Quality at Every Step_Lo-Res

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Translation quality is a complex and subjective topic. Given the same text, two translators will usually produce different translations and both of them may be correct on a formal level. Which one is of higher quality? Or can both be?

While there are objective measures available, such as accepted spelling, grammar, terminology, and whether or not the translated text communicates the exact same message as the source, there will always be different opinions about quality of translation. This is true of the quality of any product of human work. The same translation may be praised as excellent by some and criticized as inadequate by others. To address this, Andovar has decided to take a comprehensive approach to quality assurance, which includes formal checks and involves the client at every step to make sure their stylistic expectations are met. While formal certification such as ISO 9001 outlines standard processes to be followed verbatim in all projects, we customize our approach depending on what’s best for the client.

Having worked on the translation of millions of words into dozens of languages and thousands of hours of courseware and software projects, Andovar understands where things may go wrong and how to prevent them. Our quality assurance checks spread through every stage of every project; from scoping and quotation to production, review and beyond. Our experience shows that if these steps are followed, we are able to maintain the high standards of quality and consistency that our clients expect.

Quality at Every Step

APRIL 2015


Linguistic testing Language issues in localized build, missing translations

Functional testing Broken functionality in localized build

Update TM, termbase and style guide Consistency, terminology and style mismatch in future projects

Areas left untestedTest plan

Feedback cycle General quality issues

Scope clarification Misunderstandings, time and resources wasted, incomplete deliverables

Recruitment Terminology issues and style mismatch

Internationalization Extra testing and implementation, delays

Source optimization Consistency and terminology issues, higher cost, more time required

Reference materials Contextual issues, terminology issues and style mismatch

Termbase Terminology issues

Translation memory Terminology and consistency issues

Style guide Style mismatch

Source files and compiling loc kit Files missing or wrong versions, misunderstandings

Familiarization Terminology issues and style mismatch

CAT tools Typos, grammar and consistency issues

Translation and editing General quality issues

Milestone reviews Quality and style expectations unmet

Audio QA Incomplete recording, pronunciation and terminology issues

Desktop Publishing QA Wrong formatting, layout, font and character issues

Automated QA checks Punctuation, capitalization, double spaces, date & time, etc. issues

TMS Project management issues and delays

RISKSSTEPS

RISKSSTEPS

RISKSSTEPS

2Quality at Every Step


Before

Scope clarification – With any project, it’s important that the scope and parameters are agreed on before work actually commences. Andovar’s first task is to disassemble the source files to extract text, video and audio content (if any) to determine which tasks and how much work will be necessary. We then present our findings to the client and discuss among other things:

- What needs to be translated and what doesn’t? - Target languages and language flavors (e.g. Spanish for Spain or Latin America)? - What are the desired deliverables? - Do images need to be localized? - What turnaround time is requested? - Do we record new audio or add subtitles?

Once the project scope is established, we present a final quote including all tasks, languages, costs and deadlines for signing. By agreeing with the client at this stage we avoid misunderstandings, errors and omissions later on.

Recruitment – Andovar maintains a dedicated resource management department for recruitment and testing, and we have an inventory of thousands of translators, editors and linguists. For every project, we reach into this pool of resources to find the most suitable people based on their experience, education and specialization. This means that a different translator will work on translation of a mobile game and a legal contract even if the language pair is the same. New translators and editors are tested before being assigned any work and we will often re-test translators if a project’s subject domain requires specialized knowledge. On request, we supply redacted resumes or translation samples to clients, so they can be involved in selection. On large projects it may be appropriate to split the content into sections by difficulty and/or expertise required, so that each one is translated by the most suitable person.

Internationalization – Internationalization refers to adapting a product to support different languages. It is most commonly required in the case of websites, software and eLearning platforms, which work well with English or other common Western languages, but may struggle with non-Latin scripts. Common problems are incorrect handling of right-to-left alphabets and lack of support for different currencies and date formats. Some internationalization issues can be fixed quickly, while others require a complete overhaul of the platform or even migrating to a different one. It is crucial to check for internationalization issues before a localization project starts to avoid producing translation that cannot be used.

Source optimization – Translation can only be as good as the original text. If there are stylistic, consistency or terminology issues in the source, they will make the work of translators more difficult and time-consuming, which leads to delays and decreased quality. The problems are multiplied with each additional language. It is important to check that the source is well-written, easy to understand, uses consistent terminology and has no formatting issues before sending it for translation.

