At E-ging, we have our own processes in place for translation that we use to ensure quality and timely delivery of accurate translations. Our process is only a part of your process when it comes to translation of content. What do we mean by that? There are steps that you take as a client to create your content and get it ready for translation that start beforemeeting with a Language Services Provider (LSP) and happen after we deliver your files. All of this planning can help ensure a smoother process and a much more satisfying result!

PART 1: MEET YOUR LSP

Your LSP will be your partner for translating your content. Your content is important to you as it will be distributed to your target demographic and will broadcast your message, whatever that message may be. Identify and clarify your message before meeting with your LSP. Then, express this to us! A successful relationship between a client and a vendor involves great communication. What is the purpose of your content, and what are your goals and objectives with translation? What are your deadlines? What are you expecting for deliverables? The more we know, the better. It allows us to plan and also better meet your expectations.  We can also work with you to help advise and establish your objectives.

PART 2: GETTING READY TO TRANSLATE

Sometimes, translation is thought of as an assembly line. Develop content, take that content and have it translated, deliver translations, process complete. However, more planning is important. What file types are you sending your LSP? Source files including text and images will greatly reduce cost and turnaround time. Do you have source files? If not, recreation might add onto the project.  Will you be sending all files for a project at once or in batches? Do you want all files delivered at once, or on a rolling basis? Another important question to ask: is the content final? Changes to the source content when the project has started will disrupt translation workflow.

PART 3: CONTENT IN TRANSLATION

This is our part. We have our own processes in place including translation, editing, and proofreading, post layout review, and internal quality assurance (QA). Your LSP may have questions during the process about clarifying items within the source content. Once completed, content is delivered.

PART 4: LET’S REVIEW

Your files are back from your LSP. What’s next? Will your content be reviewed by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)? In a previous post, we talked about reviewers and potential pros and cons. This is worth checking out. Whenever you have compiled feedback from your reviewers, send that feedback to your LSP who will take this into consideration in making revisions for final, approved content. If necessary, dialogue between reviewers and linguists can be facilitated to ensure a common language for future projects. After all, the content is yours, and you want to make sure content speaks your message, style, and tone, no matter what language.

PART 5: DISTRIBUTING YOUR CONTENT

Your content is back. It’s been reviewed. It’s (almost) perfect! Now, what do you do? There is a reason, or multiple reasons, why you had your content translated, and now it is time to put those into action. Will it be distributed to your employees via email, memo, or mail? Will marketing materials accompany a new product launch? In a way, this step goes hand in hand with pre-translation and your objectives. Why are you translating? Who are you trying to reach? How will you do it?  This is the action phase of your translation workflow process.