communication, few standards offer the promise of clarity, precision, and efficiency quite like ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English. It’s a meticulously crafted set of writing rules and a controlled vocabulary designed to eliminate ambiguity, streamline translation, and enhance comprehension across diverse audiences, especially in high-stakes, high-reliability sectors.

Logically, one would assume such a universally beneficial standard would be embraced by all. Yet, here’s an unpopular opinion that many in the field can quietly attest to: ASD-STE100 Simplified Technical English is for everyone, but not everyone is for STE.

The inherent benefits of STE for clear communication are undeniable. Its principles lead to documentation that is easier to read, quicker to write, and significantly more cost-effective to translate. These advantages are crucial in industries where a single misinterpretation can lead to operational errors, safety incidents, or costly rework.

So, if STE offers such clear advantages, why isn’t its adoption universal? This often stems from a fundamental disconnect: while the objective benefits are clear, the willingness or capacity of individuals and organisations to fully embrace and implement STE varies greatly. This reluctance speaks to several underlying factors:

The Comfort Zone of Existing Practices

For many, the current way of doing things, even if inefficient, is familiar and comfortable. Changing established writing habits and documentation workflows requires effort, time, and a shift in mindset. The perceived disruption of adopting a new standard can outweigh the perceived benefits, especially if the current inefficiencies are not explicitly measured or understood. “We’ve always done it this way” becomes a powerful barrier to change.

Underestimation of Hidden Costs

The true value of STE isn’t always immediately apparent. The costs of ambiguous documentation – including extended review cycles, frequent clarification requests, increased translation expenses due to low translation memory leverage, and errors stemming from misinterpretation – are often hidden. They’re absorbed across different departments and budgets, rarely aggregated into a single, alarming figure. Until a crisis hits or a deep dive into these inefficiencies is conducted, the compelling return on investment that STE offers remains largely unseen.

Natural Resistance to Change

Implementing STE requires discipline and a fundamental shift in writing habits. It’s not just about learning rules; it’s about unlearning old patterns and consistently applying new ones. This human element of change management is often underestimated. People may intellectually agree with the benefits but struggle with the practical, day-to-day application, especially without proper training and ongoing support.

Lack of Awareness Beyond the Superficial

For some, the understanding of STE extends only to a superficial “it’s simpler” or “it’s for non-native speakers.” They might not grasp the depth of its benefits in areas like risk mitigation, regulatory compliance, or the profound impact on automated translation and content reuse. Without a comprehensive understanding of its strategic value, STE can be dismissed as just another “technical writing fad” or an unnecessary layer of complexity.

In the fast-paced world of product development, especially within critical sectors like aerospace, defence, and manufacturing, the allure of rapid iteration and quick deployment can be overwhelming. However, this urgency often leads to a critical oversight: treating product documentation as an afterthought. This practice, while seemingly efficient in the short term, is a recipe for disaster, a potential malpractice that can have far-reaching consequences.

The Pitfalls of Post-Production Documentation:

• Inaccurate and Incomplete Information: When documentation is created after the product is finalised, crucial details can be lost or misinterpreted. Developers, having moved on to new projects, may struggle to recall specific design decisions or implementation nuances. This leads to inaccurate or incomplete documentation that fails to serve its intended purpose.
• Increased Risk of Errors and Accidents: In industries like aerospace and defence, where precision and safety are paramount, inadequate documentation can have catastrophic repercussions. Without clear and comprehensive instructions, operators and maintenance personnel are at a heightened risk of making errors, potentially leading to equipment malfunctions, accidents, and even loss of life.
• Higher Maintenance and Support Costs: Troubleshooting and maintenance become significantly more complex when documentation is lacking. Support teams spend excessive time deciphering cryptic code or reverse-engineering design flaws, leading to increased costs and prolonged downtime.
• Compliance and Regulatory Issues: Aerospace, defence, and manufacturing are heavily regulated industries. Comprehensive documentation is often a mandatory requirement for compliance. Failing to provide accurate and up-to-date documentation can result in hefty fines, legal penalties, and even product recalls.
• Hindered Knowledge Transfer and Training: Effective documentation serves as a vital tool for knowledge transfer and training. When documentation is incomplete or inaccurate, it hinders the ability of new employees and operators to quickly grasp the intricacies of the product, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors.
• Damage to Reputation and Trust: In industries where reliability and safety are paramount, inadequate documentation can severely damage a company’s reputation and erode customer trust. When customers encounter issues due to poor documentation, they are less likely to rely on the company’s products in the future.

