Translation and Project Management

Celia's article talks about the importance of translation, how can we benefit from a project management techniques and quality control processes.

The present article is an attempt at introducing an analysis of how translation can benefit from, and is actually taking advantage of, project management techniques and quality control processes. I will first advance some key concepts in the discipline and will then show current implementations of the procedures in the translation industry.

Project management:The Basics

Anything we do has a life cycle: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Some life cycles are more complex than others because some tasks are more complex than others, too, and therefore require careful planning and attention.

Translation workflow and Operational Environment

In this part of the speech translation workflow lifecycle and how to begin to launch.

We need to think in our objectives, the strategies for the best industries, how we can show the final product for our clients, the structure organization, the money.

Preparation:

Now, the most important steps to make a feasibility study for investigators.

• translation's function
• translation's environment
• translation's working life
• budget
• standards and format specifications
• reliability requirements
• future expansion
• technology to be used
• company's resources
• quality assurance requirement (is ISO 9000 a requirement?)
• team availability
• office space and equipment available
• deadlines and possibility of meeting them
• terms and conditions, as specified by the client, and subsequent assessment of their practicality
• training required and feasibility in terms of money, people and expectations
• outsourcing needs and logistic constraints
• viability of other translation projects running in parallel

Conclusion: The Translation phase is the most important part of the project and is only successful if you have been adequantly planned and completed the rest of the project phases.