six easy ways to control your localization costs

Six Easy Ways to Control Your Localization Costs

Bill Swallow

Bill Swallow

Content Solutions Manager, LinguaLinx

17 years experience in technical communication

About LinguaLinx

Headquartered in Cohoes, NY

50 employees country-wide

Founded in 2002

Technologically advanced LSP leveraging a variety of prevalent language industry tools such as translation memory and workflow efficiency

Currently provides service to a worldwide base of over 1,000 diverse clients

About GlobalScript

Content Solutions division of LinguaLinx

Content development consulting and services

Global readiness assessment

Workflow improvement

Authoring technology optimization

Definitions

Globalization (G11N)
all company-wide preparations that must be made in order to enter the international marketplace

Internationalization (I18N)
creating source material that is locale-independent

Localization (L10N)
adapting content and presentation for a particular country or region

Translation (T9N)
adapting meaning from one language into another in a written format

Poll: Are you currently translating/localizing your content?

Six easy ways to control your
localization costs

Plan for all of your localized needs up front

Consult with your translation vendor throughout

Use consistent, controlled content

Design templates and layouts that fit every need

Use localization friendly technologies

Ensure the easiest path for round-tripping content

1. Plan for all of your localized needs up front

Its not just about translating what you have.

Its about making sure that your audience has what they need, in the form that they need it in.


Localization is not a project-end activity

Start planning for it from the very beginning

Every aspect of your content strategy impacts and is impacted by localization


Why is this important?

Translating content is only one piece of the complete picture.

Technology considerations can impact translation quality, time, and cost.

Not every experience is the same.

Needs and expectations will continue to shift.
Be prepared to quickly shift with them.


The 1:10:100 rule

Fixing a problem at the planning stage is cheap

Fixing a problem mid-project can come with a significant cost

Fixing a problem at the delivery stage can cost a tremendous amount


Keep a diverse audience in mind

Strengthen adherence to style

Identify potential issues for target markets

Keep technology decisions in check

Plan for exceptions

Keep costs down

Ensure translators are prepared with the correct approach


Develop a global content strategy

Many content types

Diverse audience

Diverse authors

Aligns with corporate goals

Strengthens corporate brand


A global content strategy is NOT

A single actionable plan

A technology implementation

A siloed activity

A translation workflow

2. Consult with your translation vendor throughout

Your translation vendor is your local market SME.


Who should be involved?

Writers

Product development

Product management

Marketing & Sales

Support

Localization

Any group involved or impacted


Involve everyone from beginning to end

Every group brings unique and critical insights to the table

Needs vary and may conflict; plan for it

Meet regularly

Keep market needs and expectations in mind


How to involve your translation vendor

Contact them at the beginning

Include them in strategic planning

If you cant, at minimum supply them with updates

Include them in tactical planning

Include when making decisions on style, technology, and delivery


Translation options:

Human translation

Machine translation

Crowdsourced translation


Human Translation

Performed by professional translators fluent in both language and subject matter

Highest accuracy and quality in translation

Able to transcreate content where appropriate

Translators can be engaged in strategy development

Higher cost and longer duration


Machine translation

Performed by software

Questionable accuracy and quality in translation

Unable to transcreate content

Post-translation editing required

Low cost and shorter duration


Crowdsourced translation

Performed by a mix of people

Variable accuracy and quality in translation

Able to transcreate content where appropriate

Post-translation editing may be needed

Lower direct cost and shorter duration

Best suited for living content (blogs, social content, wikis)


Cultural Differences are Small but Noticeable

Poll: How do you create your content?

3. Use consistent, controlled content

Translation shouldnt be a problem
so long as my contents good, right?

What is good content?


Consistency is key

Structured authoring can ensure consistency

Unstructured authoring can as well, though requires additional effort

Reuse/repurpose content

All hail the Editor!

Linguistic analysis/QA tools (Acrolinx)


Consistency in unique content is also important

Targeted messaging

Time-sensitive information must still conform

Supporting information for transcreation (document your content)

Keep your brand intact


Translations should read as if it were originally crafted in the target language. Understanding the cultural and linguistic dynamics of the localization process will help create better multilingual content.

Lay it out for all the world

Anticipate language expansion

Use consistent terminology

Write clearly and concisely


Avoid:

Complex or lengthy sentences

Abbreviations, slang, jargon, or undefined acronyms

Invented words (unless they are well defined) or words with multiple meanings

Anything portraying a way of life or a culture specific to a particular people, country or region


Audience Analysis

Cultural understanding is critical

People consume information and react differently

Easier to plan up front than backpedal later

Linguistic and localization analysis and testing

Develop appropriate information for the appropriate audience, in the appropriate manner, for the greatest value

Poll: What type of information do you primarily create?

4. Design templates and layouts
that fit every need

Think about text expansion

Think about text reduction

Got graphics? Keep text separate!

Do your needs vary? So should your templates!

4. Design templates and layouts
that fit every need

5. Use localization friendly technologies

Tools should not dictate your localization plan.

They should support it.


Use a Content Management System

Stores content in purposeful chunks

Each chunk can be used and reused as needed

Write once, translate once, use anywhere

A CMS can export content free of layout and images, expediting translation turnaround

Most evolve with the times

Most facilitate publishing for multiple outputs


If you cant use a CMS

Use XML if possible

If you cant use XML, use tools supporting reuse

Use tools that import/export in non-proprietary formats

Global control over formatting is critical


Soft tools for solid gains

Style guides

Glossaries and terminology lists

Workflows and processes

Clear, open, direct communication

6. Ensure the easiest path for
round-tripping content

Most translation happens outside of source content tools

Content must be easily exported for translation

Content must be easily imported after translation

Case Study

North American (US & Canada) vendor

Consolidation of 26 European markets

Introducing XML-based structured authoring process

Established centralized workflows

Centralize translation memories, glossaries and TermBases

Revamp entire desktop publishing process

Case Study - Results

Shorter time to market for frequently changing and updated data

Increased enterprise and branding consistency

Significant savings through global costing alignment

Economies of scale gained in project management

Six easy ways to control your
localization costs

Plan for all of your localized needs up front

Consult with your translation vendor throughout

Use consistent, controlled content

Design templates and layouts that fit every need

Use localization friendly technologies

Ensure the easiest path for round-tripping content

For more information

LinguaLinx.com

GlobalScript.com

[email protected]

@BillSwallow

@LinguaLinx

@GlobalScript

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