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Reviewers for localized materials - are they required?
Subject:Reviewers for localized materials - are they required? From:Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca> To:TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>, Localization Question <localization_question -at- hotmail -dot- com> Date:Wed, 31 May 2006 10:21:23 -0400
Localization Question wondered: <<My company localizes its software
using a third-party firm. For the most part, the service and quality
seems excellent. However, there have been a few glitches and
imperfections. I am wondering if we should be using reviewers or
editors, who are, of course, fluent in the relevant language, to
improve the localized documentation. The localization firm does include
a reviewer.>>
Yes, it's ***always*** necessary to have a reviewer. You say that the
localization firm includes one, so in many cases, the solution to your
problem is to just sit down with that person (face to face, over the
phone, whatever) and discuss the problem. Nobody is perfect, and there
will always be minor errors, but systematic, recurring errors need to
be identified and fixed quickly so they don't continue to bedevil you.
Whether something more aggressive is necessary depends on the
seriousness of the problems you're finding. More reviewers will always
find more problems, but there's a point at which throwing more
reviewers at a problem becomes uneconomical: the payback does not
justify the monetary and time costs. Worse comes to worst, there are
plenty of good localization firms, so if the current one won't perform
to your satisfaction, change firms.
<<Does your company get linguistic experts, or any other sort of
expert, to review localized materials?>>
When I do translations, I always try to have an expert review them. As
a translator, I'm effectively working as a writer, and all writers need
an editor. I have some bias in this matter (I work primarily as an
editor), but as the author of more than 300 published articles (and
several infamous "boy did I blow that answer" messages immortalized in
the techwr-l archives <g>), I know viscerally how true it is that no
author can ever do a great job of editing their own work.
With my current client, there are at least two such reviews: one by the
author of the original version (all these folks are fluently
bilingual), one by the program manager or research director (ditto),
and while they had an in-house editor, one last time by their editor.
(Now I often get to edit my own translations after a delay of several
weeks as the translation goes through internal review. Better than
nothing, but not as good as having a new set of eyes examine the text.
Fortunately, they're getting a new editor soon. Less income for me, but
a better result for the client.)
<<Is it reasonable to simply trust the localization firm to be doing a
good job? My colleagues and I have edited materials and caught the odd
error, despite a complete lack of fluency.>>
If they're competent, then yes, it's safe to trust them. But never
completely. Everyone makes mistakes, no matter how good they are and
how diligent. In any event, if you are not fluent and are finding
errors--real errors, not just things that appear wrong because you're
not fluent--you're within your rights to insist on an explanation and a
solution.
<<If you do have additional reviewers, how did you get them and what is
the relationship to your company?>>
There are many ways to find the reviewers: hire a freelance editor in
that country, hire a translator to review the translation, and so on.
These are expensive. In my former job, we had very close working
relationships with our clients, and thus had the opportunity to work
with them to review our work. This was very effective because not only
did it provide a reality check (i.e., that the writing was meaningful
to key members of the intended audience), but it also strengthened our
working relationship with these clients. So if that's an option for
you, find a key client and see if they'll help. It might be the best
solution.
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