Working Methodology
In order to be successfully engaged in this workflow, the students have to have good translation and ICT skills, understand principles of terminology, translation memory, project management and software localisation as well as to have good command of terminology management, translation memory, project management and software localisation tools.
As software localisation is more complex than translation, special attention has to be paid to folder management, tracking of the different files and file versions.
Moreover, the project manager has to have a full understanding of the components of the software to be localised and of the natural order for their localisation.
For the purpose of this exercise, simple software should be localised, such as free, open source software like Notepad++.
Throughout the project, all members of the teams should communicate and exchange ideas. To facilitate their communication they could create and/or join existing forums on the topic.
Roles
Different roles will be assigned to students or groups of students, according to their number and the number of available PCs.
Project managers
One student or group of students will be responsible for preparing the translation project. Students in charge of project management will use a project management tool to monitor all stages of the localisation workflow in the course.
Among the tasks to be completed by project managers:
- Filtering of data relevant for this project (client) and exporting the data; this includes pre-existing resources, such as translation memories, translations that will have to be aligned, terminological databases, etc.
- Creating the project in the localisation tool and attaching relevant TMs and termbases
- Analysing and pretranslating the software using the existing TM
- Creating and populating the PM tool database with supplier and client details
- Setting deadlines, updating the task tracking records daily
- Assigning tasks to professionals: translators, terminologists, testers and proofreaders – and delivering the necessary materials.
Terminologists
Will be responsible for terminology research (mono and bilingual) and creating and updating termbases.
Translators
Will have to: translate the new project created by the project manager within the software localisation tool, deliver the translated software TM and terminology (export from the termbase provided by the terminologist)
Terminologists
Will be responsible for terminology research (mono and bilingual) and creating and updating termbases.
Proofreaders
Will be responsible for reviewing and correcting translations and giving translators feedback on their work. They will only be responsible for checking the linguistic content.
Testers
Will be responsible for generating the target version of the application, checking and solving any technical problems that may occur in the translated version of the software. This may involve tasks such as resizing dialogue boxes, checking links, menus and tab functionalities.
Project managers
Will receive the translated version of the software, together with the translation memories and terminology databases. Moreover, they will have to:
- Update and merge all TMs and terminology databases
- Coordinate translation and testing phases and deliver the final product to the client on time
- Update project data in the project management tool
Client
The teacher will play the role of the client. He/she will have to review students' work, mark corrections, and give students their work back for updating.
According to the 'client's' corrections, each student or group of students will then have to update his/her work (e.g. translation, translation memory or terminology database, depending on the assigned roles).
In groups, students can deliver short presentations presenting the project from different perspectives (translators, terminologists, project managers and revisers). These presentations can be followed by class discussions.