Category: Featured Translation Projects

6 min read

The World Meeting of Families (WMOF) Congress is a tri-annual international gathering where families are invited by the Pope to share experiences, dialogue, and prayers and grow as family units. When the WMOF decided to host its eighth international Congress at Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Convention Center, the organization knew it would require communication on a global scale. The event’s mission of love – “the family fully alive” – would need to reach international guests and diverse American communities, and the language mix would vary as registration continued.

Early on, WMOF staff knew they would have keynote speakers’ addresses simultaneously interpreted into Spanish, Italian, French, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language to support the more than 15,000 attendees. But what about the printed materials that supplement the Congress all week long? WMOF turned to Language Services Associates (LSA) for professional translation support to ensure accurate and clear communication with the families, clergy, government officials, media, and corporations attending.

After working closely with WMOF communication staff to translate a number of press releases in preparation for the event, WMOF also engaged LSA for the translation of its brochure, to be distributed on site. LSA Translations Manager and Project Manager for WMOF, Colleen Biggs shared more details on the organization’s extensive translation needs.

What did this project entail?

LSA translated press releases, marketing collateral, and a program brochure into five languages: Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, French, and Vietnamese.

Can you take us step by step through this project from start to finish?

LSA had translated some press releases in the spring of 2014. WMOF contacted LSA in 2015 to participate in a bid for translation work relating to the Pope’s visit in September. We submitted a proposal and won the bid. The work consisted of more press releases, marketing collateral, and a program brochure. The client (WMOF) submitted documents for translation and monitored progress via LSA’s online platform INTERPRETRAC®. Linguists used their own tools to manage translation assets (Translation Memories, glossaries, etc.) To date, we have translated about 35 different projects, totaling 80,000 source words, in a combination of languages.

How did LSA select linguists to work on this project?

LSA used trusted linguists that we have had a relationship with for many years. These linguists work very quickly and diligently and pay very close attention to detail. LSA also worked with a very talented design team that provided the layout for the program brochure in record time.

What challenges did you face when working on this project? How did your team come up with solutions to meet those challenges?

The biggest challenge was meeting aggressive deadlines, which we did by putting in extra hours and being very careful to completely understand the scope of the work and the expectations beforehand. We also put a wonderful, dedicated team in place to handle the volume.

What was the initial feedback received from WMOF?

They were very pleased with our work.

What is the current status of this project?

It is almost complete, but there are still projects coming in. There are less than two weeks left until the event, so we expect to continue working with WMOF until that time.

Interested in learning more about how LSA can help with your translation needs? Contact us today!

8 min read

dōTERRA is a world leader in the sourcing, testing, manufacturing, and distributing of CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade^® essential oils through a global network of Independent Product Consultants.  The company primarily operates in Asia and North America, but has rapidly growing markets in South America and Europe.  dōTERRA has recently partnered with LSA for professional translation support in several key European languages.

LSA was recently tasked with translating dōTERRA’s Welcome Pack, a collection of introductory materials for new Consultants, and the Spring/Summer 2014 issue of their Living Magazine.  LSA’s Marketing Director, Keri Robinson, recently sat down with Roger Duce, Director of Sales and Marketing for dōTERRA Europe, and LSA Senior [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization division assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through completion, delivery and follow-up.” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip] Molly MacPherson to discuss these projects in more detail.

Keri

Prior to partnering with LSA, how did dōTERRA meet the language needs of its European customers and prospective customers?

Roger

Before partnering with LSA, we relied on our bilingual employees and Consultants to translate materials for us.  There were several issues with this approach.  For starters, we wanted our employees to focus on their daily tasks, not translating materials, and we wanted our Consultants to concentrate solely on growing the business.  We also realized that the translations were being performed by individuals with no real translation experience, which we knew could affect the quality of the translation.  A partnership with LSA allowed us to shift the priorities of our bilingual employees and Consultants while ensuring the highest level of translation quality.

Keri

What was the first project request LSA received from dōTERRA?

