Top 3 Translation Operational Best Practices
While most translation projects follow more or less the same pattern of steps expected in a project management operation, each and every one of them is unique in their own way. When choosing a language service provider (LSP), you need to ensure you select a professional and qualified vendor who can distinguish the effort required whether it is a small “one-line string” or a 10-hour e-learning course.
This article will articulate the top three fundamental principles and best practices, that if performed properly will deliver the desired business results to your end customers, optimize returns to your organization and satisfy the needs of your organization's other stakeholders.
Planning
Every successful project materializes from an initial planning that is processed with decisive effort, care and applied skill. Recognize that the planning stage doesn’t happen when the project is awarded to a vendor. Planning starts the moment a business problem or issue arises.
During the planning process, require regular communication from your LSP and be part of their internal scheduling and also to allow yourself to meet your own organization’s expectations in case you need to make time-sensitive decisions. A professional LSP should be able to work with all stakeholders within your business to understand the inner workings of your company to best position, integrate seamlessly and ensure localization is a first thought within the development cycles.
Upon transmission of the project to the LSP, expect a dedicated project manager to review all the supplied information and device a project plan for formal inspection. A project plan should be inclusive of the risks, deadlines, communication matrix, quality assurance and process steps. At the formal inspection stage a discussion regarding key aspects of the plan by the LSP’s project team and relevant stakeholders occurs. All resources involved critique the plan to examine its robustness, test the risks implicated and establish whether sufficient contingencies are in place. An experienced LSP should be able to suggest that this process delivers success in project execution. Through transparent communication and awareness within all parties, this fundamental structure will help lead the project’s success.
Execution
Once a fully-realized plan is finalized, communicated and agreed with all parties; the LSP’s production teams begin to utilize their expertise.
Kick-off meeting – All the relevant stakeholders should be briefed on the project, and provided with the relevant instructions and project materials. At this stage, the project manager ensures that all the stakeholders are as knowledgeable on the project and are ready to execute the instructions provided.
Communications –As a client, expect that you are always at the forefront of the project team’s thoughts during each and every project. An LSP should drive regular communication meetings, whether it is through a conference call, email, the LSP’s translation management system or through face-to-face meetings. A streamlined communication can increase responsiveness and help keep the project on track within its timeline.
Monitor – Check if your LSP has a translation management system (TMS) that you can access online to monitor real-time project status and can track job progress. Typically a LSP with an ISO 9001:2008 certified workflow will have information readily available for you in a matter of minutes or ideally real-time. If you are not aware, the ISO 9001:2008 is an international standard that applies documented processes and procedures to assist in maintaining a Quality Management System. This standard is intended to help an LSP provide quality and conformity to meet a customer’s requirements on a consistent basis and to promote continual improvements.
Review – A managed review cycle with your LSP is best facilitated with a TMS that automates the project execution and leverages technology tools that provide project status, translation of files and also allow a client review cycle. It’s also a smart idea to conduct internal reviews of translated content from your LSP, particularly in the early stages of the partnership. Plan to have competent in-country reviewers of your own to conduct the audits by reading the translated material and focusing on terminology and technical accuracy.
Follow-up
The post-mortem is as important as the overall translation and localization process. It is an opportunity for all parties in your organization, the project management and translation teams to review how things went and to put together actions for a continued success of the next project with further efficiencies. Open and honest communication will lead to a smoother project next time around and also a better long-term relationship.
Conclusion
Aligning people, processes and technology to optimize the language translations operations is key in the overall success of your translation project.
Well-organized and talented people involved in translation project must work together as a synchronized team with clearly defined roles and well-understood expectations. An LSP that properly manages a project and client expectations can reduce turnaround times, decrease project cycles and contain costs. Being aware of and engaging technology solutions can define, automate and streamline structured processes through job tracking, workflow, project management and content management.
By aligning the right resources, your organization can improve the quality of your global efforts, control costs and accelerate time to market.