The document discusses various topics related to managing and estimating translation projects. It begins by defining the key concepts of globalization, internationalization, localization, and translation. It then discusses how to properly scope translation projects, the importance of translation memory, factors to consider when pricing projects, and questions to ask vendors to identify the best partners. The document emphasizes that the largest savings come from optimizing processes rather than reducing costs per word.

1. Managing and Estimating
Translation Projects
ANGELOS
TZELEPIS

2. +
Topics
 How the GILT sausage is made
 Pricing smarts
 Points to ponder
 DTP or not DTP?
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

3. +
GILT? Wait, what?
 Globalization (#g11n)
 The entire process of planning for your products and services being
marketable around the world.
 Internationalization (#i18n)
 Coding so that your app or site can be localized without engineering
changes.
 Localization (#l10n)
 Custom-tailoring for a market; images, colors, cultural references.
“Transcreation.”
 Translation (#t9n)
 Translation.
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

4. +
Globalization planning…
…comes BEFORE translation.
Jättebra
Redalen
Gutvik
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

5. +
GILT? Wait, what?
 Globalization (#g11n)
 The entire process of planning for your products and services being
marketable around the world.
 Internationalization (#i18n)
 Coding so that your app or site can be localized without engineering changes.
 Localization (#l10n)
 Custom-tailoring for a market; images, colors, cultural references.
“Transcreation.”
 Translation (#t9n)
 Translation.
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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What is “content” to GILT?
Everything!
 Text
 Euphemism, idiom
 Puns, plays on words
 Marketing nonsense
 Cultural references
 Industry-specific lingo
 Images (Does that look like me? Right-to-left concerns?)
 Colors (Cultural/religious connotations?)
 Packaging (Form factor, size and cost, styling)
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

7. +
Right to left issues…
When you flip the
picture, there is now no
wedding ring on her “left”
hand.
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

8. +
What is “content” to GILT?
Everything!
 Text
 Euphemism, idiom
 Puns, plays on words
 Marketing nonsense
 Cultural references
 Industry-specific lingo
 Images (Does that look like me? Right-to-left concerns?)
 Colors (Cultural/religious connotations?)
 Packaging (Form factor, size and cost, styling)
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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Translation Memory
Think segments. A vast database of segments.
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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Translation Memory and Pricing
 20¢ per word unique Why are you paying for
100% matches?
 10¢ per word “fuzzy match”
 They still need review
 5¢ per word 100% match because the meaning could
change based on the
 0¢ per word ICE match surrounding context.
(In Context Exact)
 Grammar and gender
issues in many languages.
 Formatting changes.
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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Translation Memory
The change to segments 16 and 17 cost you $3.90.
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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Hidden costs?
Vendor 1 Vendor 2
 20¢ per word  14¢ per word translation
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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Hidden costs?
Vendor 1 Vendor 2
 20¢ per word  14¢ per word translation
 3¢ per word edit/proof
 2¢ per word QA
19¢ total? Still cheaper!
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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Hidden costs?
Vendor 1 Vendor 2
 20¢ per word  14¢ per word translation
 3¢ per word edit/proof
 2¢ per word QA
19¢ total? Still cheaper!
DOH!
5% project management fee
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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More on pricing
 Rush rates are outrageous. Linguist gets paid 1-2¢ extra per word.
 Price pressure really does affect quality. Linguists have to turn
around 50-100% more words per day than they did 10 years
ago, just to make the same living. You bet you need editing and
QA.
 Savings when you negotiate at the cents-per-word level can
magically disappear via new line items.
 1:10:100 Rule
Cost of problem-solving at the planning stage
Cost of problem-solving mid-project
Cost of problem-solving at delivery
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

16. +
What to ask
 Does the agency have Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance?
 How many layers of review are included in the price?
 What are the agency’s DTP capabilities? Is DTP done in house?
 Some Translation Management Systems do not play well with DTP.
 With what CMS have the agency worked?
 Does our CMS work with their TMS, and vice versa?
 Who owns the TM?
(the agency had better say the client does – and that there is no fee for handing it
over)
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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The big question…
Is your agency a vendor or a partner?
 “Just send us the text.” Run away.
 Are they consultative in attitude and behavior? Do they beg for
early involvement in projects? You can safely continue the
conversation.
Are you dealing with a “translation agency,” or a tech-savvy
company that knows the content chain up and down and happens
to specialize in language services and consulting?
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

18. +
XML, DITA, structure…
 Contra what you have heard send the agency the whole text, not just
the new items. They need the context.
 You won’t get charged for ICE matches by a good partner.
 Sending just the 5 changed topics, with no other context, leaves the
linguist in limbo. Give her the whole picture so she knows what
those topics are a part of.
 Best practices for source content are generally best practices once
you tackle translation, as they should be parallel processes.
Communicate with your LSP.
 Structure can actually cause problems. Gendered
variables/conditionals are just one example.
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

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More to think about
 The real savings are from process, not ¢/word reduction.
 Your glossaries are invaluable, as are existing translations, even if
you’re not happy with them.
 Huge cost savings can come from DTP. Not eliminating
DTP, though that may be an option for your content. If you’re doing
DTP, the largest savings can come from fixing those processes.
 Can you benefit from controlled language. Have you every
performed a content audit?
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

20. +
Eliminate DTP?
DITA this?
Not really.
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

21. Yes, in this case…
DITA this?
Please do!
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

22. +
Bad segmentation
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

23. +
Bad segmentation
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

24. +
Bad segmentation
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

25. +
Bad segmentation
ANGELOS TZELEPIS October 9, 2012

26. +
Questions?
@angelostzelepis
agtzelepis@gmail.com
angelostzelepis.com