Managing Complex Translation Projects Through Virtual Spaces

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


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


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


Traditional Translation Cycle

Translators work in isolation


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


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


Project Approach: Translation 3.0 Project divided into 5 main phases:


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


Project Approach – Virtual Space Example Translation Project Virtual Space


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


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


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.


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?


For more information...

Visit us @ www.strategicagenda.com

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Managing Complex Translation Projects Through Virtual Spaces