How to successfully incorporate translations into your workflow
More often than not, you need important documents translated yesterday. Unfortunately, rushing translation won’t net you the best results. So what’s the answer? You need to ensure that translation is part of the overall process, and this means building it into your workflow. By including translation into your overall workflow you’ll be able to manage expectations better, ensure quality, and receive high-quality translations everytime.
Incorporating translations into your current workflow doesn’t need to be difficult or time consuming. To get you started, we’ve compiled 7 tips that’ll put you on course to receive timely and quality translations.
Tip 1: Keep on top of your timeline
Not only are you working to meet dates within your own timeline, but you may also need to take into consideration other deadlines, such as an application deadline for paperwork that needs to be filed in other countries, or a publication deadline.
Be sure to start with the end date in mind. This will enable you to know how long you have / how long you need to accomplish all of the tasks that you’re responsible for. In addition, you’ll have a clear idea of how much time your translator has or will need to conduct research and translate your copy.
Tip 2: Be sure translations are part of the process
Many times translations are an afterthought, which can lead to increased costs and less than quality deliverables. You can eliminate this by including your translation needs into the project workflow.
Tip 3: Assign an owner for translations
To ensure that the process runs smoothly, you should assign one person on your team to manage all of the documents that need to be translated. This person will be the point of contact for your language service provider (LSP), and should have the responsibility to provide source documents and appropriate research to the assigned translator.
Tip 4: Take the entire project into consideration
What if your project requires the translation of more than a single document? For example, let’s assume that you’ll need one document translated into several languages, or maybe you require several documents translated into one. Doing this in piecemeal fashion is not only inefficient, but may cost you more. To get the most from your LSP and to ensure you’re not overspending, be sure to provide your LSP with all documents that require translation at the start of the project. In addition to the benefits already mentioned, your LSP will be able to refer from one document to another to ensure consistent translation and word use across all documents. And don’t forget to check with your colleagues. They may also need materials translated, so there may be cost savings to bundle everything together.
Tip 5: Consider all translation options
Do your material need to be translated verbatim, or would a summarization translation suffice? If you just need an overview, a summarization may be a faster and more cost-effective option. And don’t forget about enhanced machine translation that can translate your material at machine speed with human quality.
Tip 6: Set yourself and the translator up for success
The more content and research material that you provide to your translator – especially for more complex translations – the faster your translation will be ready. If you’re in an industry that uses specific terms, be sure to provide the translator with a glossary. This helps with not only accuracy, but consistency throughout your document. And, of course, working with a language service provider that has experience in your industry can also make the process more efficient and smooth.
Tip 7: Automate the translation process
Let’s assume that you’re assigned a project. You receive the materials, review them and then begin the execution phase. By incorporating translation into your workflow process from the start, the process will automatically take into consideration any materials that need to be translated and will be earmarked to be immediately sent to your translator. This step enables you to maximize the amount of time you have, which can be spent reviewing the materials and focusing on the rest of the project.
If you’d like to learn more about how BURG Translations helps you ensure high quality translations, contact us today.
