ITC SIG of STC Article
Evaluation of an XML-based Content Management System in the Translation Process
By Peter Argondizzo, Member ITC SIG
Translation companies typically embrace innovations in methods for efficiently creating final formatted documents. About a year ago a client asked if we would be interested in testing and evaluating a content management system (CMS) and how it would relate to our translation process. We all know the promises of content management systems: reduced time to market, reduced spending on formatting final output, ability to publish to multiple channels simultaneously and the ability to reuse text across the entire enterprise. Viewing the opportunity from our perspective, how could I say no to the possibility of shaving dollars from our desktop publishing budget and shaving time off of our production schedules?
One year later, I would say we are all pleased with the short-term benefits of implementing the system. We definitely had some challenges, but moving from a traditional FrameMaker-based system into an XML based content management system with FrameMaker as the authoring tool while supporting 14 languages is not a small task, especially if you are expected to produce final documents during the transition.
In this article I will focus on some lessons we learned, and hope to save you some time should you decide to undertake a similar task.
1. Plan and re-plan.
Get all the parties involved in pre-planning. I would include technical writers, the translation vendor, the desktop publishing staff and the CMS developer. Choose one team leader to guide discussions and keep the entire group focused on the key issues. Keep agendas and keep logs of resolved and outstanding issues. In testing the CMS we found issues in the pilot phase of the project that could have been avoided had we been more involved when the document type definition and FrameMaker EDD were being created. Start working on your templates with all the standard text and variables early in the project. Make sure that the translation vendor understands the context for each element in your template. Any added context you can provide will help your team come up with a correctly translated template sooner in the process, thus preventing rework during the pilot.
2. Define clear goals, with each goal tied to a timeline.
What languages will you need the system to support? What are your goals in implementing a CMS? To save on translation costs? To save on formatting costs? To improve information sharing across the enterprise? Once you have defined your goals, make them the sole determining factors in your decisions related to the CMS. Clearly state all goals and objectives and document when you expect certain steps to be completed. As an added benefit, these objectives will also minimize the unknown for team members.
3. Choose appropriate translation tools for use by the translation company.
Make sure your translation vendors are capable of handling XML-based files. Will their current workflow support XML files and the requirements of your application set forth in your DTD/EDD? Will their tools properly protect tags? How will they address XML entities? Discussing these issues up front should save you considerable time in testing.
4. Start with a small pilot project.
Make your first project a small project that will test all the desired languages on your requirements list. Complete the entire round-trip process by first taking your source XML, running through the entire process of translation, and exporting back to XML from intermediate translation files. Finally make sure that each language is displayed properly in the final format. Look for consistent application of the template across the entire document. Sometimes the standard text and font changes defined in each language template do not propagate across the entire document. Trace all errors back through the round-trip to find out where they occurred. The level of detail required in the review will be easier to manage on a smaller project.
5. Document everything.
Even under ideal conditions with a minimum of problems, it is very difficult to remember all of the issues and all of the resolutions. Document all problems and their resolutions, no matter how mundane. Don't hesitate to be pedantic in documenting your procedure for carrying out the round-trip so you can accurately communicate the approved process to all other team members who will be using the application.
We have gained considerable efficiencies in formatting the final translated documents. We can now deliver a final formatted translation in a much shorter time frame.
We are all looking forward to the next steps in the process which will be the full implementation of the CMS and the push-pull module that will send smaller units of text to us via workflow, as each unit is authored.
Peter Argondizzo is the Operations Manager for Argo Translation, Inc., a localization firm located in Glenview (Chicago), Illinois. The firm has been in business 11 years and specializes in technical documentation translation and software localization via the efficient use of translation memory technology.
