You are faced with the task of translating technical documentation.

We tell you how to approach this issue correctly so that the results meet your expectations.

What you need to know about translating technical documentation so that you don’t get a “fake” one

Two quick caveats:

1. Our recommendations primarily apply to the situation when the translation is outsourced to a third party (a translator or translation agency), rather than done independently or in-house. Although some of the tips will be relevant for such cases as well.
2. If the translation is only needed “for review” and the budget for its execution is minimal, some of the recommendations will not be relevant. In this case, the translation will have a “draft” version, as not all the stages of technology will be included.

Let’s start in order.

Finding a technical translation contractor

Note. We will try to look at the situations of working directly with one freelance translator and with a translation agency in parallel.

Why work directly with only one translator?

As practice shows, it takes experience and time to organize the work of two or more remote translators on one project. It is easier to outsource this task to a specialized organization. It will cost more than with freelancers, but it will reduce the risks of poor translation and save a lot of time and nerves.

So, we are looking for an executor.

What is important and what we should pay attention to:

Experience

General seniority and experience in a specific field. Experience in a specific field “beats” general seniority. What does this mean? Let’s say we have technical documentation on helicopter technology and need it translated into English. In our experience, a translator who has worked in a helicopter factory, who was present at the signing of contracts and tests, will cope with the task better and faster than a universal technical translator without such experience. He already knows the highly specialized vocabulary and will spend less time searching for and clarifying it.

Therefore, getting a detailed translator resume with a project description will be very helpful. Letters of recommendation give +100% to credibility.

When working with a translation company, it makes sense to choose one that has in its portfolio experience of similar projects and proof of such experience: contracts, letters of recommendation. If you are very scrupulous, you can also ask for the CVs of all the translators in the project team, as well as guarantees that only they will be allowed to translate. Each new candidate is subject to additional approval only.

Trust but verify

In other words, test.

Once the candidates have been identified, test them. Everything is simple here. We select the most difficult fragment from the documentation and ask them to perform a test translation. As a rule, both translators and bureaus agree to do such a test for free. Those who refuse to be tested for free may not be considered, but there is a chance to miss out on a really strong performer who knows his price.

You should not send the fragment for testing separately from the whole document, but together with it. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the translators to understand the context, and the translation will not be adequate.

If you plan to cooperate with a translation company, we recommend that you tell the employee about the company’s plans regarding the volume of translation and the desired deadlines in order to determine the number of translators and editors required. And get the appropriate number of tests. If the client has approved 1-2 translators for a project, but the project involves 5 to 7 translators daily, you should not be surprised that the texts do not meet the requirements.

We have had projects where we have selected and tested up to 40 translators, and this is not an industry record.

Clarification and verification of the contractor’s experience are probably the most important elements when organizing technical translation of documentation.

There is an attitude such as “You are a translator / you are a professional translation agency, so do a professional technical translation, why do I need all these tests and checks and tests”. This works if the customer has a standard washing machine manual. Anything more complex requires a more responsible approach. Fortunately, more and more customers realize this.

Technical design of documentation or typesetting

For technical documentation is relevant in 9 out of 10 cases because of the presence of drawings, graphs, tables, diagrams. In translation, everything should look similar to the original.

Experienced customers understand that the translator should not do such work, and often simply does not have the technical capabilities: skills and appropriate design programs. But for some people this becomes a revelation.

If layout is required, it will be difficult to do without cooperation with a translation company. If the translation is done in a bureau, there should be no problems; a serious company always has the necessary technical specialists – layout designers and designers.

Working with drawings in general is a separate interesting topic, so we have separated it into a separate article Translation of drawings

Preparing a terminology glossary

This stage should ideally be completed before the translation begins. However, it often goes hand in hand with the translation, and this requires additional control by the project manager.

Having a glossary allows the project manager and the client to monitor the use of the right terminology and make adjustments where necessary.

So here just to reiterate, it is better to have a glossary, not the other way around. Even if you do not plan to check and approve the glossary, its compilation and updating is an additional guarantee of the quality of the contractor’s work.

Working in translation memory programs

In a nutshell, translation memory programs are a good thing, they help to achieve unity of terminology in documentation and reduce the cost of translation. If a translator or a translation agency works with the use of automated translation programs, it indicates the seriousness of the performer’s position on the market and increases trust.

Checking and editing the translation

This is the final stage. A full-fledged translation technology implies checking the translation after the translator by an editor and proofreader. Common sense tells us this, and the industry standard EN ISO 17100:2015 confirms it.

Can’t the translator check after himself? He or she can.

Will it be as effective as involving an editor and proofreader? No.

The editor checks for terminology and the correct conveyance of meaning. If the translator makes a mistake in this, chances are that he is not familiar with a particular term. If he or she is not corrected, he or she will only confirm his or her incorrect version and make the mistake further, let alone correct it when double-checked.

The proofreader corrects typos and checks the completeness of the text. His job is the translator’s insurance policy.

When working with a translation agency, the issue of a proofreader and editor is very acute. Everywhere the service “translator + editor” is offered for 300 rubles and below. This is an excellent price and a great opportunity to save money. You just need to realize that such a price in no way implies the inclusion of all technological stages. After the translator, the translation will be read “diagonally” by a project manager at most, but not by a professional editor or proofreader.

In other words, translation + editing + proofreading = 300 rubles, a myth. No matter how much the customer would like the opposite. In our article How much does technical translation cost we prove it with facts. Customers are increasingly listening, but sometimes only after receiving somewhere another translation at the “all-inclusive for 300” rate.

Terms of cooperation

Agreeing and signing a contract is the responsibility of lawyers and sometimes accountants, where they sometimes allow themselves to go wild.

From our practice, what is really worth discussing in contracts are quality guarantees, claim procedure and confidentiality.

Of course, other issues are also important within the corporate procedures of the company. It is worth prioritizing them accordingly. It is more important for a company to find a translation company that will agree to a 90-day payment delay and send invoices only via DHL, or one that can provide high-quality translation of technical documents.

This is the end of the checklist for organizing a translation project correctly. Use it, and your chances of getting a professional technical translation will be much higher.