Why This is Malpractice, Especially in Critical Industries:

In aerospace, defence, and manufacturing, the stakes are exceptionally high. Products are often complex, mission-critical, and subject to stringent safety standards. Treating documentation as an afterthought in these sectors is not merely an oversight; it’s a potential malpractice.

• Safety-Critical Applications: In these industries, products are often used in safety-critical applications where human lives are at stake. Errors resulting from inadequate documentation can have dire consequences.

• Long Product Lifecycles: Aerospace and defence products often have exceptionally long lifecycles. Proper documentation ensures that the product can be maintained and supported for decades.
• Complex Regulatory Landscapes: These industries operate within complex regulatory landscapes that demand meticulous documentation. Failure to comply can lead to severe penalties.
• High Cost of Failure: The cost of failure in these industries is exceptionally high, both in terms of financial losses and potential loss of life.

The Solution: Integrating Documentation into the Development Process:

The solution lies in integrating documentation into the product development process from the very beginning. By treating documentation as a core component of the product, companies can ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency.

• Early Planning and Collaboration: Documentation should be planned and initiated during the early stages of product development, with close collaboration between developers, technical writers, and subject matter experts.
• Continuous Updates and Revisions: Documentation should be continuously updated and revised throughout the product lifecycle to reflect any changes or modifications.
• Utilising Modern Documentation Tools: Leveraging modern documentation tools and technologies can streamline the documentation process and improve efficiency.

By prioritising product documentation and integrating it into the development process, companies can mitigate risks, enhance safety, and build trust, particularly in the demanding and critical sectors of aerospace, defence, and manufacturing.

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While generative AI offers exciting possibilities for streamlining STE content creation, it’s crucial to understand its limitations and the enduring value of human expertise.

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement: Generative AI excels at tasks like:

• Drafting and Editing: Automating repetitive tasks, suggesting alternative phrasing, and identifying potential inconsistencies.
• Enforcing Standards: Checking for adherence to ASD-STE100 and other standards.
• Improving Clarity: Identifying areas of ambiguity and suggesting clearer language.

However, AI cannot fully replace the critical thinking and nuanced understanding that human writers bring to the table.

Addressing Missing Information:

• Human Expertise: Technical writers, with their deep domain knowledge and understanding of the target audience, are essential for identifying and addressing crucial information gaps.
• Thorough Planning: Careful planning, including detailed requirements gathering and thorough subject matter research, is paramount to prevent missing information from the outset.

• Human Review: Even with AI assistance, meticulous human review is necessary to ensure all mission critical information is accurately and comprehensively conveyed.

The Importance of Human Judgement:

• Nuance and Context: STE requires understanding subtle nuances, interpreting complex technical concepts, and tailoring the information to the specific needs of the audience. These tasks demand human judgement and expertise.
• Ethical Considerations: AI models can sometimes exhibit biases or generate inaccurate information. Human oversight is crucial to ensure the ethical and responsible use of AI in STE.

Generative AI can be a valuable tool for technical writers, enhancing efficiency and improving the quality of STE documentation. However, it should be viewed as an assistant, not a replacement. The unique skills and expertise of human writers, including critical thinking, domain knowledge, and the ability to understand and address complex technical issues, remain indispensable for creating high-quality, effective, and trustworthy STE content. By leveraging the strengths of both AI and human expertise, we can create a synergistic approach that maximises the benefits of both while mitigating the risks.

Simplified Technical English: Breaking Barriers Across Industries

Simplified Technical English (STE) has its roots in the aerospace industry, where it emerged as a solution to address language and documentation challenges. While it initially served the aerospace sector, STE’s versatility and adaptability have made it relevant and applicable to various industries. This article explores the evolution of STE from an aerospace standard to its potential in revolutionising documentation practices across diverse sectors.

The Aerospace Connection

Aircraft maintenance, a safety-sensitive domain, faced issues that stem from ineffective language and documentation practices. To address this, the aerospace industry spearheaded the development of the STE specification over the past 40 years. However, despite its origins, STE does not consist solely of aerospace-specific rules. In fact, a majority of the writing rules apply universally, with only a few minor adjustments necessary to suit different industries.

