Translation Memory – Why it should matter to Technical Writers

Translation Memory (TM) systems like Trados and SDLX can help technical content authors reuse their text with matches and save their organization money.

A match refers to segments of text that are the same or similar to previously translated and identified segments of text.  In translation, the segment pairs (source and target languages) are stored and saved in a TM database.  Why is this important?  You can leverage your matches across your documentation whether it is by product year, model or brand. 

• Exact matches are 100% the same – meaning the text segment is exactly the same word for word.  This is also known as repetitions.
• Fuzzy matches are exactly that – a match but only a certain percentage of the words are the same.  This can vary by translation service provider from 70%-99% of a the text must be similar.  
• New – are segments that must be translated from scratch.

The less translation you need the lower the cost and time requirements for you and your organization.  Be sure to think about reusing your text segments so that you can capitalize on cost cutting and saving when you go to translation.   

3 Tips for Writing Technical Documentation for Translation

If a consumer can’t understand how to use or service your product than what is the point of creating documentation?  Additionally, mistakes here can cause unforeseen liability claims.  By authoring, designing and translating your technical documentation with usability in mind you will have far more success globally.

Issues to consider:

1.  Design: 

• Book form, fan-fold or an innovative sheet fold form. 
• Use of photography and line art instead of text – usually takes up less space and is much more appealing
• Logical and structured format of ideas
• Avoid jargon and overly technical language

2.  Safety aspects and compliance with overseas directives:

• Requirements around the world vary greatly, be sure that your product/documentation is in compliance
• Standards – complies with all laws and safety regulations
• Documentation should be available during the entire life-cycle of the product
• Hazard Analysis – using a hazard and risk analysis to ensure the product does not provide danger to the user
• Target Market Conformity – many countries including the EU require declarations on the technical documentation

3.  Localization:

• Simply translating the documentation is not sufficient as the same words in the same language in different countries can have different meanings
• Source language should be perfect with no errors or mis-spelling
• Use professional translators with technical translation experience and are subject matter expertise
• Use short words/sentences with easy words and expressions, no idiomatic phrases or puns
• Utilize photos with text to help provide context
• Test the documentation with a sample in market audience before full distribution

Last but not least, be sure to utilize consumer feedback on all your documentation.  Even a team of seven reviewers can catch up to 90% misunderstandings in text, process or steps. 

The work you do before you distribute can help prevent miscommunication, liability issues and a bad impression when taking your products global. 

The Basics of DITA

DITA – Darwin Information Typing Architecture is the buzz word in technical documentation and translation these days. 

What exactly is DITA?

An information model/content management system that is used for content-rich and multi-channel environments.  According to Wikipedia, DITA is an XML based architecture introduced by IBM in 2001, to automate creation, authoring, producing and delivering technical information. This DTD system divides content into small, self contained topics that can be re-used in different deliverables and reduces information redundancy.

Three Basic Topic Types:

1.  Task – works for procedures and lists of steps to accomplish a task or outcome. 

2.  Concept – contains definitions, rules and guidelines

3.  Reference – describes command syntax, programming instructions, and other reference material.

Features:

• Modular content vs. long book oriented files
• Topics can be reused in various deliverables
• Allows for conditional text, index markers and topic to topic links based on audience, platform, model, and product
• Structure is similar to HTML which can be used directly in DITA Topics
• Topics are easier to find using an extensive metadata
• End to end architecture using specifications of elements, attributes and rules.

DITA can be used in Windows, Linux/UNIX and Mac OS operating systems. 

Output formats:

1. PDF
2. XHTML
3. HTML Help
4. Eclipse help
5. Java
6. Rich Text Format

The DITA Open Toolkit is an active open-source free DTD that has been contributed to from several companies. 

Translation and localization companies like Iterotext Translation Services can use your DTD files and your XML files to provide multi-lingual documentation.

If you are looking for more information please visit the Toolkit User Guide or the DITA Blog.

Translation tips for desktop publishing translated documents

Often times when our customers look to translate their documents, they do not think how they are going to get the translated text into their English layout.  An English layout can look fabulous on paper but when desktop publishing of the translation happens it can cause many issues.

IteroText has lots of experience placing translated text into the original source layout, however, there are many things to think about.

1.  Foreign language translations expand when coming from English – typically 20% or more.  This means the English text fit perfectly, but now how do you fit 20% more text in that same layout?  Often times we can reset the document entirely or shrink the point size and the leading.  However, by shrinking translated text, the finished product looks crammed and your message may get lost in the crowd.

2.  Leave plenty of white space when you know your documents will be translated.  This way there will be room for the expanded translated text.  Narrow columns may not work with languages such as German as their words are much longer and hyphenation could be in appropriate.  How we hyphenate in English can be very different in other languages, as the rules vary.

By thinking ahead you can save yourself the pain of an awkward layout and crammed text. 

Translation Tip for reviewing your translated documents

It makes good business sense to have your internal international sales, distributors or business team to review and offer their feedback on your foreign language translations.  In-country reviewers can provide an additional step in your quality control process.  Please consider the following before implementing an internal translation review process.

I am assuming of course that you are going to be working with a professional and reputable translation agency or translator and that they have the foreign language skills, subject matter expertise and is completely capable to provide a professional translation.  These folks usually expect a few tweaks to their document and will include that in their pricing.  However, if there is a complete rewrite – they will charge significantly more.

The purpose of an in-country review is to verify your industry terminology and ensure that your company’s style is utilized and is consistent with your brand and messaging.  Some in-country reviewers think that when they are asked to look at a document that they must mark it up all over the place to show they did their job.  When in actuality these changes are merely language preferences.  You may want to discuss your expectations and timeline before handing over the document for review…discouraging excessive word choice and stylistic changes and stressing your due date. 

Keep in mind that you do not allow your local salespeople to review and completely rewrite your English documents.

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