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Translation quality assurance is a crucial aspect of any campaign that needs to reach a wide array of cultural audiences. With incorrect material, misinterpreted translations, or improper thematic elements, a brand can quickly lose credibility and miss profitable opportunities.

To help you provide the best services to clients and prevent failed campaigns, the Kent State Department of Modern & Classical Language Studies developed five ideas to consider when your company is interested in improving translation quality assurance.

Ideas to Consider When Improving Translation Quality Assurance

Translation quality assurance can vary across industries and usually has different goals. Typically involving the search for normal mistakes like spelling and grammatical issues, this process can also go beyond and look for inconsistent translations or misused terms.

When you are looking to improve translation quality assurance, audience comprehension should be at the forefront. To achieve this, we developed a list of items to consider that can encourage readers to understand and appreciate the material. Look for the following:

• Spelling and grammatical errors
• Ways to incorporate cultural elements
• Consistent use of proper terminology
• Accuracy in meaning
• Style uniformity
• Readability and flow

Suggestions for Success

To be successful when improving translation quality assurance, work to convey the original message and text in the new context. Consider the cultural factors of the intended audience and allow this to be at the center of the project. The following five tips can be helpful in your next client project.

1. Provide Quality Content in the Original Language

When you decide it is time to improve translation quality assurance, it is essential to have your best work ready even before it is translated. Although translators check for mistakes and flaws, it is still important to supply error-free content before it is ready for translating. By being prepared, the process is much easier for everyone involved.

2. Utilize Content Localization

Content localization will factor in the locale in addition to the language itself. While the language is vitally important, including the context and traditions of the culture can help the target audience feel connected to the content, and it can avoid any embarrassing cultural miscommunications.

Not only is this important to achieve through text, but it also factors into colors and images used as well. Together, these factors can add up to make the experience more relevant and memorable for the reader or viewer.

3. Pay Attention to Formatting

The format of the text may change when it is converted to better suit a different culture or language, so you’ll want to factor in adjustments made to the overall length and layout.

For example, text that is in a box or button in the original may exceed borders in the new format. It may also be necessary to move photos, adjust borders, or even add text to fit the guidelines and goals of your project.

4. Prepare Extra Time Between Translation and Edits

Being patient in this process is almost as critical as the content itself. Often, translators are encouraged to set the piece aside for a period of time before conducting a final read through. This promotes a fresh mindset during the finishing stages, making it more likely any lingering errors will be detected and any foundational issues can be corrected before the material is released to the public.

5. Get Feedback

Checking with inhabitants of the content’s ultimate locale to ensure that it is both culturally appropriate and comprehensible is always an ideal way to finalize the process of improving translation quality assurance. This can give you confidence that the message you intend to deliver is ready to be consumed by the chosen audience.

Build a Knowledgeable Team

If you are looking to add assets to your translation projects, our alumni are ready for the task. With our M.A. in translation program, we prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed to work in a wide array of translation careers.

Kent State offers six different language specializations, so our students truly have some varied expertise ideal for agency settings. Plus, with a graduation rate of over 90%, our program is adept at producing the translators companies need to complete their essential projects.

Contact Us Today with Questions!

Kent State strives to create an environment that prepares students to produce quality work. Be sure to contact us today with questions on ways to improve translation quality assurance!