• The need of Simplified Technical English (STE), the standard to write correct and easy-to-understand technical documentation is growing globally.
• Etteplan’s HyperSTE -content checker tool’s SaaS version lowers the threshold to use STE as it improves the quality of English language, increases product safety and lowers costs.
• HyperSTE is Etteplan’s fully scalable digital service.

In the English language the same matter can be expressed in many different ways using different words. This may lead to different interpretations and even misunderstandings. To tackle this challenge, the aviation industry in the 1980s developed a standard called Simplified Technical English (STE; ASD-STE100), which simplifies and harmonizes the English language and makes it easy to understand.

Etteplan’s HyperSTE is a content checker tool made to improve quality, clarity, and consistency to comply with the STE standard. So far, Etteplan has used HyperSTE to improve the quality of technical documentation for our customers and sold on-premise licenses to our customers since 2012. The globally launched SaaS version is the world’s first cloud-based solution for STE. It is available for any size of organization in any industry as well as for individual users.

“The STE standard is the best way to write technical content in English and make it easy to understand. We see a need to improve the quality of technical documentation globally and that is why we made HyperSTE also available in the cloud,” says Etteplan’s President and CEO Juha Näkki.

As information flows in the world are increasing, there is a constantly growing need for technical writing. Tekom (The European Association for Technical Communication) states that 1.3 percent of the personnel of any industrial company should be technical writers. In the software industry, this figure is 3.5 percent. In addition, other professionals are also writing in English, which further increases the potential.

“The launch is a step forward to digitalize our technical documentation business. As a SaaS model, it is also a fully scalable business model. We see great market potential for the software for example in India and China,” says Etteplan’s President and CEO Juha Näkki.

SaaS lowers the threshold to start using STE

STE is used worldwide in manufacturing industries to ensure safety and understanding among both native and non-native readers of English. STE is mandatory in aviation and defense industries.

“HyperSTE’s SaaS version lowers the threshold to start using STE even in more industries, including heavy equipment, medical, semiconductor, software, and consumer products.” says Petri Ikonen, SVP for Solutions & Technologies at Etteplan.

Etteplan’s customers have reported massive savings through using HyperSTE. The STE standard does not allow complex expressions that are easily misunderstood. This shortens content written in English by approximately 30%, which diminishes costs of translations and printed materials.

HyperSTE’s SaaS version is easy, fast, and affordable

While HyperSTE is made for technical writing, its indirect value is much broader. In many situations, easy-to-read and user-centric documentation is mission-critical.

“For example, in maintenance operations the documentation needs to be absolutely clear to avoid any misunderstandings. HyperSTE is essential in making this possible. We can say that thanks to HyperSTE, everyone can feel safer when boarding a flight,” says Petri Ikonen.

HyperSTE has been successfully used by customers, and it is also used internally by over 600 experts at Etteplan.

HyperSTE provides immediate feedback as well as compliance ratings and reports. It checks style and grammar against STE rules and lets users build custom dictionaries. For administrators, the SaaS version enables centralized and simple user and license management, multiple dictionaries, and terminology and sentence databases. A plugin still has to be installed, but the checking process and configurations are done and managed online in a cloud portal.

The new cloud-based HyperSTE is offered in three versions: Basic, Professional, and Enterprise. The monthly fee per user is 35 euros for Basic and 75 euros for Professional. The Enterprise version is priced upon agreement.

Additional information
Juha Näkki, President and CEO, Etteplan, tel. +358 10 307 2077
Petri Ikonen, Senior Vice President, Solutions & Technologies, Etteplan, tel. +358 50 386 7253
Berry Braster, Technology Director, HyperSTE, Etteplan, tel. +31 62705 4431 or +1 806 500 9262
Outi Torniainen, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Etteplan, tel. +358 10 307 3302