Taking the time to perform thorough Quality Assurance on a translation project is crucial.
The aim of a translation services project is effective communication – getting your message across to its intended audience. This is why those who are competent and experienced in coordinating and planning translation and localisation projects set aside plenty of time to carry out thorough quality control. The success of the project depends on it.
Using professional certified translators
How do you know if your translation is going to be any good? Make sure you only use professional, NAATI-accredited translators to work on your project. At The LOTE Agency, we only use NAATI-certified translators based in Australia – that way you can be sure of the quality and know that you’re supporting small, independent Australian businesses.
Cultural sensitivity
A translation can be linguistically accurate but miss the mark with its audience if it fails to appeal to cultural sensitivities or values. Achieving this often requires changes that are made in consultation with clients, to ensure that the integrity of the original English is intact and the message is better understood by the reader. The anti-smoking campaigns of the early-mid nineties are one example. These campaigns targeted Greek, Italian, Chinese and Vietnamese audiences. However, what they were missing was attention to the cultural nuances and requirements of the target groups. A proper localisation approach would help identify the relevant cultural themes and tailor the message appropriately. Through thorough research and understanding of each community, messaging could be focused on the family values specific to each community rather than the health benefits of not smoking, which would not have been as effective.
In-house typesetters and designers
To get translation typesetting right requires designers familiar with the workings of language fonts, systems and design software. Outsourcing this stage of the project opens up the risk of serious errors. Our in-house designers have profound knowledge and experience and are the experts when it comes to formatting multilingual content and designing translation projects.
Proofreading
You’d hope that we didn’t have to mention this, but it’s mind-boggling how many translations are not properly proofread! When you work with us, the original translator will review the text for grammar and spelling mistakes and check the final typeset document for accuracy. It’s important to allow sufficient time to carry out proofreading, so beware any translation quotes with a suspiciously quick turnaround time! Additionally, most of our clients opt to carry out a…
…check translation
A check translation is where a second translator checks the original translation. They then work together with the original translator to comprehensively cover any discrepancies to produce the most effective translation services.
So there you have it, not all translation projects are equal! You are putting your or your client’s reputation on the line when you carry out a translation project, so it’s important to ask questions of your provider about their translation quality assurance process. At The LOTE Agency, we are regularly assessing our process to find improvements that will benefit our clients and the audiences they are communicating with.
Speak to one of our consultants today or call us on 1300 752 108 to find out more about our QA process or to discuss your translation project.
