subject: Learn From My Mistakes Managing A Software Translation Project [print this page] When I was assigned to manage our companys international software launch, I made several crucial mistakes which not only forced our project over budget, but caused us to lag behind our competitors. While it was my first time managing an international release, I wish I had been better prepared when it came to understanding the differences between translation services, translation companies, and the particular needs of software translation projects. Hopefully what I learned from my mistakes will help you with your own software translation project.
Lesson #1: Software translation is not a simple matter of language translation.
While I knew there would be various cultural considerations when we translated our product, I didnt understand the necessary step of internationalization, which would first prepare our software for adaptation into multiple target markets. Part of this was cleaning our code base for elements which wouldnt work or would need significant re-engineering for non-English platforms. It makes sense in retrospect, but at the time I failed to understand how much time and effort would be wasted without internationalization.
Also, when youre involved in software translation, youll need to take into account the marketing and support of your software translation project online. Just as software isnt a simple matter of language translation, neither is website translation. There are plenty of localization and internationalization issues to manage when it comes to preparing and managing a content management system as well.
Lesson #2: Not all translation companies are created equally.
Theres a strong temptation with software translation projects to try and save money on translations services by seeking low-bids from translation companies. I would warn you about those low bids on translations services: Many companies use inexperienced and unqualified translators. The result? Uneven and inconsistent translation.
Additionally, non-native translators in translation companies will frequently overlook nuances in the language which can badly (or in my case, embarrassingly) mistranslate phrases. This also extends to misunderstanding cultural differences which extend beyond language.
Finally, I didnt take into account how important project management experience would be with translation companies when it came to our software translation project. Disorganized teams on both sides of the fence ended up costing us several weeks worth of wasted work due to poor communication and project management.
Lesson #3: The types of translations services you may require can vary considerably depending on what you have to translate.
Had I done a thorough audit of our materials prior to our software translation project, I would have realized we had a wide range of materials to translate. Translations services should have covered marketing material, user guides, legal disclosures, and even some highly technical support material for super users of our product. Unfortunately, the translation companies we went with in our first attempt didnt have teams suited for the different types of content we needed translated.
I hope you dont have to suffer through these lessons first-hand when it comes to your first software translation project. Understand the translations services youll need, interview translation companies thoroughly, and consult with experienced software translation project managers before you proceed!
