Planning your translation project
1.What?
It might sound obvious but make sure first to gather all the elements that make up the complete translation project and then to keep them handy. It will not take any more time to make up a list , but such list may contribute to a high time efficiency in the future.
2. Why?
Ask yourself what the translation is expected to be. Is it for sale, teaching or persuasion? Your objectives institutes principles for determining the translation style.
3. Where?
Culture can never be isolated from language, so make sure you have a better understand of your target audience. An extensive knowledge of countries, regions, and dialects represented by the target audience may help to remove the risk of embarrassing misunderstandings.
4. When?
Plan in advance to establish a feasible and cost-effective translation schedule and remember that quality, cost, and schedule are the three pillars on which a translation project is balanced.
5. Who?
Possibly, the hardest decision comes to choose the right translator. Numerous options are available, including agencies, freelancers, yourself, colleagues and friends. But remember that the right person for your translation is the one who will be most likely to achieve your main objectives. If cost is critical, you might consider working directly with freelancers, friends or colleagues, as you will often pay less for a translation. If quality is crucial, you’d better work with an agency, not only because it has the resources to deal with large projects but also is liable of its actions.
6. How much?
How much will you spend? How much should you spend? There can be a huge difference in the fees charged for translation. So when getting quotes make sure to weigh take the cost versus benefit into consideration as getting quotes and remember You Pay for What You Have Got Only.
7. How long?
According to properties of the task, it may take anything from a couple of days up to a couple of weeks to get it right. Once more, if it took you several days to complete a manual, how long do you think realistically it will take to translate the same document with the same meticulous attention to detail? |
