You, the client, play an important role in the translation process. Ensure that your message makes it through!

Translation is a complex process made up of dozens of tasks that should be effectively managed. One important part of that process is communication between the client and the translator. Below are several important steps that should be carefully considered to ensure that your message comes across accurately.

1. Clearly communicate the objectives of the translation project. 

Conversations with your translations provider should cover

• The texts you want translated. Are you translating brochures, user manuals, or advertising copy? Are these texts complete? In addition to all the texts, make sure the translators see any related materials — images or videos, for example — so they are familiar with the entire project. Don’t leave room for the translators to come up with inaccurate translations!
  

• Your intended readers. Are theyHispanics of various origins living in the United States or residents of Mexico? If you're planning to localize your product, translators need to know the background of your likely readers. Bear in mind that, like English, the Spanish language has many dialects. Thus, a word some people use in one country can mean something quite different or sound out of place in another. Don’t jeopardize the entire translation project because of a single word!
  

• The purpose of your translation. How do you intend to use the translated text? ? Languages serve multiple functions: to educate, assist, request, etc. You should clarify your purpose, since we would use different words or phrases to convey information than we would to sell a product. Make sure the translators know your goals!
  

2. Choose the translator wisely

The people who deliver your message in another language are very important and should be knowledgeable not only of  the Spanish language but to you and your products. Have the translators you used in the past truly understood what you intended to say? Have they delivered your target message in a way that is culturally appropriate for the intended audience? The only way to ensure this kind of quality is to  use translators who are consummate professionals.

After all, the final product should be a fluent text in which all the meanings have been transferred; a mere word-for-word translation is not enough. Good translators will respect target language standards, such as spelling and grammar. When proficient translators put words together to make up sentences, they do it artfully and stylishly. They treat translations the way an accomplished writer does. The result isa final product that reads as if it had been originally written in the target language. That’s what a high-quality translation is: an error-free and extremely well written text.

3. Check the process

Whenever a file is sent for translation, a complex process begins and dozens of tasks are to be carried out. Here is an overview of how a translation company should work through a project:

• Reception & Preparation: Project managers receive the translation request and make notes on all the specs the translation must fulfill--type of file, topic, word count, delivery date, etc. Then they define and prepare each task. Instructions are critical at this stage. Project requirements must be specified clearly to make sure all the editors and translators understand the task at hand.
  

• Scheduling & Assignment: Each task is assigned and deadlines are set for each step. For instance, there will be specific deadlines for the translation, editing and review phases.
  

• Execution of Translation: At all times during this process tasks are evaluated to verify that they are completed following high-quality standards. For instance, translation, editing and final reviews are assessed on completion to examine if they were executed following normal procedures and according to quality standards.
  

• Quality Control & Assurance: The final translation product is checked against all the requirements established at the start of the project before being delivered to the client.
  

An efficient project management system must be in place to supervise all these tasks, ensuring that everyone is aware of their role in the project and that all procedures are followed with no details overlooked. Good communication is essential so you should request -- and pay close attention to -- all progress reports. You should also ask for updates whenever you have concerns.

4. Evaluate the results

Finally, here’s the easiest of all steps. When you get the translation back you'll be able to evaluate if the translation company’s effort met your standards. Did you receive the file on time? Have all the items listed in your specifications been covered efficiently and according to high-quality standards?

By following these steps, you can be confident that your project will be completed correctly and that your translation will be ready to reach out to those potential readers who don’t speak your language.

By Teresa Jones — Certified Translator, B.S. in Translation — works as BilCom's Project Manager

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