Managing complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Dr. Fola Yahaya – Strategic Agenda LLP27 November 2008
About the Presenter
PhD in Information Infrastructure from the London School of Economics
Worked at the UN as a consultant Worked as an IT strategy and localisation
consultant for companies such as Morgan Stanley and the World Bank
Managing partner of Strategic Agenda
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
About Strategic Agenda
Niche social media and localisation consultancy that focuses on providing services to not-for-profit organisations
Clients include a wide range of United Nations agencies
ISO-certified and BS 5389 Works with Trados and bespoke
collaboration suite
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Case Study Background
Client: large UN Agency Project: translating 100k word report from
English into French In time for a press launch in T+3wks Complex text with no existing translation
memory Three client editors to ensure final
translation quality Final translation had to appear as if it was
originally written in the target languageDr. Fola Yahaya
Managing complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Traditional Translation Cycle
Document divided into parts Parts assigned to individual translators Translators work in isolation Reviewers consolidate individual
sections into a single document ready for client review
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Traditional Translation Cycle
Translators work in isolation
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Issues with the traditional approach
Minimal interaction between translators No central platform to support
collaboration Document sharing and version control is
difficult to manage Little consolidated interaction with client
reviewers No interaction with the client until too
late
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Project Approach
Project divided into 5 main phases:1. Initial project set up (project space set up etc)2. Document divided into parts and delivered to
translation team; Translation team interacts with document author on term questions
3. Draft version reviewed in-house by SME’s4. Translation sent to client and reviewed
collaboratively via the project space5. Translation finalized and project files archived
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Project Approach: Translation 3.0 Project divided into 5 main phases:
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Project Approach – Virtual Space Strategic Agenda chose a hosted platform
that excelled in usability and which had features including: Messaging via Outlook Integrated chat room for real time discussion Group calendars and task assignments Project whiteboard that enables interactive
editing of a document Secure file management and sharing Granular permissioning structure that would
allow for multiple levels of messagingDr. Fola Yahaya
Managing complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Project Approach – Virtual Space Example Translation Project Virtual Space
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Translation 3.0 - advantages
Translation transparency – all parts of the translation are available to all members of the translation team
Increased buy-in: translators feel part of the team Interacting with the client review team from the
outset improves the translation/reviewer dynamic and reduces the likelihood of “NTBU” syndrome
Shared sense of responsibility Clients love having direct access to translators Translation can be faster
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Translation 3.0 - disadvantages Freelancer/client interaction needs to be
managed Translation transparency – no place to
hide poor translations Requires client involvement to work
optimally
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Conclusion
By using a virtual space translation both LSPs and their clients can benefit from: more efficient translation asset
management improved client relationship management reduction in client anxiety and fears over
outsourcing translation projects faster translation improved translator/reviewer dynamic
The Future of Translation?
2009 CorconText introduces FinalCopy, a Japanese-to-English documentation translation program that uses AI-based semantic networks to reduce the need for human editing of output.
2012 Saruzuno embeds its Lexical Disambiguation System (LDS) into smartcards equipped with membrane microphones so travellers can converse with store clerks in dozens of languages.
2020 Teaching a child reading and writing is a waste of time," declares Yeo Kiah Wei, Singapore's minister of education, who cancels the subjects in schools. "Children needn't be burdened with such an onerous task as deciphering tiny markings on a page or screen. Leave it to the machines.“
2043 Tower of Babel is completed in Iraq (formerly Babylonia) after a 4,000-year delay, thanks to NEC Technologies' Neutral Language.
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
Trends to be aware of...
Greater automation and new roles within the translation lifecycle
Greater openness and willingness to share translation assets
Intelligent customers - Companies get smarter about content management
Social translation: the increased use of crowdsourcing
Greater use of virtual spaces Google?
Dr. Fola YahayaManaging complex translation projects through virtual spaces: a client case study
For more information...
Visit us @ www.strategicagenda.com