Controlled English Description

What is Controlled English?

Controlled English (CE) is a controlled technical vocabulary for a product or service with a set of rules for grammar, syntax and style. The controlled vocabulary was adapted from the Simplified Technical English (STE) Standard created by the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD). This Standard is mandated for air safety.

ToyotaThe SMART team expanded the STE "core" vocabulary for other industries, including machinery, process control, oil and gas and robotics. A typical dictionary is approximately 5,000 to 8,000 terms and uses the same principle of ONE WORD - ONE MEANING.

All procedural instructions benefit from the use of Controlled English to improve documentation usability, readability, translatability and Customer Experience. Controlled English is ideal to communicate mission-critical information in clear, concise, technical language, that is easy-to-read and understand.

CEP Controlled English is a low-cost Continuous Improvement tool to avoid high-cost of human errors caused by foggy instructions. Visit our Six Sigma page to see information about our documentation quality reports.


Click the button to view a Before and After sample page of how Nortel Networks simplified network software instructions.

Simple Steps to create a Controlled English Program

The steps use the SMART software tools and AI services, including Text Miner, MAXit Checker and Lexicon Manager. The SMART team offers remote and on-site writer training to show the writers how to use Controlled English with the MAXit Checker.

An average Controlled English program can be completed in 30 days.

  • Text Mining services to develop a custom dictionary
  • Validation of special engineering terminology
  • Installation of the MAXit Checker software
  • Writer Training classes
  • Installation of the Lexicon Manager to manage terms
  • Follow-up and mentoring for acceptance
Starter Kit

The SMART team offers a Controlled English Starter Kit that is ideal for proof-of-concept and is easy to expand. The Starter Kit is a full license with a starter Controlled English dictionary.
Use the Contact Form to request costs or to ask questions.

Related Topics

Trends for Simplification

Telecommunications - SATCOM

Automotive - Electrical Vehicles

Pharmaceuticals and Devices

Software and AI Services

Mining Equipment and Minerals

Mining Equipment and Minerals

Benefits of Controlled English

  • A common language to reach a global audience
  • Controls the style, content, quality of information
  • Creates an ideal English source text for AI prompts
  • Removes problem grammar items, like gerunds (-ing words)
  • Promotes a change from passive voice to active voice
  • Removes awkward idiomatic English syntax and grammar
  • Creates a text that is easy to translate by computer
  • Includes terminology needed for the product or service
  • Allows for mathematical, register and trademark symbols
  • Controls engineering acronyms and abbreviations
  • Prevents gender pronouns, confusing jargon and idioms
  • Controlled English is faster and easier to write.
  • Promotes simplification through curated word choices
  • Ideal language for small screens, mobiles and tablets
  • Creates texts for Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
  • Removes ambiguous terminology and vague phrases
  • Simplifies captions and text for Augmented Reality (AR)
  • Allows better Six Sigma Quality metrics
  • Creates a global language to train large groups
  • Sets text to US 6th to 8th grade reading level
  • Makes information easier and faster to understand
  • Text on average are approximately 25% smaller
  • Promotes Digital Transformation and simplification