While studying technical writing at York University in Toronto, Ian Cooper learned the basics of reader-oriented language. He became fanatical about plain language after reading Edward Bailey's Plain English at Work. He has received two awards from American Express, where he works as an Information Designer, for his work in plain language.

He is currently enrolled in the Information Design certificate program at UofT's Faculty of Information Studies. Also, Ian works as a Technical Writer with Amex for 5 years.