It’s easy to think that if you need something translated, the first thing you should do is find a translation vendor and simply send them your materials to translate. More often than not, it’s not as simple as that, as there are many aspects that need to be evaluated before the kickoff if you want to properly execute a translation project. For example, an employee handbook about company policies will have very different translation needs than a mobile app or video game. The complexity of translation projects can vary widely and if what you’re really expecting back is a quality translation that is not only accurate but also effective, then just handing over materials for a translation won’t do the trick.
The truth is that a lot of thinking and knowledge went into creating your product or materials. To get to the final product you have today, a lot of time and hard work was put into it, and only the people that worked on it and developed this product know all its specificities.
There are ways you can help your localization team get to know your products. Let’s talk through why you should consider doing demos and training sessions with your localization team.
Understand Product Functionalities and Specifics
To start the localization process on the right foot, it’s crucial for the localization team to understand the product’s functionalities and specifics. This is why aside from having a detailed style guide and product description or other specs document, it’s a good idea to have a demo of the product with some training for the localization team. That way, project managers and linguists understand the product and are able to see it “in action”.
Let’s look at video games as an example. If you can, it’s a good idea to give translators access to the video game or to a beta version of the game so they can familiarize themselves with the mechanics of the game and see the product from the gamer’s perspective. In the case of mobile apps, it’s important for the translators to see what the app does and what the UI and UX look like. When working on its translation, translators may only see loose strings of text with little to no context. If you can give them access to play around in the app or video game, they will be better equipped to provide accurate translations.
If you cannot grant direct access to the product, you can conduct a training session where you can showcase the different functionalities. This is a great opportunity for people involved in the project to get familiarized with the ins and outs of the product and ask questions about it.
Consider the Length of Project
The other reason it can be a very good idea to familiarize your localization team with your products through demos and training sessions is so they are more prepared to assist you with translation needs on an ongoing basis. These types of projects are usually ongoing, as video games and apps usually have regular updates. If you already know that continuous localization will be needed, then you can greatly benefit from working with a team that knows your product as well as you do.
Another timeline concern to keep in mind is that it is highly advisable that you accommodate for demos and training sessions in the timeline of a localization project as it can really make a difference in the result and take your localization to success.