Molly

Our very first project for dōTERRA was to translate, edit, and format their Welcome Pack, the introductory set of dōTERRA’s key publications, into Dutch and Slovak.  In all, it comprised a whopping 22,000 words and 82 pages of formatting.  While that translation was underway, we were given additional projects, like translating the Spring/Summer 2014 issue of their Living Magazine into Dutch, Slovak, and German.

Keri

Can you describe dōTERRA’s translation review process for me?

Molly

LSA partners with dōTERRA’s in-country associates for translation review.  Together, we have developed a [tooltip content=”A glossary serves as a reference guide for translators. It contains a company’s key terminology in the source language and the approved translation of those terms in the target language(s). ” url=”” ]glossary of key terms[/tooltip] to help direct the translators in their work. The reviewers review the final translations and provide feedback and suggestions to LSA’s translation teams.

Keri

What was the initial feedback from your in-country associates?

Roger

Overall, our in-country associates have been very pleased with the translations they have seen.  Any changes that have been made during the review process were minor nuances that had to be ironed out and had little to do with translation quality.

Keri

What challenges did we face (if any) during the course of these projects?  What solutions did we implement to meet these challenges?

Molly

Because these publications, and the several that followed, were being finalized in English at the same time that they were to be translated, they went through several versions and updates before they could be finalized in the target languages.  Living Magazine, for example, had four iterations before the project was complete.  Using [tooltip content=”A computer program that helps to translate text documents more efficiently.” url=”” ]CAT (computer-assisted translation) tools[/tooltip], we could receive a new version, auto-fill all of the parts that were translated in the earlier version, and just translate the new pieces of text without adding great expense for the client.

Keri

What has been your overall experience with LSA?  How would you describe your relationship with your dedicated Project Manager?

Roger

My experience with LSA has been nothing but positive.  LSA is a company that provides quality language services at a competitive price.  Having Molly as our dedicated Project Manager has been an absolute pleasure.  She is proactive, detail-oriented and professional.  I can rest assured knowing she is on top of every last detail!

Keri

Are there any other translation projects on the horizon for dōTERRA?

Roger

We have recently asked LSA to translate our Welcome Pack into Danish, and that project is well underway.  We have a number of additional projects coming up as well, including some website translation, a fall product catalog and future issues of our Living Magazine.  We also plan to add more languages to the mix as we continue to grow our presence in the European market.  Everyone at dōTERRA looks forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership with LSA for years to come!

6 min read

 

4moms is dedicated to making innovative baby products, like the mamaRoo^® infant seat and the origami^® power-folding stroller, that make life easier for parents.  Selling products in over 50 countries around the world, 4moms has partnered with LSA to meet its global communication needs.  Most recently, LSA was tasked with translating the NEW origami^® stroller maxi cosi car seat adapter manual into 21 languages, including Hebrew, Arabic and Czech.  LSA’s Marketing Director, Keri Robinson, recently sat down with Brian Grochal, Product Compliance Engineer for 4moms, and Cornee van der Linden, LSA’s Senior Localization [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization division assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through completion, delivery and follow-up.” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip], to discuss this translation project in more detail.

Keri

LSA has had the privilege of translating various instruction manuals for 4moms.  Can you talk to me about your overall translation goals with these manuals?

Brian

4moms sells innovative baby products in over 50 countries around the world.  The safety standards that govern our products require that an instruction manual be provided in the local language of the country where they are sold. We have our instruction manuals translated not only to comply with these laws, but also to provide consumers with accurate information that is easy to understand.  We aim to minimize frustration in product assembly and maximize product safety.

Keri

How did LSA select linguists to work on this project?

Cornee

Upon receiving estimate approval from the client, we immediately sourced linguists (in 21 languages) that had experience translating this type of material.  Once our [tooltip content=”The Team of Linguists assigned to a given project. This usually includes Translators, Editors and / or subject matter experts.” url=”” ]linguist team[/tooltip] was selected, we suggested they carefully review previous translated material for 4moms.  This helped ensure that the new translations would be performed with a similar writing style and tone, guaranteeing continuity for 4moms’ international partners.

Keri

Can you describe your translation review process for me?

Brian

With every translation project we engage in, our international distribution partners are given the opportunity to review the translated material and provide feedback.  We gauge quality based on our international partners’ satisfaction with the translations during the review stage.

