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GALA presents:

Quality Control for Translations

The Best Plans, Processes, and People

Stacey Brown, Mindlink Resourcessbrown@mindlinkresources.com

The Resource for the Language IndustryGlobalization and Localization Association

2013

www.gala‐global.org

What is GALA?

GALA is the world's largest, non‐profit association for the language industry.  GALA provides resources, education, and advocacy for the language business.  Member companies are vendors and buyers of language services and technologies. 

www.gala‐global.org

GALA Resources

Learn about translation trends, strategies, and technologies right from your desktop:

• Free publications and articles• Industry blog • Weekly webinars • Conference recordings

Annual conference on multilingual strategy

IstanbulMarch 23‐26, 2014

Regional and Topic Focused EventsLocal Networking Events

Istanbul Buenos Aires Delhi

www.gala‐global.org

Collective Research, Innovation, and Standards Program (CRISP)

10 projects and initiatives to improve the translation industry• Promotes effective use of standards• Builds awareness of best practices• Helps the localization community make open 

standards work

"We joined GALA because of the unique perspective its members and conferences offers. GALA is about the business of localization with great insights on not just how to localize, but about how to run a localized business. Clients have a great deal to learn, and to share, in an setting that steps outside the process and looks in.“

Wayne BourlandDirector, Global Localization Team

Dell

"Amway joined GALA because it is THE go-to association for the industry. We wanted to participate in and belong to an organization that supports localization standards and best practices. Through GALA, we are able to provide feedback and help guide the future of the industry.“

Catherine GuinonManager, Digital Operations

Amway Corporation

www.gala‐global.org/join

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About the Speaker

• Stacey Brown

– Owner, Mindlink Resources, LLC

– Background as a technical trainer

– Worked as a Quality Manager for 14 years

– Blogs about language quality and other topics at

www.mindlinkresources.com

– Volunteers with GALA Standards Initiative

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Goals

• What is localization quality and why is it important?

• What are different actions at different stages in localization production to produce highest quality?

• What are different testing options?

Quality isn’t just a step in the process. . .

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What is Quality?

“The difficulty in defining quality is to translate future

needs of the user into measurable characteristics, so that a product can be designed and turned out to give satisfaction at a price that the user will pay.

This is not easy, and as soon as one feels fairly successful in the endeavor, he finds that the needs of the consumer have changed, competitors have moved in, etc.”

–Deming

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How you want your clients to react to your product. . .

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What really happens to your customers if you don’t integrate quality into process…

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Why is Quality Important?

• Benefits of good quality

–Customer satisfaction

–Schedule predictability

–Better team morale

–It’s cheaper!

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Quality Ranks of 20 Countries

1. Japan

2. India

3. Denmark

4. South Korea

5. Switzerland

6. Israel

7. Canada

8. UK

9. Sweden

10. Norway

11. Netherlands

12. Hungary

13. Ireland

14. United States

15. Brazil

16. France

17. Australia

18. Austria

19. Belgium

20. Finland

In the US, most software projects at 85% defect removal efficiency

(DRE) even after testing.

Capers Jones, The Economics of Software Quality

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What could possibly go wrong?

– Translation mistakes

– Graphics issues

– Cultural inappropriateness

– Truncation

– Broken Links

– Wrong language

– Corrupted Characters

– Inconsistency

– Etc.

• Common problems seen in localization projects:

Set up the Foundation for Quality

• Quality isn’t a “step”.

• Quality is effected at each stage of the process:

– Team Building

– Project Planning/Budgeting

– Production

– QA

QA

Production

Project Planning

Team Building

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Most Successful Projects Integrate Quality at Every Step

Team Building Plan/Prepare

Production (graphics,

translation, DTP)

QA/Evaluation

Quality

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Step 1: Team Building

• Quality Actions

– Keep an updated database

– Qualify resources before the project hits

– Prepare for human errors

Team Building

Step 1: Team Building

• Most translation projects include the following personnel:– PM

– Engineer

– Translators (contractors)

– QA Testers (sometimes contractors)

PM

QAEngineerTranslator

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Step 1: Team Building Database

• Create partnerships– Use industry associations

(GALA)

• Track contractor information in a database

• Thoroughly screen contractors

• Provide feedback and keep a record

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Step 1: Team BuildingQualify Linguists

• Qualifications for Linguistic Testers

– Native speakers

– Good English skills

– Good technical skills

– Good eye for detail

– Good critical thinkers

• Screen thoroughly (check references, test skills, when not working out—remove immediately)

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Step 1: Team BuildingHuman Errors

• Human errors will happen. Have a plan for dealing with them.

– Checks and balances

– Root cause analysis

– Automate repetitive tasks

– Use tools

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Step 2: Project Planning

• Quality Actions

– Use a project plan

– Determine project quality expectations up front

– Use a test plan

– Follow a standard

Plan/Prepare

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Step 2: Project Planning Create a Project Plan

• Create project plan

– Objective

– Estimates

– Stakeholders

– Structure

– Steps

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Step 2: Project PlanningEx. of quality objectives

Marketing

Medical

Legal

Internal memo

Internal Training

Ver

y h

igh

“Go

od

Eno

ugh

”

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Step 2: Project Planning Create a Test Plan

• Determine Test Passes/Schedule

– Pre Translation• Psuedo Translation

• Internationalization

– Translation• Editing (provides initial audience, critique)

• Proofread (look for punctuation, grammar)

– Post Translation

• Multiple Passes of Testing (functional)

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Step 2: Project PlanningFollow a Standard

QA Definition Description

Minor Any error of a lesser severity than major

Major • Error in highly visible part of doc or software, i.e. header, TOC, menu command, help/CBT topic

• Error resulting in a misleading statement• Minor error repeated in several locations• Previous QA feedback not applied• Error resulting in potentially offensive statement

Critical • Error in highly visible part of documentation or software• Major error repeated in several locations• Localization error causing application to crash or negatively

modifies/misrepresents functionality of the software

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Step 2: Project PlanningFollow a Standard

Error Categories Description

Mistranslation Incorrect understanding of the source text

Accuracy Omissions, Additions, Cross-references, Headers and Footers

Terminology Glossary adherence

Language Consists of Grammar, Semantics, Spelling, Punctuation

Style Adherence to Style Guidelines

Country Country standard, local suitability

Consistency GUI-terminology, Cross-project terminology, Abbreviation

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Step 2: Project PlanningFollow a Standard

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Step 3: Production

• Quality Actions:– Translation

• Style Guides/Terminology

• Translation Memories

• Machine Translation

– Engineering

• Limit graphic usage

• Use proper document formatting

Production (graphics,

translation, DTP)

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Step 4: Quality Assurance

• Quality Actions:

– Use Testing Tools

• Select tools by using LT Advisor on GALA website

– Use automated testing

• Link checkers, spell checkers

– Split language review/functional QA

QA/Evaluation

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Testing Options Depending on Quality Level

Quality Action “Good Enough”

“Good” “Best”

Use translation tools X X X

Use Machine Translation/Post Editing X X

Use Automation Tools (spell checks, grammarcheck, link checkers, etc.)

X X X

Post Production QA (native speaker) X X

Back Translation X

Translation Proofread/Edit X X

Internationalization Testing X X

Functional Testing X X

In-Country Usability Testing X