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Logrus specialists have developed a technology that enables updates translation to be done automatically, considerably faster and more efficiently compared to regular TM-assisted update process. Our solution resolves most common update problems such as selection from several alternative translation and final documents conversion into FrameMaker format during the update process. Our completed projects show that a documentation package of almost half-a-million words’ size which consists of several dozen manuals in up to 10 languages (with four major Asian languages) can be updated within a single day by two engineers instead of 20 person-days of editorial work required usually to read through this volume of text. The technology utilizes the TRADOS XTranslate process.
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New Process
Logrus has developed and introduced a process that enables translation to be done automatically without native language speakers and considerably faster and more efficiently than normal update process using TM and normal matches. Logrus process overcomes familiar update problems such as the selection of one translation from several possibilities and the conversion of final documents to FrameMaker format during the update.
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Automating the Update Procedure
Logrus has expanded basic technologies used in the localization and translation industry in order to cut down production costs and improve end-product quality. Here, “basic technologies” mean translation memory (TM) technologies (translation databases), the best-known of which is TRADOS computer-aided translation and localization project management system.
The following scheme is typical for localization industry business processes.
The vendor receives a project to be translated for the first time (so-called “first-time translation”) and performs the translation which is reviewed by experienced editors. Then the bilingual document receives approved status.
When the manufacture releases a new version of the product and updates its documentation, the update is often cosmetic and it contains a limited number of new words (which is important for calculating the volume of work).
The vendor receives a new order (it is almost always extremely urgent) with an updated set of source files and the translation database generated for the first version.
If the vendor relies on the TM only during the next stage of computer-aided translation of the updated set of source files, it turns out that the quality of the translated material deteriorates unless translators or editors are engaged in the process again. Their cost to the company is generally higher than that of a technical specialist who performs the update. This creates a paradoxical situation when the work performed repeatedly cannot be performed efficiently without additional labor cost with customer-accepted and approved resources available. The analysis performed by Logrus has revealed the following bottlenecks in the business process:
Problem 1: translation
The translation database for a number of reasons, such as multiple translations, does not allow for automatic translation of an updated set of source files without subsequent editorial review.
Problem 2: multiple languages
The update has to be assigned to a translation agency, i.e. technical work that could be concentrated in the hands of qualified engineering staff has to be outsourced along with the translation.
Problem 3: creating materials for publishing
At the last stage, the documentation should be re-designed for printing in FrameMaker. Thus, all translated materials must be converted back, one way or another, to the model layout, i.e. to the FrameMaker format.
TRADOS technologies-based solution
After a thorough analysis of the problems, Logrus specialists faced the challenge of developing a procedure that would automatically insert previously approved translations into the new set of files and automatically convert documents to required formats and prepare materials for future output. Additionally, the procedure had to be equally applicable to any language pair (any combination of source and target languages).
The procedure was built on TRADOS 6 LSP localization application package where:
- TRADOS XTranslate Wizard was used for automatic insertion of approved translations into the new file set;
- XML-based TTX format was chosen as the basic format for storage of bilingual parallel texts;
- TRADOS S-Tagger was utilized for conversion to/from MIF FrameMaker tagged format.
Deployment results
Logrus specialists have developed a technology that enables updates translation to be done automatically, considerably faster and more efficiently compared to regular TM-assisted update process. Our solution resolves most common update problems such as selection from several alternative translation and final documents conversion into FrameMaker format during the update process. Our completed projects show that a documentation package of almost half-a-million words’ size which consists of several dozen manuals in up to 10 languages (with four major Asian languages) can be updated within a single day by two engineers instead of 20 person-days of editorial work required usually to read through this volume of text. The technology utilizes the TRADOS XTranslate process
Conclusion
Using TRADOS technologies, Logrus has implemented a tool that automates the company’s workflow in a critically important segment — multiple updates of printed documentation accompanying the release of new versions of products. The update procedure works equally well both for Western and double-byte languages, and it can be adapted to new formats and technologies. Through this deployment, Logrus has both improved the quality and speed of its services and offered Extended XTranslate as a new service on the localization market.
We continue working toward the improvement of our efficiency and full automation of multilingual workflow through the inclusion of similar expansions in the near future.
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