Keri

What was the initial feedback from your international partners?

Brian

Almost all of them reported that the translations were flawless and did not require any changes!

Keri

What was your overall experience working with LSA?  How would you describe the relationship with your dedicated Project Manager throughout the course of this project?

Brian

I have had an excellent experience with LSA.  Jim Freville (our Account Manager) and Cornee were extremely helpful throughout our initial projects with LSA.  They were also proactive in ensuring our project objectives were met.

I would describe my relationship with Cornee as efficient.  Cornee has adapted to my expectations, providing frequent schedule updates, sending the material in a well-organized package and passing along questions from the linguists when they arise.

Keri

What is the current status of this project?

Brian

The origami^® stroller maxi cosi car seat adapter instruction manual has been put into production and will be distributed across the globe in 21 languages.  We have two pending projects with LSA, and several other projects on the horizon, as we continue to launch existing products into new countries and prepare for the global launches of new products.

Cornee

We look forward to seeing our partnership with 4moms grow as we continue to meet their global communication needs through professional translation support!

 

 

8 min read

Sell-Through Solutions is the Consumer Electronics industry’s leading provider of training content development and retail sales training support.  The company provides innovative training solutions to some of the world’s largest manufacturers, retailers and service organizations, including Monster, DIRECTV, Sony and Logitech.  When Sell-Through Solutions received its first-ever translation request from the world’s leading manufacturer of high performance cables, the company turned to Language Services Associates (LSA) for professional translation support.

LSA’s Marketing Manager recently sat down with Charles Thompson, the President of Sell-Through Solutions, and Molly MacPherson, LSA’s Senior [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization division assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through completion, delivery and follow-up.” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip], to discuss this translation project.

LSA:

Why was your client interested in translating its e-learning content into French?

Charles:

With the translation of its e-learning content into French, my client will improve sell-through services in its existing French market, while reaching a larger audience among retailers there.

LSA:

Can you give me an overview of this project from a Project Manager’s perspective?

Molly:

LSA was tasked with translating a Web-based training module that detailed the different product features of the company’s high-performance headphones, used to train associates at retail stores.  The project itself had two distinct phases: first, the translation of the audio script and screen text, then a voice-over recording of the audio component.

LSA:

You used [tooltip content=”The only e-learning authoring tool that’s simple enough for beginners, yet powerful enough for experts.” url=”” ]Articulate Storyline[/tooltip] software to build this training module.  Can you take me through the process of getting your e-learning content exported for translation and then imported back into the system to be published?

Charles:

Articulate has a very simple and user-friendly process in place for the export / import of files for translation.  Storyline allows users to export all text in a course to Microsoft Word or XML format.  After the course content was translated by LSA, I simply imported the translated version of the file back in to the system.  Storyline preserved all of the original formatting so I could concentrate on resizing elements such as callouts, images, and text boxes for French wording—and retiming the animations to match the new narration.

LSA:

I understand your client had very specific instructions on how the audio file was to be recorded.  Can you talk about that?

Charles:

Because the training module was already available in English for all product lines, it was imperative LSA match the audio quality and delivery of the English voice recording.  My client wanted the audio to be enthusiastic, but relaxed and genuine.  They wanted it to be dynamic, clean, and sparkly up top without being overly reverberant or sibilant.

LSA:

How did LSA meet the audio requirements set forth by the end user?

Molly:

LSA has extensive experience providing multilingual audio services to clients across various industry segments, including the e-learning sector.  We worked very closely with Charles and, by extension, his end client to identify the appropriate voice talent that matched their quality, schedule, and budget requirements.

LSA:

How did you assign Translators to this project?

Molly:

LSA has an expansive network of native-speaking Linguists who possess subject-specific expertise.  For this particular project, we selected a[tooltip content=”The Team of Linguists assigned to a given project. This usually includes Translators, Editors and / or subject matter experts.” url=”” ] Linguistic team [/tooltip]that had experience translating content for the e-learning and marketing sectors.  The result was a high-quality French translation that the end client was extremely pleased with.

