Localization Reader
Managing Localization Projects: Think Like a Writer to Save Time and Improve Quality

By Deb Kramasz, Prisma International

If you have ever managed a software localization project, you may have discovered that translators, like users, are hungry for information about the products you have documented. By simply applying the mindset of a technical documentation writer to the translation task, you can save your limited time while improving the quality of the translation.

Contextless nature of user interface

By nature, user interface (UI) and graphical user interface (GUI) provide very little context. This problem is compounded when the text is extracted into a file of text strings with no context, and sent to translation. The GUI text is removed from all context that showed where it appeared and how it was used. A new project member of the team, such as a translator, needs context and background information to translate well.

Translators need to know where and how the text will appear in the GUI because the translation may be different depending on whether the text is used as a verb, noun, or adjective.

For example, if a button label uses a term that could be either a verb or an adjective such as "display" in "Display Data," the translator needs to know its intended use. If "display" here is used as a verb, the translator will know to use the appropriate verb form in the target language. But if "display" is used as an adjective, the translation will likely be different.

Translators need context for status and actions. Words indicating status of actions in progress usually are gerunds (-ing forms), and are verbs which, without context, may easily be mistaken for the noun form of the gerund. For example, "Reading" may indicate something is in the process of reading a file. "Reading" could also indicate a noun in the sense of "Readout." The GUI text "Reading" needs clarification to show if it is used as a noun or a verb.

Translation is writing in other languages

To write well, a writer needs background information to clarify concepts, processes and terminology, and so do translators. Translation is writing in other languages. The quality of the translation is greatly improved when the translators have access to reference materials that give background and context on both the company and the product.

Translation glossary and style guide

As in writing projects, a translation glossary and style guide can make translation projects more successful and effective. The same driving forces of a writing project are at work in a translation project: consistency of terminology, conventions, style, register, and so on. The extra time taken up front to create a translation glossary and style guide for each target language will save time later in the project, answering translators' questions in advance and fixing inconsistencies.

Providing information that translators need

Any information and background that give context and explain terminology, in either the source or target language, improve the quality and reduce translator questions. Access to the in-country reviewers and even pre-project training sessions help to clarify highly technical and complex projects.

Context

To provide company and product context, give translation vendors some general information on your company to acquaint them with your firm's main business. Provide information on the product that explains the purpose, audience, and function it serves.

Some ways that you can provide context of the English GUI text are simulators, notes, or screen shots.

The best way for translators to see the context of GUI text is in a simulator, a software program that mimics the screens. If a simulator is not an option, then insert notes that clarify how the strings are used and which GUI text are verbs and nouns.

For example, precede each string or group of strings with a note indicating the context:

"The next two lines for the System Information button"

"Save Confirmation Dialog Box Elements."

and notes indicating whether GUI text is used as a verb or a noun:

"Next two lines--Help (noun)"

"Cancel--used as a verb"

This step may be labor-intensive up front, but it significantly reduces the number of questions that translators will ask and the number of rounds of translation corrections after compiling the translated strings. And, by the way, it significantly improves the quality of the translation.

Screen shots of the English interface also show the GUI elements in context.

Terminology

Key information to pass along to the translation team is material that explains any company- or product-specific terms. Your company may use terms that do not exist anywhere else, or it may use common terms in unique ways. An example of a unique, company-specific term is "The Legacy Circle." It's meaningless without the background explanation or company definition.

A common term used in a unique way is the term "cup adapter." Anyone outside the company would need an explanation of this term and an example of its use in a specific environment.

Identify unique, product-specific terms such as product names, trademarks, and acronyms. Provide a list of product names and trademarks with instructions indicating whether they should be translated or not. Provide any materials that spell out the acronyms and that, ideally, give definitions.

The following materials are helpful in providing translators with background on terminology in the source language, which in the U.S. is usually English.

• Company and product brochures and/or URLs
• Related documentation such as Help, User Guide, Operator's Manual and so on
• English glossaries that give definitions and explanations of terms

The following help translators with terminology in the target language:

• Existing translated documents
• Direct access to in-country reviewers

Direct access to reviewers

Placing reviewers and translators in direct contact saves you the time and effort of passing messages along the chain between translators, translation vendors, yourself, and the reviewer. Direct communication between translators and reviewers, who may be located in the same country, can resolve 2-to-3-day issues in a matter of hours!

Reviewers' role and function

Reviewers are the subject matter experts in the target language. Similar to monolingual SMEs, they focus on technical concepts, terminology and compliance with approved glossaries and style guides, but in the target language. Most reviewers are engineers, lab personnel, or experts in other fields, but not linguists. Some terms originating from new technology in the source language do not exist in the target language. The reviewer and translator can work directly together to create new translations for new terms.

Translators' role and function

Translators are the linguists and writers of the target language. Their role is similar to that of the writer of the English source documentation. They have more expertise in the conventions of their language, yet less expertise in the subject matter than the reviewer has. Translators are experts in translation memory software and often very knowledgeable about many software applications, including layout programs and editing tools for resource files and HTML. They are very detail-oriented professionals who will often point out errors in the source documents!

Many of the dynamics in the relationship between writers of English and SMEs when developing the source English documents come into play between the translator and reviewer. A reviewer may introduce a typo or suggest a stylistic change. It is the translator who is in the role of target language expert to make the final call on the language issues.

So the translator and reviewer perform different but complementary functions. The reviewer's job should not be viewed as "catching all of the translators' mistakes" or as "cleaning up a poor translation." What would your reaction be as a writer if the SME's role was perceived as improving your writing or catching your mistakes, especially if you weren't given any background or reference materials on which to base your writing?

Training sessions

When technical software or high-tech products are involved, it may be best to hold training sessions for translation teams. These sessions could either be Webinars, NetMeeting sessions, conference calls held while participants go through computer screens, or PowerPoint presentations. I've found that NetMeetings don't work if one participant has a firewall. Webinars such as WebEx work very well if there is the budget and the time to plan them. Conference calls and PowerPoint presentations are helpful as well. In any case, try to provide an agenda ahead of time to help participants get the most out of the session.

Inevitable questions

No matter how well you inform the translators, some questions are inevitable. A question and answer form helps track issues and clarifications to share with translators in all languages of the project. The resulting clarification list can be useful as a terminology reference for future projects as well.

Conclusion

When we view the translation part of the localization project as a writing project in other languages, it is clear how providing the proper reference materials will reduce translator questions and save your time, all while improving the translation quality.