Reference materials – Translators work on a text for a short time and often have to translate out-of-context strings and paragraphs. To make it easier for them to understand what the text refers to and where it will be shown, it is important to provide reference materials. They can be screenshots, documentation or links to information about the product or company, or even live access to the software program, website build or game. Translators can refer to them when in doubt. A complementary approach is to annotate strings for translation with information helpful for translators.

Termbase – Termbase is a document listing all technical, client-specific and frequently-occurring terms in the text, along with their explanations, examples of usage and approved translations. Many terms have more than one meaning or there is more than one way to translate them. Clarifying this beforehand plays a crucial role in assuring consistency in translation. If no termbase exists, Andovar can create it from scratch and fill it with target-language terms approved by the client.



Translation memory – Translation memory is a database of previous translations of content from the same client. It is structured in segments of text along with their translations in one target language. It is used to leverage previous work, which allows to:

a) reduce cost of translation, since repeated segments are discounted, b) reduce turnaround time, since translators can reuse existing translations, c) increase consistency, since translators can view and repeat previously-used wording.

Style guide – A style guide is a set of rules on how a company wants to present its materials textually and visually. It contains guidelines on presentation of the company and product names, style and language register. Along with the termbase and translation memory, it helps ensure consistency and quality of translations. Andovar can help create a style guide if none exists, but client's involvement is fundamental to make sure the guidelines match their needs.

Source files and compiling loc kit – There is often a lot of back-and-forth between Andovar and the client, and many versions of source files and reference materials are exchanged. A localization kit (loc kit) is a package containing final files, reference materials and instructions required for the localization project and nothing more.

Familiarization – On larger projects, especially those involving games, software or eLearning, it is helpful to give the project manager and the linguists time to get themselves familiar with the product before they commence work. They use it in the source language, and learn about its features and, which helps them to create better translations and avoid issues occurring from lack of context.

CAT tools – Computer-aided translation (CAT) tools are software products used by translators in their work. They are an equivalent of a word processor, but one that’s enhanced with translation-related features. They include robust spell-checking and formatting capabilities, and specialized grammar checkers to find additional errors around gender mismatch in European languages. Additionally, they provide integration with translation memories, termbases and other reference materials.



During

TMS – While not essential on every project, Translation Management Systems (TMS) offer an additional layer of control to project managers. They automate assigning linguists to projects, updating translation memories and termbases, and include communication and monitoring capabilities. The last function allows to view progress of all tasks and monitor checking-in and out of documents, which helps to predict possible delays and spot translators working too fast or too slowly.

Translation and editing – Andovar conducts separate translation and editing on each project. This means that every word is checked by two professional translators. In large projects where time is of the essence, we may have more than one translator working at the same time. In these cases, we use a single editor along with termbases, style guides and TMS to ensure a consistent voice throughout. As an additional layer of linguistic validation, we can conduct separate proofreading.

Milestone reviews – We encourage our clients to review the first 10% of the translation to ensure that we understand the expected voice and tone. It is important that any client preferences are discovered before the bulk of translation work is completed to avoid delays and rework. The best reviewers are native-speaking staff from the client’s in-country offices where the translated products will be used.

Audio QA – Andovar maintains world-class audio studios on site, equipped with the latest hardware and software, and staffed by experienced professional producers and sound engineers. Before recording, we obtain script review and signoff from the client and collect any specific directions. We also work with the client to create a pronunciation guide for any difficult or ambiguous terms such as company names and abbreviations.

We maintain a roster of carefully vetted, experienced voice-over talents in over 40 languages who can bring energy and enthusiasm to any kind of audio project. While our talents always give their best performance, as an extra layer of quality assurance, each recording session is attended by a native-speaking language monitor to check for mispronunciations, omissions or other errors during the talent’s performance. Language monitors also review scripts ahead of the recording to spot any potential issues and suggest amendments. In case of doubt, we contact the client to clarify their preference and/or record alternative takes of the same section of script.

Finally, after the recording is complete and the recorded audio has been processed, cleaned, split into individual files or mixed with other tracks, the files are checked against the script for naming issues, missing audio or unwanted noises, before delivery to the client or further integration by Andovar.

Desktop Publishing QA – Andovar makes sure all translated documents display correctly and as per client’s instructions. We choose the most appropriate fonts and character sets for the target languages from both an esthetic and functional perspectives. Our in-house DTP team has many years of experience with all industry tools and languages. Once their work is done, the QA team will look for issues where the target language doesn’t appear correctly with help from native-speaking linguists.