LSA:

This was your first time overseeing a translation project.  What was your overall experience with LSA?

Charles:

Working with LSA has been a home run for us!  I can’t say enough good things about the employees there, especially Molly and Jim Freville, our dedicated [tooltip content=”A member of the Sales team who performs a variety of duties aimed at managing the client relationship.” url=”” ]Account Manager[/tooltip].  Throughout this entire project the team at LSA was attentive and responsive to my needs, and they were always available to answer my questions and guide me through the translation process, which was somewhat unfamiliar to me at the time.

LSA:

What is the current status of this project?

Molly:

After successful delivery of the first training module in the [tooltip content=”The language into which a text written in another language is to be translated.” url=”” ]target language[/tooltip], others followed rapidly.  At this point, we have already completed translation and audio recording of a third module with a fourth one in the works.

Charles:

LSA’s highly skilled team exceeded my expectations at every turn, and they made the translation process seamless, easy, and natural.  I look forward to seeing our partnership with LSA grow as our translation needs continue to evolve.

8 min read

Reliv International, Inc. (or Reliv) is a global multilevel marketing company that manufactures and distributes dietary supplements through a network of international independent contractor Distributors.  When Reliv wanted to branch out into the French market, and start a new network of Distributors there, the company recognized the need for accurate, reliable and timely translation services, and they turned to Language Services Associates (LSA) for professional translation support.

After successfully completing a sample translation project, as well as multiple live projects (including the translation of the Reliv Europe website), Reliv engaged LSA for the translation of its Distributor Guidebook into French.  Because this publication gives new Distributors all the information they need to successfully launch and build their business, a completely accurate and clear translation was of the utmost importance.

The LSA [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization division assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through to completion, delivery and follow up.” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip], Molly MacPherson, recently sat down to answer some questions about the Reliv Distributor Guidebook translation project.

Can you take us step by step through this translation project?
First, we consulted with the client and discussed the best transmission method for the layout of the publication (a 201MB zip file containing the manual content, as well as its related images and fonts).  We all agreed that an FTP transfer was the best method and LSA received the file accordingly.  We then converted the file to a format in which we could properly analyze the content using [tooltip content=”A Translation Management System (TMS) that offers language and workflow tools to manage translation projects.” url=”” ]WorldServer[/tooltip].  The analysis revealed about 7,300 words, with only a few words matching previously translated material in the client’s [tooltip content=”A database that stores sentences, paragraphs or sentence-like units that have previously been translated, in an effort to aid human Translators.” url=”” ]Translation Memory[/tooltip]. Based on this information, we were able to adequately prepare a competitive [tooltip content=”An estimate of the cost and turnaround time for your project. At LSA, the cost and time estimate is issued by your Project Manager.” url=”” ]Cost and Time Estimate[/tooltip] for the client.

The client approved the estimate and LSA selected a [tooltip content=”The team of Linguists assigned to a given project. This usually includes Translators, Editors and/or subject-matter experts.” url=”” ]Linguistic Team[/tooltip] with the right variant of French (European) and the appropriate background for this type of a project (those with experience in the areas of sales, marketing and nutrition).  In just six days’ time, the translation had gone through both a Translator and an [tooltip content=”Qualified Linguist who reviews the translated file(s) and makes any modification he / she deems necessary. In LSA’s model, the Editor is an experienced Linguist who specializes in the subject matter at hand.” url=”” ]Editor[/tooltip], and was ready on WorldServer for review, download and layout.

Upon receiving final approval from the client on the layout, the French design files were posted to LSA’s FTP site for the client to download and publish.

What did Reliv hope to accomplish with the translation of its Distributor Guidebook?  What was the company’s overall goal?
With the translation of its Distributor Guidebook into French, Reliv hoped to branch out into the French market and start a new network of Distributors there. This translation allows Reliv to bring their nutritional product offerings to a whole new country, increasing their brand’s global footprint.

Which translation method was used to complete this project?  Why was this method selected?
As is the case with most glossy for-print publications, the TEP Translation method (Translation, Editing and Proofreading) was used for the Reliv Distributor Guidebook project.

