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To make AI-agent explanations easier to follow, borrow a few Simplified Technical English (STE) principles: use short sentences, give each sentence one main point, prefer active voice when the actor matters, and keep technical terms precise and consistent. That makes an explanation STE-inspired; it does not make the agent’s output compliant with ASD-STE100.
What Simplified Technical English is—and is not
ASD-STE100 is a controlled natural language and international standard for technical documentation. It combines writing rules with a controlled dictionary intended to reduce confusion from complex sentence structures and words that have multiple meanings or synonyms. The ASD Simplified Technical English Maintenance Group describes 53 writing rules in nine sections, covering word choice, grammar, sentence structure, and style. Read the official background to STE.
The standard developed in response to comprehension problems in technical documentation, beginning with aviation maintenance material. AI-agent conversations are not automatically technical documentation, so applying a few of STE’s clarity principles does not bring every exchange within the standard’s formal scope. The official FAQ says that principles such as short sentences, one topic per sentence, and active voice can also be used in other writing contexts. See the ASD-STE100 FAQ.
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The official downloads page identifies ASD-STE100 Issue 9, January 2025 as the current issue. It is available as a free copy by request. Request the current ASD-STE100 issue.
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How to simplify an AI agent’s language without changing its meaning
1. Start with the reader’s task
Decide what the reader needs to understand or do after reading the response. Keep the conditions, warnings, and system limitations needed to do that safely. A shorter answer is not clearer if it omits a condition that changes what the reader should do.
2. Separate distracting jargon from necessary terminology
Look for internal labels, unexplained acronyms, and fashionable AI terms that get in the way of the task. Replace them with an ordinary word only when the replacement means the same thing. For example, the official FAQ uses “start” as a selected word instead of “begin,” “commence,” “initiate,” or “originate.” That example illustrates a choice in STE; it is not a blanket rule to ban synonyms in all writing.
Keep technical nouns and verbs when they carry essential meaning. ASD-STE100 allows applicable technical terms under its rules. Define a term when the reader first needs it, then use the same term consistently. Do not replace a precise technical term with a simpler but inaccurate one.
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Split a sentence when it combines several actions, conditions, or topics. Prefer active voice when it helps the reader identify who performs an action. For example, instead of “The report is reviewed before the request is processed,” name the actor if that information matters: “A reviewer checks the report before the team processes the request.” Do not invent an actor when the responsible party is unknown.
4. Check what the rewrite changed
Compare the simplified response with the original. Confirm that it preserves who acts, what changes, and any conditions or exceptions. Ask a subject expert to validate technical instructions, risks, and boundaries. The ASD-STE100 FAQ says correct use requires both technical and linguistic expertise and describes writing STE well as a skilled task, not an English course or a substitute for ordinary English instruction. Read the official FAQ.
Can an AI agent write in Simplified Technical English?
An AI agent can be prompted to use selected STE-inspired practices, such as short sentences and active voice. A prompt alone cannot establish that its answer follows ASD-STE100. The maintainers warn that generated text can look clear and authoritative while applying the rules or vocabulary incorrectly. They call for human oversight, accountability, confidentiality, and quality assurance, with the standard itself as the primary reference. See the official downloads page and its AI guidance.
Describe an agent’s response as “STE-inspired” unless someone with the necessary technical and language expertise has checked it against the complete, current standard. If formal compliance matters, review the Issue 9 text rather than relying on a prompt or a checker.
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Checking software can support an author by flagging possible issues or suggesting revisions. It is not an authority on whether an answer is correct or compliant. ASD-STE100’s official tools page says that language-checking tools do not write STE text or convert non-STE text into STE, and they cannot replace the author or the standard. Read the official guidance on STE tools.
Best Value
Use tools as one review aid, then check technical meaning and terminology yourself or with a qualified reviewer. This matters especially when an AI response includes instructions, safety conditions, or product-specific limitations.
Quick Recap
A practical review checklist
- Is the reader’s task clear, and are the necessary warnings, conditions, and limitations still present?
- Have internal labels, unexplained acronyms, or nonessential AI buzzwords been removed or explained?
- Does every replacement word preserve the original technical meaning?
- Does each sentence carry one main point, with the actor named when it matters?
- Are essential technical terms defined when needed and used consistently?
- Has a subject expert checked that the rewrite does not change an instruction, risk, or boundary?
- If compliance is claimed, has the text been checked against the complete current ASD-STE100 issue by people with the needed expertise?
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