Fine-tuning the Vocabulary

While some aerospace- or defence related terminology exists in the general dictionary of STE, it comprises a mere 5% of the overall words. These highly technical terms, often related to nuts and bolts, require adaptation when dealing with software-based interfaces and non-aerospace contexts. By omitting these industry-specific terms and adding a handful of words relevant to specific industries, STE can be readily customised for a wide range of technical documentation purposes.

STE Beyond Aerospace

The power of STE lies in its versatility. Its applicability extends well beyond the aerospace industry. For instance, even financial institutions can benefit from the streamlined and precise language of STE when documenting banking processes. By embracing STE, organisations from diverse sectors can enhance clarity, efficiency, and comprehension in their technical documentation.

Adaptability to Specific Needs

STE’s flexibility allows for customisation to suit unique requirements. As the specification primarily involves additions to the dictionary, aerospace clients themselves often make customisations to cater to different systems onboard their aircraft. This adaptability has been demonstrated by unexpected users, such as a coffee machine manufacturer. Although seemingly unrelated to aerospace, their coffee machines are installed in a vast majority of passenger aircraft. Documentation for these machines, whether used in offices, medical practices, or cafeterias, can be effectively developed using STE, with only slight relaxation of the rules originally designed for aerospace.

Simplified Technical English, born out of the aerospace industry, has evolved into a versatile language specification capable of transforming documentation practices across various sectors. Its effectiveness in enhancing safety, efficiency, and clarity has made it applicable to industries far beyond its initial scope. With the power to streamline communication and promote comprehension, STE offers organisations a powerful tool to optimise their technical documentation, regardless of their industry.

The writing style of the original text is highly technical and precise, which is suitable for conveying important safety information regarding the use of exercise equipment. The language used is formal, and the tone is serious, emphasizing the importance of safety precautions.

However, technical jargon can sometimes make it challenging for customers to understand the instructions and warnings, leading to improper use of equipment, which may result in serious injuries.

For instance, phrases such as “musculoskeletal discomfort” isn’t quite easily understood by customers who are not familiar with medical terminology. Similarly, terms like “Qualified Trainer” may not be clear to some users.

To avoid such issues, it is crucial to communicate safety information in a way that is easy to understand and accessible to the general public. It is important to use simple, clear, and concise language that is understandable by a broad audience.

Moreover, providing visual aids such as diagrams, pictures, and videos can be helpful in supplementing written instructions and enhancing customer understanding. Using a conversational tone, instead of a formal or technical one, can also make safety information more accessible and relatable.

In conclusion, while technical jargon is essential in certain contexts, it can hinder customer understanding in safety-related matters. Therefore, it is crucial to communicate safety information in a way that is easy to understand and accessible to a broad audience. This can be achieved through the use of Simplified English, clear and simple instructions, and avoiding technical terms or jargon wherever possible. By doing so, customers can more easily understand the instructions and use the equipment safely and efficiently.

Sign up for our Simplified Technical English workshop and learn how to communicate clearly and effectively.

ASD-STE100 was originally developed to make maintenance documentation for aircraft and their components easier to understand for a global audience. Over time, use of the specification was increasingly required for other types of manuals in the electronics, automotive and IT industries. Amongst them is Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a subsidiary of the Tata Group. By 2012 revenues, TCS is one of India’s most valuable companies, and the largest India-based IT services company.

Tata’s services include technical publications for major aircraft manufacturers and their suppliers, who require compliance with relevant standards such as ASD-STE100.

Airbus is widely known to have strict STE quality checks that are difficult to meet for outside suppliers. Head of Aerospace Vertical, Mr Sureshbabu says: “Amidst the financial turmoil of 2008, India continues to offer new business opportunities. At TCS, we constantly keep up with high quality standards and keep our customers happy. Learning how to optimally use a documentation standard like ASD-STE100 is a substantial boost to our technical writing team’s capabilities and significantly improved our compliance rating.”

Said Dr Frans Wijma, Shufra’s principal trainer: “To date, Shufra has trained 20 technical writers and SMEs at TCS and we expect many more companies in India to take this leap forward.”

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