TEP Translation is a three-step process.  After translating, the document is sent to a second Linguist who serves as an Editor.  The Editor may make changes and corrections to the initial translation and has the final say on these edits.  The Editor then sends the document to the Project Manager, who provides a final proofread and quality assurance check.

What is the current status of this project and what are your next steps?
This project is complete and Reliv is now publishing their Distributor Guidebook in French. Because we now have a cache of Reliv’s specific industry terminology, and familiarity with the subject matter, they now rely on us for further translations of their materials.

 

 

8 min read

Language Services Associates (LSA), a leading provider of professional translation services, recently completed a translation project for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the lead U.S. center for robotic exploration of the solar system.  The LSA [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization division assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through to completion, delivery and follow up.” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip], Cornee van der Linden, recently sat down to answer some questions about this project.

What did this project entail?
This project involved the translation of NASA’s Comet Quest app into Spanish, German and French.  Comet Quest, which was released on February 29^th and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, is a free game that puts players at the controls of the European Space Agency’s Rosetta Spacecraft.

Can you take us step by step through this project from LSA’s standpoint?
Sure.  As soon as the request was received by LSA’s professional translation services team, we carefully reviewed the materials and provided the client with a time and cost estimate.  Upon client approval, we started working on the project.  Our first step was to source qualified Linguists who would be suitable to translate content of this specialized subject matter.  The selected Linguists were then encouraged to download the English version of the app so that they could familiarize themselves with it.  The next step was to translate and edit the text and [tooltip content=”The English text that needs to be translated.” url=”” ]source strings[/tooltip] for the game interface and to properly adapt it into each of the [tooltip content=”The languages that the source text is translated into.” url=”” ]target languages[/tooltip].  The translated files were then delivered to the client for final QA testing.  The entire project, from start to finish, took approximately two weeks to complete.

What did NASA hope to accomplish with this project?  What was their overall goal?
The purpose of Comet Quest is for children and parents to learn about comets and the Rosetta mission in a fun, interactive way. Having this game available in Spanish, German and French (in addition to English) will allow NASA to reach a much larger audience.

Which translation method was used to complete this project?
[tooltip content=”TEP Translation (Translation, Editing and Proofreading) is a three-step process. After translating, the document is sent to a second Linguist who serves as an Editor. The Editor may make changes and corrections to the initial translation and has the final say on these edits. The Editor then sends the document to the Project Manager, who provides a final proofread and quality assurance check.” url=”” ]TEP Translation[/tooltip] (Translation, Editing and Proofreading) was the method LSA used for the translation of NASA’s Comet Quest app.  The translation and editing itself were done in [tooltip content=”A Translation Management System (TMS) that offers language and workflow tools to manage translation projects.” url=”” ]WorldServer[/tooltip] and [tooltip content=”A computer-assisted translation software suite.” url=”” ]Trados[/tooltip].

What challenges did you face when working on this project?  How did your team come up with solutions to meet these challenges?
The biggest challenge LSA faced when working on this project was identifying and sourcing the appropriate Linguists.  We had to find Translators who were not only familiar with this specialized subject area, but who were also enthusiastic about working on a game assignment like this.  I worked very closely with our [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization team who is tasked with locating language resources for projects.” url=”” ]Vendor Relations Manager[/tooltip] to identify the Translators in our network that would be best suited to work on this project.

What is the current status of this project?
LSA has submitted all of the translated files to the client, and NASA is now in the process of building the Spanish, German and French versions of the Comet Quest app. Once that step is complete, the translated versions will need to go through final QA testing to ensure ‘everything looks and works the way it’s supposed to.’  NASA will then add the translated versions of the app to iTunes for free download.

Are there plans to translate the Comet Quest app into additional languages?
We’re not sure if NASA plans on translating this app into additional language offerings any time soon, but we are ready and available to assist should the need arise.

 

 

 

8 min read

Language Services Associates (LSA), a leading provider of professional translation services, was recently tasked with translating an online survey for Inova Health System, Northern Virginia’s leading not-for-profit healthcare provider, in the following six languages: Arabic, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese.  The LSA Inova [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization division assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through to completion, delivery and follow up.” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip], Patty Gonzalez, sat down to answer some questions about this translation project.