Automated QA checks – Once translation and editing is done, we perform additional QA on the files. This involves a set of standardized checks:

- compare target and source length and formatting, - look for punctuation and capitalization errors or double spaces, - check text against termbase, - look for untranslated segments, - check for unpaired symbols (such as parentheses or brackets), - …and dozens more.



After

Test plan – After delivery of translation we can perform testing of the localized versions of the product. This is most common for software, games and eLearning courses. It should be done on a product in its final form and a special test server can be set up for this purpose. We employ native-speaking testers who look for issues that may affect the experience of target-language users. This can be done on an ad-hoc or planned basis. For best results, complex products need a test plan which ensures that all sections and features are validated. Andovar can help create a test plan or better still - use one provided by the client. Testers should be able to look up strings one by one in the interface to avoid wasting time searching where a specific word or phrase occurs. There are two main types of testing: linguistic and functional.

Linguistic testing – Linguistic testers look for issues where the target language doesn’t appear correctly in the product. It can be because the wording is not appropriate when seen in context, because text expansion or contraction causes strings to go out of bounds, or due to other layout errors. They also check that indices, audio and subtitles work correctly. Once finished, they submit a test report listing any issues they’ve found along with suggestions for improvement.

Functional testing – Functional testers focus on making sure that all functionality of the product is retained in the localized version. This includes checking that all buttons work, text can be entered in designated fields and that it is possible to progress through the interface identically to the source-language version.

Update TM, termbase and style guide – Once all translation and testing work has been done and the localization is finished, Andovar updates all reference materials. We add the latest changes and corrections to all translation memories, termbases, style and pronunciation guides. This helps to make future localization projects consistent and allows them to benefit from work already done.

Feedback cycle – Throughout the lifetime of a project we collect feedback from all parties: translators, editors, testers, engineers, project managers, audio and DTP staff and, of course, the client and their reviewers. All suggestions are gathered and shared, to look for possible improvements to be implemented in future work.

While these are the most common quality assurance steps we employ, we pride ourselves on approaching each client and project individually. Get in touch with Andovar to discuss specific quality-related measures most suited for your situation.


Singapore (HQ)

Andovar Pte Ltd#19-08 Prudential Tower30 Cecil StreetSingapore 049712

Phone: +65 6532-1281Fax: +65 [email protected]

Thailand

Andovar (Thailand) Limited261/2 Sukhumvit 49/15Klong Tan Nua, WattanaBangkok 10110

Phone: +662 712-7196Fax: +662 [email protected]

Colombia

Andovar SASCR 43ª Sur N° 9-91Torre Empresarial Las VillasTorre Norte Of 1103El Poblado, Medellín

Phone: +57 4 581 [email protected]

India

Andovar Localization Services Pvt LtdUnit No. A-10, 6th floorChaterjee International Centre33A Chowringee RoadKolkata, West Bengal 700071

Phone: +91 33 [email protected]

United States

Andovar LLC80 S.W.8th StreetSuite 2000Miami, Florida 33130

Phone: +1 305 [email protected]

The Andovar Advantage

Andovar is a global provider of multilingual content solutions. Our services range from text translation and content creation, through audio and video recording, to turnkey localization of websites, software, eLearning, video and games. Our headquarters is in Singapore, and offices in Thailand, Colombia, USA and India.

We started in Southeast Asia, with Western ownership and management. Placing production in low-cost countries has allowed us to offer more competitive pricing, while keeping quality at the highest international level. Andovar focuses on emerging markets and technologies, such as mobile, gaming, multimedia and cloud software. Emerging markets are the new frontier in localization and where others struggle with complex scripts and lack of standards, Andovar has the expertise to succeed.

We are a medium-sized company that is small enough to be agile and adaptable, yet big enough to handle projects of any size. While others try to automate everything and make localization a play-by-numbers game, Andovar creates customized solutions for each client to meet their needs and budgets. Andovar is employee-owned, and everyone has a stake in our clients’ success.

We do not sell any software solutions and we use the latest technology ourselves, which allows us to give impartial advice to our clients. A wide range of professional talent from across the world coupled with our own audio studios means we are a one-stop-shop for all localization projects regardless of size, type and languages required.

This is how we help our clients Make Themselves Clear in Any Language.

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Quality at Every Step_Lo-Res