How long has Inova been a translation client of LSA’s?

Through our premier professional translation services, LSA has proudly been helping Inova meet its translation and localization needs since 2009.

Can you take us, step by step, through the Inova survey project from LSA’s standpoint?

This project was submitted through [tooltip content=”A secure online portal through which clients may submit project files and details, approve estimates, monitor project workflow and retrieve translated files. Access is by username and password.” url=”” ]INTERPRETRAC^®[/tooltip], LSA’s online portal.  As soon as the request was received by LSA’s professional translation services team, we carefully reviewed the documents to determine cost and turnaround time.  Since Inova wanted this survey available online, we had to make sure to use an online survey tool that supported the right to left languages that needed to be translated (Arabic, Farsi and Urdu).  All of this was discussed in great detail on several conference calls with the Inova team.  We ended up translating the survey using [tooltip content=”A Translation Management System (TMS) that offers language and workflow tools to manage translation projects. ” url=”” ]WorldServer[/tooltip] and [tooltip content=”A computer-assisted translation software suite.” url=”” ]Trados[/tooltip], and then a Linguist for each language input and proofread the translation in[tooltip content=”A Web-based software for creating and distributing surveys.” url=”” ] QuestionPro[/tooltip].

What did Inova hope to accomplish with the distribution of this survey?

The goal of this survey was for Inova to assess the current health needs of the local community.  By having this survey available in various languages, it would allow Inova to broaden the reach of their efforts.

Which translation method was used to complete this project?

[tooltip content=”TEP Translation (Translation, Editing and Proofreading) is a three-step process. After translating, the document is sent to a second Linguist who serves as an Editor. The Editor may make changes and corrections to the initial translation and has the final say on these edits. The Editor then sends the document to the Project Manager, who provides a final proofread and quality assurance check.” url=”” ]TEP Translation [/tooltip](Translation, Editing and Proofreading) was the method LSA used for the translation of the Inova survey.  Per the client’s request, all Inova translation projects follow the TEP Translation method.

What challenges did you face, if any, when working on this project?  How did your team come up with solutions to meet these challenges?

The main challenge we encountered was that the original online survey tool did not support right to left languages, and three of the six languages we needed to translate fell into this category.  As a result, Inova went in search of other tools that had the capability to support Arabic, Farsi and Urdu.  QuestionPro was the selected software, but while it did fully support Arabic, some adjustments had to be made to accommodate Urdu and Farsi.  LSA ended up translating the validation prompts for these two languages only, and we provided them to the client in a two-column document so the Inova IT team could make the necessary changes to the system.  Once this task was complete, we were able to enter the additional languages in QuestionPro.

What is the current status of the Inova survey project?

This project was completed and delivered to the client on May 18^th, 2012. Inova posted the survey that day and will be promoting it throughout the summer. They have had over 800 respondents so far. The survey results will be used by Inova leadership to plan community services for 2013. The survey will be revised and repeated every three years. LSA is ready to partner with Inova on their future needs regarding this initiative and any other professional translation services they may require.

Inova invites all residents of Northern Virginia (Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties) to participate in this survey.  Please visit Inova on the Web at www.inova.org/community and click on the TAKE HEALTH SURVEY icon.  From there, you will be able to select the language you would like to take the survey in.

11 min read

Language Services Associates (LSA), a leading provider of professional translation services, has recently teamed up with [tooltip content=”The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is committed to increasing opportunities for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating access to social and community services.” url=”” ]New York City Housing Authority[/tooltip] (NYCHA), helping them to communicate with their constituents, partners and advocates in languages other than English. Our initial collaboration involved translating Plan NYCHA, the report on the current public housing preservation initiative underway in New York City, into Spanish and Russian. The LSA [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization division assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through to completion, delivery and follow up.” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip] on this account, Molly MacPherson, recently sat down with us to answer a few questions about working on this project.

What is Plan NYCHA?

Plan NYCHA: A Roadmap for Preservation is a five-year initiative to preserve the state of public housing in New York City, while increasing economic opportunities and improving the quality of life for NYCHA’s more than 600,000 residents. A description of this initiative is summarized by NYCHA Chairmen John B. Rhea below and described in full detail at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/about/plannycha.shtml.

 

The report is a 56-page glossy publication identifying the key goals of the initiative, detailing data to show the current state of public housing and its needs, citing the individual experience of residents and community leaders and serving as a call to action for improvements to be made in a wide variety of areas.

What is the organization’s purpose in translating this publication?

NYCHA created this report to communicate with and bring together residents, policymakers, advocates, NYCHA staff and New Yorkers at large, and to call upon all of them to join the fight to preserve New York City public housing. Some of these public housing stakeholders have a different first language than English, and so the purpose of translating Plan NYCHA was to communicate with them in their own [tooltip content=”The syntactical, grammatical or structural form peculiar to a language.” url=”” ] idiom[/tooltip], in the hopes of more successfully rallying their support and giving them key insight into the intended achievements of the initiative.

Can you take us, step by step, through the process of translating Plan NYCHA?

The first phase of this project was the [tooltip content=”A document that an organization posts to elicit bids from potential vendors for a product or service.” url=”” ]Request for Proposal[/tooltip] (RFP), where LSA responded to many detailed questions about our competence in this arena and completed a sample translation for their consideration. Having convinced NYCHA of our strong capabilities in their unique subject area, we then selected the team (see below), explaining the purpose of the publication to them and the audience it should address.

Next, we gathered linguistic resources from NYCHA. They had translated several different publications in the past, and have a team of in-house linguists who could share glossaries and other support materials with us, to help us continue to communicate in the same voice, using the same expressions, as in past materials translated to these languages.

Once we began production, we started with the Executive Summary, an eight-page document giving an overview of the goals of Plan NYCHA. The contents of the Executive Summary also appear within the body of the full report, so it gave us an opportunity to deliver a small sample to NYCHA’s linguistic team for their input. We had a series of conversations with them at that point about key terminology and expressions that helped guide our translation of the remainder of the report.

Which translation method was used to complete this project (PT or TEP)?

This publication went through the [tooltip content=”This is a three-step process. After translating, the document is sent to a second Linguist who serves as an Editor. The Editor may make changes and corrections to the initial translation and has the final say on these edits. The Editor then sends the document to the Project Manager, who provides a final proofread and quality assurance check.” url=”” ]TEP process [/tooltip]– Translation, Editing and Proofreading, as requested by the client in the RFP. In addition, because this is a glossy, attractively designed publication, we also provided multilingual formatting of the text, which was then proofread by the [tooltip content=”Qualified Linguist who reviews the translated file(s) and makes any modification he / she deems necessary. In LSA’s model, the Editor is an experienced Linguist who specializes in the subject matter at hand.” url=”” ]Editor[/tooltip] (and by me) after layout.

How did you select Translators to complete the work for NYCHA?

We looked for Translators who had a proven track record of excellence on LSA translation projects with documented competence in translation in their languages. But competence and excellence weren’t enough! We also sought Linguists who are familiar with the way their language is spoken in the New York City area, to ensure regional and dialectical appropriateness, as well as making sure they had familiarity with the subject matter.

What challenges did you face, if any, when working on this project?  How did your team come up with solutions to meet these challenges?

Because NYCHA has a team of professional linguists in-house and had translated several publications already, LSA needed to find ways to make our translations align with what had been published in the past, and tailor our work to the satisfaction of NYCHA’s linguistic team. We did this by gathering resources ahead of time from them, such as glossaries, [tooltip content=”A set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication, organization or field.” url=”” ]style guides[/tooltip] and past translations, and by seeking their input on a small sampling (the Executive Summary) prior to undertaking the full report, in order to better adapt the final product to their needs and preferences.

What is the current status of this project?

Plan NYCHA is now available in print and online in multiple languages at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/news/publications.shtml.  LSA is ready to partner with NYCHA on their future needs regarding this initiative and any other professional translation services they may require.

 

9 min read

Language Services Associates (LSA), a leading provider of professional translation services, was recently tasked with localizing the TOEFL^® and TOEIC^® websites for Educational Testing Service (ETS).  These websites needed to be localized for Latin America, France, Japan, Korea and China.  The ETS [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization department assigned to manage a client project from the estimating phase through to completion, delivery and follow up. ” url=”” ]Project Manager[/tooltip], Cornee van der Linden, sat down to answer some questions about the ETS website localization project.

Take us, step by step, through the process of completing this project.

This project involved the [tooltip content=”The process of adapting a product (in this case a website) to fit the language, style and local feel of a particular country or region’s culture.” url=”” ]localization[/tooltip] of ETS’s TOEFL^® and TOEIC^® websites.  Prior to project launch, we assisted and advised ETS on several internationalization-related issues regarding the overall layout and setup of their sites.  They also consulted with members of LSA’s professional translation services team on how best to handle localization of the sites in general (e.g., glossary development and in-country reviews).  It was decided that there would be multiple rounds of reviews for each language and website.

The next step involved the creation and translation of a [tooltip content=”A list of key client terminology in the source and target languages. Often includes definitions, examples, acronyms and usage information.” url=”” ]project glossary[/tooltip], which was then reviewed and approved by ETS. After the glossaries were approved and finalized, ETS sent LSA all of the website materials to be localized.  We then analyzed the files and compiled a detailed [tooltip content=”An estimate of the cost and turnaround time for your project. At LSA, the cost and time estimate is issued by your Project Manager.” url=”” ]cost and time estimate[/tooltip]. Once the estimate was approved by ETS, the first phase of the project entailed the translation and editing of mostly HTML files by our Translators and Editors; they were responsible for localizing all of the HTML files using the glossary and localization kit provided. The next step was to proof and [tooltip content=”Quality Assurance” url=”” ]QA[/tooltip] each of the translated HTML files, so that they could be sent to the [tooltip content=”A qualified reviewer residing or working in the country where the translated/localized material will be used. ” url=”” ]in-country reviewers[/tooltip] for their approval, before going live on the sites.

What challenges occurred and how did your department come up with solutions to meet these challenges?

The biggest challenge that occurred during this project was figuring out how best to handle the various terms and phrases that had to remain in English, as per the client’s request. There were a number of references to sections, videos and publications that were marked “Do Not Translate” (DNT). ETS indicated which items should/should not be localized and, together, we developed an extensive list, which was incorporated into the glossary. The language teams then referenced the glossary during the translation and editing cycles. That same list was also shared with the in-country reviewers. During the course of the project, the list had to be fine-tuned as more items were added.

What technology was used to complete this project?

The main technologies used during the localization of ETS’s TOEFL^® and TOEIC^® websites were Idiom WorldServer and Trados. All the translation memory and terminology management features and functionality were crucial to the overall success of this project. For example, multiple updates were received over the course of the project.  Without these tools, it would have been difficult to process these changes quickly and efficiently.

How did you analyze and format  the documents that needed to be translated?

WorldServer and Trados were also used to analyze and scope the projects. With WorldServer, you can quickly analyze hundreds of files in a matter of minutes. In addition, WorldServer is a great tool to effectively protect all the HTML tagging, and it offers an online viewer where the localized content can be proofread in a semi-final format. This feature was used to perform the final quality steps on each HTML file, before being returned to ETS.

What resources were utilized to complete this project? How did you select Vendors and get them approved?

With the help of additional team members, including our [tooltip content=”A member of the Translation and Localization team who is tasked with locating language resources for projects. ” url=”” ]Vendor Relations Manager[/tooltip], LSA looked closely at its existing pool of [tooltip content=”In the case of translation, these are qualified Linguists who partner with LSA as Independent Contractors and complete language tasks as assigned.” url=”” ]Independently Contracted Linguists[/tooltip] to determine who would be most qualified to localize this type of content. The next step was to ask potential candidates to provide a test translation. These test translations were sent to ETS’s in-country reviewers and, based on their input, we finalized our selection of Linguists to be utilized for this project.

LSA is ready to partner with ETS on their future needs regarding this initiative and any other professional translation services they may require.